So, just brought the Challenger home last Monday (R/t, 6 speed), every bit as great as I thought it would be. Then, end of the night, pull it into its spot, realize Im not over far enough, pull the parking brake release, and...

*pop*

[sm=yikesomg.gif][:@]

The brake released, thankfully, so I can still drive, but the release handle is just flopping in the breeze, and I have to remember to NEVER set the brake until I can get it fixed.

Im sure this is an easy warantee fix, but I dont really want to drive it again (even to the dealer) until spring. Any thoughts on what it could be? Id love to just fix it myself, but dont want to jazz anything up. Im too used to my motorcycle where all the parts are out where you can see them to fix. [8D]

-Rench

 

Uhhhh...unless the parking brake on the R/T is different than on the SE, you shouldn't "pull" anything to release it. On the SE, the parking brake is set with a pedal ... and you tap the pedal again with your foot to release it. What, exactly, did you "pull" that's now "flopping in the breeze"?

 

There's a release level on the SRT8s. I wish it did work like the SE. That plastic level is definitely going to wear out over time.

 

I wish it just had the "push off" parking brake. That's what the wife's Wagnum has, and it seems to work fine. For some reason, in the stick Challies, they seem to have gone with a pull release above it.

I actually sat in the lot at the dealer for about 30 seconds trying to figure out why it wouldn't push off when I bought it. [:-]

-Rench

 

So, its the sticks that have it. That makes more sense. Once I got my car home I did find a couple of quality control issues. One of the rubber stops under the arm rest lid was not installed. It was rolling around in the storage console. Wasn't too hard to press in. There was one other very minor thing that escapes me, now.

When I bought my second Ram the factory had failed to properly secure a ground wire. Man I thought that truck was posessed by demons. Radio playing when the key was pulled out of the igniton. The dash lights acted crazy and the head lamp would only light one side most of the time. I'd get a lamp-out light but the bulb was fine. I didn't realize when I pressed the clutch in the wire was pressed against a grounding point and everything would work normally. To the dealership 3 trips to find and correct.

 

Yeah. That doesn't make a lot of sense why there are two different systems on what's basically the same car. Actually, I don't know why they didn't use the pull-up handle on the console that's standard on virtually every other car made.

 

My R/T 6-speed has the pull handle to release.
I would much prefer a lever on/next to the center console. That sweetheart works just like a rudder. Flick the steering wheel to get the weight shifted, rip the e-brake for a second, then throttle up! Although with the 6-speed, a quick stab of the clutch along with a downshift can do the same thing

That's the only good thing about living in Ohio. You learn how to drive sideways at an early age!