Red Lightening

If not How do you stop the car in the event of main brake failure?

http://www.123driving.com/flhandbook...andbook5.shtml

jvp

Cars haven't been required to have an E-brake for a very, very long time. The fact that your hydraulic braking system is basically 2 in 1 allows the car to fall well within the requirements listed in the linked state laws. The parking brake on the C7 is just that: a parking brake.

Larry/car

if you read the operators manual, you will discover that the E-brake does double duty as an emergency brake. You got to read the manual with these new cars. My order has just been placed and I am already reading the manual, do a search, it is available all 360 pages worth.

2 Ag R8Cs

I tried it on my Volt the electronic button will stop the car

jvp

It can assuming there's full electrical connectivity available to the system. Historically, E-brakes were supposed to be purely mechanical in function so that they could react immediately to driver input without any electrical, hydraulic, or other aides.

That's no longer required. It's technically not an E-brake. It's a parking brake.

Take your toe-tapping graphic elsewhere, please.

ETA: My use of "E-brake" in this case is "Emergency-brake" versus "Electric-brake". Just for clarification.

speedlink

Absolutely agree! I don't understand the amount of questions I see that can be answered from the owners manual. I've been trying to spread the word for over three years to get people to read the manual.

They would discover things that they never would have thought about asking.

Scissors

The parking brake is meant only for parking and is effectively useless for emergencies.

The backup to your main brake is your main brake. Most don't know this, but the main braking system has separate circuits. So if one fails, the other is unaffected.

That said, it is possible to lose both circuits at once. In that case you can still slow down by engine braking, which is a more effective backup brake than the parking brake ever was.

If all else fails you have aerodynamic and rolling resistance to slow you down.

Edit: There's also park (if you have an automatic that allows you to shift into it while driving, and don't mind either grenading your transmission or locking up your wheels).

2 Ag R8Cs

I do not have the new C-7 yet but the E-brake on my Volt does work well. I am guessing the stopping distance will be 3 to 4 times longer than it would with 4 wheel brakes but it gets the job done as well as the old pull handle and it is better than nothing

Scissors

I have an e-brake in my Buick as well. I'll give that a try.

jschindler

If the owners manuals didn't have three pages of legal disclaimers for every page of actual information we might read them....well, not the REAL men.

Scissors

Owner's manuals are for people who leave their vehicles stock.

AORoads

I think it really depends on the car. I've had emergency "handbrake", emergency foot brake, etc. and some work in an emergency and some don't. I believe the reason for a name change is that most, or close to all don't work in an emergency. But I've also had brand new cars where the "parking" brake didn't work on even a level parking lot. I've had emergency hand brakes that didn't work and others that would effectively slow you by itself from highway speeds, or down a mountain side (first hand experience).

I also have (on an SUV) a foot-activated parking brake now, that will work on city streets to slow you without using the other brake pedal. It also works when parked on hills w. or without gear selection (can be in neutral and it won't roll). My C6 by comparison is somewhat unreliable---unless the hand brake is way pulled up, it could roll on the very slightest incline.

So, that's why I say, it depends. And it is your responsibility to test it out on your car before you need it, whether it's to park and hold, or slow you down while driving. It could be an emergency, parking or no-hold brake regardless of its configuration or activation by electronic, foot or hand.

