|
|
|
Unfortunately electronic parking brakes in some form or another are creeping on to more and more cars.
I think it was Merc that started the trend, but now I've just bought a Passat/P1ssrat with an EPB button, it's made me think how curse word they are and how much I like having a hand brake.
Not just in the event of having to brake in a controlled manner if brakes failed (it's all or nothing with the Passat button according to the book), it was shown up to be a curse word system when trying to load the car onto a low-loader. Normally the handbrake would be on, find the biting point (manual car) and then let the handbrake off slowly. But oh no, the P1ssrat has to have the brake pedal pushed down when letting off the EPB.
Makes an easy process much harder.
I see pretty much anything new-ish (2015 on) eg. Ford Mondeo/Galaxy, most VW's from Golf upwards etc. etc. even if it's manual gearbox are getting away from the handbrake and moving to 'another button' to stop working!
Has anyone suffered with these EPBs not working/locking on and won't release yet?
Rant over!
|
|
|
|
|
ChasR
RR Helper
motivation
Posts: 10,188
Club RR Member Number: 170
|
|
|
Some are better than others.
Yup, my B6 was stuck on the driveway when the dash died. Almost every local tow company refused to touch it. Eventually I found one that did. There are ways around getting them to work, should the worst happen.
I didn't find the B6 one bad when it was working though. You pull off and it does eventually release. On the Renaults you could 'trick' it into releasing by almost hitting the biting point and blipping the throttle and then drive off it. The better Passats had an Auto-Hold function which works wonders.
There are other benefits which is why Merc used footbrakes for a long time IMHO. The centre console gets much more space in the middle. In the M3 I can't fit many things in the middle. The Merc? Loads! Same deal with the Passat.
If you think EPBs are bad, try a Mercedes with a manual gearbox and the foot parking brake. I found mine OK, but some people hate them ; Merc foot brakes release completely when you pull the handle.
|
|
|
|
adam73bgt
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 4,856
Club RR Member Number: 58
|
|
|
Not just in the event of having to brake in a controlled manner if brakes failed (it's all or nothing with the Passat button according to the book) Depending on the age of the system in question, most modern EPB systems will perform a controlled amount of emergency braking when the switch is pulled while driving (something like a 0.2-0.4g braking force comes to mind) While you can't do handbrake turns and stuff with an EPB, for ease of use they're much better than a manual parking brake. With an auto transmission car (as the trend is favouring these days) you can have the EPB auto apply in Park, but then auto release once you start to drive away. You don't actually need to use the EPB switch at all. (again does vary by the age of the system and technology being applied) Like any system they will get to an age where they start playing up or need some maintenance, but you get the same with manual parking brakes and old drums that haven't been adjusted for years are just a pain haha Also safety stuff like in the case of a disc parking brake, if you park when the brakes are hot, the EPB system can reapply or increase the clamp load as they cool down to stop the vehicle rolling away
|
|
Last Edit: Feb 5, 2019 19:22:56 GMT by adam73bgt
|
|
|
|
|
As mentioned, if you try to slide a (2011 shape) passat in the snow, using the handbrake button results in a 4 wheel abs stop. Sounds great unless you're trying to get the back end to slide around and end up understearing towards a wall 🤦🏼♂️🤣
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
If you think EPBs are bad, try a Mercedes with a manual gearbox and the foot parking brake. I found mine OK, but some people hate them ; Merc foot brakes release completely when you pull the handle. So that's what it is! I've always wondered what people were moaning about, now I understand.
|
|
1988 Mercedes w124 superturbo diesel 508hp 1996 Mercedes s124 e300 diesel wagon 1990 BMW E30 V8 M60 powered! 1999 BMW E46 323ci project car
|
|
Ryannn
Posted a lot
Posts: 2,420
|
|
|
It’s a common failure point on S-Type Jags. Mine had an error message the whole time I owned it, but only stuck on once. Did the old “turn it off and on again” to fix it.
My brothers golf has one which for some reason makes hill starts difficult. Maybe it’s just the VW ones?
|
|
|
|
Dez
Club Retro Rides Member
And I won't sit down. And I won't shut up. And most of all I will not grow up.
Posts: 11,710
Club RR Member Number: 34
|
|
|
My sister has a ford, c-max I think, and hers does this really disconcerting thing of rolling a tiny bit as you go to get out even though the electronic handbrake is on. The car probably only moves half an inch, but it’s just enough to make you think ‘oh curse word’ before it stops.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As mentioned, if you try to slide a (2011 shape) passat in the snow, using the handbrake button results in a 4 wheel abs stop. Sounds great unless you're trying to get the back end to slide around and end up understearing towards a wall 🤦🏼♂️🤣 Not sure that any manufacturer is really considering the average ‘boy racers’ (for want of a better word) needs for handbrake turns, when they design any handbrake never mind electric ones 😉
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I have one in my Audi A6 C6. I'm used to it now except when I leave the the car and then sometimes wonder if I switched the handbrake on. So I usually end up walking back to check for piece of mind. Handbrake anxiety!
|
|
|
|
ChasR
RR Helper
motivation
Posts: 10,188
Club RR Member Number: 170
|
|
|
My sister has a ford, c-max I think, and hers does this really disconcerting thing of rolling a tiny bit as you go to get out even though the electronic handbrake is on. The car probably only moves half an inch, but it’s just enough to make you think ‘oh curse word’ before it stops. My Merc and M3 also do this with drum handbrakes . As you know, Land Rover Defenders/90s/110s (and possibly Series if they have a propshaft based handbrake) are even worse.
