Electric handbrakes...... yes or no?

[buzzer]

Took a Renault Scenic for MoT today with one on…. It’s a no from me…. prefer conventional, but I can see the advantages...

What’s the general opinion?

[SirSquidalot]

Pointless, what was wrong with a wand?!

[Fattyfat]

Ok once you get used to them and fear of borkage aside (I own a Passat) they are a solution to a problem that never existed.

[Dave Hedgehog]

i am indifferent to them, but then i do not do handbrake turns any more

[DrDoofenshmirtz]

Electric = more things to go wrong (especially in a Renault...a disaster waiting to happen)
No from me.

[luckystrike]

Fattyfat said:

they are a solution to a problem that never existed.

Exactly.

If they're working, no bother, but an unnecessary money trap and potential ballache if not. If I ended up stranded at the side of the road because the sodding electric handbrake wouldn't disengage I'd be livid.

[CrutyRammers]

uuugh.

[Nezquick]

They're fine as long as they come with hill assist. Otherwise they're a pain.

[Crusoe]

You take a variable control method with multiple uses and replace it with an electronic controlled on and off switch with restricted function, big no from me.

Emergency brake if you ruptured a brake line, gradual release for manual hill starts, partial application to aid traction in the snow, handbrake turns, option to leave it off when car being left for long periods, obvious visual aid to see if it is applied etc. Only the manual hand brake allows you to do all these things with a simple cable adjustment and very low maintenance costs.

Only advantage of the electronic version is slightly increased interior space and auto application when stopped if you have an automatic gearbox. Down sides of not being in full control and added costs and maintenance mean I wouldn't buy a car with one fitted.

Edited by Crusoe on Tuesday 17th March 11:59

[anonymous-user]

Can you release them if the battery is flat? And if so, anyway of re-applying it?

[InfamousKeiran]

I heard a story once about a brand new Evoque stuck in the outside lane of a motorway because the electric handbrake was stuck on - Dunno how true that is though.

[TurboHatchback]

My Audi has one. On an auto I think it's good as long as it stays working, on a manual it would be infuriating.

[marshalla]

Nezquick said:

They're fine as long as they come with hill assist. Otherwise they're a pain.

Handbrake already had that feature.

[jesta1865]

InfamousKeiran said:

I heard a story once about a brand new Evoque stuck in the outside lane of a motorway because the electric handbrake was stuck on - Dunno how true that is though.

i heard the same story except it was the kia 4x4 that looks a bit like the evoque, so not so sure now. i know the early discovery 3's had issues with them as they had a period that the shielding to stop mud off road was being fitted badly / wrongly.

i drove my brothers d3 and d4 and hated them, so i really hope i never have to buy a car with one.

[Conscript]

luckystrike said:

Fattyfat said:

they are a solution to a problem that never existed.

Exactly.

+1.

I don't particularly mind them if they are well thought out, but for most cars, I can't really see the point of them. Especially in cars with a manual gearbox.

For instance, the one in my dad's Laguna works very well - it disengages automatically when you press the accelerator, and re-engages when you turn the engine off in park. Essentially, you never have to touch it.

But I'm not sure it's worth the extra cost and potential reliability issues if it breaks, just to save a bit of space in the centre console. Besides, I thought the point of a mechanical handbrake was as a fail-safe way of securing the car...surely making it electronic makes it more prone to failure and negates that advantage.

[john2443]

InfamousKeiran said:

I heard a story once about a brand new Evoque stuck in the outside lane of a motorway because the electric handbrake was stuck on - Dunno how true that is though.

I think that was on a Police Camera Action type program, white Evoque with a woman driver IIRC, had to drag it on to a recovery truck.

[moffat]

I don't really care now that I've got an automatic as I only use the handbrake when parked on a hill which isn't very often.

[anonymous-user]

No. Yet another thing to screw up 10 years down the line.

[Jonwm]

I never liked them, having had my last car 3 months and 10k miles I actually like them now, especially with hill hold function, only got out once without it auto applying, quickly solved my a quick flick (my fault as had took seat belt off too early disabling auto hold)

[Moonhawk]

I have driven a few cars with them - and don't like them.

Car designers/engineers would do well to remember that just because you can do something - doesn't mean you should. Cars are filling up with technical solutions to problems that don't exist.