Electric handbrake tom-foolery

[TheDrBrian]

Because its a Fiat.
On the other hand my dad's Mazda is fine. Even like the stop start on it too.

[craigjm]

Cold said:

craigjm said:

So does your new car do without power steering, ABS and fuel injection amongst other things because they “cost a fortune to be fixed”?

Excellent example of whataboutism there and utterly irrelevant.

Right so you don’t think people said the same about all of these systems and more when they arrived on the scene? Have you just accepted power steering because all cars had it when you started to drive? Why do you need the car to assist you to park?

[98elise]

craigjm said:

rockin said:

curlie467 said:

Because they're st.

^^^ This. Huge backwards step. Utterly useless.

Why are they?

I had one in a Citroen hire car that would release just before the bite point. I was trying to Hanover out of a right space on a hill and every time I went to edge forward the car would start rolling back.

Handbrake can be released slowly and controlled. Electric handbrakes are either on or off. That's a step backwards.

I've also had one stick on at the entrance to a car park (VW this time). I wasn't able to pull away without stopping the car and restating it.

I hate the things and would not have a car with one.

[Ransoman]

Generally I have no issues with EPB's as they are relativly logical (Land rover disco 3, Alfa Giulia).

I had a vauxhall insignia hire car the other day though and it was attrocious. I had to pull out of a tiny parking space by the side of the road on a steep downhill. I had less 1 meter of space to manouver. so I do what I always do, go as close to the car in front as possible, Put the handbrake on, Put the steering on full right lock ready to go backwards. When I put it into reverse and started to lift in the clutch to go uphill the handbrake just released itself and the car rolled forward. luckily my foot was on the brake anyway I was able to catch it just before it hit the car in front.

Lesson learned: never drive a vauxhall.

[Cold]

craigjm said:

Right so you don’t think people said the same about all of these systems and more when they arrived on the scene? Have you just accepted power steering because all cars had it when you started to drive? Why do you need the car to assist you to park?

Now say something about wooden wheels.

[craigjm]

Cold said:

craigjm said:

Right so you don’t think people said the same about all of these systems and more when they arrived on the scene? Have you just accepted power steering because all cars had it when you started to drive? Why do you need the car to assist you to park?

Now say something about wooden wheels.

Ahh but they would be cheap to fix right if they went wrong.... cheaper than alloy I’m pulling your chain

[ZOLLAR]

I have an electronic handbrake on my car (Manual), personally I think it's fantastic.

[cerb4.5lee]

In the 640d you did have to put the electric handbrake on and off yourself, in the GLC though it puts it on and takes it off without you doing anything. I really like that you don't even have to think about the handbrake at all. I parked on a slope the other day and it didn't roll forward it just did its job.

The only thing a manual handbrake is good for is a handbrake turn...but I'm not 17 anymore so that's no use to me now!

[MatthewH5]

The only advantage of EPBs that I can think of is that they automatically re-tension as the brakes cool down when parked (on my A8s at least).

[Baldchap]

All the ones I've ever used have been brilliant. You just forget it's there and it works.

[uuf361]

I had them for 8 years in various cars (don't have any at the moment) and thought they were great - never experienced any of the issues stated on here.

[Megaflow]

craigjm said:

It’s not just about saving space though is it.

What are they about then? Because I can’t seen any other reason for them.

Cost - No, mechanical is cheaper.
Functionality - Nope. I have had two cars with mechanical handbrakes that have had hill control

[Ed/L152]

It's the variation between manufacturers that makes them st. Some seem to work well, some are unreliable. A manual handbrake is basically the same all the time.

Of course, torque converter in an old-fashioned auto makes a handbrake redundant, but clearly simple isn't thought to be better by many.

[Ninja59]

cerb4.5lee said:

In the 640d you did have to put the electric handbrake on and off yourself, in the GLC though it puts it on and takes it off without you doing anything. I really like that you don't even have to think about the handbrake at all. I parked on a slope the other day and it didn't roll forward it just did its job.

The only thing a manual handbrake is good for is a handbrake turn...but I'm not 17 anymore so that's no use to me now!

They may have changed the 640D's operation as on mine it will put it on if you turn the ignition off or open the door (as well as going into park for the gearbox).

From a standstill to my knowledge it won't release though.

I know my dad's V60 Polestar is stupidly sensitive and won't auto release on a minor gradient it will the rest of the time though....I miss autohold in that though.

[hornmeister]

I wonder if there's a little confusion as to it's use?

