Rear left wheel locked.

[Tribunius]

Hello all.
I have a 97 golf. 107,000 miles on it. I got it 3rd hand. This morning as I was backing out of the drive way the left rear wheel appears to have locked up.

First of where I park is a level bit of gravel that is maybe one inch lower that the concret drive way.

So the sequence of events were as follows.
-I started the car, put it in reverse, let off the hand brake.
-Car moves back with a small amount of resistance. I just thought it was up against the lip of the drive way.
- Goes maybe 3 metres. I notice the handbrake light pop on then went off.
-Made sure the hand brake was off. It was.
-However the car sitsup as if the hand brake is on where I try to go again. Stalls.
-Restart try again doesn't budge so I don't push it. I engaged and disengaged the hand brake a couple of times and pump the foot brake. No joy.
-Get out see that the left rear wheel didn't rotate. Scratches on the driveway and dirt behind the wheel.
-Tried pushing it backwards or forwards with the hand brake out and it in neutral but no joy.

Anybody any clue what could be wrong?

[Horney]

SOunds like it's frozen on, should be OK by now and just leave it parked in gear at this time of year.

Nick

[Tribunius]

I don't think its frozen. Its not that cold outside. It didn't go below freezing last night either.

[Tribunius]

A friend of mine just suggested that it could be something to do with the cable from the hand brake to the wheel. That the cable could have somehow binded on the seathing. Or that the spigot between the cable and the actual drum may have come out when the brake was last applied. It may not be able to go back in because it is caught on the lip of its hole.

[golfmk31993]

SOunds like it's frozen on, should be OK by now and just leave it parked in gear at this time of year.

Nick

ive never heard this before, is this true i should leave my car parked in gear when its cold???

how does it help

[kells]

similar happened to me last week, was a siezed caliper, i replaced the whole lot including new discs and pads on both sides and re hauled the caliper that was still working fine just to be safe

[eightyeightmph]

Defo the handbrake, & it sounds seized not frozen. Just give the brakes a 'tap' with a hammer, make sure you're in gear with the brake off & see if it free's up. It the car hasn't been used much recently I wouldn't think anything's wrong but if it's been in reguarlar use it might be worth doing what Kells said & replace the brakes.

[Tribunius]

Yeah its not been used in about 3 weeks. I'll give it a tap when I get home and see what happens.

[saul79]

seized on ,free it off .

[boneybradley]

what saul said and then take the drum off and give the moving parts some lube...(not on the shoes tho!)..