parking brake use

[Vercingetorix]

My Audi would sometimes set the parking brake automatically depending on the incline. I never knew if it was on off so I got into the habit of releasing it as part of my starting procedure. I used VCDS to permanently have it come on every time the vehicle is shut down. Safer and doesn’t change anything I wasn’t doing before.

 

[Capt W]

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.

Failure to perform preventive maintenance is the owner's fault -- not the car's fault.

 

[KrisZ]

One advantage of the electric parking brakes is that there is no cable to rust of freeze.

 

[PF52]

To add... I never understood why one would go so far as putting on the emergency brake while simultaneously putting it in NEUTRAL.

Particularly when the owner's manual says to leave the car in gear, which I'm almost certain it probably does. In gear, plus parking brake applied.

 

[PF52]

.... and shifting to 1st gear in MT vehicles.

Or R, if that is what the mechanism in the steering column requires to let you take the key out. I've had a few vehicles like that.

 

[grasscutter]

I have a different reason for not using the parking brake. The 1st model year of my GM car, the parking brake lever has a little spring inside that will break if it gets used too often. Subsequent model years of that car had an upgraded parking brake lever design.

 

[JeffKeryk]

So all the car manufacturers wasted all that $$ on parking brakes that are not needed?

 

[ARCOgraphite]

I ALWAYs use it.
The AT Parking pawl is not a HD thing. Well, at least an AL transmission case around there isnt ...

 

[97prizm]

Failure to perform preventive maintenance is the owner's fault -- not the car's fault.

I've never had a parking brake cable stretch causing the e brake to stick. Nor had my mechanic ever seen this.

 

[chainblu]

One morning after working overnight in Charlotte, I experienced frozen parking brake in my 10+ year old mini-truck. The vehicle was still drivable, so I started home. About 1/3 of the way, the brake(s) released. It was just a beater commuter vehicle, so I wasn't too concerned about any possible long term damage and it was fine afterwards. From then on, I just put it in gear on sub-freezing nights.

 

[bdcardinal]

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.

I set it in neutral and let the vehicle settle so all the load is on the parking brake and not the parking prawl in the transmission.

 

[Cheetah-kins]

I've always used the parking brake in every car I've owned just as my wife uses hers too in her auto transmission vehicle. And in my current car - a manual Miata - I always put the car in neutral and apply the parking break - always. The habit that most of manual driving America seems to have with leaving the car in gear is not good, imo. Always best to use neutral and the parking brake unless parking on an extremely steep hill,. of course turning the front wheels in really negates that too.

All that said I'd just go with what your wife wants OP, it's easier than fighting heavily ingrained misperceptions.

 

[KGMtech]

With the exception of parking in my garage, the parking brake is used. I grew up in Vancouver and I recall vividly the time a car rolled down the front street and crashed into our front steps. VW Rabbit 5sp without the PB applied.

 

[xspeedy]

On a flat surface, 1st for a MT, P for an AT. No brake. If on a slope, add brake.

 

[Trashman]

I set it in neutral and let the vehicle settle so all the load is on the parking brake and not the parking prawl in the transmission.

This is exactly what I do, I’d rather the pressure be on parts that are cheap and easy to replace than anything having to do with the transmission. I’m in no hurry to pull the transmission if I don’t have to

 

[Duukt]

I have always used the parking brake before, along with turning the wheel to face the curb. Even in my garage, I do the same things as parking outside just to build the habit.

Habit building is important here as well. I realized this when I first started parking in my garage and didn't bother locking the car as it was secure inside. This became a habit which resulted in me not locking my car in public either! So I kind of try to always follow the same routine.

 

[JGmazda]

I set it in neutral and let the vehicle settle so all the load is on the parking brake and not the parking prawl in the transmission.

^^^ Exactly^^^

 

[fantastic]

I set it in neutral and let the vehicle settle so all the load is on the parking brake and not the parking prawl in the transmission.

Okay but isn't that what a Parking Pawl is for? I'd be more concerned about rolling & having a dual system in place makes that situation good piece of mind to never happen. Once the parking break was put on the amount of pressure on the transmission would be less? To each their own I suppose? Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[John Galt]

My first three cars were stick shifts and there were some stop signs on steep uphills around me. The cars behind me never left enough room and made inching up to the stop sign a nail biter if you didn’t know what you were doing. I was taught (thanks Dad) to use the center parking brake lever between the seats with the latching button pressed in with my thumb as a “hill holder” for the split second between taking my foot off the brake pedal and engaging the gas/clutch to start forward movement. Never burned up a clutch in all my years of rowing the gears using this trick. So my “parking” brake was always working and adjusted properly.

I have drifted away from using it as the wife can’t/won’t drive a stick so it’s been automatics for a good 20+ years. My A6 had an electric toggle switch to apply it. Used that all the time. I don’t use the left foot latching design in the wife’s Mercedes footwell or my Ford SUV. No really sure why that is my new new normal.

 

[bdcardinal]

Okay but isn't that what a Parking Pawl is for? I'd be more concerned about rolling & having a dual system in place makes that situation good piece of mind to never happen. Once the parking break was put on the amount of pressure on the transmission would be less? To each their own I suppose? Thanks for your thoughts.

I would rather have to replace brake pads or e-brake shoes over pulling a transmission and tearing it down to replace a tiny arm.