Electronic parking brake Q...

[5150 pops]

First I must admit, all of the little booklets for my Expedition are still sealed up, except for the goofy trailer brake assist pack, that I regretfully opened, (no use for it).

Is the fourth generation the first to have the button for setting and releasing the parking brake?

What I'm really interested in knowing, is whether there are certain instances when the parking brake will set itself, without any input from the driver?

Mine has set itself at least 3 different times, since I bought it new the last week of July. It is so very rare, I do not have any frame of reference for circumstances which may lead to it doing so on it's own. There are times when I will slow down to a stop and I hear the distinctive whine of the parking brake setting, yet the "brake" light in the dash, doesn't illuminate, and once I start to accelerate, the truck doesn't stall, like I'd expect, if the parking brake were in fact set.

Tonight when I got home, I put the vehicle in reverse to bring it closer to the curb, and once I shifted to "park" the parking brake squeeled and set itself. So is that a regular condition, coming out of Reverse and back into Park, the parking brake is automatically set?

Seems odd to me, and would hate to find out down the road, my rotors are toast due to some sort of glitch. Never had any vehicle that had this feature, and it really is my only not like feature of this vehicle, dah fak pushing a pedal down to set/release too much?

 

[edizzle]

yes i would love to when it does set itself. i have not paid attention to when and what circumstances, but i know it has done this. i do know to release, you just have to put it in gear and push accelerator.

 

[aggiegrad05]

From the manual:

The electric parking brake may apply when you shift to park (P) without the brake pedal fully pressed. The electric parking brake applies when you shift to park (P) on large slopes. The electric parking brake releases with the drive away release function or manually as described in the Releasing the Electric Parking Brake section.

 

[dlcorbett]

Ahhh...makes sense.

 

[mssbf2011]

Interesting...

My wife keeps saying there is something wrong because the parking brake gets set for her and not me. I don't know if I have the nerve to say it's her inability to fully press the brakes before shifting into park. Sometimes it's best to just say it's a "driver assist feature"

 

[5150 pops]

From the manual:

The electric parking brake may apply when you shift to park (P) without the brake pedal fully pressed. The electric parking brake applies when you shift to park (P) on large slopes. The electric parking brake releases with the drive away release function or manually as described in the Releasing the Electric Parking Brake section.

Thanks

 

[woody929]

My wife keeps telling me the same thing, and I’ve just shrugged it off. I’m glad there’s an explanation.

I guess I’ve never noticed it because I don’t put the car in park, I just turn it off. I got tired of pulling into the garage, and having auto start/stop kick in just to have the engine roar to life as I’m turning it off. She refuses to just turn it off ‍

 

[aggiegrad05]

I also just turn it off without shifting for the same reason.

Interesting item on that point: I assumed because the shifter was electronic, when I turn it off and it automatically shifts to “park,” there is nothing mechanical going on at the shift dial. Not true. Next time you shut it down while still in drive, put your hand on the shift dial; they actually put a motor in there which physically turns that wheel. Neat, but what happens when that motor goes out?

(Cue people complaining about all the electronics in cars these days and how they’re all going to fail and why can’t you just buy a good honest vehicle anymore without the snapdazzle whizbangs on it in..3...2....1....)

 

[woody929]

I also just turn it off without shifting for the same reason.

Interesting item on that point: I assumed because the shifter was electronic, when I turn it off and it automatically shifts to “park,” there is nothing mechanical going on at the shift dial. Not true. Next time you shut it down while still in drive, put your hand on the shift dial; they actually put a motor in there which physically turns that wheel. Neat, but what happens when that motor goes out?

(Cue people complaining about all the electronics in cars these days and how they’re all going to fail and why can’t you just buy a good honest vehicle anymore without the snapdazzle whizbangs on it in..3...2....1....)

My Fusion that I drive for work does the same thing.

The Expy will also shift to park if you’re at a stop and open the driver door.

 

[JohnT]

Mine does it parking on the driveway, about 5% gradient.

Turns off once in drive and i touch the gas.