Do you use the emrgency brake when you park your car with automatic transmission?

[Sir Richard F. Burton]

Some years ago I got in this habit and I wonder if it is neccesary. Should I use the emergency brake when I park my automatic tranny car?

[Mr. Peanut]

Better safe than sorry... but, I don't do it with our automatics. No idea if its necessary though, I don't know if Autos can pop into neutral like manuals. My manuals used to do it regularly though.

[HOMEYCAT]

If you are on a rather steep grade, it's a good idea to put the emergency brake on. It would help carry the load, which would be born only by the gear box and transmission. Easier on everything. Even automatics. It's like hanging a wet coat on a wire hanger.

[MudCat]

Bear in mind, I know next to nothing about the inner workings of most anything, much less cars:

Several years ago, a relative of mine who works for Ford told me that you should always use your emergency brake when you park, simply to stop the car from rolling forward (or backward, if you're backing in). Apparently, over the life of the car, that little "roll" can put stress on the gearbox (I think it was the gearbox. Someone else with more technical "know-how" will have to verify that.)

So, I started doing it. Now, it's habit. Just like putting on my seatbelt.

I figure it can't hurt. But it does drive friends/relatives nuts when I drive their cars. I always forget to tell them I put their emergency brake on, and then they wonder why their car either won't go into gear, or won't go anywhere.

[HOMEYCAT]

Why not put the emergency brake on to hold the car still in any circumastance. The only problem is if you do not have an automatic release on it and forget that it is engaged, and drive with it on, you can damage other things. The other things of course are expensive.....

[bigsky]

not in montana, it can freeze up.

[MudCat]

HOMEYCAT wrote: Why not put the emergency brake on to hold the car still in any circumastance. The only problem is if you do not have an automatic release on it and forget that it is engaged, and drive with it on, you can damage other things. The other things of course are expensive.....
I have a Volkswagen Jetta, and if the emergency brake is engaged in any way, it won't let you put the car in gear, which is good, but I just had to have a brake-switch replaced (recall), because about once every four or five times I would get in the car, when I pushed the (normal) brake, it woudn't send the signal showing the brake was pushed. So, I couldn't put the car in gear.

(The actual bigger pain of it is that it was also draining my battery about once every three weeks.....)

[BrassowFan]

I use it but only because I have a manual transmission.

I'm sure that movement could damage the gear box but when does that happen? How often does someone come up and attempt to push a parked car? The only time that makes sense to me is if you were parked on a steep grade and gravity was creating the pressure and in those cases you should be using the brake as a precaution if nothing else.

IMO, this is a habit that you should break, especially when you're driving someone else's car.

[MudCat]

BrassowFan wrote: I use it but only because I have a manual transmission.

I'm sure that movement could damage the gear box but when does that happen? How often does someone come up and attempt to push a parked car? The only time that makes sense to me is if you were parked on a steep grade and gravity was creating the pressure and in those cases you should be using the brake as a precaution if nothing else.

IMO, this is a habit that you should break, especially when you're driving someone else's car.

He (my relative)was talking about right when you park. If you don't engage the emergency brake, the car rolls a little or a lot depending on where you're parking. Even on flat ground, the car rolls a little.

Sort of like when you're backing out of a parking spot, making sure you're at a complete stop after going backward before putting the car into gear to go forward.

I would imagine, depending on the car, it would take a longer period of time for this to have some sort of effect. Like I said, I don't see it hurting anything, so it's just something I do.

You are right, though. I shouldn't do it to other people's cars. I'm better at it when it's one where the emergency brake is on the floor. I usually don't do it then. But if there's an emergency brake on the console, odds are, I'm going to do it out of habit.

[HOMEYCAT]

bigsky wrote: not in montana, it can freeze up.
It can freeze up in Cinti. too. Time for the hair drier.

On a barely steep grade, it is hard on an automatic to hold all that weight. As far as "rolling" a little bit after disengaging, presumably one would be braking with the foot at the time. If you engage before you put it in park, on level ground, no roll.

[scars.of.grace]

I only use it when I'm parked on an incline or decline. If you ever do use it, don't forget to release it when you're ready to drive again. I've made that mistake a few times! :thumbdown:dude:

[Irksum]

I think the concenus here is: use the brake, as a precaution, if you are parked on any incline. It is more important if the incline is on the forward, or engine end of the car, since that is the gravitationally challenged part of the auto. However, we have been warned that some makes and models have certain quirks and idiosyncracys.

I believe that if you use the emergency park system on a regular basis, you keep the mechanical parts "used to being used" and therefore, less likely to fail. It is when a brake system is only occasionally used, is it more likely to "lock and fail" The mechanical parts that comprise the brake system are subject to salt and corrosion. Frequent use helps to rid the system of corrosives,through friction.

In conclusion: If you frequently use the emergency brake, continue to do so.

If you infrequently use the emergency brake, but are convinced that you should apply it in certain situations, apply the brake in the safe confines of your driveway. Start the car, release the brake , then repeat the process several times until you feel confident that the brake system is safe. Additionally, program your cell phone to towing services within your driving areas.