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Emergency Brake

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by andyprius, Apr 29, 2007.

  1. andyprius

    andyprius Senior Member

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    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.
     
    #1 andyprius, Apr 29, 2007
  2. IsrAmeriPrius

    IsrAmeriPrius Progressive Member

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

     
    #2 IsrAmeriPrius, Apr 29, 2007
  3. aSmithee

    aSmithee New Member

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    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?
     
    #3 aSmithee, May 1, 2007
  4. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    if your e-brake isn't holding the car, something's wrong.
     
    #4 galaxee, May 1, 2007
  5. paprius4030

    paprius4030 My first Prius

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    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.
     
    #5 paprius4030, May 1, 2007
  6. andyprius

    andyprius Senior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(paprius4030 @ May 1 2007, 12:47 PM) [snapback]433345[/snapback]</div>
    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>
    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>
    Thankyou Galaxee, I'm going to look into it further.
     
    #6 andyprius, May 1, 2007
  7. andyprius

    andyprius Senior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(andyprius @ May 1 2007, 10:31 PM) [snapback]433717[/snapback]</div>
    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. :)
     
    #7 andyprius, May 3, 2007
  8. larkinmj

    larkinmj New Member

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    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.
     
    #8 larkinmj, May 3, 2007
  9. auricchio

    auricchio Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(andyprius @ May 1 2007, 08:31 PM) [snapback]433717[/snapback]</div>
    That's quite a lot of IFs that have to all happen for a problem.
     
    #9 auricchio, May 3, 2007
  10. paprius4030

    paprius4030 My first Prius

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    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?
     
    #10 paprius4030, May 3, 2007
  11. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    rear brakes are adjusted with use of the parking brake. if you search on this, there are a few discussions on this.
     
    #11 galaxee, May 3, 2007
  12. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    yeah but not just the brake itself but the cable needs to be tightened once in a while.

    You'll noticed when it's tightened (or if the car is new), you need to apply quite a bit of pressure to depress the E-brake pedal. As you use it, it becomes easier to press and you have to depress it a greater distance.

    So next time you bring it in for service, have them tighten the cable.


    Or, just lightly use the e-brake so you don't loosen the cable too quickly.
     
    #12 Tideland Prius, May 4, 2007
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