Monthly Archives: November 2022

When to Use the Emergency Brake (E-Brake)/Parking Brake/Hand Brake

When to Use the Emergency Brake (E-Brake)/Parking Brake/Hand Brake

Most motorists are led to believe that the emergency brake should only be used on rare occasions, that it shouldn’t be touched unless an emergency is occurring. Maybe, they feel like they should only use this parking brake when parked on a steep hill. While you should use the parking brake in those conditions, it is best to use the parking brake every day or as often as possible.  1) Parking It doesn’t matter whether you drive with an automatic or manual transmission, you should always utilize the parking brake. When parking, please remember to engage the emergency brake before putting it into parking gear. Not only will this give you added stability when parking on steep hills, but it will relieve stress on the transmission and other components. Many people are left to believe that this secondary brake component isn’t necessary when parking on flat ground. However, it is a great habit to get into. 2) Emergencies Obviously, th ... read more