Electronic Parking Brakes- Long Term Reliability?

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Both our new cars have the push button electric parking brakes. One in wife's car will last forever because she never uses a parking brake, even if on a hill just let that parking pawl jam tight in the auto trans who cares (we've had the discussion, I lost). Actually I guess it could corrode into the unactivated position. Anyhow, what about general relaibility of these relatively new complications of a previously simple system? Will I hit the button some day to remove the parking brake in my truck and nothing happens? Will the fuse be okay and some arcane actuator failure took over or whatever?

This is my luddite post for the day ...
 
Was the previous system that simple? Cables and levers that could rust or stretch.

I like the e-brake. It frees up more room in the center.
 
How long have they been out? Failure modes can take 5 or more years to establish themselves. By which time, if the failure is widespread, could relegate the failure to a minor nuisance. For instance, old school light bulbs (headlight or marker)--annoying when they fail, cheap and fast to replace (usually).

Personally I don't want an e-brake. I'm not sure how I could snap the car around in the snow...
 
I'm sure it depends on the manufacturer. I have a 12 year old Audi and the electronic brake works fine.
 
Only time will tell.
It's like Power Steering having an Electric Motor (no more pump & fluid).

Airplanes have gotten away from cables / now it's fly-by-wire.

But like anything, flaws in design will be corrected.
 
Going 8 years on Tiguan, set up to automatically activate every time seatbelt is unbuckled. Autohold mode always on. Never had an issue.
 
Originally Posted by PimTac
Was the previous system that simple? Cables and levers that could rust or stretch.

I like the e-brake. It frees up more room in the center.


Ya. And I wouldn't have to worry about my wife stretching the @#$@# out of the cable as she yanks the lever as high as she can get it.
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as far as reliability its not much worse than the old cable and lever system IMO.. after 10 years those can get crunchy in the salt belt.

I do prefer the old kind (2020 elantra has it). but its not a dealbreaker.
 
No thanks. I've seen what it takes to replace the rear pads on a car equipped with an electronic parking brake.
 
Originally Posted by Pew
No thanks. I've seen what it takes to replace the rear pads on a car equipped with an electronic parking brake.


Not all cars are complex, the trouble is they tend to hang up a LOT more and require more maintenance, I really wish My one car didn't have them.
 
Originally Posted by Pew
No thanks. I've seen what it takes to replace the rear pads on a car equipped with an electronic parking brake.


well on my jeep you press the retract parking brake for service button.. and proceed as normal.
 
Originally Posted by Pew
No thanks. I've seen what it takes to replace the rear pads on a car equipped with an electronic parking brake.

It depends on the car. The rear brakes on my AMG were easier than the fronts...two bolts and less than 5 minutes.
 
Do not want. Higher complexity with higher repair cost.

They salt our roads plenty here and I have no particular problems with manual parking brakes, but I do use them and suspect it helps to keep them moving freely, as well as scrubbing rust off when it's separate surface on a rotor rather than drum.
 
Originally Posted by 2015_PSD
Originally Posted by Pew
No thanks. I've seen what it takes to replace the rear pads on a car equipped with an electronic parking brake.

It depends on the car. The rear brakes on my AMG were easier than the fronts...two bolts and less than 5 minutes.


Lucky, this was on a audi A4 so could imagine how well that went
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If the electronic parking brake module is closer to the rear axle, its cables will be shorter and loop less, which could increase reliability!

I wonder about "manual override", if there's an allen head on it one can put a long extension into to manually crank it. They'd have to set it up so you weren't under the car, of course, so it wouldn't roll over you.
 
The funny thing is that most of you guys reading this drive a vehicle with an automatic transmission and never use the parking brake.
 
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