# 96 Buick Century rear brakes sticking

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/96-buick-century-rear-brakes-sticking/59568>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** brakes, buick, century\
**Created:** [January 5, 2011, 4:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/96-buick-century-rear-brakes-sticking/59568 "2011-01-05T16:37:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![shermanmeow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/74df32/32.png) [@shermanmeow](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shermanmeow)\
**Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 4:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/96-buick-century-rear-brakes-sticking/59568/1 "2011-01-05T16:37:37Z")

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I have to bring my car in, but want to know a little about what I’m talking about to describe what I want them to do. My brake light is on and the rear brakes (driver side especially) seem to not want to let go completely when I disengage the brake pedal. I know there is something in there that can be manually adjusted, some star thingy…what do you guys think I should say to repair guy?

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**Author:** ![cigroller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c68b51/32.png) [@cigroller](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cigroller)\
**Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 6:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/96-buick-century-rear-brakes-sticking/59568/2 "2011-01-05T18:06:55Z")

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Well, the star thingy certainly isn’t it. It is the automatic adjuster and if it malfunctions this would create the opposite of sticking brakes - a brake that won’t fully apply.

A good possibility is just a parking brake mechanism that won’t fully release due to corrosion or whatever. Flexible brake line problems are also a possibility (internal breakdown that doesn’t allow the pressure to release).

Your best defense is just going to be taking it to someone you can trust - a local shop with a known good reputation. Avoid the auto repair chain shops, even if they specialize in brakes. Just a reputable, local shop. Someone will have to tear it down and inspect.

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**Author:** ![shermanmeow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/74df32/32.png) [@shermanmeow](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shermanmeow)\
**Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 6:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/96-buick-century-rear-brakes-sticking/59568/3 "2011-01-05T18:14:40Z")

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Yeah, I did some research and found you’re right with the star thingy 🙂

Whatever it is, I’m hoping not too expensive. I can’t find anything online to tell me whether my car has drum or disc brakes in the rear. Wouldn’t it seem that a specific year and model would be one way or the other?

I’m bringing it in on Friday to a guy that fixed my front brakes a while back. Seemed like a good guy, good reviews on this site too. Crossing fingers.

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**Author:** ![cigroller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c68b51/32.png) [@cigroller](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cigroller)\
**Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 10:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/96-buick-century-rear-brakes-sticking/59568/4 "2011-01-05T22:10:12Z")

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In some years/models you could end up with either drum or disc in the rear.

It should be easy to figure out though varying a little depending on what kind of wheels you have on there. Take a flashlight and go to the front wheels - look through whatever holes the wheels give you to look through. Find the shiny looking metal back there - that’s the “disc” (brake rotor). Its going to be the only shiny thing behind the wheel.

No go look at the rear wheel. Do you see a shiny thing back there (disc brakes) or just a dirty, rusty looking thing (drum)?

There are few brake problems at the wheel that are all that expensive.