I don't trust electronic parking brakes, and this is my first vehicle with one. Anyway, I'm confused about it:

Normally, setting an auto transmission into "park" (e.g. via the shift lever) changes the transmission setting to prevent the vehicle from rolling on a slight incline, but does not set a separate parking brake that actually applies the brakes. Another lever is usually used for that. But on the defender, the separate parking brake lever (below and to the left of the wheel on LHD vehicles) doesn't seem to do anything that I can detect; no special light, no sound, no nothing.

So is setting "park" on the shift lever exactly the same as using the "parking brake" control found below the steering wheel? If not, why does activating the lower control seem to do nothing special. Shouldn't it? I'd think some special symbol would light up, etc., and often you would hear the whir of a mechanism clamping down on the brakes.

The concern, of course, is parking on a steep incline rather than merely in a level parking lot.

Thank you.

 

Putting the Defender in park is just like any other vehicle, it engages a parking pawl to lock the transmission. The electronic parking brake (EPB) is the same thing as a handbrake, it is just operated electronically. With that engaged, it clamps down on the rear rotors. On the Defender, the EPB is automatically engaged when the vehicle is put in park, as an added measure to prevent the car from rolling, even though it won't. You can hear the EPB engaging when you put the vehicle in park or if you pull the lever. It is a distinct sound.

 

Just use the automatic Hold function.
Needs some time to get used to. Depending how much force you use on the brake pedal , your choice to let it engage.
I Never use the handle/ pull the lever.

 

OK, so if I'm on a 45 degree incline and just press "park" on the shift ****, the car will be safe? 🫣

What is even the point or difference of using the lower parking brake control then?

Also, perhaps "auto hold" is on by default? I can hear a noise when I let off the brake at a stop and have wondered what it was. I don't think the truck is "brake by wire," so the noise might make sense if its applying the parking brake at every stop. Maybe that's why I don't hear anything if I apply the parking brake lever (i.e., it's already on)? Also, you say it's dependent on the amount of pressure applied to the brakes?

Cars are way too complicated these days. The manual is 537 pages long and absolutely stultifying to wade through, especially given that 80% of it seems to be warnings and conditions and exceptions. I have a lot of other confusions and questions, but this one (not rolling away!) is exceptionally important.

Thank you.

 

Yes, you can park on a 45 degree angle and be fine. Like I said, both the parking pawl and the EPB activate when the vehicle is in park. If you don't want to use the EPB, you pull the lever on the dash and it will deactivate and the warning light will go away on the dash, but the parking pawl will still be activated. Auto hold is not on by default. you have to be at a stop and then you press the brake to the floor to activate auto hold. You can also choose to activate auto hold every time you come to a stop in the settings menu. The Defender has a brake-by-wire system, so the brake pedal isn't exactly connected to anything other than a computer, but there are failsafes in place. I have never come across a brake-by-wire failure in the research I have done on this topic. Also, if you are struggling to learn about the car, the JLR iGuide app is very beneficial.

 

There should be a 'hold' sign on your instrument panel to let you know the EPB is engaged.
As mentioned before it's depending on the force you'll use on the brake panel.
Sometimes you want to go quick away for a traffic light , don't apply to much force than and the EPB will not engage.
Again this takes some learning curve and practice.

 

I think you are referring to the brake hold system, which does not use the EPB. Brake hold is just a sensor that keeps the brakes clamped without constantly pressing the brake pedal. EPB is a separate mechanism that will lock the rear brakes when activated. It is the same thing as a handbrake/e-brake.

 

OK, let me see if I understand everything:

The electronic parking brake (EPB) can be applied or deselected manually by the lever below the steering wheel. A "PARK" light (U.S.) should illuminate in red when on. This acts on the rear wheels only.

The EPB is also automatically applied when the shift lever's "park" function is selected. Hence, using the EPB lever is redundant under normal conditions and need not be fussed over.

The EPB is released automatically when you simply drive away under normal operating conditions.

In an emergency runaway condition, the EPB can be set manually to reduce speed or stop, but it only activates if going more than 2 MPH.

"Auto brake hold" is different from the EPB. It acts on all 4 wheels via the normal hydraulic brake system. "HOLD" should illuminate when active. It can be automatically applied at every stop, or else it can optionally be selectively set by applying full braking at a stop. Choosing auto or manual brake hold is done via menus.

Auto brake hold should be disabled if going through a car wash, being towed, etc. (I've downloaded the recovery manual, and that document is a nightmare!)

"Hill start assist" is variant of brake hold. It operates even if auto brake hold is disabled.

I'm unsure if selecting Neutral clears the EPB and ABH, but presumably the EPB can be released manually if it's still on.

Thank you!

 

1. Yes, that is correct.
2. Yes.
3. Yes.
4. Yes, braking and pulling the EPB will stop you quickly. Braking and pulling the EPB will cause the car to apply full brake force.
5. Yes. By default ABH is activated manually by pressing the brake to the carpet once you are stopped. Like I said, you can change the settings to apply ABH when you come to a stop without pressing the pedal again.
6. If you have the car set to automatically apply ABH, you should disengage it if you use an automatic car wash or need to be towed. Try to avoid the automatic car wash as much as you can. JLR does not recommend it. I only use an automatic wash a couple times a year to remove salt off the undercarriage.
7. Yes.
8. Selecting neutral from park clears the EPB, but if you are in D or R and have the ABH activated, it will remain active if you switch to N. Also, if you have ABH activated for a prolonged period of time, i.e. waiting in a long drive through or stuck in gridlock traffic, the EPB will automatically engage and remain activated until you press the accelerator.

 

4. If you look at the very bottom of page 156 in the manual, you will see this emergency activation of the EPB explicitly discussed. Will it work? Not well, I'm sure, but if you find that you can't slow down any other way, it's worth a try.
8. Maybe I'll deactivate auto brake hold. I'd rather not have to psychoanalyze the car just to set neutral.

I will miss being able to haul back on a manual parking brake with all my might when in a precarious position. I sure hope the electronic one is as good or better!