Oldsmobile Cutlass Parking brake won't engage Inspection at your home or office.

Our certified mobile mechanics come to you 7 days a week between 7 AM and 9 PM.

Estimate price near me

Service Location

Customer Ratings

(29)

How A Diagnostic Works

Instantly book a certified mobile mechanic to come to you

Mechanic diagnoses the problem and quotes necessary repairs

Your vehicle is ready to go

Fair, upfront & transparent pricing for all services

Our certified mobile mechanics can come to you now.

Customer Ratings

(29)

Parking brake won't engage Inspection Service

How much does a Parking brake won't engage Inspection cost?

On average, the cost for a Oldsmobile Cutlass Parking brake won't engage Inspection is $95 with $0 for parts and $95 for labor. Prices may vary depending on your location.

CarServiceEstimateShop/Dealer Price
1981 Oldsmobile CutlassV8-5.7L DieselService typeParking brake won't engage InspectionEstimate$114.99Shop/Dealer Price$124.99 - $132.49
1980 Oldsmobile CutlassV8-5.7LService typeParking brake won't engage InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$105.01 - $112.52
1981 Oldsmobile CutlassV8-4.3LService typeParking brake won't engage InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$105.01 - $112.52
1971 Oldsmobile CutlassV8-7.5LService typeParking brake won't engage InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$104.99 - $112.48
1985 Oldsmobile CutlassV8-5.0LService typeParking brake won't engage InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$105.02 - $112.55
1980 Oldsmobile CutlassV8-5.7L DieselService typeParking brake won't engage InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$105.01 - $112.52
1970 Oldsmobile CutlassV8-7.5LService typeParking brake won't engage InspectionEstimate$99.99Shop/Dealer Price$109.87 - $117.28
1977 Oldsmobile CutlassV8-5.7LService typeParking brake won't engage InspectionEstimate$99.99Shop/Dealer Price$110.24 - $117.94
Show example Oldsmobile Cutlass Parking brake won't engage Inspection prices

Engaging your parking brake ensures that your car doesn’t roll when you park on a hill. This is important in a wide variety of situations, whether you’re parking at home and your driveway is angled, or you’re backing down a boat ramp to unload in the lake. If your parking brake won’t engage, then you’re relying solely on the transmission’s park setting to hold the vehicle in place, which is never a good thing. It could slip, and it could also cause damage to the transmission.

How this system works:

Most parking brakes are relatively simple affairs – really nothing more than a cable that attaches to the handle that sits between your front seats (or the parking brake pedal under the dash in some cars). Pulling the handle pulls the cable, which engages the parking brake assembly and pushes a pair of brake shoes into contact with the inside of the drum.

However, despite that simplicity, there are several things that could go wrong with your parking brake. The most common issue is simply that you need to adjust your brake shoes. However, there could be a problem with the cable (corrosion or wear, for instance), or there could be a problem with the handle itself, although this is rare.

Common reasons for this to happen:

  • Need to Adjust Brake Shoes: The single most common reason your parking brake won’t engage is a need to adjust the brake shoes. This requires removing the rear wheels, removing the drum, and then adjusting the wheel to spread the shoes apart. Both sides should be adjusted.

  • Cable Is Detached: Another potential reason here is that the cable may have come loose from one or both sides. The cable must attach to both rear brakes for your parking brake to work (if it attaches to just one side, the brake will engage but feel loose, and the car will roll on a hill).

  • Cable Is Loose at the Handle: A much less common problem is that the nut where the cable attaches under the handle is loose. If this happens, there will be slack in the cable, and pulling the handle will not engage the parking brake. This is most common after inexpert parking brake repairs.

  • Rusted Bell Crank: The bell crank is really nothing more than a lever that sits near the front of the parking brake assembly. These are prone to rusting, particularly if you don’t use your parking brake very often. If this is the case, your parking brake will not engage.

What to expect:

One of our experienced mobile mechanics will come to your home or office and inspect the entire parking brake system, from the handle to the bell crank, the cabling and the attachment points at the rear. The mechanic will also provide you with a full report that details the scope and cost of any necessary parts and repairs.

