Emergency vs Parking brake

[slo town]

Not sure I believe that. Where did you get this info? Link?

I just looked up the subject in three of my owners manuals. Our 2010 Honda Element SC, the 2011 BMW E90, and the 2018 VW Passat. In the Honda manual index it has entries for both "Emergency Brake" and "Parking Brake", and point to the same page. But th entry in the actual contents is titled and discussed in a "parking brake" context. No mention of using it in emergency situations. The E90 and Passat owners manuals are the same - neither have an "Emergency Brake" entry in the index, just "Parking Brake". And the contents are titled and discussed in the context of "Parking Brake". However, both the E90 and Passat caution against misuse of the "parking brake", saying it should not be used to slow the vehicle - unless in an emergency situation.

This suggests to me that they are primarily intended for use as "parking brakes". IMO this context protects them from litigation from someone having to use, and failing, in an emergency situation. I don't ever recall reading about "e brake" standards - which I think there should be. Some are utterly useless. That said, if I ever had to use a parking brake as an emergency brake because of total brake/hydraulic failure, I'm grabbing it!

As an aside, or ramble, take your choice - the parking brake in our E90 can't hold a 2% grade. It would be worthless in an emergency situation, no matter how hard you pulled the lever up (according to the internet this is a problem with this car). I've pulled ours apart and inspected very closely. Cable travel, adjustment, and the mechanical movement within the parking brake assembly (drum style in the hat of of the rotor). Everything moves as it should, virtually factory floor condition. I even tried putting in ATE rear brake shoes, hoping the friction compound was better than the OEMs. No change. I'm mystified what's wrong. Wished it worked better, but I've earned to live with it.

Scott

 

[Trav]

Yes I see where your at, that would not be a good emergency brake on the E90 but I think its more a case of terminology than actual function.

on road vehicles, the parking brake, also known as a hand brake or emergency brake (e-brake),[1] is a mechanism used to keep the vehicle securely motionless when parked. Historically, it was also used to help perform an emergency stop should the main hydraulic brakes fail.[2] Parking brakes often consist of a cable connected to two wheel brakes, which is then connected to a pulling mechanism. In most vehicles, the parking brake operates only on the rear wheels,[3] which have reduced traction while braking. The mechanism may be a hand-operated lever, a straight pull handle located near the steering column or a foot-operated pedal located with the other pedal

 

[FordMan59]

If I press the brake pedal and it goes to the floor (however unlikely), you better believe my hand brake is going to be my backup (aka emergency brake), whether it was designed to be or not!

I had that happen once years ago. I was going down a hill with a stop sign at the bottom where you either turned right or left. No option of going straight unless you wanted to go in the ditch. Well one morning when I went down that hill when I hit the brake the pedal went to the floor. One of the brake lines had burst. So, yes, I have used a parking brake as an emergency brake. All my cars are either older models or less expensive models that have a pull handle parking/emergency brake.

 

[meep]

I disagree that a “hand pull” brake is parking only, haven driven 4-drum vehicles with hand pull. the difference is ergonomics but the business end at the wheel is no different. I’ve had brake failures with hand pull and lever pull both; both were really nice to have; and also used them to coax the diff to drag down a free-spinning wheel to get the other to bite. being able to modulate a backup brake system is a good thing.

All of that is lost with EPB. It just holds on a hill. I tried engaging the EPB while moving at idle speed and it would not be a good choice for a controlled stop if the hydraulics were failing. It immediately locked the wheels and as I was leaning forward to reach the switch nearly banged my head on the wheel.

 

[Crash Bandicoot]

I’ve had both my current truck has a normal lever next to the shifter. Prefer the button, doesn’t need to be adjusted, putting it into service mode allows you to pull the rear rotor off more easily, can be used as a stop hold in traffic. Parking brakes aren’t to be used in emergency scenarios, “in-hats” have so little breaking power once you’re moving you’d have better luck farting in the direction you don’t want to go than using them. That being said an electric parking brake will actuate when pressed while moving, and with a lot of power (played need for speed Tokyo drift withwith mine in a snowy abandoned parking lot).

Theoretically the actuators could fail or wear out over time but the over under is that they probably have less of a fail rate than cables. In

 

[joegreen]

You can use the electronic parking brake to stop the car when driving. It's really aggressive but it works. If you flick the switch you can modulate it sort of.

 

[DGXR]

I am able to lock the wheels or just slow them down.

Your emergency brake is strong enough to skid the tires?

 

[AutoMechanic]

I prefer the hand pull ones. I only ever use it on my Beetle and Truck since they are the only two manual ones no reason to use it on automatic.

