2016-2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia Parking Brake Problems and Adjustment

By Core Brake Parts Tech Team — Circleville, OH warehouse

The 2016-2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia has no parking brake cable, lever or drum-in-hat shoes to adjust. It uses an Electric Park Brake (EPB): a switch on the center console, a motor on each rear caliper, and an electronic control module. Most "parking brake problems" on these cars are a warning light, a brake that will not release, or a brake that will not apply. The fix is usually diagnosis and rear caliper service, not a cable adjustment.

How the Giulia Electric Park Brake Works

Alfa Romeo's owner information describes the system as a console switch, a caliper with a motor for each rear wheel, and an electronic control module. Both the 2.0L and the 2.9L cars use rear disc brakes with the electric parking brake. The 2.9L Quadrifoglio can also be built with carbon ceramic discs. When the EPB applies, the motor on each rear caliper drives the pads against the rear rotor and holds them there mechanically. The rear pads and rotors you drive on every day are the same ones that hold the car when it is parked.

That design has three practical consequences:

• There is nothing to adjust by hand. The motor takes up pad clearance each time it applies. As the rear pads wear, the system compensates on its own.
• Rear pad and rotor condition affects parking hold. Glazed, contaminated or worn-out rear pads, or a scored rear rotor, reduce how well the car holds on a slope.
• The rear caliper has electrical parts. The motor, its connector and its harness can fail, in addition to the usual hydraulic caliper problems.

A note on model years: the Giulia went on sale in the US as a 2017 model. FCA's own recall filing describes production starting on September 7, 2016, as the start of 2017 model-year production. If your paperwork says 2016, check the VIN model-year digit before you order parts.

How the EPB Is Supposed to Behave

Before you assume something is broken, it helps to know what is normal. According to the owner's manual:

Normal behavior that owners often mistake for a fault:

• A whir or buzz from the rear when the brake applies or releases. The manual says to expect this noise.
• A slight movement of the brake pedal when the EPB applies or releases with your foot on the pedal.
• The brake applying by itself when you shift to PARK, or when you open the door with the car in gear. That is Auto Park Brake or Safe Hold doing its job.
• The brake not releasing when you select Drive. Drive Away Release needs the driver's seat belt fastened. If the belt is off, release the brake with the pedal and the switch.

The European owner handbook adds one more normal behavior. The warning light flashes when the brake is applied on a very steep grade or with very hot brakes, to warn you that the hold may not be secure. Let the brakes cool, and chock the wheels on a hill.

Common Problems and How to Diagnose Them

Electric Park Brake failure message

A dedicated EPB failure telltale and message mean the control module has found a fault. The manual warns that this can partially or completely immobilize the car, because the brake can stay applied even after you command a release. If the car can still move with the brake released, drive it carefully for service and remember that the EPB will not hold it. With this warning on, some EPB functions are turned off and it is up to you to park safely: use PARK, turn the wheels, and chock them on a slope.

Brake will not release

Check the simple causes first:

• Was your foot on the brake pedal when you pushed the switch?
• Was the ignition on?
• Is the battery healthy?

Alfa Romeo states that if the battery is faulty, it must be replaced before the EPB can be unlocked. A weak 12-volt battery can cause many strange EPB and warning-light complaints on this car. Test the battery before you replace any caliper.

BRAKE light stays on after release

If the red BRAKE light stays on after the EPB has released, the manual calls it a fault. The same light also warns of low brake fluid. Check the reservoir level first. A falling level points to a leak or to worn pads, not to the EPB.

Car will not hold on a hill

Inspect the rear pads and rotors for these conditions:

• Pads worn to the backing plate
• A pad contaminated with oil or brake fluid
• A heavily grooved rotor
• A seized caliper slide

Any of these reduces clamping force. Repeated dynamic-mode stops can also glaze the rear pads.

Motor or harness fault on one side

A scan tool that can read the EPB module will usually identify which rear motor or circuit has the fault. Check the connector at the caliper for corrosion or a broken lock tab before condemning the motor.

Recalls That Touch the Brake System

None of the NHTSA recalls for the 2017 Giulia target the electric parking brake itself. Two involve the brake system, so run your VIN through a recall lookup before you do brake work:

• 18V-828 (FCA recall UB9). This covers 2017-2018 Giulias with the 280 hp 2.0L engine and all-wheel drive. A coolant hose clamp can rub the brake fluid line and cause a brake fluid leak onto the exhaust, which creates a fire risk. Dealers install a bracket and replace the line if it is damaged. If you are chasing a falling brake fluid level on one of these cars, check this line first.
• 23V-382 (FCA recall 68A). This covers 2017-2020 Giulias with carbon ceramic brakes. In certain maneuvers the system could apply excessive clamp force and fracture a rotor. Dealers update the brake system module software.

