Zannu Posted July 26, 2020 Share Posted July 26, 2020 Had an interesting problem earlier this week and thought I would share this for anyone who encounters the same issue. Having parked on our drive (on a slope) I left my Forester (2003) and when I came back to it in a few days time to use I got in and tried to drive off. All the brakes were locked on solid. Couldn't get it to move at all. It felt like the hill hold was on permenantly which was weird. Turns out I was right. So after some investigation we found where the hill hold adjustment was. Decided it couldn't be much else. I had fitted new front brakes a few weeks prior, but driven to Lands End and back since, so covered over 400 miles on the new brakes and not had any issues with my car having been left for a week at times without driving. Also it was all the brakes so not something like the handbrake sticking on. Looking at the hill hold lever/valve it was immediatley obvious what was wrong. Whilst parking the hill hold had activated and at some point in the last section of my journey the return spring had corroded enough that is sheared. So there was only half the spring attached. This meant when parking and the hill hold activated, the valve was never returned and it stayed locked on, so my feeling like the hill hold was on turned out to be right! My temporary solution was to note where the adjuster was and unscrew it. This means I could take out the rod that actuates the valve. Now the rod for the actuator sits beside the arm. This means I no longer have hill hold, but also my brakes are not permenantly locked on! I am going to get another spring very soon and can put the system back together as I do enjoy the convenience of the hill hold sometimes. Just thought this might help someone who is panicing as they get to their car and find the brakes are all locked on! Certainly stressed me a little but fortunatley it was just to go to a welding store so not a time critical journey. I might try and get some pictures to add here when I put another spring back onto the system. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay762 Posted July 27, 2020 Share Posted July 27, 2020 Very useful post 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zannu Posted January 10, 2021 Author Share Posted January 10, 2021 Apologies on the massive delay, but I did say I would add photos, and here they are. The hill hold unit on my SG5 Forester is located on the right of the engine bay, quite hidden unless you know where to look. I have circled it here to make it easier to spot. This is a closer look at the unit. In the red circle is the spring which for me had sheared. I bought a second hand unit for about £20 just for the spring, maybe not my most sensible decision but I did find I use the hill hold quite a lot and was worth doing it properly for me. In black there are the adjuster nuts that set the clutch point when the brakes release. I took these off when the spring had failed, and moved the cable so it was no longer through the actuator arm, I left the cable sit where the blue line is. This meant that the hill hold would stay off and I could drive until I got the replacement spring. I did find a different spring that wouldn't allow operation of the unit, but that would ensure the hill hold didn't vibrate or move on. I hope this might help someone, if they get stuck. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidgy Posted January 11, 2021 Share Posted January 11, 2021 my wife calls hill start 'butt wiggle' pmsl only slightly relevant to the thread but i thought why not lol 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zannu Posted January 11, 2021 Author Share Posted January 11, 2021 1 hour ago, Tidgy said: my wife calls hill start 'butt wiggle' pmsl only slightly relevant to the thread but i thought why not lol Why, does she not like using it? I have mine adjusted to a point I am very happy with and do find it handy. But I get that it wouldn't be for everyone, and slightly odd to start using, until you trust it to actually hold you still. And yeah, certainly a funny name for it 😂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidgy Posted January 11, 2021 Share Posted January 11, 2021 No she loved it, her new one doesnt have it though lol 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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