Locked rear wheels?

Jun 09, 2010 3 Replies
2002 Corolla, rear drum brakes, no ABS.

Most often, I commute on my motorcycle: faster, easier, cheaper... :) So, since last friday night above mentioned Corolla was parked in sheltered garage. This morning I decided that I deserve A/C, power steering and comfy seats and tried to go to work with it. To my surprise, both rear wheels are locked, just like I had firmly applied hand brake... Wife confirmed that both rear wheels are locked. Front wheels are not. I tried to rock car front and back, either by pushing and by shifting from first gear to reverse, like one do when stuck on mud, but I had no luck.



I do most of my maintenance. I changed the rear drum shoes myself 6 months ago and everything inside the drum was shiny and clean (really it doesn't looked like a 8 year car). I rode over 10k miles during this period, with no problems, with no issues on the handbrake or the pedal brake. I'm really puzzled, because car was working perfectly before I parked it friday night and it broke without anyone driving it, nobody didn't ever opened the doors since friday! I wish it would fix itself the same way... :)



so, could anyone please give me any insight on how I start troubleshooting? I plan on removing the drums and seeing what's in there, but to me, it's pretty weird both wheel are locked... I peered under the car and there are no sticks, dead dogs or anything else stuck anywhere.



thanks!


The Parking Brake is stuck activated. It's spooky that you service your own brakes and can't see this.

PS Since the wheels are locked, it's not likely that you'll get the drums off to inspect anything.

Then, there are the idiots who insist that THEY can do their own income taxes as well as a professional.

the parking brake bell crank is probably frozen in place. To remove the drums, remove the black rubber plug on the inboard side of the backing plate and back the adjusters all the way off.

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