Hi Folks
Just back from hol's to find my parents new meriva rolled away with h/brake on & demolished a garage wall & severly damaged the rear of the car! Now I said why wasn't it in Park as its an Auto & they have told me it doesn't have Park. I haven't had a chance to do any research yet but do these new auto's rely on just the hand brake or should it have a locking solonoid in the auto box?
When they found the car it still had its handbrake on but had obviously built up some speed whilst rolling back. I am aware of vauxalls publicity over handbrakes but does it apply to meriva's
many thanks
Doc
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I've got an 04 CDTI Manual Meriva, and this ran away when my sister borrowed it some time ago. Thankfully just rolled along the kerb, with the friction keeping the speed down, then across a T junction in a residential area. No damage done to anything or anyone thankfully, and she only knew when someone asked her to move the car which was blocking the road.
My car (and I think all merivas) has disc brakes all round, and doesn't have a seperate drum for the handbrake. I remember HJ discussing this before on other cars, and its reckoned that you have applied the handbrake with the discs hot. Then, as the discs cool and contract, this movement is enough for the brakes to release.
I don't think its unique to the Meriva, but there are a couple of factors to consider here. The handbrake in the car is a long reach down especially with the seat set high and it has always had a long degree of travel.
Are you sure that you applied the handbrake fully ?
As for the transmission, I don't think a CVT is fitted, but I'm not sure it is conventional auto. Is it an "easytronic" or something (ie an automated manual gearbox) ?
And you'll also remember to park with a bit of lock on, to steer the wheels into the kerb in future. I agree it shouldn't happen, but it isn't unique to the Meriva.
Let us know what the dealer says............
Edited by krebb industries on 11/05/2008 at 11:48
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If it is an easytronic box, then all the handbook says is "Before leaving the vehicle: Engage hand brake. Remove ignition key. The last gear engaged is retained. When the selector lever is in position N no gear is engaged"
That says to me to leave the easytronic lever in any position other than neutral before turning off the ignition if you want to leave the car in gear.
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Thanks Dave. What a carp adea having to select gear before switching off. You are right it is an easy tronic box. She was parked on a wide driveway without kerbs so any amount of lock would of been useless. Its the 5 th auto GM they have had but all the others have had a "P" option.
Thanks again I will try putting it in gear & switching off and see if that works.
Doc
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I have tried the leave it in gear option & turn off & it works a treat. There is no mention in the handbook of leaving the vehicle in gear & switching ign off.
Further in the handbook it says this can be done if storing the vehicle for long periods but doesn't make the recomendation of using this for parking on hills or slopes.
Thanks for your help. No doubt if my parents had been advised by vauxhall of this recomendation it would of saved a large insurance claim.
Doc
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Further in the handbook it says this can be done if storing the vehicle for long periods
That's where I found the info in a Corsa handbook.
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Have you actually established whether the handbrake failed or if just wasn't on hard enough? By my reckoning you shouldn't have to leave the car in gear - the handbrake should be more than up to the job of holding the car steady even on a decent slope. Obviously as long as it has been applied on tight enough.
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the handbrake should be more than up to the job of holding the car steady even on a decent slope.
Beats me why so many people rely solely on a bowen cable to stop their tin boxes from running away. I always leave a vehicle in gear (or in P if an auto) as the reserve brake should the cable snap.
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Sounds like good advice.
Ive also got the easytronic,but never having had a "true" auto which you can leave in "Park",I dont treat it as an auto box for the purposes of parking,always applying the handbrake as well.From now on I'll put it in gear before applying the handbrake,for that little bit of extra insurance.
Nil points to Vauxhall for not pointing this out.
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I had a lucky near miss with an unmanned Vauxhall Corsa careering towards me last summer. It was on a fairly steep hill and it went on to demolish a fence.
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I have a 04 1.6 Meriva, I have just had it run away down a hill in London whilst the handbrake was on causing damage to whole side of vehicle and the car it hit. Yes it was parked with its brakes hot after a few hours driving, apparently 2 hours after being left it rolled on its own, with no apparent cause.
For further information at its last MOT in May 08 the handbrake had to be replaced as it couldnt hold the car to appropriate standards.
Edited by saf7670 on 09/03/2009 at 10:42
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