For me an electronic parking brake is an electronic parking brake. Its not a replacement of a handbrake. Certainly in my auto anyway.

With a car which has auto-hold (and likely auto transmission) the EPB should only used when you're parking. It's why its hidden out of the way rather than on the centre tunnel in a lot of cars. On modern Mercs for example where the EPB switch is down by where the bonnet release is usually, a dab of the brake pedal when stopped, activates the auto hold. If enabled, this will also cut the engine. The brake lights remain lit for safety (apologies to those with over sensitive eyes or a dirty windscreen) and the car will not move backwards or forwards until either the brake is dabbed again or the accelerator pressed. No accidental lift of a pedal making the car shoot forward because someone has been lazy and not used the handbrake and shifted into neutral, or roll back becasue of a lift of the brake pedal on a hill.

In stop start rush hour traffic it's a godsend. Initially dubious I wouldn't want a car without it now.

In addition if you open my car door the EPB is automatically activated. It's a safety feature to stop it rolling away when the driver is not in attendance. No Brian Harvey running over yourself accidents here.

I understand it takes the analogue control away from people who might not like it but it's being put on more and more cars becasue it's an improvement. I would guess it prevent accidents and likely brings your car insurance down as well.

[Ed/L152]

Megaflow said:

What are they about then? Because I can’t seen any other reason for them.

Cost - No, mechanical is cheaper.
Functionality - Nope. I have had two cars with mechanical handbrakes that have had hill control

Manufacturers also like controls to be purely electric so the marketing department can decide to put the various switches etc wherever they like, without the annoying engineering department getting in the way (i.e. "do get rid of that unsightly lever, darling").

[Jader1973]

Ransoman said:

Generally I have no issues with EPB's as they are relativly logical (Land rover disco 3, Alfa Giulia).

I had a vauxhall insignia hire car the other day though and it was attrocious. I had to pull out of a tiny parking space by the side of the road on a steep downhill. I had less 1 meter of space to manouver. so I do what I always do, go as close to the car in front as possible, Put the handbrake on, Put the steering on full right lock ready to go backwards. When I put it into reverse and started to lift in the clutch to go uphill the handbrake just released itself and the car rolled forward. luckily my foot was on the brake anyway I was able to catch it just before it hit the car in front.

Lesson learned: never drive a vauxhall.

.

You’re doing it wrong if you had your foot on the brake. You should apply power as you lift off the clutch (as you would normally) and let the car hold against the EPB. Then either release the EPB or let the car do it itself.

Exactly the same as doing a hill start in a car with a manual handbrake.

[Superhoop]

I think there is a lot of confusion on two separate systems.. EPB = Electronic parking brake.. HLA/HHA whichever you want to call it is generally is noting to do with the EPB at all and purely a function of the ABS system..

If the EPB is applied, when you pull away, it will auto release - This isn't HHA, it is the EPB being released..

HHA/HLA is just the ABS module holding brake pressure in the system to prevent the vehicle rolling away on a gradient.. when you start to pull away, the ABS unit relieves the pressure.. It is normally pressure applied to all for calipers, not just the rears and I'm yet to see one yet that actually deploys the handbrake mechanism for this function

HLA generally holds the pressure for a couple of seconds only, then releases the pressure

HHA is generally a system that will hold the pressure for a predetermined amount of time (usually 10 minutes or so) after which, the EPB is applied by the vehicle and the pressure in the ABS is relieved.

[anonymous-user]

Ollerton57 said:

So how exactly do you use your handbrake in a non-binary way?

Good grief.....

[cerb4.5lee]

Ninja59 said:

cerb4.5lee said:

In the 640d you did have to put the electric handbrake on and off yourself, in the GLC though it puts it on and takes it off without you doing anything. I really like that you don't even have to think about the handbrake at all. I parked on a slope the other day and it didn't roll forward it just did its job.

The only thing a manual handbrake is good for is a handbrake turn...but I'm not 17 anymore so that's no use to me now!

They may have changed the 640D's operation as on mine it will put it on if you turn the ignition off or open the door (as well as going into park for the gearbox).

From a standstill to my knowledge it won't release though.

I know my dad's V60 Polestar is stupidly sensitive and won't auto release on a minor gradient it will the rest of the time though....I miss autohold in that though.

Yes mine was an early model so I'm sure they've improved it on the later cars. I did really like the autohold when stuck in traffic on the 640d and the Mercedes doesn't have that feature.