Parking Brake vs Parking Button

Yes. Manufacturers, police, & driving instructors all recommend that you set your parking brake so that if someone or something hits your car, it won't be pushed out of the parking space or driveway and into another car, moving traffic, a tree, a pedestrian, etc., etc. It's a real good idea!

 

I use parking break as force of habit and hardly ever hit the "P" unless I intend to stay in the car while it's running - otherwise I just hit the power button and it does the same thing.

 

Always use the Parking Prake in conjunction with Park. Best to set it before you select Park to avoid "rocking" the drivetrain.

Bob

 

Surveys have shown that nearly 90% of Americans do not user their parking brake. As a result, loss of function often occurs due to corrosion of the cable assembly and parking brake components. Several OEM's have stated they recommend setting the parking brake at least once a month to counteract the corrosion effects and to insure functionality. This can be critical as several rear brake designs rely on use of the parking brake to perform the self adjustment feature. In these cases, not using the parking brake results in a gradual loss of rear brakes.

 

The theoretical reason to set the PB is to use the brake pads to protect the pawl in the transmission which might be damaged by forcing the car to move if only in Park. That said I only use PB on hills, or in City parked next to hydrant.

 

as always being in the minority i always use the parking brake. i put the car in park and put the brake on. one reason of cours is habit but the other reason is to relieve pressur on the tranny.. notice in general that unless the ground is really flat that your car will have a slight tendency to roll. i like to have the p brake take up the slack instead of good ole many thosand dollar tranny.
fred in nashville enjoying smiley my 04 black prius

 

I seldom use the parking brake, mostly on hills. But maybe I should.

In the "good old days" when I was first driving, setting my father's car parking brake in one of those Western New York winters, it was common that the parking brake cable froze in the set position. Since those days I have been parking my manual transmission cars by putting the transmission in reverse and my automatic transmission cars in park. I really don't believe the parking brake is anywhere as effective as setting the automatic transmission in park. If you have ever taken off in a car with the parking brake set, you'll know that its not all that effective. I don't think bumping a car set in park would cause it to roll off.
In defense of using the parking brake; I have had the experience (not in the Prius) of having the transmission "lock" in park. I couldn't get the transmission out of park without getting out and rocking the car, I could only guess that since I parked on a slight grade, the car was "leaning heavily" on the transmission.
Well it can't hurt to set the parking brake always. It will hold the car from starting to roll and possibly prolong the life of the transmission that is if the parking brake is set before releasing the regular brakes.

Al

 

I've seen it happen in a parking lot before. An elderly woman in her Cadillac hit the gas pedal instead of the brake, and when she put the car in drive, she slammed into the parked car in the space in front of her. That car came out of park and rolled across the parking lot into another parked car. It was quite interesting to see the whole thing go down.

 

Parking brakes should always be used because:

1 You can remember to release it better if you always use it.
2 You can check that it works, and I have had brakes fail even with dual hydraulic braking systems, so that the parking brake was my only way to stop.
3 There have been many cars with auto transmissions that had recalls due to the park position not holding and the car popping back into neutral. Some cars may work fine when new but become less safe as they wear. Same for manual transmissions as I have seen worn gear boxes that can pop out of gear by themselves.
4 If the parking brake is separate as in my current car, the drum will corrode if not usee so I have to use the parking brake to stop the car with periodically as well.
5 Parking brakes operate on both rear wheels. A car in park could slide if parked on ice or sand so only one wheel had traction, if using just park, and the car got bumped.
This is critical too if you are changing a tire!

I have to admit that freeze ups are a problem for my present vehicle in winter, so I do use the transmission in gear only, when not on a hill, till summer, when I park.

 

ok guys ive got it! this is a " isay tomato you say tamahto deal." however us shy car guys will always use the parking brake. its no fun watching my little benz rolling down a hill wihout me in it! can you imagine our poor little priuses(?) getting moving without us in it.
fred in nasville with over 40 yrs driving experience and 0 tickets or accidents(not that i didnt deserve them) if anyone wants to ask me the most important safety tips ican pass on im glad to run my mouth.

 

ooops just read my own post. sounded rather pretentious. didnt mean to but i do like talking about driving.

 

Hmm... the domino theory in action.

 

As mentioned above, the transmission "pawl" is a relatively small piece of metal that "locks" the transmission in Park. Please note, I am not referring to the transmission shifter lock on non-Prius cars. The pawl is easily overwhelmed by a traumatic shock (e.g., parking lot bumper bashing). Once the pawl is severed, you are faced with a very expensive transmission repair, and the possibility of your car traveling without you. Therefore, for non-Prius cars, use it as a matter of habit. It will protect your tranny, and add a margin of safety whenever you could potentially roll off. For the CVT equipped Prius cars I will defer advice to someone who actually has one.

(Still waiting)

Oh yeah, on actual slopes, always remember to lock your steering wheel so it is pointed away from school bus drop offs, old folks homes, and nuns crossing an intersection... I'm sure Efusco see enough carnage.

 

Yes, point it towards me instead:

"Oh, look! A Prius heading towards me! God has sent me the thing I want the most!

"Now, if I can only jump inside it as it goes by.... %$@!, stupid Smart Entry!"