Do You Use The Emergency Brake When Parking?

Do you use the emergecy brake when parking or do most of you just use the "P" button? When using the "P" button, does it lock on the brakes? I have been just using the "P" button so far and my car doesn't seem to have moved when I get back. I guess I take Park in the Prius is like Park in any other car in that it will lock it down when in there. I have never used my emergency brake in any of my other cars. Responses please!

You can save even more effort by not putting it in 'P'. The car puts itself in 'P' automatically on shutdown. The 'P' button does not activate the brakes, it blocks the transmission.

Just use the emergency brake like you normally would, when parked on a steep hill or driveway. No need to use it for anything else. The P is all you need when parking normally.

I always set the 'emergency' brake before I emerge from the car.

It seems to rock somewhat if I don't and I can't imagine that being good for the transmission.

I'm always annoyed when the oil-change guys forget to do it, but they must fix their own cars or something so it doesn't bother them...

I do use it, but it's just out of habit more than anything else.

I use the "P" button and not the Emergency Brake. I would as someone else suggested to use that on non-level road conditions.

The little give for the normal "P" does not seem to bother me. In fact, I think it may be minute but minute enough that if someone should "Tap" you the give be it ever so small might be a benefit to avoid a "Tap" to a car that has the Emergency Brake engaged with no slight give...

My personal opinion only...

i never use the parking brake unless i feel it necessary for complete safety precautions. iow, if parked on a slope.

unfortunately, the parking brake is using 130 year old technology. its 100% mechanical and therefore it will wear out. for those of you that do it "by habit"...i suggest a 12 step program ASAP

This is my approach as well. On a steep hill, or somewhere that rolling is likely to be catastrophic, I will use the parking brake. Otherwise I don't.

As for wearing out the parking brake, I have also had them fail from lack of use. I try to strike a balance.

Tom

well i also agree with that...my suggestion only goes to "habitual use". now i am located about 4 miles from the very southern tip of Puget Sound AND, i cannot swim. which means that all ground slopes toward the water. so yes, i do have a use for parking brakes anywhere from 2-10 times a month or so.

Hi I am Peter, I use my parking brake habitually. Please forgive me. lol

For those who live in areas where there is snow and ice, not using the parking brake is a worse thing to do. On some cars, if the parking brake is not regularly "exercised", it can become "frozen" as the linkage or cables rust. Then when you actually need it and apply it, it sometimes will not release properly, causing the rear brakes to drag, overheating the brakes, bearings, and causing a loss in gas mileage.

Using it helps prevent such "freezing" of the mechanism. An added benefit is that if you have rear drum brakes, it lets you know if the rear pad adjuster is doing its job.

Both Toyota and GM use a really "user friendly" parking brake: you step on it to set it, and step on it again to release it. It's so easy to do that I usually don't even think about it.

As "exercising" the parking brake is a good thing, I will not be going to 12-step for this one.

ummm Peter?? i think the correct phrase is;

"Hi, my name is Peter and i am a "brakeaholic"

I only use Park in my own garage but use my emergency brake when parked everywhere else. Probably just superstition, but my concern with only using Park elsewhere is that a bump from another car could damage the transmission.

By the way, the emergency brake is one of the few things I find awkward about my Prius. I often end up kicking the vinyl trim when trying to engage the brake pedal with my foot, and/or accidentally double tapping the pedal and disengaging it. Much prefer the old hand brake or foot pedal with a hand release.

Yes. Would you rather have two tires holding your car motionless, or four? One mechanism, or two? Redundancy in safety is a good thing, and consistent use keeps it from freezing up.

We have always used them on all of our cars and will continue to. Here in the great north east if you don't, 1 winter will cure it of working at all.

I don't need no stinkin 12 step program.

I've also heard using the break is a good thing. If you don't do it it won't work when you need it. I used to use it all the time when I parked on a slight incline. Now I only use it occasionally.

I always use the parking brake and push the P button.

I notice that if I just shut the car off, it does go to P - but the car jerks or shudders slightly.

I see no reason why I should not use the mechanical brake - I think of it (obviously) as a parking brake and not an emergency brake. I think the Prius design is particularly easy to use.

My name is Priusros and I use the parking brake.

And I'm proud of it.

I use it most of the time; ever since a friend's BMW rolled in to his garage wall a few years ago, I always hear his voice saying...I probably should stop on flat ground. If I fail 12 step, guess I know what my first extended warranty repair will be I was surprised to see all the items below covered, whereas virtually all of the regular breaks would not be due to wear and tear. I am not a techie so wonder if parking breaks have pads that wear out too or just the stuff below?

Parking Brake Cable• Parking Brake Control Handle Assembly• Parking Brake Lever Subassembly• Parking Brake Pedal Subassembly•