# Frozen emergency brakes

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/frozen-emergency-brakes/59977>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** golf, volkswagen, brakes\
**Created:** [January 15, 2011, 4:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/frozen-emergency-brakes/59977 "2011-01-15T16:07:49Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![denbarn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@denbarn](https://community.cartalk.com/u/denbarn)\
**Post date:** [January 15, 2011, 4:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/frozen-emergency-brakes/59977/1 "2011-01-15T16:07:49Z")

</div>

I have a '99 VW Golf manual shift that has chosen to rebel against the past couple of cold winters. When the temp. stays below freezing, the emergency brake follows nature and does the same. I can’t move the car. If I let the car run for a LONG time, it will help enough so I can move the car and eventually get the brakes unfrozen, but I can tell it is not a good thing due to the smell of worn brakes when I do this. What’s up? I should just not use the emergency brake in the winter?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jesmed1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/jesmed1/32/2097_2.png) [@jesmed1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jesmed1)\
**Post date:** [January 15, 2011, 4:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/frozen-emergency-brakes/59977/2 "2011-01-15T16:10:18Z")

</div>

Or you could just have the emergency brake cable replaced. They’re not that expensive.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![kizwiki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7cd45c/32.png) [@kizwiki](https://community.cartalk.com/u/kizwiki)\
**Post date:** [January 17, 2011, 1:45am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/frozen-emergency-brakes/59977/3 "2011-01-17T01:45:57Z")

</div>

Your e-brake should not get frozen in any position but if it does, park the car on a level surface and don’t engage the parking brake. I’d guess that moisture is somehow getting to the brake cable.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\
**Post date:** [January 17, 2011, 1:50am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/frozen-emergency-brakes/59977/4 "2011-01-17T01:50:28Z")

</div>

Frozen parking brake cable is the most likely culprit. This would be cheap to replace.

I don’t recommend not using the parking brake, since it is a safety feature.