Underneath your vehicle, a steel threaded cable comes from the back of one hub and is joined by a short cable from the other hub--then the original cable runs to a threaded end with an adjuster nut in it--and one smaller nut on the end outside of that--(this is the equalizer bar)--you'll see it real close to your transmission.
You might have to jack-up the back of the vehicle???
Pull the parking brake lever up sharply and then release it. Pull the parking brake lever to the second click and leave it there. You're looking for a slight drag of the brake shoes when you spin the wheels. To increase the drag, get under at the equalizer bar and turn the adjusting nut to take up the slack in the cables. Get out and spin the rear wheels if you think it's to tight. I will say don't be afraid to crank on it for a while as in this case, a little adjustment really does not go a long way. When you think you have the drag right, go back in the car and pull the brake up the the fourth click. At this point the wheels should be locked and you should not be able to turn them even when trying hard. If you can, tighten them up a little more. Once you've done this, release the brake and make sure the wheels spin freely. If they are still binding due to the parking brake, back off the adjustment a little. And that's basically the whole adjustment procedure.
Disc brakes ( with small brake shoes in the back of the rotors for your parking / emergency brake )
The 2000 Chevrolet Impala parking brake will have an adjustment bolt on the parking brake assembly. Turn the adjustment bolt to loosen or tighten the parking brake.
The 2001 Chevy Cavalier parking brake has an adjustment bolt on the parking brake assembly. Turn the adjustment bolt to loosen or tighten the parking brake.
On a 2002 Mercury Mountaineer : ( DOT 3 brake fluid meeting Ford specification ESA-M6C25-A ) According to the Owner Guide
DOT 3 brake fluid
DOT ( 3 ) brake fluid , if that is what you are asking ?
According to the 2003 Mercury Mountaineer Owner Guide : ( DOT 3 brake fluid , meeting Ford specification ESA-M6C25-A )
Tighten it up!!
The Data Link Connector should be in the lower part of the dash , below the steering wheel , between the inside hood release and the emergency / parking brake release ( it's behind a small removable plastic panel ) on a 1998 Mercury Mountaineer
The red " BRAKE " warning light in your dash comes on if the emergency brake / parking brake is on , or if the BRAKE FLUID LEVEL in the brake master cylinder ( located in your engine compartment , near the firewall , on the drivers side of the engine compartment ) IS LOW
check brake fluid level.
In CT USA, a garage would charge 1 hour labor to replace the rear brake pads on that Mountaineer.