michaelinmech

Electric Parking Brake
The vehicle has an Electric Parking
Brake (EPB). The switch is on the
center console. The EPB can
always be activated, even if the
ignition is off. To prevent draining
the battery, avoid repeated cycles of
the EPB when the engine is not
running.
The system has a red parking brake
status light and an amber parking
brake warning light. See Electric
Parking Brake Light on page 5-18
and Service Electric Parking Brake
Light on page 5-18. There are also
parking brake-related Driver
Information Center (DIC) messages.
See Brake System Messages on
page 5-31. In case of insufficient
electrical power, the EPB cannot be
applied or released.
Before leaving the vehicle, check
the red parking brake status light to
ensure that the parking brake is
applied.
EPB Apply
To apply the EPB:
1. Be sure the vehicle is at a
complete stop.
2. Lift up the EPB switch
momentarily.
The red parking brake status light
will flash and then stay on once the
EPB is fully applied. If the red
parking brake status light flashes
continuously, then the EPB is only
partially applied or there is a
problem with the EPB. A DIC
message will display. Release the
EPB and try to apply it again. If the
light does not come on, or keeps
flashing, have the vehicle serviced.
Do not drive the vehicle if the red
parking brake status light is flashing.
See your dealer. See Electric
Parking Brake Light on page 5-18.
If the amber parking brake warning
light is on, lift up on the EPB switch
and hold it up. Continue to hold the
switch until the red parking brake
status light remains on. If the amber
parking brake warning light remains
on, see your dealer.
If the EPB is applied while the
vehicle is moving, the vehicle will
decelerate as long as the switch is
held up. If the switch is held up until
the vehicle comes to a stop, the
EPB will remain applied.
The vehicle may automatically apply
the EPB in some situations when
the vehicle is not moving. This is
normal, and is done to periodically
check the correct operation of the
EPB system.

If the EPB fails to apply, the rear
wheels should be blocked to
prevent vehicle movement.
EPB Release
To release the EPB:
1. Place the ignition in the ACC/
ACCESSORY or ON/RUN
position.
2. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
3. Push down momentarily on the
EPB switch.
The EPB is released when the red
parking brake status light is off.
If the amber parking brake warning
light is on, release the EPB by
pushing down on the EPB switch
and holding it down. Continue to
hold the switch until the red parking
brake status light is off. If either light
stays on after release is attempted,
see your dealer.
{Caution
Driving with the parking brake on
can overheat the brake system
and cause premature wear or
damage to brake system parts.
Make sure that the parking brake
is fully released and the brake
warning light is off before driving.
Automatic EPB Release
The EPB will automatically release if
the vehicle is running, placed into
gear, and an attempt is made to
drive away. Avoid rapid acceleration
when the EPB is applied, to
preserve parking brake lining life.
The EPB can also be used to
prevent roll back for vehicles with a
manual transmission taking off on a
hill. When no roll back is desired, an
applied EPB will allow both feet to
be used for the clutch and
accelerator pedals in preparation for
starting the vehicle moving in the
intended direction. In this case,
there is no need to push the switch
to release the EPB.
Brake Assist
This vehicle has a brake assist
feature designed to assist the driver
in stopping or decreasing vehicle
speed in emergency driving
conditions. This feature
automatically uses the stability
system hydraulic brake control
module to supplement the power
brake system under conditions
where the driver has quickly and
forcefully applied the brake pedal in
an attempt to quickly stop or slow
down the vehicle. The stability
system hydraulic brake control
module increases brake pressure at
each corner of the vehicle until the
ABS activates. Minor brake pedal
pulsation or pedal movement during
this time is normal and the driver
should continue to apply the brake
pedal as the driving situation
dictates. The brake assist feature
will automatically disengage when
the brake pedal is released or brake
pedal pressure is quickly
decreased.

Slappy3243

Yes, according the manual you can hold up the brake switch and it will slow the car down gradually.

jschindler

And people wonder why we don't read the manual All that just to tell us how to use a "parking brake". Most people today would just text a friend while on the freeway to find out how to use it.

BlueOx

If I was desperate to stop, I'd just pull the darn button up!!!

michaelinmech

^ & downshift

SpryGeezer

The C6 parking brake doesn't offer much rolling resistance on the slightest grade and even less stopping resistance.

texvette2

All this new stuff. What was wrong with just pull a lever when
you needed the E-Brake.

What don't like about my X5. Has the electronic e brake.
Something got caught on it and activated on the console
while at a light. The SuV would not move. All this new
stuff is very sensitive to touch. So have to scan the
screens and bizillion warning lights to see what is wrong.

Same with electronic shifting. You lightly hit thing while going
down road, find yourself in neutral. Is the new stuff
really an advancement.

1500cc

The "park" pall won't engage if the vehicle's doing anything more than a slight roll. It'll just skip over and make a horrible ratcheting sound.