Parking Brake...
 

I'm just full of questions tonight, but I've noticed that when I put the vehicle in park, turn on the parking brake and then turn the engine off, there is a sudden jerk to the vehicle when parked on a grade as if the brake did not engage but it is engaged when I restart the vehicle. Is this how everyone's parking brake works? My A8 had a similar brake but when it engaged the car didn't move an inch afterwards.

I don't know. I haven't used the parking brake on an incline yet. But I never know if it's off or on. You just can't tell. I prefer the old brake, where I know for positive if it's on, and when I return I don't know whether I set it or not. "Brake" should appear to the left of the tach.

Our Suburban always did this but I haven't noticed it on the X5. I will have to check it out later. Not sure that it has been parked on any hills yet.

Mine does the same thing. I have no idea why but I am OK with it. I will have to have to see if it moves at all during that moment.

You know, the more I think about it, both of our Audi's do this and it has happened in cars I've ridden in before, too. It happens both on uphills and downhills. It's just instictual for me to leave a LITTLE extra room if necessary when I'm parking on the hill because I know there's a TINY variation between where the car stops when I brake and where it ends up when the parking brake engages.

Just thinking about it - do you actually need a parking brake. Essentially all the X5 around are automatic, and when you park, you need to put the car in P. Once you are in P, the car moves either forward or reverses a bit, but then locks itself - this mechanical lock is as good as a handbrake, or am i wrong?

I think a pin goes into a hole in some gear in the transmission. This can theoretically fail, or it may only go partly into the hole and then slip out. It's safer to also set the parking brake if the car could roll.

There is supposed to be an indicator light on the display.

The emergency brake is a backup in case the gearbox fails or you cannot put the vehicle in park. The emergency brake uses a solid cable to work the brake. The foot brake uses brake fluid. Cable almost cannot fail.

I believe there is.... I recall seeing it in red at the top of the display.