 

[Blinker]

Your emergency brake is strong enough to skid the tires?

This is possible on many cars.

 

[Blinker]

I think most of my vehicles list it as a parking brake in the owners manual.

 

[Motu]

Here for safety testing purposes, if a vehicle has a split braking system eg, front/rear or diagonal split, it is classified as a park brake, and needs to hold on a 1 in 5 slope. A single line system needs an emergency brake, and as well as holding on a 1 in 5, needs to stop the vehicle in less than 20 metres at 30kph.

 

[Eddie]

I like my Pull brake whatever it's called. If something fails, I can modulate the slowdown without locking the wheels electronically. Just me. Ed

 

[02zx9r rev2]

I prefer the hand pull ones. I only ever use it on my Beetle and Truck since they are the only two manual ones no reason to use it on automatic.

-Hmm, I must be the odd one out. My 2012 Insight auto, I use the hand/parking brake (whatever you want to call it) every-time I parked no matter if it was in my flat driveway or on an incline/decline.
-My 2017 Accord sport I got when I traded in my insight, same thing. Maybe just a habit.
-I usually put the car in Park with my foot still on the brake pedal and pull the hand brake then let off the brake pedal

 

[AutoMechanic]

-Hmm, I must be the odd one out. My 2012 Insight auto, I use the hand/parking brake (whatever you want to call it) every-time I parked no matter if it was in my flat driveway or on an incline/decline.
-My 2017 Accord sport I got when I traded in my insight, same thing. Maybe just a habit.
-I usually put the car in Park with my foot still on the brake pedal and pull the hand brake then let off the brake pedal

If that’s what you feel comfortable doing then that’s cool. I personally find it an inconvenience and usually I forgot to release it lol. The only time I’ve ever used it in an automatic is parking on a hillside or if someone’s regular brakes don’t work.

 

[02zx9r rev2]

Maybe it is just a habit from my manual tranny days

 

[PimTac]

-Hmm, I must be the odd one out. My 2012 Insight auto, I use the hand/parking brake (whatever you want to call it) every-time I parked no matter if it was in my flat driveway or on an incline/decline.
-My 2017 Accord sport I got when I traded in my insight, same thing. Maybe just a habit.
-I usually put the car in Park with my foot still on the brake pedal and pull the hand brake then let off the brake pedal

I do the same thing. You are not alone.

 

[Spyderman24_7]

My wife's Audi A4 quattro is a stick as is my Hyundai Elantra Sport, so we actually need to use the parking brake.
Her car has an electric parking brake and mine a hand pull parking brake. I much prefer the good old hand pull parking brake
over hers.

My brothers 2019 F150 has an electric parking brake.
Nissan went back in time on the 2020 Nissan Sentra which now has a FOOT OPERATED parking brake.

Nissan made a short video of it since most younger drivers have never seen such a parking brake:

Actually have driven a few that have/had a foot activated parking brake. Other than being slightly in the way I never minded it. No worse than the typical console hand pull type. Let's really go retro and go back to having the bright light switch in the floor as well! THAT was an annoying joke compared to modern setups for that purpose.

 

[Spyderman24_7]

I can use a wrench to pound in a nail. That doesn't make it a hammer.

Passenger vehicles don't have an emergency brake. Passenger vehicles have a parking brake.

FMVSS 393 - Parts and Accessories Necessary For Safe Operation says your vehicle must have a parking brake (FMVSS 393.41).

FMVSS 105 - Hydraulic and Electric Brake Systems defines the required hardware and performance a parking brake must meet. The ability to slow or stop a moving vehicle is nowhere in the required performance envelope.

Now, if you're operating a vehicle with air brakes, then you have an emergency brake.

Call things as you'd like... for parking on an incline I always use the 'parking brake' as I mainly do it to take excess strain off of the transmission. If I'm in motion and had to rely on the 'parking brake' for an emergency slow down (doubt it will stop very quickly) then by all means it's definitely an 'emergency brake' and will get the intended job done. IMBHO it's dual purpose and always has been.

 

[john_pifer]

My wife’s 2018 Civic (6MT) has the electronic parking brake.

I hate it.

It takes longer to engage/disengage, and will not engage or disengage unless your foot is all the way down on the brake.

I much prefer a manual handbrake.

 

[PimTac]

My wife’s 2018 Civic (6MT) has the electronic parking brake.

I hate it.

It takes longer to engage/disengage, and will not engage or disengage unless your foot is all the way down on the brake.

I much prefer a manual handbrake.

Something sounds off. Maybe your battery? The solenoid that activates or releases the parking brake should be instant like any other electric switch operation. The operation on mine either way is done before I release the button.