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Stopping distance using only the parking brake?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by pasadena_commut, Mar 5, 2024.

  1. pasadena_commut

    pasadena_commut Senior Member

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    It crossed my mind that I had never tried to stop this car using just the parking brake, and that it might be a good idea to try it once before ever needing to do that in an emergency. So on a slight downhill slope (because the street in front of my house is like that) the car was accelerated to 20 mph, put in neutral, and then the parking brake depressed slightly, then released, and depressed again to be able to modulate it. There was some braking, but even standing on it hard braking was nothing to write home about. The car stopped eventually but the deceleration was very mild.

    Is this typical for these cars?

    That brake holds the car on a pretty steep grade (tested from time to time when visiting the local mall's parking structure, which has ramps at a convenient angle), but of course that is when the car isn't moving to start with, so not at all the same test.
     
    #1 pasadena_commut, Mar 5, 2024
  2. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

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    Three
    The distance varies. If the stopped car is two car lengths ahead of you, you stop when you hit him. Three car lengths ahead, then that is the distance.

    Your name says it all - it is a decent Parking Brake.
     
    #2 rjparker, Mar 5, 2024
    Last edited: Mar 5, 2024
  3. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    If you keep your rear shoes adjusted just right the parking brake is still somewhat unreasonable but a generation two should never be without breaks even with all the lights lit up and the beep on and all of that you have manual brakes of an old car without a brake booster on the firewall I've driven my car like this one of them now for 6 months as long as you know how it works the braking is not really that bad I've driven it around in the city on the highway pretty much everywhere it's like my daily driver right now and I just fixed the brake actuator day before yesterday but I've been driving this car and I've determined just by driving this car that the Prius can not not stop You will have some kind of pedal breaking pretty much no matter what goes on let somebody steals the break actuator from under the hood leaving the lines completely undone. I've had breaking period. I have not been able to figure out how the pedal would not work or could be made to simulate a non-working condition with that brake or backup thing back there in the back of the car near the battery that has something to do with the breaking I think and all the plumbing and what have you The Prius is always going to have pedal breaking of some sort. So somebody knows different please let me know We can't seem to find how that would work.
     
    #3 Tombukt2, Mar 5, 2024
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