[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by AMG Power

Slotting the gear lever into P also helps in similar brake failure situations.

This was in 1980-something, so controls and interlocks might well have improved since then, but I knew a man who did this. He did it accidentally, while cruising at speed, on a British motorway. The result was, he told me, a horrendous noise of things breaking in the gear box.

I saw him and the car while he was waiting to get a horrendously expensive new gearbox fitted. He was still able to drive the car... but only forwards.

I have not driven an AT car since 2005, and I have never driven a car with anything without a brake lever. Hmmm... other than boats!

[ds.raikkonen]

Perhaps it should be located where the steering adjusting lever is normally located, that's one location which drivers normally can't access by accident. Or perhaps should be covered with a flap to avoid accidental activation (reminded me of the engine start button in the SLR's gear knob)

[SPIKE ARRESTOR]

Originally Posted by GTO

On a recent outing, I'm driving with my friend in the passenger seat and suddenly, the 530d starts decelerating . After being disoriented for a second or two, the warning on the instrument console reminded me that the e-parking brake has been activated, mistakenly by my friend. I'm pretty sure its happened to others too.

At what speed were you driving when the EPB was mistakenly activated? Normally, such features have some kind of "redundancy" built in the system (to avoid false activation).

Spike

[itwasntme]

Originally Posted by Radiator

I just hate the whole idea of an e-brake. The satisfaction you get each time after pulling the handbrake is unmatched. Personally, I see this whole action of pulling a sturdy handle as a full stop to a good drive. It gives a sense of accomplishment and completion.

Personally, I heartily dislike the manual handbrake in my Octavia 1.8 TSI even though the overall execution is premium with a finely crafted locking button and an excellent finish.

However, I cannot but think that in this day and age of a 7 speed DSG with tiptronic function, paddle shifters, sports and normal modes, Hill hold control and what not, do I have to manually pull a mechanical linkage to lock the brakes?

My father used to own an 5th hand ancient Model T when he married my mother (she is convinced that he failed his then UK Company Secretary exams because he used to moon over it while studying in the verandah ;-) whose handbrake it seems had a mind of its own. It seems it took him more time to set it than actually driving it so he upscaled to a brick under the tyres very quickly. I also recollect the eternally dodgy handbrake of our many Ambassadors! Why 60 years later I need to do the same is beyond me.

Frankly, I would much rather prefer an elegant button (of course with suggested safeguards as captured by GTO, yourself & others.

For example, I test drove the Passat and loved the execution of the EPB. Further, in my 70km daily round trip in BLR traffic, I must be pulling the handbrake lever more than 50 times daily at the least which seems to be a totally useless exercise. Again, removing the handbrake releases a huge amount of space for wireless charging, storage space etc.

In my mind it is an anachronism in our cutting edge cars. Mind you (before I am flayed alive), I am not referring to removing the lovely gear lever which I fear will meet its nemesis in most next gen vehicles.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by VKumar

But yes, what surprised me is the fact that manufacturers should have already applied the same. Parking brake is supposed to hold a parked car and not bring a running car to a scratching halt after all.

There are many other uses for the parking brake, including serving a purpose when brakes fail, helping to bring the car to a stop if the driver is incapacitated (asleep, heart attack etc.).

Originally Posted by Lalvaz

Sorry in advance if this post is factually incorrect, but were'nt handbrakes or parking brakes designed to work on the rear wheels in the event of a failure in the primary brake system?

I believe some of the e-brakes engage the front as well as rear brakes. Certainly the case with my 530d.

Originally Posted by wild child

Not sure how this incident happened in the 530D. The EPBs off late have a program built in their ECM.

After this incident, I checked myself at 20 (or maybe 30) kmph. Sure enough, the brakes grabbed. It wasn't just the rear brakes as the car didn't slide.

Originally Posted by kaushik_ak

Anyone has used the remote trunk opener through the smart key in the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz? (and similar in many other cars) It is in the key fob and I have never accidentally opened the trunk unless I need to. Reason: Delay.

That is already in place. You have to long-pull it to engage.

Originally Posted by McLaren Rulez

Was the switch pulled and held up or was it just a flick? If it was the former, I'd place a large part of the blame on the human since this is a conscious action and not an unconscious brush against a switch.

Long pull, buddy. Definitely human error, but nothing that a dashboard-location (like Mercedes') wouldn't solve.

Originally Posted by SPIKE ARRESTOR

At what speed were you driving when the EPB was mistakenly activated?

