Parking Brake Adjustment under center console

Discussion in 'Prius v Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Dave Jeffries, Apr 9, 2026 at 4:19 PM.

  1. Dave Jeffries

    Dave Jeffries Junior Member

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    I have looked and didn't find anything that talks to this on this forum or YouTube. I lifted my Prius V up in the air looking for the place where the cables to the wheels connect to the single cable that goes to the foot pedal. The cable go into the cabin at about where the door pillar is between the front and back doors.
    On the 2005 Prius I owned, I remember that there was an adjuster under/in the center console.

    Yes I adjusted the shoes in the rear bake rotors.
    Yes I tightened up the nut on the foot pedal cable. I thought it was excessive amount and the parking brake is still way too loose. I want to find the adjuster at mid cabin so I can get the parking brake adjusted so it will hold the car.
    Until I got the car a few months ago, the selling deal has done ALL the maintenance on this car. I am amazed that the dealer ship did not take care of this issue. Makes you wonder.
     
    #1 Dave Jeffries, Apr 9, 2026 at 4:19 PM
  2. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    It definitely makes me wonder … wonder who would have loosened the pedal and equalizer nuts so much.
     
    #2 ChapmanF, Apr 9, 2026 at 7:55 PM
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  3. Dave Jeffries

    Dave Jeffries Junior Member

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    Do you know how to get to them? That is my question.

    This video, towards the end, shows how to remove the center console. Doesn't show the E-brake, but it has to be there.
     
    #3 Dave Jeffries, Apr 10, 2026 at 2:38 PM
    Last edited: Apr 10, 2026 at 4:13 PM
  4. Dave Jeffries

    Dave Jeffries Junior Member

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    So I pulled off the panel so I could adjust the pedal with no load on it. The stud had about 3/4" of thread showing with the stop-nut removed. It took well over and 1"( one inch) to get the pedal to firmly engage. I have no idea how to remove the center console so there could be an adjustment made at that junction.
    At least I now have parking brake that will hold the car at a stop
     

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    #4 Dave Jeffries, Apr 10, 2026 at 4:02 PM
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  5. Dave Jeffries

    Dave Jeffries Junior Member

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    Reading your comment this morning, I am guessing you were referring to the nuts on the pedal to adjust the cable tightness. If so, good question. The pictures I posted, I had already done some adjustment. I did this without removing the panel on the dash. I believe this "adjustment" started with the locking nut just barely o the threads of the stud. I have never adjusted a parking brake so much in the 60 years that I have owned cars.
     
    #5 Dave Jeffries, Apr 11, 2026 at 12:32 PM
  6. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk MMX GEN III

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    With these pics step one is invariably trying figure out where it is. Is that the hood release latch I'm seeing, in the lower-left corner? Maybe another pic, with wider field of view?
     
    #6 Mendel Leisk, Apr 11, 2026 at 2:46 PM
  7. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    Yeah, in my experience it's very weird to have any reason to touch the nuts at the pedal, or at the equalizer under the console ... unless some of those components have been replaced ... or the car has taken some kind of hit that changed the relative positions of the cable and sheath anchors.

    If nothing like that happened, and if I had to write an article about parking brake adjustment, I'd probably write something like "check the rear brake adjustment. If the parking brake still feels loose, check the rear brake adjustment again. If the parking brake still feels loose, get the rear brake adjustment checked by somebody else ...." :)
     
    #7 ChapmanF, Apr 11, 2026 at 3:29 PM
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