Car Won't Move... Help!

[RYar]

The car won't budge, and I'm almost certain it is the driver's side rear brake drum that has locked up. I know this because after trying to rock the car back and forth to break it free it left drag marks on the asphalt.

Why is this happening to a car that has only 15K on it???

Any suggestions on how to get the car to roll free again?

[YAR1S]

try and get the drum cover off and take a look??
That's what I'd do.

[RYar]

Originally Posted by YAR1S

try and get the drum cover off and take a look??
That's what I'd do.

Thanks YAR1S...
How do I get the drum off with the shoes engaged?... Hammer? I'm just worried about the drum surface. Or does it really make a difference?

[YAR1S]

hmmmmm I dont want to suggest something that may hurt your car but if you did want to remove your drum (and please someone butt in if I am totally wrong for suggesting this?)

take off your wheel and use a M8(or maybe 10) in the bolt holes in the center and gentily screw them in while slightly tapping.

[sqcomp]

This is covered under warranty correct? Take it to the dealer. I know I'd do that first thing.

[RYar]

Originally Posted by sqcomp

This is covered under warranty correct? Take it to the dealer. I know I'd do that first thing.

Hmmm. Didn't even think of that. I'll have to look into that. I don't want to touch it if it is under warranty. I don't have perks like that on my 20 year old primary car.

Thanks peoples!

[jambo101]

What makes you eliminate the possibility of a locked up tranny?
Is it Auto or manual?

[RYar]

Originally Posted by jambo101

What makes you eliminate the possibility of a locked up tranny?
Is it Auto or manual?

It is a manual, and it is the rear wheel that is locking up.

Originally Posted by MadMax

Errrr...take another look at the title of this thread: Car Won't Move...Help! Kinda hard to take it to the dealer when it won't move!

Haha. I don't even know how they would tow it without a flatbed... Good times.

[MadMax]

Originally Posted by sqcomp

This is covered under warranty correct? Take it to the dealer. I know I'd do that first thing.

Errrr...take another look at the title of this thread: Car Won't Move...Help! Kinda hard to take it to the dealer when it won't move!

However, I agree that a call to the dealer is in order. They need to retrieve the car and fix whatever is keeping it from moving.

And because he said "after trying to rock the car back and forth to break it free it left drag marks on the asphalt," I don't think it is a locked-up transmission. Definitely sounds like a stuck brake caliber/pad...

Good luck!

Cheers! M2

[bronsin]

Gee I really want to hear what the dealer finds out when they fix this problem. Its unusual to say the least. I think you can get at the adjustment mechinism from the back of the wheel without taking the drum off. So you could loosen the brakes to make it getting the drum off easier. Im thinking something in there has come loose to cause this.

[DARK AGE 53]

that sucks, being it's under warranty I'd have it towed to the dealer...keep us informed on what the problem was.

Later,
Al

[yarrr]

Was the car sitting for a while before this? Or did you drive it the day before and it locked up the next morning? Have you gotten much snow lately? Stock wheels and suspension?

Checking drums - chock the wheels so it can't roll(although i guess that's not a huge risk here :P ), take off the e-brake, jack the car up, take the wheel off, the drum should just pull off. If it doesn't that's probably your problem. As bronsin said you can try to adjust the rears down, there's a little rubber cover on the back of the drum. Pull that off and stick a screwdriver in and try to turn the little gear in there. If that doesn't work you can tap the drum with a hammer, just don't get too crazy. Tap it and rock it back and forth. If it takes too much work, the drum is either seized or rusted shut, you should probably take it to a mechanic at this point.

If the drum comes off and the shoes look like they still have some life left(not metal on metal), my only other guess is a wheel bearing, but usually they don't just lock up, they get really noisy before they completely die.

AAA should flatbed it to a dealer if all else fails.

[sbergman27]

Originally Posted by RYar

The car won't budge, and I'm almost certain it is the driver's side rear brake drum that has locked up.

You might want to jack it up, take off that wheel, and make sure there's not a floor mat jammed in there. Sometimes it happens.

Sorry. Couldn't resist.

When you pull the parking brake lever, does it feel normal? I'm not sure if there's any access to the parking brake cables from under the car... but I'm wondering if there might be unexpected tension... or an unusual amount of slack... in the driver's side portion of the cable when the parking brake lever is set to off.

Out of curiousity, does this have ABS?

But calling the dealer is probably the best idea. Do they not bear some responsibility for getting the car into their shop if it is immobile through some defect/failure of the warranties equipment? Tell them that if they don't come get it you're going to Channel 4 News with your Toyota Horror Story. ;-)

-Steve

[RYar]

Originally Posted by sbergman27

You might want to jack it up, take off that wheel, and make sure there's not a floor mat jammed in there. Sometimes it happens.

