MOT - C5 (X7) - Auto Handbrake

[Sloppysod]

I was thinking of adding this to the bottom of this (viewtopic.php?p=566024#p566024- Re: Automatic parking brake malfunction thread but I thought is would be better discussed away from a fault.

As I put in the thread above, at the MOT last year the tester said he would have liked and bit more 'grip' on the handbrake. With that in mind I decided to replace the disks & pads before the MOT this year (the disks were near the bottom limit any, so I replaced all 4).
Anyway, just had this years MOT and the pressures were low, again, so I asked the tester, "have you tried it with full handbrake applied", he said "yes that is why I left the rollers going", hmm, I thought, and asked if we could try in again, this time with me in the car. Yes he applied the handbrake, and left the rollers going, But he did not reapply the brake, apparently most other makes of car will, all by itself, fully apply the handbrake a couple of seconds after the first application.

Could this be why so many Citroens' have trouble at the MOT with the Handbrake, is there a procedure that can be given to the MOT tester, ideally from VOSA regarding how to test the Citroen Handbrake?

Test Readings (Foot brake 235, Handbrake 1st stage 115, sorry do not have 2nd stage)

[GiveMeABreak]

Normal application is sufficient with a single pull up on the switch Stu, but to engage maximum / emergency braking, the switch must be held up and that will be sufficient to stop the vehicle. This is what you would do in an emergency on the road - where it works with the ESP to bring the car to a halt. So unless he is doing this, he is only applying standard force. Liken this on a manual HB, where you just lift it a few notches, as opposed to applying it with maximum force - where you will get vastly different braking force.

I don't get these testers and why they don't read up properly on the systems.

Many of the checks in this sub-section are based on the assumption that the parking brake is a ratchet type hand lever. For vehicles with foot-operated or electronic parking brakes the “Method of Inspection” detailed will need to be ignored or varied depending on the particular type

[Sloppysod]

Thanks Marc, That was exactly the point of the post, to make others aware, so if there car fails the MOT on low handbrake they can ask the question, "how did you they carry out the test", and your description below explains the system well, but it would be nice to have an 'Offical' from Citroen or VOSA, method particular to Citroen's.

Normal application is sufficient with a single pull up on the switch Stu, but to engage maximum / emergency braking, the switch must be held up and that will be sufficient to stop the vehicle. This is what you would do in an emergency on the road - where it works with the ESP to bring the car to a halt. So unless he is doing this, he is only applying standard force. Liken this on a manual HB, where you just lift it a few notches, as opposed to applying it with maximum force - where you will get vastly different braking force.

I don't get these testers and why they don't read up properly on the systems.

Many of the checks in this sub-section are based on the assumption that the parking brake is a ratchet type hand lever. For vehicles with foot-operated or electronic parking brakes the “Method of Inspection” detailed will need to be ignored or varied depending on the particular type

[jgra1]

Have this every year stu. Next installment is very soon. Ideally a single pull followed by a longer second pull .. to get max effort

Will report back . The amount of force I think is shown in diagbox ..600n and over 1000 from memory