[Alfadisiac]

Iv just parked my 159 on my drive, it's on a very slight incline, went in house, next minute I heard a bang an my alarm goes off! Went to investigate, only to find my car resting on my mums GTV spider! This hasn't happened before, although my cousins Vectra C did it 6 months ago!

Any ideas on why the handbrake has failed???

Brakes feel fine, plenty of gripping power on handbrake!

 

[dpat]

Bad news. Is there much damage to both cars I think there are a couple of cases in here of 159's with handbrake failure, try a search in this forum.

Another reminder to myself to keep the car in gear when parked up at home.

 

[Mark_S]

Sorry to hear about you having similar problems to a few of us,

please see link, you are not alone

http://www.alfaowner.com/Forum/alfa-159-brera-and-946-spider/260444-i-now-officially-hate-this-piece-of.html

 

[bcampbell74]

There is a definate issue here. Has happened to me and a few others (see my thread here). In my case the rear calliper had seized and boiled the brake fluid. Both callipers have now seized and is caused by one of the calliper pins loosing grease and becoming rusty. It is actually an easy fix (instructions here) however the damage caused may not be. I think that there is enough instances of this now for a formal complaint to ARUK though the response to my situation previously from them was pathetic.

 

[Guest]

Happened on my 147 so it's not a new problem.

Had the Brera handbrake adjusted when new as it used to groan a bit.


No issue with the 159, but I do push the footbrake down
when applying the handbrake and leave it in gear, just in case.

 

[Elfred]

Handbrakes that utilise the rear disks have a built in weakness (not just an Alfa problem) in that if you apply the brake when the disc is hot when it cools and contracts the brake can let go. If you are parked on a hill to be safe leave it in gear (like it tells you to do in the manual).

 

[Alfadisiac]

Iv just noticed that it's bent my bonnet a bit too! Not quite sitting flush on the passenger side at the front! Nice little job for me to do after work!

 

[David C]

Always ALWAYS leave a car parked in gear.

I expect it even mentions it in the owners manual.

 

[Guest]

It's not a 159 problem or an alfa problem. It's a fact of life that the hand brakes on cars with 4-wheel discs and no separate drum for the handbrake are cack. The rotating piston arrangement is rubbish, nowhere near strong enough, and prone to seizing up. It's a cheapo solution that works whilst the car is under warranty but goes **** up not long after.

Only last night I was freeing off the calipers on the back of our Volvo for the umpteenth time. It'll be getting new calipers fairly shortly. I ran my old Primera GT with no handbrake at all for nearly a year because the calipers were £80 a side and I had no faith in them anyway.

This is worthy of a full-blown rant I think.

 

[David C]

The handbrakes work fine for their intended purpose, but you are never meant to leave a car with just the handbrake holding it.

Your Volvo calipers may be worse though...

 

[Alfadisiac]

I do usually leave it in gear when on a hill, but my driveway is very shallow and never had a problem with any of my cars. All I can say is, lesson learned! Will be left in gear everywhere now, even on flat!

Thanks all for your input, hopefully I'll be able to straighten the twist in the bonnet myself to a reasonable standard, I don't dance spending too much money and I know that body work is not too cheap!

 

[zulu]

Just happened to me tonight

Loud bang outside, car alarm going off...
...my car buried in next door's gate pillar. Bit of a mess, both the rear of the car and the gate pillar (160 years old) smashed. Have spent the last hour splitting the pillar to remove the twisted railings and gate.
Guessing insurance will sort out damage to car, my main concern is the property (it's empty & for sale)

I know you'll all castigate me for not leaving the car in gear, but I've never had this happen before with a car of mine. (twice been hit by other people though) On inspection, the hand brake was down, and I'm 100% sure I left it on when I parked it. The car only rolled back about 4m, so must have been a quick journey, not a slow, gradual roll back.

 

[David C]

I know you'll all castigate me for not leaving the car in gear...

Yep....!!

 

[zulu]

And here's the result

 

[turbonutters]

That’s bad fortunately my 159 is a auto.
I had it happen with my Alfasud in the late 80’s the car landed in the middle of a busy street and everybody blowing there horns got my attention especially when I noticed the car wasn’t where I left it fortunately no damage.

 

[Redmatt75]

Ouch! Is that your boot not fitting properly? Must have taken a hell of whack!

 

[zulu]

Yup, boot is buckled but still opens and closes properly though, so is the rear bumper. Expecting both to be replaced. Only other damage was the number plate, so had to get one of those made up this morning to at least be legal.
It rained last night, and the boot was still drt, so luckily, despite the gap, there doesn't appear to be a leak

 

[Alfadisiac]

Gutted for you! My car is in the garage at mo gettin the damage from Sunday nights vandalism and they are going to have a look at realigning my bonnet! Looks as though the locking bracket has lifted instead of the Bonnet buckling!
Anyway, I'm in the same boat! Hope you get her looking like the former beauty she was!