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Prius Rolls Back When Parked On Incline!

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by Mystery Squid, Jun 9, 2005.

  1. Mystery Squid

    Mystery Squid Junior Member

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    No HUGE deal, but I noticed that when parked on a somewhat gentle incline, when in "D" (with your e-brake off obviously), and lift your foot off the brake, she will slowly roll backwards...

    Or is it just mine?

    :eek:
     
  2. victor

    victor New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mystery Squid\";p=\"96988)</div>
    Thats normal. The mechanical lock has to engage. It a lever that engages in a cog. Of course, you could/should put on the foot parking break esp. on a hill, then you wont get the roll.
     
  3. mikepaul

    mikepaul Senior Member

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    The 3MPH electric 'creep' isn't enough to act as a hill-holder.

    Annoying, but I can live with it...
     
  4. Mystery Squid

    Mystery Squid Junior Member

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    Whew... Yeah, it's not a big deal to me either, which brings me to another point, do you REALLY have to use the e-brake if you're parked level or on a slight incline?
     
  5. kidtwist

    kidtwist New Member

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    Do you have to? Probably not. I will say that I ALWAYS use the parking brake if I'm parked, whether I'm on an incline or not. I've always done with any car I've every driven. It was only after there was a discussion about it here a month or two ago that I realized that other people didn't always use it.
     
  6. Mystery Squid

    Mystery Squid Junior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(kidtwist\";p=\"96999)</div>
    Well, in almost every car I've ever owned, I've rarely used it. Only if the incline is a bit too much. Of course, it IS good to use it every once in a while simply so the mechanism doesn't "freeze" up.

    However, for whatever reason, I read something somewhere that emphasized using the e-brake on the Prius, more so than on other vehicles. I sort of believe it, as it does roll around a bit too much for my comfort in "P".

    It's just kind of a hassle, and I have to say, for all the technology the Prius has to offer, Toyota gives us a crude 1970's rachet style e-brake? IMO, I would rather have a hand brake lever somewhere...
     
  7. mikepaul

    mikepaul Senior Member

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    When someone (oil change guy, etc.) parks my car and I find the parking brake wasn't set, I'm always worried that the Park mechanism was strained when I opened the door and got in. The car moves slightly, and I prefer it doesn't...
     
  8. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Ditto. I'd rather let the brakes take the stress than the transmission. I really wish they added the hill-holder feature.
     
  9. KTPhil

    KTPhil Active Member

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    Sorry to offend anyone, but I think it's moronic to not use the parking brake. Is it that hard to use? It saves wear on a typically fragile part of a VERY expensive transmission unit. Do you parallel park? All it will take is another to "park by the braille method" and bump your car, and you can break the parking pawl in the tranny.
     
  10. Mystery Squid

    Mystery Squid Junior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(KTPhil\";p=\"97044)</div>
    None taken...! :)

    I rarely parallel park, and my garage/driveway is pretty much level, with no significant risk of anyone bumping it. Plus, up until last year, I've pretty much always owned standard transmission vehicles.

    I'd still prefer a hand brake though, it's too easy to scuff up the kick-panel as it is... :mrgreen:
     
  11. xevious

    xevious New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mystery Squid\";p=\"97006)</div>
    The Prius is no different from any other automatic transmission vehicle in this respect. Shifting to "Park" engages a mechanical pawl (or similar mechanism) designed to lock the transmission. This pawl - in a Prius or an Expedition - is much less robust than the brakes, which are obviously designed exactly for the immobilization application.

    Foot brakes (or pull-style left-hand brakes) are the norm for automatic transmissions. Hand brakes are much more common for manual transmissions. I've heard tell that this was originally for performance purposes - using the hand brake to control slides in sharp curves - but I'm just parroting conjecture.

    Personally, I'd rather have an armrest than a hand brake.

    Also, when parking on an incline, turn your wheels so that the car will roll immediately into the curb in the event of brake failure. It's sad how few people follow this simple precaution.
     
  12. seasalsa

    seasalsa Active Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mystery Squid\";p=\"96988)</div>
    How do you PARK in D? My prius came equipped with a nice large button with a P on it and when I come to a stop on an incline I just press P and it will not roll.
     
  13. jamarimutt

    jamarimutt New Member

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    On level ground or on a slight incline there's no need to use the parking brake, which is a carry over from the days when all cars had standard transmissions. When the incline is steep I always use the parking brake.
     
  14. Frank Hudon

    Frank Hudon Senior Member

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    in a year and a half of owning my Prius I can count on one hand the number of times I've used the parking brake. The chances of breaking the park prawl by having your car bumped will result in probably several thousand dollars damage to the car, before the prawl breaks. The tires will skid long before you break a park prawl in a modern auto tranny.
     
  15. Mystery Squid

    Mystery Squid Junior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(seasalsa\";p=\"97085)</div>
    How do you PARK in D? My prius came equipped with a nice large button with a P on it and when I come to a stop on an incline I just press P and it will not roll.[/b][/quote]

    No, see, I was already parked on an incline with the e-brake on and everything. So, I get into the Prius, put my foot on the brake, push the Power button, got the "Ready" indicator, released the e-brake (while my other foot is on the brake), then "shifted" it into "D". So, just for kicks, I took my foot off the brake, without touching the accelerator, and she started rolling back... :)
     
  16. hdrygas

    hdrygas New Member

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    You should try out my old Ford Explorer. It rolls back a long way before the transmission locks up even with the parking brake set!!!
     
  17. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    I don't mind either. With a foot brake, it frees up space for cupholders or storage bins. However, it has to be the foot-only brake, not those where you use your left hand to release it. Try doing a hill start on a road test without rolling back with that brake.
     
  18. kkister1492

    kkister1492 New Member

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    No one in my family uses the e-brake unless parking in a hilly area like SF. Have rarely found a reason to use it otherwise - like parking next to a cliff or something. Don't do that every day. I live on a hill - not a terrific incline - and have never needed to use it there, either.
     
  19. jayman

    jayman Senior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius\";p=\"97036)</div>
    Ditto. But every conventional automatic transmission car/truck I have ever owned had nothing more than minimal "creep" certainly not enough to hold the vehicle.

    I live in flatlander country so no real hills to contend with. However, steep ramps in/out of underground parking garages is another story. At my condo the ramp up to the door is rather steep.

    With a manual transmission, I used to always stop right at the bottom, wait for the door to fully open, then quickly zip up. If there were a line of cars waiting to get to work first thing in the morning, then I had to heel/toe and use the parking brake. With an automatic, one foot on the gas and one foot on the brake.

    At work it's much worse: always a line of cars at the card reader getting up to the street. And the ramp is *very* steep. So far I haven't had anybody roll back and bump me, but that happened a few times with my GMC Sierra. No damage to either.

    A big problem with my Sierra was I ordered it with 4.10 gears. It was *very* difficult to modulate the gas pedal to "hold" the truck on the ramp. Sometimes even with my foot on the brake the rear tires would suddenly break free and start squealing, especially with an empty box.
     
  20. jayman

    jayman Senior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(KTPhil\";p=\"97044)</div>
    Yep I noticed it IS called the "parking" brake.

    Another thing: if you live in an area with frequent road salt application in winter, and you rarely use the "parking" brake, after 2-3 years if you for some reason really DO need the "parking" brake, you're SOL.

    It may engage, but it will never disengage. With a pickup, that means you have to crawl under to where the parking brake cables attach to the frame bracket, and try to manually push the cables back in. Good luck.