What is 'Normal' Parking Brake Behavior?

Best4x4xFAR · #1 12-30-2019, 10:34 PM

Okay, I admit I've owned the car for nearly two years, and I used the parking brake for the first time last weekend (I'm almost always parked on nearly level ground, so I don't bother).

I was on a hill, and it set silently, light illuminated. I then placed it in park, and took my foot off the brake. No movement as you'd usually get when it settles on the parking pawl of the transmission.

But when I turned the car off, it scared the shit out of me, moving slightly, just like I'd put it in park, and taken my foot of the brake on a hill.

Is this normal behavior for the parking brake?

Rather it just had the old style cable and lever parking brake myself, but what does anymore?

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Ohsoslow · #2 12-30-2019, 11:04 PM

I may be wrong, but I believe when car is running, it uses the hydraulic brakes as handbrake, then when you turn off car, it switches to the cable handbrake.. Which is why you sometimes get that awkward movement when you turn the car off. (At least that’s how it was explained to me)

byaru1 · #3 12-31-2019, 01:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ohsoslow

I may be wrong, but I believe when car is running, it uses the hydraulic brakes as handbrake, then when you turn off car, it switches to the cable handbrake.. Which is why you sometimes get that awkward movement when you turn the car off. (At least that’s how it was explained to me)

That EPB is not a long lasting piece of kit when you use it frequently anyway. I'd rather you even assume it does not exist.

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Ohsoslow · #4 12-31-2019, 02:28 AM

Hahaha, I’ve only had my e70 for a couple of months, and if I’m honest I’m still driving the e53 most of the time, but, I have already managed to break the handbrake button/lever. So that’s at least stopped me from trying to use it.

FunfDreisig · #5 12-31-2019, 10:13 AM

FWIW I always use the Auto Hold button instead of the Parking Brake lever when parking. The Auto Hold feature stops the lurch when you turn off the engine on a slope.

Funf Dreisig

EDIT: My Bad.

I’ve been using Auto Hold on our sloping drive, while I get out for the mail, for over a decade. And Auto Hold DOES hold the X5 rock steady. BUT… I don’t turn off the engine until I get to the garage — on level ground. Today I tested turning off the engine with Auto Hold on at the mail box and sure enough the X5 DID lurch down hill.

FWIW I also use Auto Hold in the garage because it reduces the wear and tear on the parking brake handle.

Baby Unicorn Taco · #6 12-31-2019, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Best4x4xFAR

Okay, I admit I've owned the car for nearly two years, and I used the parking brake for the first time last weekend (I'm almost always parked on nearly level ground, so I don't bother).

I was on a hill, and it set silently, light illuminated. I then placed it in park, and took my foot off the brake. No movement as you'd usually get when it settles on the parking pawl of the transmission.

But when I turned the car off, it scared the shit out of me, moving slightly, just like I'd put it in park, and taken my foot of the brake on a hill.

Is this normal behavior for the parking brake?

Rather it just had the old style cable and lever parking brake myself, but what does anymore?

https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e...-brake/Xno98YT

I’m guessing it can sound a bit different based on how it is engaged. I have heard mine at times and sometimes it is silent. It changes based on whether or not the engine is running.

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Best4x4xFAR · #7 01-22-2020, 03:10 PM

I don't know, I'm probably overthinking things as usual, but..

I can get on board with the idea that when the engine is running it actually uses the hydraulic brakes as the parking brake...

But it sure feels like when I turn the engine off, they release, and the auto Transmission's parking pawl stops the movement that I encounter...

I mean why wouldn't it engage the mechanical parking brake before releasing the hydraulic pressure, if that is in fact how the system works..

And if it is, I wouldn't expect there to be any movement after turning off the engine..

Anyone else curious enough to test the behavior of their e70 when setting the parking brake?

Proposed test procedure:

Stop on Hill...
Engage Parking brake..
Remove Foot from Brake..
Place Transmission in Park..
Turn off the engine..

E-novo · #8 01-22-2020, 03:21 PM

I have the EXACT same issue with my parking brake (2013 xDrive 35i premium 66k miles - bot Sept 2019.) I have a steep driveway and engage the parking brake every time I park while the engine is still running. If I remove my foot from the brake the car does not move an inch (while it's running.)

I keep my foot on the brake when turning the engine off and then SLOWLY release my foot from the pedal. It still rolls downhill but in a little bit of a controlled manner. I have not been able to stop the car from rolling forward after turning the power off. Using Auto Hold didn't make difference at all - it acts the same way.

I can hear the parking brake (re)engage after turning the engine off but there is still some "settling" when I remove my foot from the pedal.

If that's the way it is - I'm ok with it. I just don't want to damage the trans/parking pawl.

Nyc Dito · #9 01-22-2020, 08:09 PM

Mine acts exactly as you described. I have used my parking brake (EMF) every day for the past year.

absentmathis · #10 01-22-2020, 11:19 PM

Sounds like parking brake isn’t actually braking correctly. Usually that triggers a light, but maybe there’s a faulty part that doesn’t. The auto hold uses the hydraulic actuator but the parking brake should hold without rolling after engaged. At least mine does, either by engaging it manually or shutting off with auto hold on. The car doesn’t roll at all.

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