|
|
|
|
|
ChasR
RR Helper
motivation
Posts: 10,188
Club RR Member Number: 170
|
|
|
If you think EPBs are bad, try a Mercedes with a manual gearbox and the foot parking brake. I found mine OK, but some people hate them ; Merc foot brakes release completely when you pull the handle. So that's what it is! I've always wondered what people were moaning about, now I understand. I found them ok, but most people I know wouldn't. My trick is: -Ride the clutch for barely half a second -Pull away. Admittedly, when parking on a hill, it may be a little more awkward where a true handbrake can assist you. I thought you'd have owned a manual Merc .
|
|
Last Edit: Feb 5, 2019 22:43:42 GMT by ChasR
|
|
|
|
|
My dad had an EPB jam on a couple of times with his then new company car VW Passat (one of the first to be fitted with them); he resorted to carrying a brick in the boot for parking on hills and he's hated them ever since!
I'm sort of used to them now, working in the motor trade (nevertheless, I can never remember whether to push or pull the buttons on them, which drives me nuts!), but every so often handbrakes catch me out; a Nissan Leaf arrived in this week, and I initially couldn't work out how to operate the handbrake, which the owner had left fully on - it turns out to a pedal-operated thing, similar to a Merc, but without the hand-release. I had to get out of the car and have a look about to see where the handbrake release might be.
Give me a proper old-fashioned transmission tunnel-mounted lever any day. At least you can moderate the operation, or leave it off if you wish, to allow the vehicle to be rolled back and forth, unlike some moderns that automatically apply it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Got one in my Golf GTD, and seriously I hate it, it has cost me a damaged bumper! Got in it went to start and the whole handbrake assembly released without me knowing and rolled forward into a wall LOL! was so pizzled off, its always on and remains on once started until moving off but a few times did do this. and it was apparently a VW glitch. take my E36 anyday over it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
So that's what it is! I've always wondered what people were moaning about, now I understand. I found them ok, but most people I know wouldn't. My trick is: -Ride the clutch for barely half a second -Pull away. Admittedly, when parking on a hill, it may be a little more awkward where a true handbrake can assist you. I thought you'd have owned a manual Merc . All of mine are, that's why I could never understand what people were moaning about! I guess I'm just used to them, but alot of older Japanese vans and pickups are the same.
|
|
Last Edit: Feb 5, 2019 23:40:01 GMT by carat 3.6
1988 Mercedes w124 superturbo diesel 508hp 1996 Mercedes s124 e300 diesel wagon 1990 BMW E30 V8 M60 powered! 1999 BMW E46 323ci project car
|
|
adam73bgt
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 4,856
Club RR Member Number: 58
|
|
|
If you think EPB's are bad, just wait for true brake by wire/EMB electro mechanical braking, no fluid at all
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A customer of mine had a Megane Grand Scenic, poxy EPB was always sticking on and needed such a firm pull on the emergency release that the handle soon snapped and had to be pulled with a mole grip on the cable. Then one of the handbrake cables seized and the entire assembly had to be replaced (cables not sold separately) which was over £400 plus labour. You couldn't PAY me to have a car with an EPB! It's the most useless invention since the dual mass flywheel!
Steve
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
If you think EPB's are bad, just wait for true brake by wire/EMB electro mechanical braking, no fluid at all We already have that on certain trailers, and most american caravans. Not the brightest of ideas if you ask me.
|
|
1988 Mercedes w124 superturbo diesel 508hp 1996 Mercedes s124 e300 diesel wagon 1990 BMW E30 V8 M60 powered! 1999 BMW E46 323ci project car
|
|
k1664
Part of things
Posts: 37
|
|
|
We once had a Renault Espace with one. After having the gearbox replaced at a backstreet garage after unwittingly driving it around with no oil the parking brake became reluctant to disengage, the greater the incline the worse it was. After much head scratching replacing the gearbox oil with the correct type and quantity of oil sorted it. I've since never owned another Renault (It was nice... when it worked), never had another automatic handbraked car and replaced the next buggered gearbox myself.
I don't know why it would release with no oil but not when overfilled with the wrong oil.
|
|
|
|
Dez
Club Retro Rides Member
And I won't sit down. And I won't shut up. And most of all I will not grow up.
Posts: 11,710
Club RR Member Number: 34
|
|
|
I found them ok, but most people I know wouldn't. My trick is: -Ride the clutch for barely half a second -Pull away. Admittedly, when parking on a hill, it may be a little more awkward where a true handbrake can assist you. I thought you'd have owned a manual Merc . All of mine are, that's why I could never understand what people were moaning about! I guess I'm just used to them, but alot of older Japanese vans and pickups are the same. As is pretty much anything American. I reckon in my driving history I’ve probaly had less cars with a ‘normal’ handbrake lever than dash mount of some variety. I do prefer a true umbrella one rather than a foot pedal with release lever though.
|
|
Last Edit: Feb 6, 2019 0:17:27 GMT by Dez
|
|
|
|
|
All of mine are, that's why I could never understand what people were moaning about! I guess I'm just used to them, but alot of older Japanese vans and pickups are the same. As is pretty much anything American. I reckon in my driving history I’ve probaly had less cars with a ‘normal’ handbrake lever than dash mount of some variety. I do prefer a true umbrella one rather than a foot pedal with release lever though. The vast majority of American stuff is auto, so makes little difference, I guess. You just bang it in park & don’t even really need the handbrake
|
|
|
|
|