BigMerc96

According to my Haynes repair manual "1990-1996 models- These models use a parking break assembly with an automatic tension device, no adjustment is necessary."

Well, mine needs adjustment. With the parking break pedal pushed all the way to the floor, the cable under the car is about as tight as it should be with the break disengaged. With the break disengaged, the cable is VERY slack, if you look under the car you can see it hanging down. Needless to say my parking break doesn't work.

how do I go about fixing this, even though I don't use the parking break much, I would like to know it works.

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1996 Mercury Grand Marquis GS ~89,000mi, Willow Green inside and out. It's very green.
1998 Chevrolet Malibu Base V6 187,000mi (sold)

Bert

The only adjustment is inside the drum part of the rear rotor. I usually take the rotor off and adjust the shoes so they almost touch the inside.

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Bert

Bert

Normally they never need adjustment because they will only wear out if someone forgets to release the park brake. They aren't in use while driving. That's why they don't have all the major adjustments like the older style.

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Bert

BigMerc96

Thanks Bert,

Would adjusting the drum be able to take enough of the slack out of the cables? If so I will do that when I do the breaks, which will be sometime soon (at least before the end of summer).

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1996 Mercury Grand Marquis GS ~89,000mi, Willow Green inside and out. It's very green.
1998 Chevrolet Malibu Base V6 187,000mi (sold)

Bert

That's the only adjustment for it. If the brake adjustment doesn't take up the slack, the cables or cable are/is stretched and need replacement.

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Bert

BigMerc96

The indicator for the parking break doesn't appear to work either, the bulb in the dash is good, so is there a switch on the pedal assembly is probably to blame?

The automatic parking break release works though, it's the only part of the parking break that still works as it should.

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1996 Mercury Grand Marquis GS ~89,000mi, Willow Green inside and out. It's very green.
1998 Chevrolet Malibu Base V6 187,000mi (sold)

Bert

There is a switch on the brake assy. If you ground the wire, the light will come on.

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Bert