Parking foot break

Sounds like your parking brake needs adjustment, stretched cable

 

perhaps you didn't push down hard enough on the emergency brake? test it by applying different amounts of pressure. the car should not move with the gear in drive and lightly pressing the gas. if it does need adjustment, it shouldn't cost much, it's pretty simple. also, you should press the emergency brake first while keeping your right foot on the regular brake. slowly release your right foot to make sure the car doesn't roll, then press p and power down. all the best!

 

are you saying it's different than u.s.? ours have a ratchet, as you push down, you hear it click with each tooth.

 

Yup, you need to push it really to the bottom to engage it. I also forgot to disengage the foot parking brake one morning - and upon selecting drive and trying to move off - the car went.......nowhere!! However, I learned very quickly that if you don't apply the foot parking brake properly, the car starts to move before you disengage it - IF you'd accidentally selected drive.

 

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The parking brake on the French Prius is different to the US Prius. The US Prius uses the same brake shoes as the foot brake to operate, so pressing the foot brake while applying the parking brake does assist.
However the European Prius has separate disc/ drum rear brakes so the same does not apply. Discs for the foot brake and a small drum for the parking brake. The parking brake can be adjusted by removing the wheel and adjusting through a hole in the outside of the drum, (the US version is done through the backplate) do not adjust the cable!
Some lever movement is required in the drum to allow the auto adjusters to work. Tightening the cable pulls the levers past the ratchet adjuster stopping it working.
The European drums however are small and do require reasonable pressure on the parking brake to hold with any real effect.

John (Britprius)

 

Please read the above post before doing anything.

John (Britprius)

 

Its anything but binary. The more you push down the more it clicks the tighter the brake will hold. In the US the specification is you must be able to push it down all way and have between 6 to 9 clicks.

Anything less and the brake shoe may be dragging. Anything more and it may not be engaging all the way and not holding properly. In the U.S. the local dealer offers a $59.99 rear brake check up adjustment etc. Its one of the few things I have let the dealer do to my car as it was reasonable. However I doubt my e brake needed adjustment. But adjustment is rather easy. In the US there's a rod and adjustment nut found under the center console.

For comparison my excellent condition 60K mile 07 presents 9 clicks to fully engaged. The car will no go when my e brake is fully engaged.

 

I should have added that unless your in the habit of driving with with the parking brake on the European version should require less adjustment than it' US version.
This is because the drum under normal use will never be rotating when the shoes are in contact with it, where as the US version uses the same shoes for the foot brake, that by definition will ware each time they are used for slowing the vehicle.

John (Britprius)

 

If the pedal goes all the way to the floor the parking brakes need adjusting through the holes in the drums.

John (Britprius)

 

The EU version of the parking brake is not that powerful that it will not allow to move if you try to drive off with it engaged . You will notice it at low speed when you try to move if it is adjusted properly and applied firmly. There is a warning light on the dash to say that it is still engaged, but this is not very noticeable. I do not know why Toyota did not disable drive until the brake was disengaged to prevent people driving with the brake on accidentally.

There are spare fuses in the main fuse box under the bonnet and a small pair of white plastic pliers for removal and insertion.
In the UK I only carry two spare bulbs:-
A 6 watt wedge bulb for side lamps, number plate, and indicator side repeater.
A 21 watt wedge bulb for the indicators, rear fog lamp, and reversing light.

The stop lamps are LED and non replaceable on all gen2 Prius.
My headlamps and fog lamps are converted to HID.
In the UK at the moment it is not required that we carry a bulb kit, but if your country requires this you would need to add an H4 headlamp bulb to the two bulbs that I carry.
If your car has front fog lamps fitted I do not know if you are required carry spares as these cannot be fitted at the side of the road, as replacement requires the removal of the front bumper.

John (Britprius)

 

Crist-y.
I should have added do not try applying the parking brake while the car is moving at any speed. If the rear wheels lock when doing this you will loose control with a very strong possibility of the car spinning. The ABS and vehicle stability control systems will be overridden and will not help in this situation.

John (Britprius)

 

I know most of this has already been covered, be let me make a few main points:

- No it is definitely NOT binary. It is proportional to how far down you push the pedal.

- If you can press it all the way to the floor then it needs either adjustment or brake shoe replacement. Perhaps someone has previously driven with the park brake applied and worn out the shoes.

- To test the function of the park brake your should: 1. Stop on a hill - 2. Put the Prius into "N" - 3. Firmly apply the park brake - 4. Slowly release the regular foot brake and see if it holds.

Test on both uphill and downhill slopes, as the braking efficiency is not always symmetrical in the forward/reverse directions.

- Remember that the "P" button is a transmission lock. It is not a brake and shouldn't be confused with one.