Car was driven with handbrake up for several miles

[SwampSurvivor]

Originally Posted By: TallPaul
I would keep driving it. Probably fine, especially since you don't notice any problem. I have done that a number of times with one vehicle, but I like my manual transmission Ranger because with a manual you never drive with the parking brake on because you'll notice it immediately in the feel of the clutch. It will feel like you have a big heavy trailer, but you don't. Now if you had a manual transmission, you might not have had to loan auntie the car in the first place.

My father has worn out multiple parking brakes on his 2001 F350 5 speed from driving with the parking brake on!

 

[dparm]

The rear brakes are only doing about 30% of the work in a normal car. I suspect the damage was minimal.

 

[TallPaul]

Originally Posted By: Miller88
Originally Posted By: TallPaul
I would keep driving it. Probably fine, especially since you don't notice any problem. I have done that a number of times with one vehicle, but I like my manual transmission Ranger because with a manual you never drive with the parking brake on because you'll notice it immediately in the feel of the clutch. It will feel like you have a big heavy trailer, but you don't. Now if you had a manual transmission, you might not have had to loan auntie the car in the first place.

My father has worn out multiple parking brakes on his 2001 F350 5 speed from driving with the parking brake on!


Wow, is he diabetic and has no feeling in his legs? I can't imagine not feeling the difference.

 

[LScowboy]

tell me again why you are setting the handbrake on an automatic?

had you just "drifted" into the driveway? - lol

 

[asiancivicmaniac]

Originally Posted By: LScowboy
tell me again why you are setting the handbrake on an automatic?

had you just "drifted" into the driveway? - lol


Lot's of reasons. One of them is because it's called a parking brake for a reason.

 

[01rangerxl]

Originally Posted By: LScowboy
tell me again why you are setting the handbrake on an automatic?

had you just "drifted" into the driveway? - lol


I always set mine. The park pawl in the trans doesn't need two tons on it, though breaking it is unlikely. My truck and other automatic Ford trucks (5R44E to TorqShift) I have driven are hard to shift out of park if parked on a steep incline without setting the parking brake.

 

[901Memphis]

I use my parking brake on any incline to take some stress off the transmission. I put it in park and let my foot off the brake just a little to put some pressure on the trans then apply the parking brake. My Buick has an idiot light and will chime unstoppably if you leave it on though. Its also a pretty strong parking brake so i couldn't move it if i tried.

My Taurus is a bit more worn out or less strong though and the idiot light is broken and it doesn't chime. I have driven it a few feet before with some parking brake applied but realized it pretty quickly.

 

[Vikas]

Did she drive with the red brake light on the dash staring at her for the 7 miles? Or is that not working for your car? If later, then you are at fault!

Anybody who passes drivers ed and obtains the licence has to know that you stop driving the vehicle if *any* red light on the dash lights up.

 

[JHZR2]

Maybe I missed it - what kind of mechanism? Are there mini pads in the rotor hat? Or is the actual caliper actuated?

Especially if the former, Id think the media will wear a bit, but no nw pressure will be applied (cable-actuated), so the pad would wear then cool.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Originally Posted By: TallPaul
Originally Posted By: Miller88
Originally Posted By: TallPaul
I would keep driving it. Probably fine, especially since you don't notice any problem. I have done that a number of times with one vehicle, but I like my manual transmission Ranger because with a manual you never drive with the parking brake on because you'll notice it immediately in the feel of the clutch. It will feel like you have a big heavy trailer, but you don't. Now if you had a manual transmission, you might not have had to loan auntie the car in the first place.

My father has worn out multiple parking brakes on his 2001 F350 5 speed from driving with the parking brake on!


Wow, is he diabetic and has no feeling in his legs? I can't imagine not feeling the difference.


He was used to driving an 18 wheeler with 80,000 pounds. So if his truck felt sluggish, he thought it was normal.

There are no beeps on the truck if the parking brake is on. Just a dim light that is blocked by the steering wheel.

 

[Kestas]

This is easier to do with a rear wheel drive car than front wheel drive. It happened to me once. After releasing the parking brake, there was considerable softness in the brake pedal. It didn't feel right, so I rebuilt the rear wheel cylinders and flushed out the brake fluid. Back to normal.

 

[94JeepCherokee]

Luckily, cars are "dense"-resistant and sometimes forgive idiotic mistakes. They're built pretty tough, being made out of two or more tons of steel hahaha! Just check things out and make sure they are functioning correctly. Listen to your vehicle and it will tell you most everything you need to know.