Tottione1
New member
Hi guys and girls I've got a 2015 Fiat Panda 4x4 twinair. Can anyone help me please and advise me how do I adjust the handbreak cable, it's got rear discs, any help would be appreciated. Thank you.
Technical Panda 4x4 2015 handbrake cable adjust
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Technical Panda 4x4 2015 handbrake cable adjust
The rear discs themselves are meant to be self adjusting, so leaving only the cables.
However I have often found that people have over adjusted the cables and so prevented the disc calipers doing their self adjusting.
If you safely block the car from rolling, then with handbrake right off, the handbrake levers at the calipers should be totally back against their stops.
It may be easier with the wheels off.
Assuming the handbrake cables are not sticking at all then with handbrake cables backed right off, if I have a vehicle with a problem or after fitting new rear brake pads I would expect the handbrake levers at the caliper to be fully off against their stops, then I would pump the foot brake several times and the self adjusting mechanism in the calipers should operate bringing the brake pedal up to normal, I would then check that those levers are still against their stops and that there is no brake drag. I would then work the handbrake on and off several times and recheck no brake drag, then if necessary adjust cables for a good handbrake and recheck no brake drag. Finally I would give it a good road test and recheck wheels are not dragging and that the handbrake holds well on a hill.
If cables are fully backed off and loose but the levers are not back against their stops then time for a new brake caliper.
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Tottione1
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Thank you so much for your kind message, I'd like to start by saying that I've owned the panda from new and there has always been some play with the handbrake handle. The car has only 13,000 miles on the clock so there's no wear on the discs, however the handbrake handle has gradually got to the limit, she only just passed her last MOT with the advisory of the handbrake adjustment. I will try pumping the brakes and see if it helps. On previous cars I've owned there's an adjustment screw inside the handle but on my panda I couldn't find anything.
It is more making sure the levers at the wheel go back to the stops, otherwise it will not self adjust and you can adjust the cable as much as you like it still wouldn't stop properly. The cable adjuster may be under the centre console behind the lever nearer to the rear seats. On some cars you can remove an ashtray or similar to access, I don't know particularly on yours. Others here can advise on that.
It's to do with leverage and angles, the most force you can apply to a lever is at right angles to it.
So if the lever coming out of the caliper is not at it's optimum position there will be reduced efficiency.
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Tottione1
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Ok I'll have to see ,thanks for your help
The handbrake should self adjust - pulling it up very hard several times should do this. The pistons in the callipers rotate to take up the slack as the pads wear, keeping the handbrake lever at the same setting throughout.
If the car has only done 13,000 miles in nine years, its very likely the callipers or pistons have seized to some degree - especially if the car is only used with light loads and no rear passengers, as then the rear brakes do very little work to keep them 'happy'. Very low mileage is not a good thing for the 4x4 Panda... Do the rear discs look good and shiny? If not, load the car up so the back end is heavy (so the brake limiter lets the rear brakes do some work) and give it a good bit of exercise with plenty of hard braking
There is an adjuster under the car where the single rod from the lever connects the two separate cables to each wheel (arrowed in the drawing below), but that should not need to be altered other than when a new cable is fitted. But before going there, get the callipers working well first. (Also, worth checking that both cables are intact: another low mileage issue is rusting of the cables as they don't get fully wam and dried out)
Also, pressing the brake pedal down while pulling the handbrake up serval times to operate the adjuster may help, as the hydraulics will have already pushed the pads against the discs.
If the car has only done 13,000 miles in nine years, its very likely the callipers or pistons have seized to some degree - especially if the car is only used with light loads and no rear passengers, as then the rear brakes do very little work to keep them 'happy'. Very low mileage is not a good thing for the 4x4 Panda... Do the rear discs look good and shiny? If not, load the car up so the back end is heavy (so the brake limiter lets the rear brakes do some work) and give it a good bit of exercise with plenty of hard braking
There is an adjuster under the car where the single rod from the lever connects the two separate cables to each wheel (arrowed in the drawing below), but that should not need to be altered other than when a new cable is fitted. But before going there, get the callipers working well first. (Also, worth checking that both cables are intact: another low mileage issue is rusting of the cables as they don't get fully wam and dried out)
Also, pressing the brake pedal down while pulling the handbrake up serval times to operate the adjuster may help, as the hydraulics will have already pushed the pads against the discs.
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That.
Adjusting the cable to compensate for a sticking self adjusting mechanism is a common mistake. Make sure the self adjusters are working correctly before touching the cable.
Most self adjusters won't work correctly unless there is enough slack in the cable when the handbrake is off.
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Tottione1
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Hi everyone just want to let you all know that I have sorted out the issue regarding the handbrake, I took your advise and pumped the brake pedal lots of times, it's self adjusted
