Disco 3 parking brake failed during MOT

Hi all, in need of some expert advice, I've had my disco 3 11 months never had any trouble with the electric parking brake. Took it for mot yesterday and it failed on the parking brake not working ( faults lights on the dash).

The tester drove the car off the car park into the garage and obviously released the brake he too it into the garage and locked the air suspension to access height and drive it into the 4 post lift (still locked in access height) he did the MOT on the rolling road and informed me that it had failed due to inoperable hand brake. When they plugged the car in to check the fault it was telling them that the emergency handbrake release had been operated.

I believe that they cold have removed the keys while in the rolling road which in turn would have put the handbrake on automatically??? HELP its hinging on a bill for £800 to resolve' / to put liability onto MOT testing station

I have never had a disco put on a rolling road they are 4 wheel drive sounds like you need some legal advice.

andynwas said:

I have never had a disco put on a rolling road they are 4 wheel drive sounds like you need some legal advice.

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On the brake value test on mots you would of .. ?

No,all my discos have been constant 4 wheel drive and brakes have been tested with a decelerometer.

Stand corrected then ...

Thanks, they also did the MOT with the air suspension locked in access mode which I didn't agree with, you wouldn't drive the car in that mode so why would they MOT it that way???

Sounds like your MoT tester was a cock. The D3 MUST be tested with the decelerometer. Trying to test the brakes on a roller will bugger up something expensive.
Before the Mot test went private, VOSA detailed exact test procedures for the D3. The suspension should also be an normal ride hight, which is how the vehicle should normally be driven. Actually you can only use normal ride hight above 35 Mph
What is the EPB doing?

hi, it flashing red on the dash and if you try and apply the EPB it just keeps making loud screeching noises !!!

FREELANDER123 said:

hi, it flashing red on the dash and if you try and apply the EPB it just keeps making loud screeching noises !!!

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The EPB needs adjustment by the sound of it. Get a copy of Bodsy's brake bible. He explains how to do everything brake related on the D3, including adjusting the EPB.

As a point of interest, do you use the epb frequently, ?

Ok, it's used when parked and I would say 3 journeys a day., and when setting off from junctions on a hill again maybe 3-4 times a day,

The EPB needs 6 monthly adjustment and an annual strip, clean, lube, reasonably and adjustment. The manual gearbox makes more use of the EPB than the auto so regular adjustment is important.

Thanks for the info, would you say that the MOT tester could have caused the EPB to fail.

FREELANDER123 said:

Thanks for the info, would you say that the MOT tester could have caused the EPB to fail.

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Good question. The EPB is a smart system that monitors the rear wheels for rotation after it's been applied. If the brake roller has enough torque to continue to rotate the wheels against the EPB, the EPB ECU applies the brake harder. This is I suspect what has happened. The fact that no EPB adjustment has taken place in at least the last 11 months is the primary contributory factor. The EPB needs adjustment every 6 months or sooner if you notice that it's taking longer than normal to apply. I used to adjust mine every 3 months so as to avoid any problems. If the EPB module is heard to scream. It means that the cables needed pulling further than the length of the rack. The screaming sound is the gears slipping inside the unit, which is very damaging.

Just thinking on it had new rear discs and pads 2 months ago so would have been adjusted at that point.

FREELANDER123 said:

Just thinking on it had new rear discs and pads 2 months ago so would have been adjusted at that point.

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If new discs were fitted without new EPB shoes (common practice) then the adjustment goes out very quickly, as the shoes bed in to the new discs. However I've come across a technician who didn't bother to adjust the EPB correctly after new discs have been fitted. The D3 is a complex machine that needs careful maintenance if problems like these are to be avoided.

Thanks for your advice.

FREELANDER123 said:

Thanks for your advice.

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Download Bodsy's Brake Bible and do the adjustment yourself. It's the only way to be sure

Already have, the MOT station have arranged for the car to go to Land Rover dealership tomorrow for inspection and report on what has happened and from that point admit deny liability.
A Land Rover specialists advised me that the EPB module had failed which was making the noise??

Sounds like your park brake is jammed and the emergency release has been pulled
You can unjam the hand brake module
But you need to fix the problem
Probably badly adjusted or seized brake shoes