How to Fix Jeep Cherokee Parking Brake Won’t Release
The Jeep Cherokee is an awesome SUV that gives you plenty of off-road capability and on-road performance, all in one package. The only downside is that the Cherokee can be a tricky car to drive from time to time, especially if you’re inexperienced with SUVs or small cars in general. Fortunately, the Cherokee has some great safety features that help you drive safely and avoid any accidents. One of these safety features is the parking brake—it’s accessible from the center console by pulling up on the lever marked ‘PARK.’ Using your parking brake isn’t mandatory when driving; however, it can come in handy should you ever need to keep your Cherokee in place for any reason. Whether it’s stuck outside a driveway or your garage, this article will show you how to use your Jeep Cherokee parking brake effectively so that it doesn’t get away from you again!
Check Your Parking Brake Before Driving
The first thing you should do before driving with your parking brake engaged is checked to make sure it’s engaged. This will ensure your parking brake is being applied, and you can release it to drive off safely when you need to. To check the parking brake before driving, you’ll want to grab the parking brake handle in the console between the front seats. Once you have the parking brake handle in your hand, pull up on it to release the parking brake. If there is resistance when you pull up on the handle, the parking brake is either already engaged, or the lever is stuck. If it’s engaged, you can use the parking brake release switch on the end of the parking brake handle to release it. Release the parking brake by pushing the switch down into the handle until there is no resistance.
Use Your Handbrake to Stop
If you need to stop your Cherokee, but the parking brake isn’t doing the trick, try engaging your handbrake instead. Your handbrake is a separate lever that stiffens the rear brakes, so the car comes to a complete stop. To engage your handbrake, pull up the lever on the side of the console between the front seats. You can tell that the handbrake is engaged by the ‘H’ on the lever being lit up. You can also use your handbrake to help you back up your Cherokee if it has been in a rollover accident or if it has a flat tire.
Release the Parking Brake Automatically
Your Jeep Cherokee parking brake automatically releases when you shift into second gear. Since your parking brake works with the rear brakes, it also releases when the rear brakes are pressed. This is because you’re engaging the parking brake when you are using the rear brakes. If you’re driving with your parking brake engaged, you might hear a clicking noise when you’re driving. This is a sign that the rear brakes are being pressed and the parking brake is engaged.
Release the Parking Brake Manually
The parking brake is a manual lever that you can use to hold your Cherokee in place. While this may not be recommended for normal driving, it can be an important safety feature to consider if you ever need to. If you’ve engaged the parking brake and you need to release it, you can do so manually. To do this, reach down between the front seats to grab the parking brake handle. You’ll want to make sure that you are pulling up the portion of the handle with the black button on it. Once you have the handle in your hand, push the black button down until the parking brake is released.