The manual also carries a specific warning for carbon ceramic cars: fasten your seat belt, or switch off the EPB, before you drive off, so that you do not damage the ceramic discs.

Servicing the Rear Brakes on an EPB Giulia

Because the parking brake lives in the rear caliper, rear pad replacement is where DIYers most often get into trouble. With a motor-on-caliper design, you cannot simply push the piston back with a C-clamp as you would on an older car. The motor has to be retracted electronically first, using a scan tool with an EPB service function. Forcing the piston back can damage the actuator and set fault codes. After the new pads are installed, the motor is commanded to apply again, and the system relearns pad position. Follow the factory service information for the exact sequence and caliper bolt torques.

Parts to plan for on a rear brake job:

• Rear pads. For the 2.0L Giulia we carry the EBC Redstuff ceramic rear pads for the 2017+ Giulia 2.0T for low dust. For more bite we carry the EBC Greenstuff 2000 rear pad set and EBC Yellowstuff street and track rear pads.
• Rear rotors. Replace or resurface them if they are grooved, lipped or below the minimum thickness cast on the rotor. For the Quadrifoglio with iron brakes, see the GiroDisc A2-224 slotted rear rotor set. Carbon ceramic cars need their own specific parts. Browse all brake rotors.
• Hardware. Replace the abutment clips and slide pin boots if they are worn or torn. See our brake hardware kits.
• Brake fluid. The Giulia specifies DOT 4 fluid meeting Alfa Romeo standard MS.90039, and the maintenance schedule calls for replacement every two years regardless of mileage. Old, wet fluid will not make the EPB fail, but a brake job is a good time to flush it.

The owner information also notes that the Integrated Brake System may detect anomalies if non-genuine or non-equivalent parts are used. Buy pads and rotors listed specifically for your engine and brake package, not just for "Giulia."

How Hard Is This Job?

Front pads and rotors on a 2.0L Giulia are an ordinary job for a careful DIYer. The rear axle is a step up, only because you need a scan tool that can put the EPB into service mode. Without one, let a shop do the rears. Diagnosing an EPB fault also needs a scan tool that can talk to the parking brake module. Swapping a caliper or motor on a guess is expensive and often does not fix a battery or wiring problem. Carbon ceramic Quadrifoglio brakes are a specialist job.

Front parts for the 2.0L include the EBC Bluestuff NDX front pads for the Giulia 2.0 Turbo and EBC USR slotted front rotors. You can also shop all brake pads.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I adjust the parking brake on a 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia?

You do not. The Giulia uses an electric park brake with a motor on each rear caliper, and it compensates for pad wear on its own. If it does not hold, inspect the rear pads, rotors and calipers, and read the EPB module for fault codes.

Why won't my Giulia's parking brake release?

Make sure the ignition is on and your foot is on the brake pedal, then push the switch. For an automatic release when you drive off, the driver's seat belt must be fastened. If it still will not release, test the 12-volt battery. The manual says a faulty battery must be replaced before the EPB can be unlocked.

Is the noise from the rear when I park normal?

Yes. The owner's manual says a noise from the rear when the EPB applies or releases is expected. The motors on the rear calipers make it. A grinding noise while driving is different and points to worn pads.

Can I replace the rear pads without a scan tool?

We do not recommend it. The rear caliper pistons are driven by the parking brake motors, which need to be retracted electronically before new pads will fit. Forcing them back can damage the actuators.

What brake fluid does the Giulia use?

DOT 4 meeting Alfa Romeo specification MS.90039. The maintenance schedule calls for a fluid change every two years regardless of mileage.

Sources

1. Alfa Romeo Giulia Owner's Manual (US) - EPB components, operating modes, failure warnings, battery note, DOT 4 MS.90039 fluid and two-year change interval
2. Alfa Romeo Giulia Owner Handbook - EPB warning light behavior on steep grades and with hot brakes, Drive Away Release note for carbon ceramic discs
3. NHTSA Part 573 Safety Recall Report 18V-828 - brake fluid line and coolant clamp contact on 2017-2018 2.0L AWD cars, start of 2017 model-year production
4. NHTSA recall data for the 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia - recalls 18V-828 and 23V-382 (carbon ceramic brake software)