How it's done:

The mechanic will inspect all aspects of your parking brake, beginning with the handle or pedal in the cabin. The mechanic will also inspect the cables, the shoe condition and adjustment and other aspects of your parking brake system. It may be necessary to remove one or both rear wheels, as well as the brake drums (if your car has drum brakes). If your car has disc brakes, the caliper and rotor may need to be removed to inspect the parking brake shoes, which are located inside the built-in drum on the rotor itself.

How important is this service?

If your parking brake will not engage, it will not prevent you from driving, but it does make parking on an incline risky. It’s possible that the transmission will slip out of park, and the vehicle will roll down the slope. One of our mechanics can fully assess your parking brake and advise you on what is needed to repair it.

Fast and easy service at your home or office

Backed by 12-month, 12.000-mile guarantee


Meet some of our expert Oldsmobile mechanics

Real customer reviews from Oldsmobile owners like you.

Excellent Rating

(29)

Rating Summary
26
3
0
0
0
26
3
0
0
0

Matt

15 years of experience
130 reviews
Matt
15 years of experience
Oldsmobile Cutlass V6-3.1L - Heater Blower Motor - Hoquiam, Washington
Reliable and got the job done quick and easy!!

Shaun

16 years of experience
238 reviews
Shaun
16 years of experience
Oldsmobile Cutlass V8-5.7L - Adjust Ignition Timing - Sunnyvale, California
Excellent knowledge about cars! Works fast and efficient! Highly recommend if you want you work done right and fast.

Torrieanto

12 years of experience
632 reviews
Torrieanto
12 years of experience
Oldsmobile Cutlass V8-5.7L - Car is not starting - Plant City, Florida
Arrived on time. Ran tests and hopefully, discover the problem.

Ronald

41 years of experience
317 reviews
Ronald
41 years of experience
Oldsmobile Cutlass V8-7.5L - Brake Pads Replacement (Front) - Cypress, Texas
Ronald was very helpful and clearly explained the recommended service and patiently answered all my questions.

Excellent Rating

(29)

Rating Summary
26
3
0
0
0
26
3
0
0
0
Number of Oldsmobile Cutlass services completed
319+
services done by our mechanics
TOTAL NUMBER OF EXPERT Oldsmobile MECHANICS
300+
experts on our platform

Recent articles & questions

How Long Does an Oil Cooler Adapter Gasket Last?
There There are a number of gaskets on an engine and each of them performs a specific purpose. For most car owners, their gaskets are not something that they think about until one of them begins to malfunction. Most of...
How to Choose a Child Seat That Converts
A convertible child seat is one that can be used either facing the back of the seat or facing the front of the vehicle. This type of seat (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/understanding-the-differences-in-car-seats) allows children to grow with it instead of out of it...
How to Replace a Suspension Air Bag
Air ride suspension systems use air bags to support the weight of trucks, SUVs, and large sedans. Suspension air bags may wear out by 100,000 miles.

signals, daytime running lights are not working, park brake light on dash is on steady and chime is dinging steady 4x4 wont engage

This is likely a brake light switch problem (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/brake-light-switch-replacement). I would suggest testing the brake light switch which should be located down by the brake pedal. This may also be a computer problem as well as indicated by the other...

I replaced my battery now the starter motor makes a clunking sound and starts after a few tries

Hello there, many faults will cause your 2003 Land Rover Range Rover to take multiple tries to start. It is great you have already replaced the battery as this is a very likely cause in most cases. There are many...

"Service AdvanceTrac Required" message 2012 Ford Mustang GT

Hi there. If the “service AdvanceTrac” warning indicator light comes on in the dashboard, this could be an indication of several issues including, a faulty wheel-speed sensor, a faulty steering-angle sensor, faulty rotational-speed sensor, issue with the steering rack or...

How can we help?

Our service team is available 7 days a week, Monday - Friday from 6 AM to 5 PM PST, Saturday - Sunday 7 AM - 4 PM PST.

1 (844) 997-3624 · hi@yourmechanic.com