Drove with parking brake on

[Todd]

I feel like an idiot. Last night I was in a bit of a rush leaving the movie theater (Spiderman, good movie) and I left my parking brake on. I drove for about 200 feet slowly while leaving the parking lot untill I noticed. I feel so bad that I did this to my car. Im wondering, how bad was it that I did that???

Todd

[ZoomZoomH]

you're fine, driving 200ft with parking brakes on is nothing.

now if you drove 20 miles with it on then I'll get a little concerned :D

[Sir Nuke]

your okay dude...don't worry about it.....but....the fact that you were ABLE to drive it at all makes me wonder just how hard you had it on in the first place....when I put my parking break on...if I happen to forget to unlatch it before I try to take off...the car will stall out...for it takes that much extra to get the car to move......if you had it on so light that you were actually able to back up...and take off with out noticeing it? well.....you have nothing to worry about.

:D

[BigBlue]

I agree...nothing to worry about I'll say. I've done something similar too where I'll think that I put it off...but it was still engaged just a little(light was still on) and then immediately made sure it was all the way down. I'd also say if you didn't notice it, then it musn't have been on very much.

[Todd]

Hi Sir Nuke,

Mabey beacuse I have auto transmission, its less chance of stalling???? I also back in when I park so when I pull out I just put in drive. I hope I have nothing to worry about :confused:

Todd

[LambOfSilence]

You are good, don't worry about it. I remember when I just got my driver's license, I drove my mom's corolla 45km with parking brake on, I only noticed that I still had my brake on, when I got back home and was going to pull the brake. The corolla was fine, still alive and kicking at this moment. So, no worries, man.

[MidnightP5]

This brings up a question I have been wondering for a while. Me included, but people who have AT and a hand brake, is it true that it is bad for the car to use it? I mean what is the purpose when you park with no incline, you just use the Parking Brake. I was told it was bad for AT to use it when it isn't needed is this true?

[Todd]

I would like to know if it is bad to use it too. I mainly use it to not hurt my car. If I put the car in park and release the break without the parking break on, I feel it move a little. I just thought the little movement over time might be hard on the transmission. I might be wrong. If anyone knows if I should be using the parking brake or not, can you please let me know.

Thanks, Todd

[Sir Nuke]

Originally posted by Todd
Hi Sir Nuke,

Mabey beacuse I have auto transmission, its less chance of stalling???? I also back in when I park so when I pull out I just put in drive. I hope I have nothing to worry about :confused:

Todd

maybe so....but not really....IF your brake was really on tightly it STILL takes a lot of force to move the car..

do this....you have four wheel disc brakes...and alloy wheels....just go and peek through your wheels at the discs....all nice and shiney right? ...you are good to go....have no worry.

[Sir Nuke]

Originally posted by Todd
I would like to know if it is bad to use it too. I mainly use it to not hurt my car. If I put the car in park and release the break without the parking break on, I feel it move a little. I just thought the little movement over time might be hard on the transmission. I might be wrong. If anyone knows if I should be using the parking brake or not, can you please let me know.

Thanks, Todd

First thing Todd....here in texas where its 99% flat anyway...lol there happens to be a state law that REQUIRES you to set your parking brake EVERYTIME you get out of your car...yeah I know its stupid....I rarely use mine...but none the less its the law.

NOW,

NO, its NOT bad to use it....couldn't be farther from the truth...in fact...for an automatic....if you park on an incline...and you DON'T use your parking break....THAT could be bad for the tranny...for the weight of the car is on the locks of the tranny and NOT on the E-barke....

my advise...if you are parking on an incline....the PROPER way to do this is to park the car...with the car STILL in gear...set the parking break...THEN put the car in park....this way the car doesn't shift or move AFTER you put it in park and apply presure on the stops/locks in the tranny....and of curse IF you are parking on a hill...and there is a curb...you are SUPPOSED to turn your wheels so that IF your brake and tranny fail your car will roll INTO the curp and possibly STOP it from rolling any farther.

another thing...IF you have rear DRUM brakes...and you find yourself parking on hills....you should ONLY park FACING down hill.....as with drum brakes...the car CAN roll backwards even with the e-brake on.....but it sets tighter as it tries to roll forward.

[MidnightP5]

Sir Nuke, thanks a lot, thats exactly what I thought but I wasn't too sure. I appreciate the 411.

[Korey Chaos]

Good job in leaving the e-brake on!:) Its all good though because the car wont feel 200ft worth pain. Got to be more careful though!

