Know everything there is to know about a car parking brake!

There are a lot of parts of your car you may often forget to service or even use, one of those being the parking brake, also known as, the emergency brake. Your emergency brake is a safety mechanism that is in all cars, but it comes in different forms. Our Charlotte Toyota service technicians are explaining everything you need to know about your car’s parking brake!

What is a parking brake?

The car parking brake is mechanism intended to stop your car from moving. This is either while already in park or in case of total brake failure. Your car brakes are a hydraulic system which could malfunction. If this total malfunction were to occur, the emergency brake would come in to play. This safety feature is purely mechanical as it is a system of steel cables connecting a lever or pedal to the rear brakes of your car.
In your car, you’ll typically find your parking brake in the center as a hand lever or by your left foot under the steering wheel as a foot pedal. Both of these systems are designed to stop your car and keep it from rolling or moving while in park.

To use a hand lever brake:

Place your foot on the brake pedal.
Press the button on the hand lever to engage the emergency brake.
Pull up, release the button and take your foot off of the brake.
To release the parking brake, place your foot on the brake, press the button, pull up and then push the hand lever down.

To use a foot pedal brake:

Place your right foot on the brake pedal.
Use your left foot to press the emergency brake foot pedal back until it engages.
Take your foot off of both pedals.
To release this brake, place your right foot on the brake pedal and use your hand to pull the foot pedal forward OR deactivate the emergency brake by depressing the pedal a second time.

Does your E-brake need Charlotte auto service?

Whether you drive a car with an automatic transmission or a manual transmission, your vehicle has a parking that should be used. Our Charlotte Toyota service technicians explain that the emergency braking system can go bad and eventually cease to work if not used enough. The steel cables can become corroded if not shielded and not used. Our auto service experts in Charlotte recommend using your parking brake every time you park your car.

Does your emergency brake still work? If not, bring your car into our Toyota Service Center in Charlotte for auto repairs! Our Toyota trained technicians can replace corroded cables and fix up your braking system so you can have peace of mind while driving!

Your parking brake shouldn’t be the only brake you have serviced! Let our Toyota Service Center in Charlotte inspect your entire brake system. They will check the brake lines, brake rotors and brake pads and determine whether they need to be replaced!
To schedule an appointment at our Charlotte Toyota Service Center, give us a call at (888) 378-1214