Emergency Brake

andyprius · 04-29-2007, 10:21 PM

I just discovered an unusual phenomenon. Had car in reverse, emergency brake on, facing uphill. I took my foot off the footbrake and the car rolled backwards! Not a catastrophe but different from all other cars I have owned. I predict that "somebody" will try to exit the car under those conditions "someday" Now that we all know....were safe.

IsrAmeriPrius · 04-29-2007, 10:38 PM

What does this subject have to do with Prius and Hybrid News?

Quote:

Prius and Hybrid News
Read all of the latest Prius & Hybrid automotive news and discuss. Please read posting guidelines before posting a news article. [/b]

aSmithee · 05-01-2007, 11:53 AM

You're in reverse, right? There's no brake, right? You're on a hill, right? What did you expect to happen? That you would roll up hill?

galaxee · 05-01-2007, 01:43 PM

if your e-brake isn't holding the car, something's wrong.

paprius4030 · 05-01-2007, 01:47 PM

i think he expected the emergency brake to hold the car. If it's a steep hil AND you had the car in reverse I'd expect you'd have to really mash the emergency brake down to hold the car.

andyprius · 05-01-2007, 11:31 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(paprius4030 @ May 1 2007, 12:47 PM) [snapback]433345[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

i think he expected the emergency brake to hold the car. If it's a steep hil AND you had the car in reverse I'd expect you'd have to really mash the emergency brake down to hold the car.
[/b]

Exactly my point, it's just a small hill at the entrance to my garage. I will try to push the EB very hard and see if the problem duplicates. I posted this, because the car moved so easily,as if it works like this by design. If so. That's a problem. Being hard of hearing I have quickly depowered the car and started to exit, noticing that the car was still powered up and warning me, I depowered again and shut the car down. Should a elderly, non-perceptive, or even a young perceptive person have the car still in reverse with EB in and exit the car at the same time removing foot from footbrake, it COULD be a tragedy.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Alan Smithee @ May 1 2007, 10:53 AM) [snapback]433260[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

You're in reverse, right? There's no brake, right? You're on a hill, right? What did you expect to happen? That you would roll up hill?
[/b]

You may have misread!. Car facing uphill, in revarse, EB on. Take foot off footbrake and car moves easily in reverse. As you so aptly questioned.... what I expected was for the EB to hold! This is how it's tested normally. In reverse or forward. Thankyou for your misguided comment and humor.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ May 1 2007, 12:43 PM) [snapback]433343[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

if your e-brake isn't holding the car, something's wrong.
[/b]

Thankyou Galaxee, I'm going to look into it further.

andyprius · 05-03-2007, 07:10 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(andyprius @ May 1 2007, 10:31 PM) [snapback]433717[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

Exactly my point, it's just a small hill at the entrance to my garage. I will try to push the EB very hard and see if the problem duplicates. I posted this, because the car moved so easily,as if it works like this by design. If so. That's a problem. Being hard of hearing I have quickly depowered the car and started to exit, noticing that the car was still powered up and warning me, I depowered again and shut the car down. Should a elderly, non-perceptive, or even a young perceptive person have the car still in reverse with EB in and exit the car at the same time removing foot from footbrake, it COULD be a tragedy.
You may have misread!. Car facing uphill, in revarse, EB on. Take foot off footbrake and car moves easily in reverse. As you so aptly questioned.... what I expected was for the EB to hold! This is how it's tested normally. In reverse or forward. Thankyou for your misguided comment and humor.
Thankyou Galaxee, I'm going to look into it further.
[/b]

Continued......I pushed EB down very hard and it held. Probably after 45000 miles the EB could use a slight adjustment. It appears to be a typical mechanical Emergency Brake with a screw adjustment. I hesitate to touch it as it's very easy to insert drag to the rear wheels. Thanks for all the feedback.

larkinmj · 05-03-2007, 07:56 PM

It's possible that after 45K miles they need to be adjusted. Also, if you haven't used the parking brake much, the cable might be corroded. I have not owned a car in a long time that has rear drum brakes as the Prius does, but if anything I would expect that the parking brake would work better on the Prius as it is a simpler mechanism with drum brakes. In the past with other cars when I have had an emergency brake get out of adjustment, I'd just move slowly in forward or reverse and mash down on it. After a few times that would get it working again (particularly if the car had been sitting undriven for a period of time). Perhaps galaxee can answer whether or not that procedure is recommended.

auricchio · 05-03-2007, 10:37 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(andyprius @ May 1 2007, 08:31 PM) [snapback]433717[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

Should a elderly, non-perceptive, or even a young perceptive person have the car still in reverse with EB in and exit the car at the same time removing foot from footbrake, it COULD be a tragedy.
[/b]

That's quite a lot of IFs that have to all happen for a problem.

paprius4030 · 05-03-2007, 10:48 PM

This discussion makes me wonder if the rear brakes are adjusted when you stop while it's in reverse. I'm under the impression that when you back up you should come to a firm stop by applying the brakes firmly so the self adjuster will adjust the bake brakes. Is this how it works on the Prius?

05-03-2007, 07:56 PM	#8
larkinmj Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 1,996 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	It's possible that after 45K miles they need to be adjusted. Also, if you haven't used the parking brake much, the cable might be corroded. I have not owned a car in a long time that has rear drum brakes as the Prius does, but if anything I would expect that the parking brake would work better on the Prius as it is a simpler mechanism with drum brakes. In the past with other cars when I have had an emergency brake get out of adjustment, I'd just move slowly in forward or reverse and mash down on it. After a few times that would get it working again (particularly if the car had been sitting undriven for a period of time). Perhaps galaxee can answer whether or not that procedure is recommended. __________________ Mike Larkin http://www.myspace.com/deadbluessociety

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04-29-2007, 10:21 PM	#1
andyprius Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Sacramento, California. Posts: 477 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: #3 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	I just discovered an unusual phenomenon. Had car in reverse, emergency brake on, facing uphill. I took my foot off the footbrake and the car rolled backwards! Not a catastrophe but different from all other cars I have owned. I predict that "somebody" will try to exit the car under those conditions "someday" Now that we all know....were safe.

05-01-2007, 11:53 AM	#3
aSmithee Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 5 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	You're in reverse, right? There's no brake, right? You're on a hill, right? What did you expect to happen? That you would roll up hill?

05-01-2007, 01:43 PM	#4
galaxee uphill battling Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: central NC/ western WI Posts: 8,838 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: #5 Nominated 5 Times in 3 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 20	if your e-brake isn't holding the car, something's wrong.

05-01-2007, 01:47 PM	#5
paprius4030 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Pocono's, Pa. Posts: 955 My Car: 2008 Prius Package: #2 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	i think he expected the emergency brake to hold the car. If it's a steep hil AND you had the car in reverse I'd expect you'd have to really mash the emergency brake down to hold the car.

05-03-2007, 10:48 PM	#10
paprius4030 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Pocono's, Pa. Posts: 955 My Car: 2008 Prius Package: #2 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	This discussion makes me wonder if the rear brakes are adjusted when you stop while it's in reverse. I'm under the impression that when you back up you should come to a firm stop by applying the brakes firmly so the self adjuster will adjust the bake brakes. Is this how it works on the Prius?