Electric parking brake

Flyboy152

Gers wrote: »

Now had the new car since Friday evening and it's going well. Someone here said I have to learn to 'trust' the EPB and that's exactly correct. I find myself searching out hills to do starts on so, that when it comes to matter, I can feel confident. Got to get used to putting the car into neutral before flicking the button but still haven't mastered a downhill hill start - car rolls forward before I can pull sideways but am sure it will soon become second nature.

:huh: That doesn't make much sense. Why would the car roll forward and why would you want the car to go sideways?

Still miss the left arm doing anything. Am very old and very conditioned!

Thanks everyone.

You will get used tot hat very quickly, but be careful if you switch cars with a mechanical hand brake.

Gers

Flyboy152 wrote: »

:huh: That doesn't make much sense. Why would the car roll forward and why would you want the car to go sideways?



You will get used tot hat very quickly, but be careful if you switch cars with a mechanical hand brake.

Reading it back I can see why you're confused!

Car pointing downhill when parked - I need to pull out from parking (sideways?) so turn the steering wheel. So I have to do a hill start whilst in reverse and then pull out - which is when the car rolled forward. As I said, I just haven't mastered it yet!

gilbert_and_sullivan

Flyboy152 wrote: »

:huh: That doesn't make much sense. Why would the car roll forward

If you're parked on a steep incline you have to be ready with the footbrake, the force against the handbrake mechanism can cause an automatic handbrake to release as soon as you go to start the car.

I've driven a few miles now, and one thing that never crossed my mind was replacing a car handbrake with an automatic switch, except for the disabled possibly.

Flyboy152

gilbert_and_sullivan wrote: »

If you're parked on a steep incline you have to be ready with the footbrake, the force against the handbrake mechanism can cause an automatic handbrake to release as soon as you go to start the car.

If the parking brake releases s soon as you start the car, there is something wrong with the release mechanism. It shouldn't be linked to the ignition.

I've driven a few miles now, and one thing that never crossed my mind was replacing a car handbrake with an automatic switch, except for the disabled possibly.

I had, especially when pulling away and the car suddenly stalls, because I had forgotten to release the handbrake. The major advantage is that it reduces the risk of forgetting to apply it in the first place.

gilbert_and_sullivan

Flyboy152 wrote: »

If the parking brake releases s soon as you start the car, there is something wrong with the release mechanism. It shouldn't be linked to the ignition.
.

And some fell on stony ground.

I delivered thousands of cars over twenty years driving car transporters, these were brand new cars.

I'll reiterate, if you find yourself on a very steep incline, the force against the handbrake MAY be enough to trigger release as you start the engine, some colleagues had damage due to this happening to them.

Gers

Thank chaps - moral of this one is not to park with the front of the car facing downhill!

Off to practise hill starts with my left hand strapped to the steering wheel.

:j

System

my sis has this feature on her car but be warned she had loads of problems because of the salt/grit on the roads last winter , luckily her oh is a mechanic and was able to strip it down and clean it out.

Wearyone_2

All potential Astra owners will be pleased to know that the EPB is discontinued on the 2013 (from September 2012) models, reverting back to the manual hand brake.

The Astra EPB also has an additional problem where in some instances when not in gear the brake is released if there is the slightest pressure on the clutch and accelerator pedals. May be a bad driving habit but surely there should be measures in place to ensure this CAN NOT occur

I actually cancelled my Motability leased Astra after only 3 days because of the problems with the EPB (at a cost of £250) Surprisingly when I asked Vauxhall to reimburse the cancellation fee they did without any question.
Many thans to Mr Duncan Aldred, Chairman & MD Vauxhall Motors for arranging this. Thats what I call real Customer Service.

Now awaiting a new (2013) automatic model Astra with manual hand brake. There was no way I could have lived with the EPB for the next 3 years; either the car or me would have been written off!

harveybobbles

http://www.vauxhall.co.uk/fleet/latest-news/2012/june/new-astra-august-introduction.html

gilbert_and_sullivan

I wonder, is this the start of the removal of these things?

I like new Astra a lot, electric handbrake had removed it from my list of possibles, as Avensis.