help fixing an E brake cable

[__M__]

I have a 2005 Chevy Malibu with the foot pedal e-brake. Every time my wife stops the car, she slams that thing like she's playing wack-a-mole. She slammed it in last night and heard a "pop", and the ebrake stopped working (the car rolls slightly when in park on a hill until the pin or whatever engages and holds the car still. it is an automatic trans).

The ball crimped on to the end of the ebrake cable broke off just under the crimp, I found the ball on the floor. So, the ebrake lever has nothing to pull against, but the rest of the actual cable is still there by the ebrake lever.

Is there an easy way just to crimp something back on to the end of the cable, I am sure something along this line is available, I just don't know what or where to get it.

A replacement cable is about 8 bucks, I would just buy that, but the cable appears to go into the unibody of the car. Is there an easy way to access the cable so I can replace it? I think the factory service manual can answer this question, but as my ebay account is suspended for some unknown reason, thats going to have to wait a couple of days.

any help from you guys is greatly appreciated.

 

[The_Jeff]

These cables are fairly easy to change out. Probably there's a spring loaded tab on the outer cable sheath that you can squeeze with pliers to get it through the floor pan. Underneath at the splitter you'll find another disconnect. Usually it's a "joiner" that holds two of those ball end things, pry it apart a little with a screwdriver.

rockauto might have a blown apart parts diagram, or autozone.

 

[mechtech2]

You can't fix it.
Lube your new one AND all the other parts - common sense will tell you where to apply your grease.
You can tie a wire or string to the old one to pull the new one through as you extract it. Kinda like a snake electricians use to pull wires.

BTW, your wife laying on the parking brake all the time is generally a GOOD thing. Don't discourage her in this.
Either use them all the time, or never use them. Best is to always use them. It keeps them free, and possibly allows brake adjustments.