Parking Brake Concern (What happens if the electronics fail)

[kinelisch]

Hey everyone,

Have you ever wondered what would happen if your parking brake failed to release after you activated it? What if the mechanism stopped working, leaving you stranded?

Sure, it’s unlikely—but electronics can fail, and it could happen. So, what’s the solution if your parking brake refuses to disengage when you push the button? What steps can you take to fix it?

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[Zig]

Drive thru disengage

 

[Skye]

It's going to depend on the failure.

Many forum threads reference several "failure" events involving the Parking Brake. Most of these are the inability for the brake to engage at all, an alarm or code that will not clear. No one thing. Root causes range from a physical to logical fault.

Ford did have a recall on the F-150 involving burnt wiring, in what seems to cause a short circuit. In these examples, the brake engaged, locking the wheels. Nothing to do in these examples except to get a tow for service. If there is some type of manual release, I've not read of that.

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a44690504/ford-f-150-parking-brake-recall/

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2023/RCLRPT-23V509-7019.PDF

Edit,

https://www.fordservicecontent.com/...A&div=f&vFilteringEnabled=False&buildtype=web

Edit (again) ,

https://www.fordservicecontent.com/...N&div=f&vFilteringEnabled=False&buildtype=web

^ This is a reference to manually release. But I take it as maybe some kind of electric override. Yes, it could release the brake, but if I have a logic or electrical fault elsewhere... it might be of little help.

 

[kinelisch]

Drive thru disengage

That is correct, but not if the release mechanism of the actual rear brake fails on the ON position.

 

[kinelisch]

It's going to depend on the failure.

Many forum threads reference several "failure" events involving the Parking Brake. Most of these are the inability for the brake to engage at all, an alarm or code that will not clear. No one thing. Root causes range from a physical to logical fault.

Ford did have a recall on the F-150 involving burnt wiring, in what seems to cause a short circuit. In these examples, the brake engaged, locking the wheels. Nothing to do in these examples except to get a tow for service. If there is some type of manual release, I've not read of that.

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a44690504/ford-f-150-parking-brake-recall/

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2023/RCLRPT-23V509-7019.PDF

Edit,

https://www.fordservicecontent.com/...A&div=f&vFilteringEnabled=False&buildtype=web

Edit (again) ,

https://www.fordservicecontent.com/...N&div=f&vFilteringEnabled=False&buildtype=web

^ This is a reference to manually release. But I take it as maybe some kind of electric override. Yes, it could release the brake, but if I have a logic or electrical fault elsewhere... it might be of little help.

Thanks. Thanks a good link. Im always thinking about "What to do" if something fails...

 

[Crew4991]

OP I see you have a manual... leave that bad boy parked in gear and hopefully the engine compression alone will hold the car in place after the ebrake fails. LOL

 

[roket]

there are 2 things i have seen:

1. if the vehicle thinks certain things are wrong, it will constantly try to apply the parking brake as a safeguard. this can be overridden by pushing and holding the parking brake lever to release, but will re-engage the moment you let off. i usually see this when a vehicle has been towed in and needs to be pushed back, so we put it in neutral or tow mode and we have to hold down the lever

2. if the parking brake suspects it has failed or something has gone wrong, you will get a message on the dash "Parking Brake Fault Service Now" or "Parking Brake Limited Functionality Service Now" and the "BRAKE" light will be on. it is still driveable with these messages and will not be in limp mode

the major thing to remember is the vehicle will always try to have it fail to a known condition: engaged. because thats the safer option

 

[kinelisch]

there are 2 things i have seen:

1. if the vehicle thinks certain things are wrong, it will constantly try to apply the parking brake as a safeguard. this can be overridden by pushing and holding the parking brake lever to release, but will re-engage the moment you let off. i usually see this when a vehicle has been towed in and needs to be pushed back, so we put it in neutral or tow mode and we have to hold down the lever

2. if the parking brake suspects it has failed or something has gone wrong, you will get a message on the dash "Parking Brake Fault Service Now" or "Parking Brake Limited Functionality Service Now" and the "BRAKE" light will be on. it is still driveable with these messages and will not be in limp mode

the major thing to remember is the vehicle will always try to have it fail to a known condition: engaged. because thats the safer option

Excellent reply. Thank you!

 

[kinelisch]

OP I see you have a manual... leave that bad boy parked in gear and hopefully the engine compression alone will hold the car in place after the ebrake fails. LOL

Yeah I sometimes do this when parked on a leveled surface. But then you get the annoying beeps when you exit the car that the brake is not applied. haha

 

[Alan Applegate]

As I've mentioned before, this is a concern to me as well. I can think of a dozen reasons why, but the main one is, I always set the parking brake when getting out of the car. Call it habit, but it is a good one to have!

 

[roket]

As I've mentioned before, this is a concern to me as well. I can think of a dozen reasons why, but the main one is, I always set the parking brake when getting out of the car. Call it habit, but it is a good one to have!

same here. i always no matter what set the parking brake in any vehicle i drive when i park it. as a bonus, its kinda funny whenever i set the parking brake on something with a manual one, because the next person thats not me tends to have a hard time releasing it (i usually set it pretty high, make sure nothing moves at all)

 

[kinelisch]

same here. i always no matter what set the parking brake in any vehicle i drive when i park it. as a bonus, its kinda funny whenever i set the parking brake on something with a manual one, because the next person thats not me tends to have a hard time releasing it (i usually set it pretty high, make sure nothing moves at all)

They struggle to release it

 

[roadpilot]

Drive thru disengage

This.

I use it religiously, but I often forget to disengage it before I take off. It always releases.

I've had this style of parking brake on quite a few vehicles - never had any issue where it would get stuck/fail and/or not release.

I'd be more worried about what you'd do if a cable-driven parking brake failed to release (cable rusts internal).

 

[Alan Applegate]

My long-since departed wife used to complain about the same issue. That was before she let he Acura Coupe roll into a local constabulary. What ensued, speaks for itself!

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