Electric parking brake

Kilty_2

missile wrote: »

I don't think you can blame that on the electronic parking brake

What else would cause premature wear of the rear brakes on a FWD car ?

The French factor?

patman99

I had a gear linkage failure on an Espace. Renault were adamant you had to replace the whole gear-stick and cable assembly at £365 just for the parts.
My local garage had other ideas, they work n the theory that if something was assembled from a kit of parts, then it can be taken apart.
They replaced a broken pin, all for the cost of 1 hour's labour.

B00st

patman99 wrote: »

I can see what the next big thing in after-market modding kits is going to be, cable handbrake kits.

EPB's must work by pressurizing the brakes on either the front, back (or both) wheels using an electronic (probably solenoid-operated) piston, by replacing the solenoid with a rocker-arm lever that pushes the piston in applying the brakes when the cable is pulled-tight. Just like on my old BX.

Right, I'm off to start designing kits for all the popular boy racer cars.

Just how are you going to fit a hand brake lever and mechanism into a centre console area which isn't designed to take one (either from a space or stiffness aspect)?

absin_jack

Strider590 wrote: »

Wasn't this something to do with preventing the handbrake working whilst the vehicle's moving?

If the battery dies, the parking brake system is not working. Release the parking brake manually, a special tool for software tools, as well as Jack. Install the correct bits in the instrument, disconnect the plug from the spare wheel well, insert the tool and the counter-clockwise to release.

missile

Kilty wrote: »

What else would cause premature wear of the rear brakes on a FWD car ?

The French factor?

Have you discussed the issue with your dealer? Maybe your rear brakes are badly adjusted and binding? Maybe it's the way you drive? I hope you do not apply electronic parking brake whilst the car is moving?

Wear is caused by friction i.e. wheels moving apply brake generates heat = wear! IMHO applying an electronic parking brake whilst the car is stopped would not cause premature wear to the pads or disks.

Kilty_2

missile wrote: »

Have you discussed the issue with your dealer? Maybe your rear brakes are badly adjusted and binding? Maybe it's the way you drive? I hope you do not apply electronic parking brake whilst the car is moving?

Wear is caused by friction i.e. wheels moving apply brake generate heat = wear! IMHO applying an electronic parking brake whilst the car is stopped would not cause premature wear to the pads or disks.

I think the wear is caused by the way it removes the brake when you start moving - it's not always perfect and you can feel it drag very slightly

I don't have the car any more and the 16k miles prior to the discs/pads being replaced were not under my ownership either.

missile

Kilty wrote: »

I think the wear is caused by the way it removes the brake when you start moving - it's not always perfect and you can feel it drag very slightly

I don't have the car any more and the 16k miles prior to the discs/pads being replaced were not under my ownership either.

There are many cars fitted with electronic parking brake and I have never heard of epb causing excessive wear. I have done considerably more than 16K and not changed the pads on my Audi.

I would suggest it was a fault with your car or perhaps the way it was driven prior to your ownership.

garethgas

I don't like this kind of 'improvement' to a car. With a conventional handbrake, you can feel the weight of the car being taken up by the engine as you move off on a hill. With the electronic version you can't.
Its just another solution to a problem that doesn't exist. Driving skills are being diluted by the introduction of such gadgets.

Kilty_2

garethgas wrote: »

you can feel the weight of the car being taken up by the engine as you move off on a hill. With the electronic version you can't.

Yes you can, or you could in my Laguna. Hill starts were never a problem.

Skint_Catt

In the Citroen (C4 Picasso) with the electronic parking brake hill starts are actually easier as it 'engages' for up to 10 seconds when you take your foot off the brake. However, it has already been faulty in a 3yr old (85k mile) car - not sure what went wrong but it 'screeched' on and off for several thousand miles with the garage saying there was nothing wrong :mad:
Luckily it's a company car. We also NEVER touch the on/off level/button as there is no need to - disengages when in gear and clutch is being released and engages when you turn the engine off.
C xx