Thanks! I don’t use it that often either. I do use it when parking on uneven terrain, loose terrain, or inclines/declines.
We are sorry to hear this @koldfront_xj, please send us a message if you change your mind and need extra support at the dealership.
Something must be wrong then because I have rolled away countless times while pressing the clutch to start the Jeep, right foot firmly planted on the brake.
The issue wasn't with the cable; the cable has always felt tight. The issue was the brake drum and shoe not making contact, so even with the cable tight, the brakes were not engaged. That being said, yes, I have personally adjusted the cable under the console several times by tightening the 10mm nut, although these were all before the cable was replaced last August.
Yup, I've had that happen too. The handle has to be pulled up so high that you need to really beat on it to get the button/handle to release. That is what tells me there was too much slack in the cable; this was prior to the dealership replacing the cable under warranty last August.
Interesting...so after doing some more tests this week, the brake does seem to hold the Jeep on an uphill slope. That is, when I'm facing uphill, the brake will engage after a few clicks (the handle is about halfway up), the Jeep will roll for a couple of inches, and then I can feel the brake lock. However, when the Jeep is facing downhill, I have to pull the handle all the way to the top and it does not hold at all, even on a 2 degree downhill slope. Wondering why it seems to hold uphill but not downhill; and that might explain why I was only able to adjust the shoes on the passenger side. I'll get down there and look at the cables where they sit on top of the rear axle a bit closer. Thanks!
It wasn't a big deal when I lived in Florida and 95% of the places I parked were flat, level ground. But since moving to Virginia, it seems that every parking lot (and every trail) has some sort of slope to it.
Haha oh yeah, my brakes were full of mud and all sorts of crap when I pulled the wheels/calipers to try this myself a couple of weeks ago. That probably had something to do with it. I do always leave it in gear when parked; that's how I learned to drive stick. Reverse when facing downhill, first when facing uphill. The JT Manual does say to do this also, so I'm not too worried about transmission damage. It just sucks to not be able to park with the Jeep running; makes it harder to use the compressor and winch on the trails.Mine worked until I left it set and drove though a water hole in 4lo,now I need new shoes, but plus one on just lifting the center counsel and tightening it up. Or just leave it in gear when parked, good practice anyway.
If the brakes work sufficiently well when the engine is running then what's wrong is you're not pushing on the pedal hard enough. Again, you may also have an issue with the booster vacuum bleeding down, but the brakes will hold the vehicle in place with the engine off if you apply enough pressure to the pedal.
