Seized brakes. Help please.

[jrg5066]

I have a 95 Legacy Outback. It has 4 wheel disc brakes. I've encountered a problem when I park the legacy and apply the parking brake. When I'm ready to get going and release the parking brake the brakes are still applied. I use to be able to rock the car in 1st gear to be able to get it unstuck but now its gotten worse and do not want to drive it at all.

The problem comes up with the parking brake situation as well as whenever hill holder engages. So yea, I've gotten to a stop light on a hill the hill holder applies the brakes and when the light turns green I've had to force the car up the hill and out of the way with the brakes still applied.

Is hill holder and e-brake on the same cable system? If so I'm thinking there is something wrong with a release spring or the rear brake calipers. What do you all think? I've been thinking about disabling hill holder entirely and see what that does. The hill holder cable is side by side with the throttle cable correct?

[Huffer]

Take the rear brakes apart, and clean them up... You should have stripped the brakes down and cleaned them the first time they locked up like that. Your e-brake shoes and probably rotors are a mess by now.

[ouch1011]

To clarify (to the OP) the e-brake on the models with rear disc brakes has nothing to do with the brake calipers. The e-brake is a small brake drum on the inside of the rear rotors. It works just like the e-brakes would on a typical drum brake. Pull the rear rotors off and have a look. Check the operation of the cable, make sure nothing is rusted up.

[jey]

Is hill holder and e-brake on the same cable system?

No. Sticking parking brake and hill holder might be separate issues. The hill holder actually uses the hydraulic brake system whereas the parking brake is the cable.

[impreza_GC8]

Usually in my past experience a sticky caliper had been due to either a faulty caliper or a bad brake line.

[immortal1kon]

drive your car down the road and back then go around and feel all 4 wheels none should be hot so if any of them are you will know you have a frozen caliper.