Automatic E Brake on a manual Bronco

[Scott R Nelson]

You need to get in the habit of watching for the red "Brake" light to illuminate, and also always leave the transmission either in reverse or the crawler gear. You want both to absolutely guarantee that it stays put. Keeping your foot on the brake to feel it engage also helps, but I often do that AND then look for the red light.

It took me a few years to get in the habit of always parking my motorcycles in first gear. What pushed me to do it was when I parked in neutral at a gas station, filled it up from the wrong side (i.e., left), and pushed it forward off of the sidestand because of those stupid nozzles that they have in California. Only spilled about a pint of fuel, but I've been religious about parking in gear ever since.

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[Marc L]

It is my wife's Bronco so I haven't driven it much and it isn't intuitive vs. my other 3 current manual transmission vehicles. Saving space is nice, but making it less obvious has its drawbacks.
I do like hill rollback assist that is in my VW so obviously it can be done. It could be as easy as parking brake is engaged when no one is in the driver's seat similar to how airbags get disabled.

 

[MTguy]

I am really surprised by this thread. I have had my MT Bronco for a week and really my only complaint is the tiny unlit button below my knee that I have to find every time I turn off the engine for the e-brake. I have driven manual vehicles for years, I truly miss a physical lever for the e-brake. Eventually I will develop the muscle memory to find the e-brake button and my brain will adapt...but it is not about laziness...it is about the tiny inconvenient button.

Having the e-brake automatically apply when you turn the engine off seems so simple/logical of a feature to include. The vehicle already removes the e-brake when you release the clutch...it should work both ways!

 

[Marc L]

Having the e-brake automatically apply when you turn the engine off seems so simple/logical of a feature to include. The vehicle already removes the e-brake when you release the clutch...it should work both ways!

I like the idea, but question the execution. The off with separate rollback protection is more foolproof.
How would you tow/winch it OR intentionally roll your vehicle like adjust it a few feet in the garage with that feature?
I adjust vehicles in my garage front to back at least every couple of weeks as I either want more room in front or in the rear of the car. This is especially true in the winter where I don't want to have to open the garage door to get access to the tailgate.

 

[pinochle]

Probably one of the few with this opinion, but if people would stop referring to it as a “ e brake” it would probably help. The “parking brake” is designed and intended to help hold a vehicle in position when parked. Even in an automatic engaging it should be a normal part of your routine before getting out of the vehicle.

I'm totally with you on this. Just like people calling the "Passing Lane" on the highway the "Fast Lane." It's a highway... every lane is the fast lane. The left lane is for passing... not fasting.

 

[MTguy]

How would you tow/winch it OR intentionally roll your vehicle like adjust it a few feet in the garage with that feature?

Press the button to turn off the e-brake, roll your vehicle, press the button again to re-engage. The feature would just be to automatically apply when the engine went off, it would not have to stay applied. It feels like a very uncommon scenario where someone would turn the engine off but not want the parking brake applied immediately.

OP nailed it on page 1 IMO:

If I want it to roll while in neutral with the engine off Id be happy to release the lever manually. But 99/100 times I pull up and park, it should engage when the engine is turned off.

 

[CalvinT]

This is my 5th manual over 30 years of driving....., I know the deal, seems the compression in my other manuals would hold in gear just in case, but I always used e brakes. The compression in the Broncos small 4 cylinder can't hold the weight at all so it rolls quicker than expected....
I'll keep pulling the poorly placed E brake lever and hope I don't forget.

I have though about some scenarios, I would like it to just come on when the ignition is turned off. in gear or neutral, Simple.
When its started back up, put in gear, and the clutch is let out, it can go off as it already does. Or released by hand.

If I want it to roll while in neutral with the engine off Id be happy to release the lever manually. But 99/100 times I pull up and park, it should engage when the engine is turned off.


It was a simple question, it would be a nice option, could be on/off like other features in the menu, why not? To not worry or think twice.

It's a forum, I knew there was obviously going to be simple minded genius here, who have perfect memory, who immediately assume all else are dumb and who's worthless responses seem to make them feel smart,...I make a very nice living being very mechanically clever.
I was hoping I was missing a feature, not be schooled on manual driving.

I like well thought out design, this is not.

Seems that you've spent 30 years reinforcing a bad habit and now want an easy way out.

When I learned to drive I was taught to engage the emergency brake, select either low or reverse and if on a slope the proper way to turn your front wheels so your car didn't end up in traffic if the parking brake didn't hold. Whoever taught you didn't teach you properly or you refused to learn.

We don't have perfect memories. We didn't learn bad habits. It's a reflex just like how you manipulate the gas and clutch every time you shift. Or remember to start off in first gear.

Personally I'm tired of paternalistic government agencies or paternalistic companies. I'm tired of those entities assuming I don't have a brain or can't make good decisions on my own. I'm tired of them thinking I can't be responsible for my own actions. I'm tired of things being automatic. Automatic things have a tendency to screw up automatically.

edit: Sorry about the rant.

 

[Marc L]

Or remember to start off in first gear.

I've heard mixed things about this. The instructors at the Offrodeo specifically talked about NOT putting the onus on your transmission to hold your vehicle. These were all automatics.
My wife and I drive our manuals totally differently but it has worked for each of us:
She leaves the clutch engaged and in gear at stoplights and she parks in gear.
I shift to neutral at stoplights and I park in neutral unless I'm on a slope.
We both have beyond a half million miles of manual experience in cars/suvs and have had similar wear/repair results.

 

[CalvinT]

NOT putting the onus on your transmission to hold your vehicle

People don't realize how small the parking pawl is in an automatic transmission. If you're parallel parked, it can be snapped off if someone bumps your Bronco because they don't know how to park. The emergency brake protects your transmission.

BTW, I tend to shift to neutral at a light. It saves wear and tear on the throw out (clutch release) bearing. Plus you don't have to worry about your foot slipping off the clutch if you get rear ended.

I can't remember if I was taught to set the emergency brake when driving an automatic. I learned with a manual. And driver's ed was too long ago. But I started setting the emergency brake after reading an article on a car magazine about how the parking pawl can be snapped off.

 

[Brian_B]

I grew up in flatland and thought the emergency brake was just in case the hydraulics failed or to do sweet brodies

I am still not in the habit of setting it every time in my manual — always 1st or R - but I did finally get it if I feel the vehicle lurch after I take my foot off the brake, which is somewhat often now that I live in the mountains

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