After getting my car serviced, the mechanic put the parking brake on when giving me the car. I rarely set the parking brake, so I didn't even think to check it before driving off. After going about 2-3 miles, I just glanced and saw the "Brake" light on when I was stopped at a stop light. So I disengaged the brake then. When I got home, I noticed this not so pleasant smell coming from the car, which I imagine has to be because of driving with the parking brake on. 1. The 2006 Prius doesn't make a warning sound when you try to drive with the parking brake on, right? Mine sure didn't. 2. Is it recommended that I now go get the parking brake checked after driving those 2-3 miles with it on? 3. I see the word emergency brake and parking brake used in these forums. They are interchangeable on the 2006 Prius, correct?
Wow, that's pretty hard to do. You really have to put your foot into it to make a Prius move with the parking brake engaged. I've tried it on several occasions and never moved. I just sat there and said "what the hell...?" and then realized the brake was on. The parking brake and emergency brake are the same thing: a cable that manually applies the rear drum brakes. You may have glazed the brakes, so it wouldn't hurt to have them inspected. On the other hand, the rear brakes on a Prius are not used very much, so you might wait until you go in for service. They are probably fine. Tom
The brakes are fine. People drive 2-3 miles with the brake on all the time. Ever drive down a mountain road? Does the parking brake still work? If it does I would not give it a second thought.
Where I live, a test of the parking brake / emergency brake is a part of the yearly inspection for cars older than 3 years. If that part of the car isn't good enough to pass, a few miles with it engaged can get you through (you just have to be lucky enough to not have to wait to long in line as it'll cool down the brakes). 2-3 miles with them engaged is not too bad. If you didn't notice them being applied when you drove off, chances are the mechanic didn't press the pedal down far enough to really apply the emergency brake.
FYI, when I did this in my 2010, the car beeped at me till I found the problem. I was also able to drive, so perhaps I hadn't mashed it down all the way.
I think mine beeped also. I try not to use it unless I am parked on an incline. Like I never did that! Not!
Well the smell is the same smell you get from panic braking or if you drive down a mountain road. It's you brake pad material burning. No need to panic, you have just shortened the life of your brake pads. Given only 2-3 miles probably at city driving speeds, you misadventure is probably about a couple of weeks worth of normal braking. Don't do it again. The parking brake is just a mechanical (usually cable) link to the brake pads, it is separate from the hydraulic system. So engaging the parking brake is the same as lightly holding on to the brake peddle. 1. Cars generally don't sound an alarm when the parking brake is on. 2. No really, unless your brakes feel funny now. 3. Yes they are the same. In a hydraulic failure of the brakes, it is recommended you use your parking brake to try to slow your vehicle.
Probably there is no damage or pad glaze on the rear brakes, but if the thought is going to cost you sleep, then have the drums pulled and inspected.
Just use it occasionally to keep it in working order! I never use them since my VW beatle's froze on years ago. My Dodge Dakota wouldn't pass inspection as the emergency brake rusted out (okay so was the frame!).
The car WILL beep constantly if you drive with the parking brake on. It's not very loud, perhaps other noises drowned it out. Test it and see. 2-3 miles isn't going to hurt the brakes. Probably cleaned them off nicely. BTW, it's a parking brake, not an emergency brake. It's not easy to use in an emergency, and you can't modulate the parking brake. It's on/off, so it's a parking brake. I use mine -every time- I stop and shut the car off. It's a good habit to get into. They don't "freeze on" or anything like that. Pearl is used in what we could call "extreme environmental conditions" and the parking brake works well here, so it should be reliable just about anywhere.
It's a parking brake because it should be used every time the car is parked. Besides increasing safety, always using it has the side effect of putting the driver into the habit of always releasing it before driving away, which prevents incidents like driving 2 or 3 miles with the parking brake on.
