My Son in law drove my Miata home from the local Urgent Care for me (I was sent from urgent care in an ambulance to the hospital). He parked the Miata in the garage and put it in neutral and set the parking brake. My wife rebuked him. She is from Alpena Michigan (cold and wet) and it had been drilled into her to never set the parking brake. On a cold wet Michigan day, a frozen emergency brake makes you a pedestrian. Of course, in my Reno garage that is not a problem.
parking brake use
- Thread starter redbone3
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I'd apologize to him privately and let sleeping dogs lay, err, I mean, ah, not poke the bear, um, ah, not try to teach an old dog new tricks... Dangit, gotta stop digging, lol.
Your wife of course is wrong. A functioning parking brake is a requirement on commercial vehicles. Not having a properly functioning one is not an excuse when your vehicle rolls away.
I always use the parking brake, every time, in every vehicle, and always have. In my Tesla it's automatic but in every other vehicle I've ever had, it's a must to use it. I HATE that clunk when you put it in gear when you don't use the parking brake!
Always using parking brake too, freezing temps are not an issue.
Not using parking brake inside garage makes no sense. I'd still put manual in 1st gear after that too. Autos go into park.
Not using parking brake inside garage makes no sense. I'd still put manual in 1st gear after that too. Autos go into park.
Guess I'm in the "uses parking brake fanatic" fan club too. I see the point of a frozen parking brake, and in situations where it gets wet and then freezes is no good. However, that can still happen with wet brakes anyway, regardless of using the parking brake. Especially drum brakes. I use it mainly to take pressure off of the locking pin in the transmission and ensure my car won't move. No more manuals in the Shortyb household, but used to slide those into 1st as well as use the parking brake. Never had an issue with a frozen one and I lived in some pretty cold weather.
IMO, the only 3 useful functions of a parking brake are:
- Initiate rear-end drifts
- Help the car rotate in turns at low speeds
- Execute perfect parallel parking maneuvers.
I stopped using mine on my neon as the cable stretched causing them to stick. I drove 25 minutes home and the rear drums were blazing hot. I had to have it towed as they wouldn't release.
I'm in the all the time, everytime camp as I came from a career in the school bus world. The 62 Dodge in the fleet here is an automatic, the early version cast iron Torqueflite was not designed with a park position. Parking brake use is mandatory or the truck rolls away.
I use mine, but not every time. It gets use at least 5-10 times a month.
To add... I never understood why one would go so far as putting on the emergency brake while simultaneously putting it in NEUTRAL.
I've used the emergency brake but also put it in 1st if the front end is pointed up or level or Reverse if pointed down in the front.
With EBP's now you don't have a choice. My Silverado will auto set the parking brake if the truck is on a system determined angle.
I always used a parking brake on my old 2006 Honda Civic with a 5 speed manual. I had an aftermarket auto start installed in it by a professional company and in order for it to start the parking brake had to be engaged two times in succession. It was almost an art to get it set correctly but once you were accustomed to it you were golden. It would click about 3 times when it was correctly set. I use the parking brake all the time on my F150 when launching or loading at the boat ramp. No way is my F150 going in the drink. My Maverick has an automatic parking brake engage when it it on a somewhat steep incline. I don't use the parking brake much on the Corvette or the Rav 4. I do remember people would worry about the brake freezing in cold weather and it can happen if not used on a regular basis especially in freezing cold weather. As a matter of fact about anything can happen when it's -30 below wind chills hahaha.
If it’s a manual transmission, I always use it, but automatics, usually no, unless it’s a steep incline.
As far as the brake freezing, that’s from a torn or not sealed properly cable. If it freezes up during cold temps, it means water is getting in and rust will make in frozen shortly anyway.
As far as the brake freezing, that’s from a torn or not sealed properly cable. If it freezes up during cold temps, it means water is getting in and rust will make in frozen shortly anyway.
Use mine 98% of the time. Those tiny parking pawls do not inspire confidence IMW
If the parking brake is a drum brake, the pads can stick to the drum when it sits for a long time, like a week or more. It's not water freezing - it's the shoes sticking to the drum. Often, a gentle bump with the engine can break them free, but not always. For my cars that sit undriven for a long time, I do not set the parking brake for this reason.
Leaving the car in 1st gear on a flat surface is sufficient. I only use my parking brake on inclines.
Leaving the car in 1st gear on a flat surface is sufficient. I only use my parking brake on inclines.
