Electronic handbrakes are lethal!

[lamboman100]

Engineer1 said:

Hatchoo said:

I also can't see why the lever, ratchet, cable, brake principle needed reinventing. A standard handbrake is satisfyingly haptic.

The general trend of automatification of every bloody part of the driving experience is beyond tedious.

Good use of a box of your own belongings by the way.

Packaging of the components within the car, a button on the dash only needs wires, a traditional lever and cables needs mechanical linkage and a clear run for the mechanism.

Electric parking brakes (EPB) are lighter, smaller, simpler, reliabler, safer, and will soon be cheaper than ratchet handbrakes (RH).

They save vehicle makers a tidy sum in storage space, transport logistics, insurance, speed-to-market, and money.

EPBs are more profitable and will eventually be installed in nearly all European cars.

[RammyMP]

I had an A3 about 8 years ago with a normal hand brake, every now and again it would pop off so I had to leave the car in gear.

I did a Land Rover off road experience a few years ago in a brand new Discovery, the electronic hand brake didn't work because there was mud in the mechanism!

I've had an electronic hand brake for the past 2 years and 35,000, no problems. Actually quite like it

[Roman Moroni]

IanCress said:

What car is it? Every time I hear one of these stories it's always an Insignia.

THIS!!

We've got an Insignia pool car at work. Virtually everyone who's used it (myself included) has had some issue the handbrake at some point.

[Mr2Mike]

lamboman100 said:

Electric parking brakes (EPB) are lighter, smaller, simpler, reliabler, safer, and will soon be cheaper than ratchet handbrakes (RH).

They might be some of those things, but simpler? Not a chance in hell. 'Reliabler' is also very unlikely, even though it's a made up word.

[Mr2Mike]

jamieduff1981 said:

Chief amongst which is the inability to pick up 12 year old girls who are impressed by handbrake turns in your 1.2 Corsa.

In all seriousness, good ones add an extra plug in module and perhaps 2kg of weight. They then get rid of a big handle in the middle of the car where useful storage / arm rests / cup holders can go

Cup holders are also stupid and inexplicably over rated.

[Ved]

The only electronic handbrake I've used was on a Tiguan and found it great after getting used to it. Even the hill start was quite a novelty but it shouldn't mean it's there to replace driver skills. I have read lots of reports of them failing to disengage though.

[shoehorn]

Superhoop said:

Assuming you're correct, this must be a Mazda not available in Europe, because the current range, Mazda2, Mazda3, Mazda5, Mazda6, MX-5 and CX-5 (and all older models) use a mechanical handbrake with a real lever

My sister had a Mazda 5 with electric handbrake,was around 05 06 plate.
Maybe rare but definitely electric,as to the cars origins? god knows.

I had an argument with a VAG dealer once about air suspension in an early Passat,
he swore there was no such thing,backed up by the manufacturers database, all while I was looking at the thing that he said dint exist!
There are many oddball weird spec cars around made at the factory,I have one myself.

Interestingly our 05 petrol C-Max Ghia had an electric handbrake but when we bought another in 07 the electric handbrake option was gone.
Have a gander under a Mazda 5 and a C-Max from that era and spot the similarities,floor pan,sub-frame and suspension components etc.
Then have a mooch under a Volvo V50,you will see a pattern forming.

[Clivey]

lamboman100 said:

EPBs are more profitable and will eventually be installed in nearly all European cars.

I hope not. - It's truly a bane in some.

[Paulm4]

My Insignia company car has tried to roll away a couple of times, I leave it in gear now.
Another of our company Insignias escaped altogether and rolled into the car across the road, great system

[Urban Sports]

What kind of special needs can't use an electric handbrake?

Seriously....

[Zedboy1200]

Both my XC60 and E60 electronic HBs have been faultless. The electronic hill hold is a joy and I hate having to drive the OHs A3 with its ratchet.

[anonymous-user]

Hateful things, wouldn't mind so much if there was a choice I.e. I could chose which one but we get the electric one by default.

Just wait till one fails, stuck on and you need to get the car recovered to the garage and then shafted for a lot of money to get it fixed, try £750 a corner.

