Confused about the parking brake.

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Jun 27, 2024 | 05:06 PM

#11

SilverSFR

Rock Crawling

Joined: Apr 2006

Posts: 252

Likes: 140

From: Boise, Idaho USA

Zondar just wait until you try use an auto car wash and try to quickly find neutral so your car can be picked up by the rollers.... or better yet if and when your wife or kids call ya in a panic in the front bay and up to bat in the auto wash. Its better to just never use an auto wash...

Jun 27, 2024 | 05:23 PM

#12

POPTOPP

Rock Crawling

Joined: Sep 2021

Posts: 384

Likes: 358

From: Northern Virginia

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zondar

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.

If not already mentioned. There is a visual indicator that the EPB is engaged. The word "PARK" is displayed at the top of the display console. This is different from the "P" that's displayed indicating the transmission is in park. Pulling on the brake control will toggle the EPB on and off.

Jun 28, 2024 | 06:43 AM

#13

Steedracer

Drifting

Joined: Feb 2024

Posts: 35

Likes: 29

From: Nashville, TN

Thanks for this thread! I ran into this situation last weekend when, for the first time with our 130, I backed our 7,000+ lb. Wakeboard boat into the water on a very inclined boat ramp. I was trying to activate the EPB with the switch below the steering wheel, but noticed the “park” indicator light would go out on the dash and was confused. I eventually came to trust that when I selected park on the transmission lever (I hate that unintuitive lever!), saw the “Park” indicator lit on the dash and let my foot off the brake, that it was holding, before I got out of the vehicle to go release the boat trailer winch and launch the boat. So, basically figured it out on my own…but, good to see others have been confused too. I appreciate this forum!

Jun 28, 2024 | 07:30 AM

#14

CincyRovers

Pro Wrench

Joined: Oct 2023

Posts: 1,607

Likes: 1,154

From: Cincinnati, OH

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zondar

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!

I'll admit I made a mistake and updated my original post. Yes, you can pull the EPB when braking to get full brake force in an emergency situation. However, it takes a second to engage after you pull the EPB. Every time I've pulled the EPB while driving in any of my LRs, I haven't held it down long enough for full brake force to kick in. Last night when coming home, I pulled the EPB and held it while I braked to go into my driveway, and it did apply full brake force and will definitely help in an emergency. Plus, brake-by-wire helps stop the car even faster, as the ABS system reacts twice as fast with brake-by-wire compared to a conventional setup.