HAND APPLIED PARKING BRAKE DOES NOT FULLY ENGAGE AND AT TIME DOES NOT ENGAGE AT ALL AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. ON 11/11/99 WHILE PARKED ON A MILD GRADE I EXITED THE VEHICLE WITH THE PARKING BRAKE APPARENTLY ENGAGED BUT WITH THE TRANSMISSION OUT OF GEAR. RETURNING TO THE VEHICLE 10 MINUTES LATER I FOUND THAT IT HAD ROLLED BACK ABOUT 100 FEET, JUMPED A CURB AND COME TO REST AGAINST A HEAVY RUBBER TRASH CAN. THE HAND BRAKE WAS STILL IN THE FULLY ENGAGED POSITION. AS A RESULT OF THE COLLISION WITH A TRASH CAN THE REAR FACIA IS BENT. *AK