Sorry. Couldn't resist.
-Steve

Hahaha....

Sorry for the extreme delay, I was sidetracked. So I took it to the dealer and they took care of everything, including a problem that I didn't know about; slight rotor warping. It was all free and under warranty.

The problem was the brake drum fused (due to corrosion) to the brake shoes, locking up the DS rear wheel. Their response to "how do I keep this from happening again?" was "drive it more often". Strange for a car so young, and having sat for less than a week. I had a 91 VW Jetta with rear drums that I would let sit for months... never an issue. The brakes never worked very well though.

Thanks for all the suggestions!!

[jesuismir]

I'm so glad I found this!

This happened to me two weeks ago. I had parked and came back within 1 minute (at the post office). When I set it on reverse, my car didn't move. I slightly hit the gas and it didn't move. I push a little bit harder (way to hard to normally slowly back out) and it finally started moving. When I went to hit the brakes, the brakes were stuck! So, out of fear (esp. with a car coming behind you), I pulled the manual brake and set my car on parking. I tried steering (car was still on with man. and parked), but it was stuck too. Waited two minutes and started the car again and it was fine. (No, my steering wheel wasn't turned all the way)

It happened to me AGAIN today. This time when I set it on reverse it moved FORWARD (thank goodness I was parked against the wall with a parking stopper). Turned off the car and started it again. Backed up and it was fine.

I was going to bring it in the first time, but then thought it was a one time thing. Boy was I wrong. I have a great fear that I won't be able to stop my car in the freeway.

My car also smell like stinky socks when I start it up. I have to check that out too.

I had bought the car alarm with Toyota and the light blinks a lot faster than it used to.

This is my only car and I drive it everyday.



The good part is I'm still under warranty! *whew*

[08blackyari]

Originally Posted by jesuismir

I'm so glad I found this!

This happened to me two weeks ago. I had parked and came back within 1 minute (at the post office). When I set it on reverse, my car didn't move. I slightly hit the gas and it didn't move. I push a little bit harder (way to hard to normally slowly back out) and it finally started moving. When I went to hit the brakes, the brakes were stuck! So, out of fear (esp. with a car coming behind you), I pulled the manual brake and set my car on parking. I tried steering (car was still on with man. and parked), but it was stuck too. Waited two minutes and started the car again and it was fine. (No, my steering wheel wasn't turned all the way)

It happened to me AGAIN today. This time when I set it on reverse it moved FORWARD (thank goodness I was parked against the wall with a parking stopper). Turned off the car and started it again. Backed up and it was fine.

I was going to bring it in the first time, but then thought it was a one time thing. Boy was I wrong. I have a great fear that I won't be able to stop my car in the freeway.

My car also smell like stinky socks when I start it up. I have to check that out too.

I had bought the car alarm with Toyota and the light blinks a lot faster than it used to.

This is my only car and I drive it everyday.



The good part is I'm still under warranty! *whew*

So what did the dealer say about your car??

[jesuismir]

Originally Posted by 08blackyari

So what did the dealer say about your car??

To be honest, I still haven't taken it in. Apparently I have the "magic touch" and people in my family saying that "it's all in my head" since the dealer said it was "ok" and it has never happened to them

I took it once and the mechanics were "busy" so they "looked at my car", asked if I could produce it again [yeah, it has happened twice in less then 6 months & it's random] deemed nothing was "wrong," and sent me on my merry way. All this in 20 minutes. They told me to come back on the weekday if it was really an issue (uh, yes, because all of us has nothing to do & HOW is it not an issue that your brakes are NOT working properly?).

It happened AGAIN today. This time, the valet guy parked my car and I got in (engine still on & "P" [parking]). When I put my car on reverse, it reversed normally without the brakes. Then, I put my car on "D" aka DRIVE and released the brakes, my car started to REVERSE like I was still on "R" BUT I was on DRIVE. I released the brake again and it was still slowly reversing. HOWEVER, this time I could NOT push the brakes all the way (15% out of 100%). Had to use manual brake.

I once again had to turn off my car and restart it. It was fine after that.

---
I need to find out how to reproduce it so I could show the mechanics.

[YarisSedan]

Very quick easy way to verify this is jack it up and try to spin the wheels by hand. The car should drive but have a tire screeching sound. Ive removed wheels on a car with a locked up rear drum before. It tore the pins off and ripped the shoes when the drum came off. Drum fell and hit the ground and broke it was a nightmare. if the shoes are locked to the drum its pretty near impossible to remove without damaging something. Best take it to the shop.

If they are not to siezed you can use the 2 threaded bolt holes and start tightening as the drum starts to come out bang the drum with a rubber mallet to hopelly brake loose the shoes and kept adjusting. If the drum is halfway off but is still hard chances are the pins are gona break if you keep going but at this point you have no choice.