City speed, bud. Don't know the exact, but it was on an open road. Maybe 50 kmph? Not sure.

[landcruiser123]

While I'm personally not in favor of the E-brake, I think it must moved to a location where a careless passenger can't accidentally trigger it. As long as hill-hold works, I don't see the 'emergency' function a parking brake may serve as modern brake systems give out ample warnings before catastrophic failure.

The only question: How does a passenger stop a car/reduce its speed when a driver is incapacitated? Will switching off the engine using the start/stop switch or turning the key also trigger the brakes?

Originally Posted by krish3

The new Hondas having all buttons for their gears (in automatic) are creating a more dangerous trend, which I hope other manufactures don't follow. Its the same as rotary knobs for gears in other cars like Jaguar, which is again a danger.

Stupid designs no doubt, but not really a deal-breaker. Reversing aid systems will alert the driver in R mode and a driver can't shift from D -> P or D -> R at high speed and/or without the foot firmly on the brake.

[TheHelix0202]

When man gets lazy enough to refuse pulling one simple lever, he has to come up with a smarter alternative. But clearly, he messed up and came up with this instead!

Hope to see more manufacturers taking this issue seriously and coming up with better alternatives in the future. It’s just a ticking time bomb as of now.

[Axe77]

Originally Posted by GTO

Sadly, thanks to the "herd mentality" of car designers, a majority have it on the center console. The Jeep Compass gets an e-brake switch that is within easy reach of the front passenger, is surprisingly effortless to engage, and brings the car to an immediate halt:
Attachment 1985331

Some models (like this VW Passat) actually have it on the passenger's side (an obvious carryover from their primary LHD markets):
Attachment 1985329

I'm wondering if some manufacturers keep it in the centre to have one less thing to adapt between LHD and RHD. Or some like VW who go a step further and dont switch for RHD at all!

I'm not justifying it by any means - just wondering if that is the reason.

[a4anurag]

If not programmed correctly, not sure how many incidents will be reported once the New Creta's start getting delivered and most of them don't even read the owner's manual also to know how and when to use that button.


Source: Autocar Creta Review (online magazine).

I still prefer the 'rachet-like clicks' and 'pulling the lever' feel over this simple-looking button.

[Kosfactor]

Questions for those who have this feature in their cars.

Does the e parking brake actuate when the vehicle`s engine is off?
Anything in the instruction manual about how to disengage if the battery is down?

[mh09ad5578]

https://youtu.be/14S_5izzHrM

Interesting discussion on the 'E' brake being implemented in modern cars by Scotty Kilmer, the renowned YouTube mechanic guru. The major points would be -

- no way to modulate the parking brake in emergency braking/brake failure.
-system doesn't work if there is battery/electronics failure.
- needless complication and cost escalations in name of modernisation.

[srishiva]

I have seen people who sometimes dont disengage the manual parking brake fully ! With e-brakes, it should be easy to give a louder warning chime and blinking to alert the driver. But why give something thats off/on and no modulation, what about hill starts with manual cars ?

I do agree that key buttons should be on side of the driver on dash including the start/stop button.

[Lalvaz]

Originally Posted by GTO

I believe some of the e-brakes engage the front as well as rear brakes. Certainly the case with my 530d.



After this incident, I checked myself at 20 (or maybe 30) kmph. Sure enough, the brakes grabbed. It wasn't just the rear brakes as the car didn't slide.

Could you please confirm that the e brake is on the front wheels too? Perhaps with the authorized service center on your next visit?

All the internet links seem to suggest that the 530d has it on the rear wheels alone.

The sliding shouldn't happen at such a low speed.

[abhishek46]

I personally dislike like 'feature'.
I had a hard time with it a decade back in the EU, with Opel cars.
The early systems were not without issues, and I recollect having to stop the car multiple times, to disable the parking brake.

A simple 'manual' lever is much more preferable for me.

[aravind.anand]

Well the decade old Ford Fiesta Classic which has an electronic boot release button, while most others from the segment used to have a mechanical lever, had a simple solution. While the car is on the move, pressing the boot release button would do nothing. The vehicle speed has got to be zero if one wanted that button to work.

It should be really simple stuff, if a decade old economy sedan from Ford could do it. Car makers can perhaps set a speed limit like say 20 kmph, beyond which this button would simply not react.

And this being a 'parking' brake, is there any other need for it to be engaged while on the move?