Anyone set the pkg brake every time you park?

Why would you not do it? Once you're in the habit, it costs you a second or two a day.

It costs zero seconds on startup, as I release it while I'm waiting for the READY, and only a second to set it when I park. I never lose even a second of thought as to whether I should set it (because I'm on a "steep enough" hill), or forget to unset it (because sometimes it's set and sometimes not).

Personally, I'd rather have an almost zero wear on brake pads rather than having a ton of weight klunking gear-against-gear in a critical part of the car.

 

Good point, except that those gears are made to take a lot more load than that. Every time you drive, the same gears are taking that force and more. They are used for accelerating, braking, and simply moving the car. If you want to save them, your going to have to stop driving.

Tom

 

I set my parking brake only on hills.

If it is a really a significant safety issue, it seems the government should require it to automatically set when the car is placed in Park, and unset automatically when not in Park.

Relying on people to remember to always set and unset the parking brake manually is a losing cause. Some will remember, but most won't.

 

I consider the manual to be equal to the Tablets of Stone!!

 

In conventional cars with auto transmissions, there is a single tooth or pawl that locks the transmission when in park. If that pawl breaks, it's a transmission overhaul - thousands of $$.

I habitually use the parking brake, and on hills I make sure that the parking brake holds the vehicle by applying it first, releasing the foot brake, then putting the trans. in park.

 

I'd like to start by including a well respected members' signature quote:

It's a damn poor mind that can only think of one way to spell a word.
~Andrew Jackson

I have no idea who this kid is. To come here and read our boring old posts and even have the courage to respond... but rather than criticizing her/him over spelling I would like to commend her/him.

Bases on the "what you do for a living thread" this is either predominantly a group of Phd's and Masters level achievers or a group of wanna-be Phd's and Masters level achievers. Either way, the appearance of being educated is clearly important to this group and here this kid is, jumping right in!
Wow!
That takes some moxie. I'd be willing to bet money that there are more than a handful of lurkers around here too intimidated to post and yet this kid.....

On another note, it's common for TAG( Talented and Gifted) kids to not be able to spell at all. Bad spelling is often the first sign of genius.
(not saying this person is, just pointing out the possibility)
:focus:

 

One some vehicles including older GMs amd some Toyota's as well, the brake self adjusters were tied into the parking brake mechanism. If the parking brake was not used eventually the rear brakes would get so far out of adjustment they were no longer effective. Some cars depend on backing up and braking to set the self adjusters...as far as the Prius is concerned I don't know which system it uses for the self adjusters...anybody out there know the answer??

 

Drum-based rear brakes have self-adjusting mechanisms, but rear disc brakes do not. 2010 Priuses have rear disc brakes - older Priuses may have rear drums.

 

I was about to say that too. My first car was a used 1988 Pontiac Grand Prix. After about three years, I took it in for some brake issues and was told that the rear shoes were seized to the point of rusting solid. That's when I learned of the parking brake's role on that model. I've been in the habit of using it with every car since, regardless of the make.

I thought I'd get away without doing it on the Prius, but the car does enough of a roll after turning it off that I'm forcing myself to retrain the right-hand pull to be a left-foot press.  

 

I don't use it. But reading all this I'm going to begin doing so! I just wish it wasn't a foot break.

 

always use it, always have.

i went home for christmas circa 1987 and my mom had bought a used (rental) caddie. I took it to the mall for some Xmas shopping, and set the brake as i always do. When i finished shopping i could not for the life of me find the GD brake release lever. I looked and looked and looked some more. I finally consulted the manual and became acquainted with the "parking break releases as you put it in drive" innovation. i wasted a good 20 minutes.

 

Yes. Force of habit ... and so glad I do. I am now driving my 3rd Prius. The first Prius I had, 2005, was still a novelty and I can't tell you how many times I got into the car from the valet and found the car in drive, but the parking brake set ... whew! I taught both my boys to drive in my Prius and they sometimes forgot to hit the P hard enough when parking in the garage ... but they are in the habit of setting the parking brake ... another whew! Although I prefer the "cool" gear knob of my 2005 and 2007, it's much safer having P as part of the gear knob in the 2010. ---- My boys and I once watched a pickup truck, the driver parks it, exits the truck and proceeds to watch it roll down a hill, stop at one of those parking spot cement things which stopped the truck from rolling into the window of a below-ground apartment.

Setting the brake takes such little time ... and to you guys out there, it's really difficult for us girls to exit a car gracefully in heels when the car makes that "little roll" because you chose not to set the parking brake ...

 

P is still a separate button in the 2010 Prius, just like in your 2005 and 2007. It is not part of the gear knob.

 

You are right ... oops!

 

I always use the parking brake. Correct or not, it seems to me that using the parking brake would reduce pressure on the transmission to prevent the car from moving. Whether this will eventually cause wear or harm, I have no proof. I realize that parking on a flat surface greatly reduces chances of this happening.

 

I only set the parking brake when on a steep incline.

 

Insertion of this paragraph was insisted on by lawyers. ---Lawyers have to make a living too!

 

actually here in california when you take your drivers test if you dont put the emergency brake on they will fail you on that part...

 

I'm part of the 'always have, always will' crowd. One less thing to retrain my brain