ford focus handbrake

In message , jsp writes

It was designed primarily for the European market. I own one and think its insulting that Ford didn't change this feature when they produced the RHD version for the UK. You do get used to it after a while but that's still no excuse.

Hi,

Do you think there's any way to make the spring in the handbrake a bit looser? I think that car I rented must have been quite new, and as the handbrake was quite far away I could not hold the handbrake on whilst doing a hill start. Hence no hill start without a passenger to work the handbrake. It seems a shame that I can't buy a focus just because the handbrake is too far away for me to lift.

Thanks,

There must be tens of thousands of Ford Focuses being driven around the UK, and the car has a pretty good reputation. How come you can't reach a handbrake that so many other people can ?

Must admit I've never been in a Focus but I'd imagine the lever would have to be a long way over the passenger side to cause the problems of not been able to do a hill start. I'd have thought having the passenger in control of the h/brake on a steep incline would be more dangerous.

I've got a focus hire car at present and agree that the position of the handbrake is abismal spoiling quite a good driving position.

I am not a short individual but I find that with the handbrake on the left hand side of centre my grip on it is compromised as my arm and hand is at an awkward angle.

My wife certainly feels unsafe using the car because of the handbrake.

In my case I have no trouble reaching it, but the position is a pain - it's so close to the passenger seat that if my wife has her phone in her coat pocket, I catch my hand against it every time I reach for the hadbrake. Before the Focus I had a Nissan Primera and that was similar.

SteveW

Many people hold the car using the clutch... or the foot brake and let it roll back.

you should try a Toyota auris if you are short, it is actually impossible to use the handbrake with the seat in a forward position, the handbrake is almost vertical on these and human arms don't work well once the elbow is behind the body

;)

SteveW