What is my handbrake for ?

[Waitforme]

Please excuse the dumb question but when should I use the handbrake in my car ?
I didn’t even know it had one until it was pointed out to me. I thought with it being an auto , when I stop and don’t want the car to roll then I put it in park.
Was also pointed out that if I come to a stop on a slope and press the brake pedal hard then a hill assist brake is applied and releases on application of the throttle.

 

[renault12ts]

Please excuse the dumb question but when should I use the handbrake in my car ?
I didn’t even know it had one until it was pointed out to me. I thought with it being an auto , when I stop and don’t want the car to roll then I put it in park.
Was also pointed out that if I come to a stop on a slope and press the brake pedal hard then a hill assist brake is applied and releases on application of the throttle.

How long since you did your driving test? Nothing has changed.

 

[jdrrco]

Please excuse the dumb question but when should I use the handbrake in my car ?
I didn’t even know it had one until it was pointed out to me. I thought with it being an auto , when I stop and don’t want the car to roll then I put it in park.
Was also pointed out that if I come to a stop on a slope and press the brake pedal hard then a hill assist brake is applied and releases on application of the throttle.

Not a dumb question at all. I never used the handbrake in any of my first 9 MBs and 3 other automatics unless parked on a very steep hill as additional reassurance.

However, my local indie has advised me now to use it overnight at home at least, as if it isn't used at all, it can lose its facility and that's an MOT failure.

 

[Deleted member 149005]

If you only use Park, you are relying on a cheap plastic peg...

 

[OneForTheRoad]

Use it all the time , the parking pawl as strong as it is , is still just a bit of metal jamming a cog. If the handbrake workings don't move at all they can seize ..

 

[Deleted member 6183]

If you only use Park, you are relying on a cheap plastic peg...

Use it all the time , the parking pawl as strong as it is , is still just a bit of metal jamming a cog. If the handbrake workings don't move at all they can seize ..

I have heard this many times, do you know of any cases where the gearbox has broken and a car run away?

 

[John]

I subscribe to the "use it or lose it" point of view so I use my parking brake (FKA handbrake) whenever I park the car.

Just get into the habit and you don't think about it.

 

[Deleted member 149005]

I have heard this many times, do you know of any cases where the gearbox has broken and a car run away?

My dad’s MB - it didnt roll away because the drive way was flat but it caused a few nuisances until we worked out what had happened...

 

[Waitforme]

Every day is a school day as they say
I thought Park applied the same braking mechanism as a handbrake does.
i will now get into the habit of using it. Is it auto release when drive is selected and throttle pressed ?

 

[Deleted member 6183]

Every day is a school day as they say
I thought Park applied the same braking mechanism as a handbrake does.
i will now get into the habit of using it. Is it auto release when drive is selected and throttle pressed ?

It might do, my car applies the electric handbrake when I park up.

 

[OneForTheRoad]

Every day is a school day as they say
I thought Park applied the same braking mechanism as a handbrake does.
i will now get into the habit of using it. Is it auto release when drive is selected and throttle pressed ?

the hold function does, not the park or handbrake .

 

[Deleted member 6183]

My dad’s MB - it didnt roll away because the drive way was flat but it caused a few nuisances until we worked out what had happened...

Why would it break on the flat?

Makes no sense.

 

[Deleted member 149005]

Why would it break on the flat?

Makes no sense.

Repeated abuse when parked elsewhere...it just so happened to snap on the drive at home...

 

[jdrrco]

the hold function does, not the park or handbrake .

That's not right. On the OPs car, Park is a button on the end of the stalk. It is released automatically when you move the stalk to D or R. Or press the end to engage N.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

However, my local indie has advised me now to use it overnight at home at least, as if it isn't used at all, it can lose its facility and that's an MOT failure.

The first owner of my S500L didn't use his electronic parking brake at all.

It cost be nearly a grand to get a new mechanism installed on a 10 year old, 25k mile car when the MoT tester insisted on a working parking brake.

It's the only "repair" I've had to have done these last seven years on so.

 

[jdrrco]

The first owner of my S500L didn't use his electronic parking brake at all.

It cost be nearly a grand to get a new mechanism installed on a 10 year old, 25k mile car when the MoT tester insisted on a working parking brake.

It's the only "repair" I've had to have done these last seven years on so.

Mine isn't electronic, it's the old foot-pedal-on, right-hand-lever-release style. I'm sure the same principle applies.

 

[OneForTheRoad]

That's not right. On the OPs car, Park is a button on the end of the stalk. It is released automatically when you move the stalk to D or R. Or press the end to engage N.

bit of a stupid question tbh, its pretty obvious if your in drive your not in park , i think the op thinks park works on the brakes ...

 

[guhvies]

Please excuse the dumb question but when should I use the handbrake in my car ?

You can use it when you feel like. When you come to a stop, leave the car in gear with your foot on the brake.
Turn off the engine and open the door. The electronic parking brake automagically engages and you should
see the graphic in the dash. Else just press the button.

 

[Mr. B]

When mine is parked in the garage I find that if the handbrake has been applied for several weeks without moving the brakes stick on and I need to give it plenty of revs to release it hence I don’t use it anymore when parked for any length of time.
However I do apply it and release it every week to make sure it still works.

 

[markjay]

...parking brake (FKA handbrake)...

The clue is in the name