Electronic handbrakes why

[MG CHRIS]

So a jag s-type turned up in work wanting a service we were not busy so guy left the car parked outside the office. Half hour later went to start the service and the fking handbrake will not release. Spent most of the day trying to find a way to release it tried everything and will not release. Why the fk do manafactures put st expensive electronics on handbrakes what the fk is wrong with a lever and a cable.

Other than that i had a good day at work.

[MG CHRIS]

In the end i just drove it on the ramp with the handbrake on. The last time i did rear pads on a vehicle with electronic handbrakes which was on a newish passat had to plug in to rewind the motor so i could wind the calliper back in. The motor was on the calliper itself what a pile of crap. Then had to plug back in to get the handbrake to wind back on. Im sure the manafactures are doing it to stop people working on there own cars more money for them.

[MG CHRIS]

Also as ive only been a apprentice for 2 years the passat was the first time ive changes pads on a car with a electronic handbrake this was back during the winter. I also didn't know you had to use diagnostic equipement to rewind the calliper and as usual i already stripped the brakes down before one of the other mechanics told me what i needed to do.

Just dont see the point in them completly not needed.

Anyway you just cant do handbrake turns with a electric button can you.

[MG CHRIS]

st are they that much ouch. I bet the prices double for the passat as the motor is on the calliper itself.

[MG CHRIS]

skinley said:

richolmes said:

I have an electronic handbrake in my S-type and it works great. A joy to use and much easier than a conventional handbrake as long as it's an autobox as well, a small amount of added complexity at a service seems a small price to pay for the extra convenience.

Regarding the Op's situation - how did the customer get it to you if the handbrake was broken? Sounds like you just didn't know how to disengage it.

I see the point of a manual handbrake and gearbox on a sports car, but on a luxury car it makes little sense.

Just my opinion though!

Great, all you need now is automatic steering and you will be completely desensitized from driving altogether. Nice.

No idea and yes i know who disengage it even the diagnostic equipment is saying that when you release the button its telling the motor to disengage but it not but if it was a normal handbrake it wouldn't of happened, dont know if the guy just drove it down with the handbrake on and not notice it would not surprise me to be honest. Then again we had the same thing happen when i was in my block release in colege jag s-type same colour to not sure if its the same one to be honest.

Well you got electronic steering so its close enough drove a fiat with city steering on st its so light an no fell at all.

[MG CHRIS]

Negative Creep said:

So presumably if the battery goes flat the car is completely immobilised and a push start impossible?

Im not sure, would of thought that was the case unless the car has a back up feacture to allow the handbrake to be released if the battery was flat.

[MG CHRIS]

Well as I posted this 2 years back things have changed, im now fully qualified. But what I was getting at is the cost of replacing a electronic motor far out ways a conventional handbrake. As for the comments above I didn't work on the car and we did manage to release it and then told the customer the bill would be £700.

The garage I work at have one of the best reputations around my area specially within the diagnostic area loads of other garages come to us when they can't fix a car so the comment saying "ops garage lacking the wit to look up on the internet etc" well aren't you charming.

I still remain that electric handbrakes are not needed and are there to make things more complex and more expensive to replace.