Yesterday morning it was fine. I get to school and I can't pull the handle up. The afternoon, the ebrake feels like it is broken because it doesn't work for the first 3/4 of pulling the handle up. The last 1/4 works. What could be the problem. On the really cold, snowy day when I take off, it feels like the brakes are frozen for a second until they break free.

 

Clarks-garage has a good write up about the E-brake. It's not real complicated. Go there and check it out from that point.

 

If you set the Ebrake while it is wet, and it freezes overnight, it will be stuck to the drum. That can do a good deal of damage to the pads and mounting hardware. Best not to set the Ebake in these conditions.

 

I had a similar problem. Driving to work one morning, my car started to slow down. I couldn't accelerate. Pulled over to the side of the road thinking my engine was toast, but couldn't pull up the emergency brake handle. After a couple of minutes, I could pull it up some. After working it loose, I tried to drive again, only to have the handle immovable again.

When I pulled the rear brakes apart, one of the springs that keeps the shoe against the backing plate had come loose, allowing the pad to flop over, engaging it. I overheated the pad, which started coming apart and broke the clevis on the cable. Pretty much everything had to be replaced.

Looking at the other side, it was evident that the PO did not put it back together right. The hooks on the end of the springs were not engaged into the backing plate correctly. One of the springs on the other side was loose, and the other one was barely hanging on.

Pull your rear brakes off and inspect. I hope you don't have the same issue I had!