When Exactly Do You Need To Use Your Parking Brake?

In my 50 years of experience as an ASE and General Motors master technician and automotive technology instructor, I’ve found that the parking brake (aka, emergency or hand brakes) is rarely discussed, much less properly used. Some people forget to use it altogether.

When four-wheel disc brakes were first widely introduced in cars around the 1980s, the mechanical parking brake mechanism was integrated into the hydraulic brake caliber as a kind of self-adjusting system. If the driver didn’t use the parking brake, the parking brake mechanism would seize up, and after a while, the brake pedal would drop asthe brake padsmoved further away from the rotor as they wore. Unfortunately, there was no way to manually “adjust” the parking brake mechanism. This resulted in an expensive repair and the eventual phasing out of this design.

While not using your emergency brake won’t lead to it seizing up in 2025, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use it when you park. With input from an ASE master technician, let’s explore why you still need to use the emergency brake every time you park.

What Does the Parking Brake Do?

The parking brake is designed to keep your car from rolling away when parked, and it also acts as an emergency braking system if the main hydraulic brake system fails. Rule of thumb, hand-operated (a level usually located between the two front seats) or foot-pedal-operated parking brake systems should hold a car on an incline after “six clicks.” Always check your vehicle’s owner’s manual for correct parking brake operation.

How Is the Parking Brake Different From Normal Brakes?

The parking brake is a separate mechanical braking system that is usually incorporated with the independent “service” (hydraulic) brake system. The hydraulic brake system is used to bring our cars to a stop when pressing on the brake pedal during normal driving conditions.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT)Vehicle Equipment and Inspection Regulations, parking brakes are required to hold a vehicle on a 20-degree incline with the vehicle in neutral. Additionally, parking brakes must work separately from the service brakes so that failure of the parking brake will not affect or impact the service brake function or operation.

When Should You Use the Parking Brake?

Setting the parking brake is a good idea for quite a few reasons. Here are the times when you should apply it:

• On any incline, hill or slope.
• Whilechanging a tire.
• When working on your car with the tires off of the ground.

Should you use the parking brake every time you park?

Yes, according to ASE master technician Tom Diamond, “For safety reasons, even on flat ground, always engage the parking brake when you put the car in park and shut it off.”

Diamond added, “A small metal or plastic lever called a “parking pawl” engages with gears in your transmission. This locks the transmission in place, preventing a car from moving after shifting into park. That’s why your car moves slightly after parking and then comes to a stopthe pawl needs to fully engage with thegears inside your transmissionto keep them [and your car] stationary.”

According to AAA, although the parking pawl is designed to hold a vehicle stationary, original equipment manufacturers advise that to keep the entire weight of your car from pressing against the pawl, always engage the parking brake to “prevent wear and tear on intricate vehicle components.” As Diamond said, the parking brake is useful because would you actually trust a parking paw made from plastic to hold a car, especially on an incline?”

Additionally, regularly using the parking brake can prevent the parking brake from rusting or seizing, ensuring it works properly when you really need it.

What Happens If You Drive With the Parking Brake On?

Driving with the parking brake on will cause all types of problems, including:

• Brake pad andbrake fluid overheating, which can lead to brake failure.
• Excess wear and tear on tires andpotential damage to brake systemrotors, disc pads and calibers.
• Poor fuel economyandlack of engine power and performance.
• Check engine lightcoming on.

FAQs

Is the parking brake just there for tradition?

No! Absolutely not. While many consider parking brakes anold, outdated feature, it remains essential for vehicle safety and reliability. The parking brake has several helpful purposes:

• Holding your car stationary when parked.
• Emergency braking if the main braking system fails.
• Reducingstress and strain on the transmission.
• Providing safety and stability whenperforming vehicle maintenance.

What about an electric vehicle that doesn’t have a transmission?

Electric vehicles (EVs) don’t have a transmission, but depending on make and model, they may use a gear set in the electric motor that engages a parking pawl, the same as a traditional internal combustion engine vehicle.

Electronic parking brakes on many EVs and hybrid models are factory-programmed to turn on automatically. On other cars with electronic parking brakes, the driver can synchronize them to automatically engage when the shifter is in park. “Yeah, you still need to use the parking brake in 2025. If manufacturers still think it’s necessary to automatically set the parking brake, that tells you something,” says car expert Alex Black, Chief Marketing Officer at EpicVIN.

Are there times when you should not use the parking brake?

Yes, there are times when you shouldn’t use the parking brake, advises Black. After driving throughslush, snow or ice, and when temperatures will drop below freezing, don’t set the parking brake. The parking brake cables or mechanisms can freeze in place and will not release. This is the same as driving with the parking brake on, even after releasing the parking brake.

Additionally, depending on your vehicle’s parking brake system, parking brake shoes or pads can freeze to the parking brake “drum” or disc rotor,causing the wheels to lock upor keep from turning.

About the Experts

• Tom Diamondhas over 35 years of experience in the automotive repair industry as a technician, certified original equipment manufacturer (Mazda) trainer and shop supervisor. He has been an ASE Master Technician for over 25 years, including ASE L1 advanced automotive engine performance certification and is a PA Department of Transportation certified state safety, emissions and reconstructed vehicle inspector. Email, with follow-up Interview, Jan 28, 2025.
• Alex Blackhas a deep understanding of the automotive industry, is a recognized car expert and as Chief Marketing Officer atEpicVIN, empowers dealers and consumers with the best tools and services for when buying or selling a car. Email communication, Jan 28, 2025.

Sources

• AAA: “Do You Know When to Use Your Emergency Brake?” (Sep 18, 2024)
• Capital One: “How Do You Put an EV Into Neutral?” (Aug 2, 2023)
• Honda:Honda Info Center; “Electric Parking Brake with Automatic Brake Hold” (Jan 26, 2025)
• Pennsylvania Department of Transportation: “Vehicle Equipment and Inspection Regulations” (Copyright 2020 by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.)

The post When Exactly Do You Need To Use Your Parking Brake? appeared first on Family Handyman.

Article source here: When Exactly Do You Need To Use Your Parking Brake?