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parking brake adjustment

22K views 7 replies 5 participants last post by  IndyJ 
#1 ·
Does anyone have instructions and pics on how to adjust the parking brake?
 
#2 ·
Most modern parking brakes are self adjusting.

To do this put car in reverse, proceed and apply brakes several times.

Repeat.

This should do the trick.

JeffK
 
#3 ·
That method of slammin on the brakes in reverse hardly ever works anymore though. Most "star" adjusters in the parking brake mechanisms are frozen from being gunked up with brake dust. Oh, and the MDX uses a seperate parking brake from the service brakes, so that trick wouldn't even work the way you described it. You'd have to drive in reverse and stab the parking brake and repeat.

But no need for all the tire squealing. To do it on the MDX, well at least the easy way...look under the dash. On the right side of the parking brake pedal arm is the adjuster for the cable slack. There's a black plastic cap covering it that slides off first. Use a pliers or even your fingers if you've got a good grip to pull the cable down as hard as you can and screw the nut up until you can't any more. Sometimes you can find more slack by pushing the pedal down and pulling the cable while you release the parking brake.

This is so easy. It takes like 10 seconds.
 
#4 ·
Supertech,

Is it best to have the parking brake in the released position to do this adjustment? Or is it normally done with the parking brake on?

Thanks
 
#5 ·
SuperTech,

I see the nut behind the black plastic cap, but I can't figure out where to grab the cable before tightening the nut. Do I grab it in the area directly above the nut? And should I release the parking brake before doing this adjustment?
 
#6 ·
You're just taking the slack or stretch out of the cable, so the parking brake should actually be released. Grab on to the threaded end of the cable that the nut turns on and pull it down as hard as you can. Maybe wiggle the pedal a bit to bring all the slack up. Turn the nut with your fingers until it won't go anymore. Release the cable, and that's it.
 
#7 ·
That's excellent ST we should move this to the FAQs section.
 
#8 ·
Keep in mind that on the 2014-2016 MDX the adjustment screw is just off-center on the TOP of the disk hub. Most of the videos and pictures show adjustment on the bottom. I was able to free up a seized parking brake by adjusting the screw then manipulating the cable until everything was freed up and functioning again.
 
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