How good is your parking brake?

[yellowbentines]

I'm on my second MB, my first, a C-Class was bought from new, my current, an E-Class is a year old, and I'm wondering if everyone else has the same experience as me with their foot operated parking brake as it's starting to bug me now.

When I put the car in park and engage the parking brake the car rolls forward slightly on the slightest of inclines, moreso on steep hills. Noticeably on steep hills when I return to the car and engage drive, the gearbox clunks when shifted from park to drive.

I've never mentioned it to my MB dealer but it appears that the car rolling forward slightly suggests the parking brake is doing nothing and the car is being held by the park mechanism in the gearbox, which does the job but my worry is am I doing damage to the gearbox, and have I been unlucky in getting two cars where the parking brake doesn't work very well.

..or..am I worrying uneccesarily, do they all do that?

 

[Simon_M]

What is your sequence?

Keeping foot on brake, put car into 'P' and then depress parking brake with right foot hence releasing the regular brake?

If I do it this it takes up some slack, so now I put the parking brake on first with my left foot and then put it into 'P'. stops the roll back/forward.

S

 

[yellowbentines]

My sequence is right foot on footbrake to slow car to a standstill, keeping right foot on pedal move gearlever into P, using left foot apply foot operated parking brake, then lastly release footbrake, car then rolls forward slightly.

Like I say it's never bothered me except when parking on steep hills, the stiffness/clunk when moving from park back into drive doesn't feel right and I don't know enough (anything!) about autoboxes to know if I'm doing damage.

 

[verytalldave]

Rarely use the parking brake. Usually just leave it in P.

 

[Gareth]

My sequence is right foot on footbrake to slow car to a standstill, keeping right foot on pedal move gearlever into P, using left foot apply foot operated parking brake, then lastly release footbrake, car then rolls forward slightly.

Like I say it's never bothered me except when parking on steep hills, the stiffness/clunk when moving from park back into drive doesn't feel right and I don't know enough (anything!) about autoboxes to know if I'm doing damage.

I don't know if this helps at all, but I do exactly the same thing and get exactly the same response from the car. (2005 E-Class)

 

[yellowbentines]

vertalldave, if you just leave it in P do you experience the same as I do when going from P back into D on an incline, i.e. it's not quite as smooth a change into Drive as when on the level?

 

[corned]

You should (we all should) use the parking brake and never rely on leaving a car in gear (manual) or in Park (auto).

The theory is that if your car gets knocked heavily enough whilst it is parked - particularly on a slope - it will likely jump out of gear (manuals) or break the Park holding mechanism (autos) and the car is free then to roll wherever it wishes!

SOP should be to use park/hand brake all the time, but I don't know anyone (myself included!) who does it all the time. I do apply the Park break on slopes religiously though...

Regarding the OP's question, mine is a 2005 E, and it exhibits the same behaviour. It's as if the Parking brake mechanism has to take up some slack from somewhere before 'biting'.

 

[corned]

Regarding taking it out of gear on slopes:

The Park mechanism in an auto gearbox is a spring-loaded plunger-type thing which engages in a toothed ring or similar on one of the layshafts in the 'box. This holds the shaft still and prevents the car from moving. Think of it like the steering lock on your steering column.

As the car is on a slope, the plunger is affected by the side loads of the shaft trying to turn (i.e. the car trying to roll down the slope) so when you take the selector lever out of 'Park' some resistance may well be felt.

The answer to this would be to change you operation slightly. Once stopped on the foot brake, apply the park brake with the 'box in neutral and wait for the car to lurch slightly forward. It will stop when the 'slack' takes up. Then put it in Park. I guarantee it will be easier to take it back out of Park (no resistance) if you do it this way!

 

[saorbust]

Sounds weird. My car never does that.

I stop using brake, then put in P, then put on parking brake, then release foot brake.

Never moves. Try pushing harder on the foot brake......

 

[stevieb15]

Rarely use the parking brake. Usually just leave it in P.

Ditto, the parking brake is super numerary on an automatic and is only there to satisfy the requirements of the MOT

 

[renault12ts]

I never fail to use the parking brake. But it needs an extra hard push on hills ( up or down facing ).

YB why not try putting your car into neutral and then apply the parking brake. This will let you see the effectiveness of the brake. Once you are satisfied put the car into P.

 

[Ted]

I've had a foot operated park brake on two MBs and a Lexus - I love them (handbrake turn days are long gone!)

I've never had to push more than a few clicks to hold me solid on quite a steep ramp (into my driveway) where I put it into neutral, engage park brake, and open the gates.

My only gripe is the 'bang' on a MB when it is released. The Lexus method was much nicer.

 

[yellowbentines]

YB why not try putting your car into neutral and then apply the parking brake. This will let you see the effectiveness of the brake. Once you are satisfied put the car into P.

Good idea, now why didn't I think of that, will report back later!

 

[Peter DLM]

Rarely use the parking brake. Usually just leave it in P.

Are you an American?


I use the parking brake religiously, it's what it's there for.

 

[johnsco]

The parking brake on both our E300TDs works fine.
If you want to check-out the efficiency of the parking brake, stop on a steep hill, put the transmission in NEUTRAL (not PARK) and then apply the parking brake.
Try it facing uphill and downhill.

 

[renault12ts]

The parking brake on both our E300TDs works fine.
If you want to check-out the efficiency of the parking brake, stop on a steep hill, put the transmission in NEUTRAL (not PARK) and then apply the parking brake.
Try it facing uphill and downhill.

See post 11.

 

[johnsco]

I'm agreeing ......... Not claiming originality for the idea.

 

[JumboBeef]

Rarely use the parking brake. Usually just leave it in P.

You have to by law use the parking brake when you leave your car. If you do not use your parking brake, you are breaking the law...........

The Highway Code: you MUST apply the handbrake before leaving the vehicle

 

[nigel cross]

I have allways found the parking prake to be useless.
I'll try putting it into neutral first and see if it improves.

 

[kwakdonut]

I've had a foot operated park brake on two MBs and a Lexus - I love them (handbrake turn days are long gone!)

I've never had to push more than a few clicks to hold me solid on quite a steep ramp (into my driveway) where I put it into neutral, engage park brake, and open the gates.

My only gripe is the 'bang' on a MB when it is released. The Lexus method was much nicer.

To suppress the 'bang' keep your left foot on the parking brake when you release it and control its movement back! SIMPLES!!