No doubt sometime in the future the doctors will diagnose electric handbrake finger as a new ailment...

[jamieduff1981]

Mr2Mike said:

jamieduff1981 said:

Chief amongst which is the inability to pick up 12 year old girls who are impressed by handbrake turns in your 1.2 Corsa.

In all seriousness, good ones add an extra plug in module and perhaps 2kg of weight. They then get rid of a big handle in the middle of the car where useful storage / arm rests / cup holders can go

Cup holders are also stupid and inexplicably over rated.

You just sound like an obtuse person. I wouldn't want to do one of our 1500 mile round trips several times per year without cup holders. It's nice to have the choice of whether we grab a quick Wild Bean or Costa at a filling station en route, or not. Having nowhere to put anything with liquid in is a PITA. I can only surmise that you just decide you object to things then try to make up the reasons later.

[sjabrown]

Viewpoint of a Passat owner. Autohold is excellent for stop-start traffic. But I don't trust the electronic handbrake: once failed (warm discs I think) and rolled forward costing me a numberplate and piece of trim. And once has stuck on. And at work last week another Passat rolled forward into mine at slow speed when its brake failed. Would rather a normal handbrake.

[joebongo]

Haven't read the whole thread but I always leave in gear in a manual and the auto's are engaged in some way when in P.

Problem solved?

[interloper]

jamieduff1981 said:

Without derailing too much, all Cerb handbrakes are rubbish and the reason is twofold. Firstly, it uses a drum in the disc hub for the handbrake and it's not very effective. A PHer is working on a new arrangement with a separate little park brake caliper acting on the disc. The second reason is that the transmission tunnel is not far below your arm pit and is wide, but the hand lever is over on the passenger side.

Interesting but BMW and Porsche ran the drum in disc system (in the Eighties at least, I'm not familiar with the modern kit) and its very effective. Also because its in the hub/drum you don't get the issue with the disc contracting and releasing the parking brake.

The Cerbera set up may be flawed but I would think going for a separate handbrake caliper isn't a great idea. Probably better off looking at the rest of the system though!

[mybrainhurts]

jonah35 said:

Seriously though, what was wrong with a proper handbrake that you could pull on?

Simply a ploy to try to make you get pads fitted by the dealer.

[Cerbieherts]

gottans said:

Hateful things, wouldn't mind so much if there was a choice I.e. I could chose which one but we get the electric one by default.

Just wait till one fails, stuck on and you need to get the car recovered to the garage and then shafted for a lot of money to get it fixed, try £750 a corner.

No doubt sometime in the future the doctors will diagnose electric handbrake finger as a new ailment...

They can be disabled manually. Usually with a small crank handle or spanner. They usually have a standard caliper/shoe setup and the cables are attached to an actuator instead of a handbrake. It measures travel of cable and a few other variables and works out how much load to apply. Most systems engage as soon as the ignition is switched off, and also re-tension the cables after the car has been stationary for a while (to stop them rolling off when the brakes cool) most stories regarding failures are exaggerated (apart from some vauxhalls!) and they are reliable.

[Butter Face]

Dodsy said:

I think Jaguar have this nailed. My XJR is brilliant. Pull up, pop button and the brake applies. The brake pedal moves in slightly as it does so you know its on. Then you just press the loud pedal to pull away , brake automatically releases and away you go. Or if you just want to take it off to roll forward a gentle squeeze of the accelerator pedal and it releases.

And when you turn the engine off it automatically applies the brake, again with feedback through the brake pedal.

Of course having an auto its always effectively left in gear (park) so no chance it will roll away anyway.

Renault did it first

[FlossyThePig]

RicksAlfas said:

trickywoo said:

What gear is it best to park in?

I had a car turn the engine in 1st (from stationary) on a steep but not very steep road. I don't know if it would have stopped as I bottled it and used the foot brake.

First or reverse. If it's a really steep hill turn your front wheels so the car would hit the kerb if it rolled.

The procedure I was taught in the early '70s when parking on a hill always turn the front wheels towards the kerb, apply the handbrake and leave the car in second gear.