When should I use the Emergency Brake?

[Poppavein]

They could have automated that for automatics. I can’t think of a reason not to.

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[Oldhippie]

I have had many vehicles without an operating “parking brake” and never had a “runaway”…I use it when leave engine running in neutral…have to open the door and look around to find the damm thing in bronco…leave in lowest gear with manual, park with auto..yes I am a derelict…but still alive…yes, best practice is to use it every time parked…

 

[Joshc920]

I have the 2021 7 speed MT and yes have no choice but to use it every time I park, even in drive thru’s to reach for my wallet or anything else and long traffic lights if I roll while N. I wouldn’t trust my pawl. Funny thing happened at dealer service, the porter broke the handle off, I thought maybe I used it too much but then found out there was a TSB for all broncos my year and when they replaced it I suddenly had a pull down switch when before it used to pull up to engage…

 

[Area51BS]

Stop, keep foot on brake, neutral, apply parking brake. Transmission in park. I’m an expert. Attended the Offroadeo. Makes sense though. Takes all stress of of a small pin in tranny.

 

[rdg04578]

The last time I used mine was to disable the seat belt chime

 

[V1Rotate]

Growing up driving manuals forever it was always just second nature. That said this is my first relatively modern auto and I've decided I can't stand an electronic brake.. I want to step on an ebrake pedal and hear the satisfying clicks (right next to the high beam floor button). Its just not intuitive to me when attached to some sort of tiny lever like you're popping the hood. 10 out of 10 times i'm going to fumble around with it and push/pull/push/pull etc trying to release it.

All my whining aside - OP: as others have stated its provided to make sure your manual vehicle is still in the same place you left it when you return after parking. See also: for those worried the parking pawl isn't up to the challenge in an auto. Honerable mention: to be able to get out with the engine running in neutral to take one of those sweet sweet insta influencer-type photos of your "rig" with your newly forscan-modified amber DRL's since they revert to white/off when placed in park.

 

[Ducati1098]

I’ll only use mine if I’m on a pretty steep hill. Can’t say I’ve ever seen a parking pawl break, so I’m not too worried about it. It’s a thick 1/2” piece of steel.

 

[Pygmy Warrior]

From the manual.

APPLYING THE ELECTRIC PARKING BRAKE IN AN EMERGENCY You can use the electric parking brake to slow or stop your vehicle in an emergency. Pull and hold the electric parking brake switch. The electric parking brake continues to slow your vehicle down unless you release the switch. The red warning lamp illuminates, a tone sounds and the stoplamps turn on when you use the electric parking brake in an emergency. Note: Do not apply the electric parking brake when your vehicle is moving, except in an emergency. If you repeatedly use the electric parking brake to slow or stop your vehicle, you could cause damage to the brake system.

Great design Ford!
In an emergency when the brakes have failed...you lean down to pull the lever and in the time that you fumble to find the lever you crash into whatever you are trying to avoid and poof, the airbag punches you in the face and breaks your neck!
What happened to the lever being in the console?

 

[Fordified1]

I’ll only use mine if I’m on a pretty steep hill. Can’t say I’ve ever seen a parking pawl break, so I’m not too worried about it. It’s a thick 1/2” piece of steel.

Not sure about these new transmissions, but on the older automatics if the linkage got out of adjustment, it might not get fully into park and that might cause the parking pawl to slip past some teeth. Possibly caused by user hastily throwing it in park and jumping out to go to the mailbox, there have been people run over by their vehicles doing similar things. The parking brake might have saved their life. I think that’s why Jeeps automatically set the parking brake now which is annoying as fuck.

 

[swooshdave]

Not sure about these new transmissions, but on the older automatics if the linkage got out of adjustment, it might not get fully into park and that might cause the parking pawl to slip past some teeth. Possibly caused by user hastily throwing it in park and jumping out to go to the mailbox, there have been people run over by their vehicles doing similar things. The parking brake might have saved their life. I think that’s why Jeeps automatically set the parking brake now which is annoying as fuck.

Jeeps do it after one of them ran over Chekov.

https://www.reuters.com/article/wor...k-films-dies-in-freak-accident-idUSKCN0Z604E/

 

[Ducati1098]

Not sure about these new transmissions, but on the older automatics if the linkage got out of adjustment, it might not get fully into park and that might cause the parking pawl to slip past some teeth. Possibly caused by user hastily throwing it in park and jumping out to go to the mailbox, there have been people run over by their vehicles doing similar things. The parking brake might have saved their life. I think that’s why Jeeps automatically set the parking brake now which is annoying as fuck.

Unless it recently had work done, I don't see that happening. The adjustment on the shift cable has a lock, so it cant really lose adjustment unless it was messed with. But I mean sure, I guess scenario is possible. Just not enough for me to worry about.

I am surprised Ford doesn't automatically apply the parking brake when shifted to park every time. It's not really annoying on Ford's because you don't even need to reach for the parking brake switch to disengage it. As soon as you put it in drive and press the accelerator, it disengages on its own. Some newer explorers automatically apply it when parked, but really only because they had an issue where something broke and it could potentially roll away.

 

[Fordified1]

Honestly the only time I use the parking brake is when on a decent incline or working under it. If it was std shift I would use it every time I park it. I don’t like the placement of it but the electronic park brake seems to work better than the old cable pedal type that applies separate small brake shoes, and probably doesn’t need adjustment IDK. @Ducati1098 ?

I like the hand brake style for emergency use because it’s handy and easy to grab. A better placed electronic parking brake switch would be better in the odd “emergency” but could be applied by accident if too easy to access I suppose.

 

[Ducati1098]

Honestly the only time I use the parking brake is when on a decent incline or working under it. If it was std shift I would use it every time I park it. I don’t like the placement of it but the electronic park brake seems to work better than the old cable pedal type that applies separate small brake shoes, and probably doesn’t need adjustment IDK. @Ducati1098 ?

I like the hand brake style for emergency use because it’s handy and easy to grab. A better placed electronic parking brake switch would be better in the odd “emergency” but could be applied by accident if too easy to access I suppose.

No adjustment needed. It's self adjusting

 

[tonytexchappy]

The location for the e-brake is pretty good on our maverick. Doesn’t sound like it is on the bronco (pick ours up tomorrow). I still prefer the old style mechanical but even as ludditely as I am I know they can be problematic.

 

[RoseLane4]

Every time you park!
Procedure:
Stop, foot on brake place transmission in Neutral, Apply Emergency Brake.
Once engaged remove foot from brake and allow vehicle to settle. When vehicle is holding on Emergency Brake, select Park (or engage 1st/Reverse for manual transmission, once engine is off). Done!

This allows 100% weight of vehicle to rest on e-brake NOT (auto) transmission linkage.

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