[Onatrum]

And I always use the Parking brake, incline or flat. When I took driver's Ed couple years ago, the instructor told us it was a good idea to have the parking brake on while in parking lots, so that if anybody were to hit your car, like back into it or something, your parking brake would take the blow instead of the transmission. It'd be better to fix the body of the car, than fix the body and the transmission. I don't think anybody could hit that hard in a parking lot, but I figured he had a good point.

I worked as a carryout/bagger for a grocery store, and while going out to get carts and stuff, I've seen some pretty stupid people do some pretty stupid stuff, and then just leave. :( Not kewl.

One crazy story real quick, somebody with a small car backed into the spot clossest to the store. And some old guy with a big ass pickup truck comes along so that he's between the store and right beside the small car. Dude turns his truck to the right, but didn't give enough room for his back end to follow. The passenger rear wheel, which is frick'n taller than the small car, runs over the front driver's side corner of this small car, breaking off the bumper of the car. I could see on the guys face he knew what he did, but he kept driving, and his big rear metal bumper hooks onto the cars broken bumper, and procedes to rip it almost completely off. :eek: I'm standing there with some carts and my mouth dropped to the ground.

Lucky enough though, the guy was nice enough to park, and I went in with him to call the owner's of the small car over the intercom. They were pissed, but I'm guessing it was all taken care of.

Sorry for long thread, it's late and I'm rambling :rolleyes:

[BondoBob]

I use the hand brake whenever I park the MP3...and leave the transmission in neutral. Glad I did the night the car got sideswiped in front of the house because the whole car moved with the hit. If I'd left it in gear, it might have caused damage to the gears.

I never use the e-brake on the Silly Useless Vehicle unless I'm parking on a hill...just slap the thing in PARK. The foot pedal/lever release crap is a pain to use. Then too, it's a company lease.

[Don]

I ue it all the time, even when parking in the garage (manual trans).

If you make it a habit, then you'll automatically remember to take it off before you begin driving, by force of habit.

Don

[OurP5]

As SirNuke said about Texas, Florida is about 99.5% flat. To us a speed bump is a pretty big hill. I have a MT and only use my parking brake when parked on a pretty steep incline. I know I should probaby use both on any type of incline but I'm guess I'm just lazy. My Mom, Dad, and Sister all have AT vehicles. They haven't been used in so long the E-Brake pedal or lever has dust on it and if they tried to engage it they would proably just break off. 200 ft w/ the e-bake is no biggie. Think of it this way. When going to the Drag Strip you need to heat up the tires. The easiest and most effective way I and almost everyone I know is to lock up the E-brake and let 'em spin. You're still putting pressure on the e-brake which is probably more than driving 200'.

[Rinku]

My wife accidentally drove about 3 miles with the e-brake on a brand new Mazda3, do i have anything to worry about?

[CheeseHelmet]

My wife accidentally drove about 3 miles with the e-brake on a brand new Mazda3, do i have anything to worry about?

Probably not, if you notice the pedal pulsating while applying the brakes in the next coming days the rear rotors might have become warped.

[Justin2129]

First thing Todd....here in texas where its 99% flat anyway...lol there happens to be a state law that REQUIRES you to set your parking brake EVERYTIME you get out of your car...yeah I know its stupid....I rarely use mine...but none the less its the law.

NOW,

NO, its NOT bad to use it....couldn't be farther from the truth...in fact...for an automatic....if you park on an incline...and you DON'T use your parking break....THAT could be bad for the tranny...for the weight of the car is on the locks of the tranny and NOT on the E-barke....

my advise...if you are parking on an incline....the PROPER way to do this is to park the car...with the car STILL in gear...set the parking break...THEN put the car in park....this way the car doesn't shift or move AFTER you put it in park and apply presure on the stops/locks in the tranny....and of curse IF you are parking on a hill...and there is a curb...you are SUPPOSED to turn your wheels so that IF your brake and tranny fail your car will roll INTO the curp and possibly STOP it from rolling any farther.

another thing...IF you have rear DRUM brakes...and you find yourself parking on hills....you should ONLY park FACING down hill.....as with drum brakes...the car CAN roll backwards even with the e-brake on.....but it sets tighter as it tries to roll forward.

VERY informative!

[Rinku]

need some cool accessories for the 2011 3-5door....link?

[azuelke]

^ Yeah, wrong forum.

[Rockin03mp5]

hella thread bump batman!

ive done this before too. (just backing out) wondering why my protege feels even more underpowered. there should be a beep or something. that little light doesnt catch my attention.