Problems With Fitting the Brake Cable on a 2000 Hyundai Elantra

A 2000 Hyundai Elantra has a brake cable that is used to engage the emergency brake. Most of the brake cable installation is done by touch because it is difficult to see where the cable slides into the mounting brackets. The brake cable is attached to the rear brakes of the Elantra and engages the brake shoes when the car is parked. Engaging the brake cable or parking brake ensures that the Hyundai does not roll unexpectedly when parked.

Cut Short

The brake cable can be cut too short to fit into the mounting brackets of the 2000 Hyundai Elantra. The cable runs from the bottom of the cab, where the driver's seat is located, to the rear brake assembly. A brake cable that has not been measured correctly can be too short to run that far.

Lever Alignment

The brake cable on the 2000 Hyundai Elantra pulls on a lever which engages the rear brakes, locking the brakes in place. This lever is there to bypass the wheel cylinders so the pads are controlled manually. The lever needs to be aligned properly to ensure that once pulled into place by the brake cable, the lever moves enough to tighten the pads or brake shoes.

Slack in Brake Cable

The brake cable lever located inside the cab of the 2000 Hyundai Elantra can allow too much slack in the cable. Once the brake cable is engaged, it pulls on the brake pad engaging lever. Adjusting the length of the brake cable to ensure that enough slack is left in the cable to tighten down on the brake pads is important. Many times, too much slack is left in the brake cable, and when the parking brake is engaged, it pulls on nothing but itself.

Retainer Clip

The retainer clip holds the brake cable in place on the 2000 Hyundai Elantra. Once it is clipped into place, it can slip out if not knocked down tightly with a rubber mallet or hammer. Many times, this retaining clip is just put in place and not hammered down securely. Once it pops off, the parking brake cable hangs loose, entangling other moving parts of the Elantra.