MajorCommonBrakes

Renault Laguna: Electronic parking brake fault

Electronic parking brake fault is a common brakes fault on the Renault Laguna on the 2007–2015 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $450 to $1,300 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 8 documented faults on the Renault Laguna.

Vehicle: Renault Laguna
Years: 2007–2015
System: Brakes

This page covers the Renault Laguna as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Renault Laguna faults8 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

No photograph available

We do not hold a verified photograph of the Brake disc and pads yet. We would rather show none than show a picture of a different part.

What goes wrong

The Laguna III uses a fully electronic parking brake with motor-driven rear caliper actuators. Owners frequently report a parking brake fault warning with a flashing red brake switch and an orange spanner or check-parking-brake message, sometimes with the brake failing to engage or release. Causes traced by forum members include worn caliper actuator motors, a faulty dashboard switch, corroded earth straps and failed rectifier components on the control board. The brake may work intermittently then fault completely, which is both a safety and a compliance concern.

What you would notice

Parking brake fault or check-parking-brake warning on the dash
Flashing red button and orange spanner light
Brake will not engage or will not release automatically
Intermittent fault that clears when moving off

How to check it

Where to look. Rear brake caliper actuator motors and the parking-brake switch on the centre console

Apply and release the electronic parking brake several times, confirming it holds firmly on an incline and releases cleanly without a warning. Watch for a flashing switch, orange spanner or parking-brake message on the cluster. Check that the brake auto-releases when pulling away in drive. Any recurring or intermittent fault message points to actuator motor or control-board wear that is costly to fix.

Parts involved: Brake disc and pads.

What it costs to put right

$450 to $1,300 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

“Has the electronic parking brake ever shown a fault or failed to release?”
“Have the rear caliper actuator motors or the switch been replaced?”
“Does the brake hold firmly on a hill every time?”

Now check the Renault Laguna you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in the sources below. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them.

Independent Renault Forums (renaultforums.co.uk) - Laguna 3 electric handbrake problems and parking brake fault threads
French Car Forum (frenchcarforum.co.uk) - Laguna 3 electronic handbrake CAN fault thread
MHH Auto - Renault Laguna III electric parking brake repair (Schottky rectifier on PCB) thread

Renault Laguna buyer questions

Is electronic parking brake fault serious on a Renault Laguna?

We rate it major and common on the Renault Laguna. The Laguna III uses a fully electronic parking brake with motor-driven rear caliper actuators. Owners frequently report a parking brake fault warning with a flashing red brake switch and an orange spanner or check-parking-brake message, sometimes with the brake failing to engage or release. Causes traced by forum members include worn caliper actuator motors, a faulty dashboard switch, corroded earth straps and failed rectifier components on the control board. The brake may work intermittently then fault completely, which is both a safety and a compliance concern.

How much does it cost to fix on a Renault Laguna?

$450 to $1,300 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which Renault Laguna years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2007–2015 Renault Laguna. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.