Driving with handbrake on

My g.f. told me she drove for about 5 miles (around town) with the handbrake
on. She said she didn't see the brake light until she "smelled something
funny" (brakes cooking?) This is a 2004 Sonata LX. Does the emergency brake
use the rear brake pads? Should I get them checked? Brakes work fine.
Thanks.

 

The emergency brake system uses a mechanical cable pull versus the
hydraulic system used by the regular braking system. IIRC, it only
operates the rear brakes, and the funny smell was almost postively the
brakes pads/drums being cooked away. GET THEM CHECKED. If they were
producing the burning odor, then some of the pads/drums have worn
down, if not degraded seriously, and you are just an accident waiting
to happen. Imagine you needing not routine, but severe braking, only
to discover you don't have it...possibly ending your life and maybe
many others.

 

The rear brakes on the 04 Sonata have parking brake shoes separate from the
main rear pads. The disc is actually a disc/drum combo. Take the car out
and drive it. Pull up on the parking brake. If you don't hear any
grinding and it seems to be operating normally, don't worry about it.

 

I've been lurking here for awhile. I own a 2002 Sante Fe and I love
it. I always respect your responses so I will ask this question:
The combo that the Sonata has, does the Sante fe use the same combo or
does it use just the rear brakes. I am asking this because my rear
brakes on the Drivers side disinigrated the other day while the other
brakes were all normal. i had them all replace but was just curious.

Thanks,
Eric

 

Thanks hyundaitech.You're a great resource to this group.

 

The Santa Fe has the same type system. I didn't check to see if the parts
were exactly the same, but they're similar.

 

OK..thanks for the response and like I said, thanks for all the
information that you provide for this NG

 

Hear hear. It is very much appreciated, even if we don't say so very often.


Wayne