Left Foot Bumped E-Brake While Driving Down Highway

The parking brake is not on or off it depends on how hard you press it down.

 

It would take up space from the arm rest or the floating console. I like the foot brake better. If the Prius team is listening

 

You can have a foot brake that works as an emergency brake. Most 60s cars had them. All you need is a hand release instead of having to double press with your foot. If you activate the release and hold it you can work the foot pedal just like a normal brake.

 

But a hand brake (or parking brake, or apparently "e-brake") can only apply a tiny amount of braking force. If your regular foot brake had boiled away all it's fluid rolling down a mountain, the parking brake is not going to help you at all. at the most you -might- lock your rear wheels and make some smoke, but i don't see that. i've seen (and smelled) plenty of people drive away in their manual with the hand brake still applied. it doesn't stop the car driving at all.

The only real braking i've seen/done with the hand brake is handbrake turns... Not something i'm going to do in the prius!

 

The "parking brake" in the Prius is an "emergency brake" as well.

If you push it while parking, the brake will prevent the car from rolling away. Well, actually the transmission does that as well, but it is an additional security device.

If you push the 'parking brake' while driving, it will not stay engaged, but work like a normal brake pedal. It is activated by a cable and works even when your hydraulic system fails. That is why it is an emergency brake as well.

As the brake just releases while you are driving there is no more damage done than pushing the brake pedal (until the mechanical brake sets in).

Greetings
Martin

BTW, in many contries the law requires a parking brake and an emergency brake. Most of the time the device is the same.

 

So pressing the brake then does not cause any issues while driving ? The parking brake not the regular one. I did press the "P" button driving once it went into neutral.

 

If you press the 'P' button, the transmisson shifts to neutral, that is correct. If your speed is very slow, you will come to a sudden stop. The car should not be damaged by this (due to the slow speed), but I'd rather not try it.

 

What happens when you press the parking brake pedal onthe left side underneath ?

 

It does bring you to an abrupt halt if you're going slow enough and press the "P" button. I accidentally did this going about 2 MPH pulling into my driveway. Needless to say, I think at the absolute highest speed would probably be 5 mph that it would allow this to occur. Assuming it's not common practice for anyone, I would imagine that the periodic action of this would not present any problems.