Do you set the parking brake?

almost never. I usually park in fairly flat areas. or at work I back in until the tires are against the curb. anyway I know you are suposed to but have not used my parking break much over many years bad habit but never had a problem

 

I only set it if I'm parked on an incline.

 

Never. Unless the extremely rare occasion of having to park on an incline.
But then I have never had a manual trans.

 

Always do, comes from my "manual" days. GF hates it. She forgets I always apply it.

 

Used to live on the prairies, never used parking brake. Since Moving to North Vancouver 1 year ago with "proper" hill parking I use the Parking brake 100% of the time now out of habit, even in a parkade or on the flat. Can do no harm, only good.

 

I've always set the parking brake. That's what it's for, right?

 

I always set the parking brake. I hate the slight lurching back and forth when you release the brake pedal in park without first setting the parking brake - even on level ground.

More to the point, why can't pushing the P button shift to park and engage the parking brake? Why require the two to be engaged separately?

 

Always and I've only driven automatics.

 

Another benefit is that it removes stress from the AT.

I'm not sure if the Prius (and other similar newer ATs are like this), but the typical transaxle puts one wheel to roll forward and the other in reverse...creating a parking brake effect with the transaxle. If you release the parking brake BEFORE taking the car out of Park (or, at least not have the brake pedal depressed), the weight of the vehicle shifts...putting undue strain on the AT to get out of Park. This has lead to AT failures in past years with various AT-equipped cars.

 

Last winter when the electric motor was running and I was tired as a result of moving a lot of snow, I got out of the car and forgot to put it in park and the car rolled out of the driveway and across the street. Luckily no traffic was coming and I did not hit anything. Don't feel like you are doing something wrong by setting your parking brake each time you get out of the car. You have a very good habit. Good for you. If I had set my parking brake my car would not have moved.

 

I've had my car over two years and used the parking brake for the first time last month when changing a tire. i wasn't even sure where it was lol. i was like oh it's been right there this whole time? heh never even noticed it.

 

Never. But I also don't park on a hill.


iPhone ?

 

Never. I never use it even driving manuals. I drive my dads 69 chevelle every summer. I never used it. In fact its not good using it on old cars. They tell you not to because of the chance it doesn't come back up. The reason it might not come back up is no one ever uses it (in the midwest, I am in Michigan) and it can break from rusting and never been used that it stays stuck.

I am surprised that soo many people use it. Maybe a lot of you are from California where attitudes and lots of hills change how people think. I also live in China most of the year and I would make fun of and ask all the drivers why they use the parking brake. But they would even do it at every single red light. And the Chinese are a scared bunch. I can't drive a seadoo there without having a certified driver to take care of the machine and call for help if there is a problem on the water. In fact, I can't drive it, only ride. Wheres the fun in that? They are scared of everything. But this comes from a Michigan boy who lives on Lake Michigan where everyone has boats like they do cars. Look at the collapse photos of Detroit, what is on all the abandoned roads, boats.

Different regions different views.

I remember some times I have used the parking brake was when hooking up a trailer to my truck. When you get to that perfect spot where the ball is right under the trailer and if you put it in park the truck will move out of that perfect spot. But that is only used when the trailer is very heavy and you can't move it by myself. Or changing tires, or when driving around the field in a $100 beater and pulling the parking brake, or e-brake, when turning to spin the rear end around.

 

Never using it (and no maintenance if you have road salt issues) is largely WHY it will stick on you.

 

yup, a lot of salt here. Do you guys, and gals, have salt problems in California because of the ocean air?

 

Salt air gets EVERYWHERE, but not into stuff like road salt can. It's why "rust proofing" became standard on most all cars. Before then (1970-1990), the first thing my dad did with a new car was drop it off for the treatment. It looked as good at 100K as it did when new. Without the treatment, it would have developed rust most anyplace you weren't washing regularly.

In either case, you really should wash a car regularly. For salt air, you should rinse down/engine clean your engine compartment from time to time, and for both you should hose out your wheel wells regularly (more so for road salt during winter).