Electric Handbrakes: Good Idea?

[rubyredmondeo]

Lots of modern cars have electronic handbrakes. That's all very well, but I can't find a way of pulling away from certain types of T-junctions without rolling backwards slightly. I know that the hill-assist brake (or whatever it is called) will automatically apply the brake when you are on an incline beyond a certain pitch, but on my way home, there is a T-junction with a raised portion (where pedestrians can cross over). In fact, the more I think about it, there are quite a few of these around Oxford.

I am finding that I am rolling backwards when moving away as the electronic handbrake has not kicked in. With a 'normal' (traditional) handbrake, you could just hold the handbrake lever to stop this happening.

Is it just me?

[MONDEO TXS 2.2]

Clutch control ?

[alexp999]

I wouldn't buy a car with an electronic handbrake.

Mechanical for me....

Impossible to use clutch control to pick up the car as you can't ease the handbrake off... All you can do is catch the car before it rolls too far, which is bad practice anyway and probably will wear the clutch out... And if you sit on the clutch it will burn the clutch out even more, lol.

Never understood electronic handbrakes on a manual car.

[pragmatix]

Hateful things and so unessasary

[rubyredmondeo]

As long as its not just me then!

(of course, clutch control helps a bit, but it isn't always practical and it will knacker your car in the long run)

[StevenST13]

Most electric hand brakes have a clever trick. As long as the car has been running (not just started up) if you apply the hand brake at a set red lights then just set off as normal they will automatically release making hill starts a breeze. Just try it first when it's safe to do so on a flat road as not all cars will do it. But there's is a lot that do for the reason of hill starts. Plus on a lot of cars you can get the brake assist to activate by pushing the brake pedal all the way down then just holding it where it needs to be. Again try it first when it's safe cause not all cars do it.

[Stoney871]

I had a Toyota Avensis estate as a hire car last week to attend a course and it had an electronic handbrake.

Horrible thing, it takes over a second to apply and you can only tell it's going on when you feel the brake pedal go soft.

The handbrake light is buried very low on the cluster and is about the size of a pin head so not easy to watch when observing the road.

I had to do a stop on a mini roundabout going uphill and applied the brake (or so I thought), rolled back and nearly collected a Citroen DS3 in the rear end.

Give me a manual handbrake any time, at least you know that when you yank the lever up the brakes are on instantly.

Saying that, I do love hill assist on my ST, a very useful function indeed.

[pragmatix]

It's an overly complex solution to a problem that IMHO doesn't exist

[Trewithy]

On the Fiesta Hill-assist only operates when you sit on a hill with the foot brake pressed. If the hand brake is used you still do the normal pull away releasing the hand brake at the clutch bite-point.

[Stoney871]

If you're not sure if the incline is steep enough for hill assist and apply the handbrake you can tell if hill assist would have worked as you feel a slight bump as assist drops off.

[iantt]

Im not a fan of electric parking brake, but do like hill lauch assist

[adambell]

I had a VW golf as a courtesy car a while back and they come with an electronic hand brake. It's actually a fantastic system in the VW. To engage it simply come to a stop as normal and keep your foot on the brake for a second, no need to touch the button, the car is then held perfectly in all conditions.

To pull away, again, no need to touch the button, just select first and away you go. No jerkiness or anything. A fantastic system

Sent from my iPhone using Ford OC mobile app

[pragmatix]

Have you tried to do a handbrake turn with an electronic handbrake?

[Stoney871]

I'm pretty certain that an EPB won't engage unless the foot brake is on and the car is at a complete stop.

I suppose one good thing about that is some drunken passenger can't yank up the brake 'for a laff' while someone is driving.

[V6 Lover]

Lots of modern cars have electronic handbrakes. That's all very well, but I can't find a way of pulling away from certain types of T-junctions without rolling backwards slightly. I know that the hill-assist brake (or whatever it is called) will automatically apply the brake when you are on an incline beyond a certain pitch, but on my way home, there is a T-junction with a raised portion (where pedestrians can cross over). In fact, the more I think about it, there are quite a few of these around Oxford.

I am finding that I am rolling backwards when moving away as the electronic handbrake has not kicked in. With a 'normal' (traditional) handbrake, you could just hold the handbrake lever to stop this happening.

Is it just me?

If I was to order a new ford there is one item whether it be standard kit or an option that I'd never have and that is an electric handbrake,this rolling backwards would seriously rattle my cage, I can't see why any driver...out of need or nescesticy to get from a to b/ or / and (especially) drivers who are also enthuiasts,from a KA with a spoiler to full fat hairy ST...would want an electric 'know all' handbrake...it is going to ruin your drive.

I know people will disagree with me on this but don't take offence that IMHO the electric handbrake sounds like something that would be of use if you have a mobility issue and i can see the potential for it helping people with a limb issue, sure thing in that respect.

If some people find it useful good on them for being able to use them in the first place.

But me finks my car already makes enough decisions brake wise ..ie

ESP EBD IVD and I can switch the esp on and off when I like.

Arent these things meant to improve safety?

[stef123]

I'm pretty certain that an EPB won't engage unless the foot brake is on and the car is at a complete stop.

I suppose one good thing about that is some drunken passenger can't yank up the brake 'for a laff' while someone is driving.

Well they can, but it makes the car do an emergency stop it has in any hire car I've had, once your doing more than a few mph it just applies the brakes, very hard

[Gezzs]

Never driven a car with an electronic handbrake until a few weeks ago. It did seem weird not having the familiar lever to pull up when stopping. Sadly one is fitted as standard on the car I ordered, so I guess I'll be getting used to it. One positive note (for me) is that I'll have an auto, so I would hope rolling back won't be an issue.

[Brigante]

Is the hill assist a retrofittable item? Would really like to enable it on my mondeo txs

[cuke]

They're fine, people just need to understand, like every other gizmo that comes along, it's been tested and once you're used to it you'll think nothing of it. I have been driving for 44 years and used mechanical handbrakes for 43 of them and I don't find it an issue.

Good things:

1) It releases automatically when you pull away, even if the car is cold, as long if you're wearing the selt belt and the drivers door is closed.

2) It will automatically activate when you are stationary and then release the selt belt, open the door or turn the engine off.

3) Can be used as an emergency brake.

Bad things:

1) No handbrake turns, well on my car because it operates on all four wheels.

[Stoney871]

To be fair THEY'RE SHOITE! ;)

[pragmatix]

Stoney, they need to improve a lot to be that good, the cost a fortune to repair when the go wrong and oh boy do they go wrong, Mother in Law had a bill just short of a grand to fix hers on a Toyota she's 80 and changed her car cos she hates the electronic handbrake

[Stoney871]

Stoney, they need to improve a lot to be that good, the cost a fortune to repair when the go wrong and oh boy do they go wrong, Mother in Law had a bill just short of a grand to fix hers on a Toyota she's 80 and changed her car cos she hates the electronic handbrake

Complete and absolute total and utter festering worm ridden SHOITE then ;)

(Sorry, caught in traffic on the A4 due to the tube strike and getting annoyed by the bellpiece in an Audi A5 in front who keeps swapping smegging lanes on me).

[cuke]

Huh, blooming Audi drivers eh?