Parking brake not releasing when shifting out of Park

[Joseph Spiegel]

I seem to be having my first major mechanical issue. When I start the car (2018, GT2, RWD, 10k miles) and put the car in Reverse, the Parking Brake stays engaged. It is intermittent so I can’t recreate it on demand. I’ve taken to trying to remember to video the dashboard every time but I don’t always remember to do that. It does it when I forget. I’ll say it will do it once every 20 times or so. It’s done it when going to Reverse or Drive, depending how I’m parked. It’s only done it on a flat surface, so far. Not too hilly by me. I searched and can’t find this exact issue, or at least I can’t find it. Link me if you find it, please. Putting the car back in Park and redoing the shift fixes it, always as I try videoing at that time and nope.

 

[Crccobra]

I seem to be having my first major mechanical issue. When I start the car (2018, GT2, RWD, 10k miles) and put the car in Reverse, the Parking Brake stays engaged. It is intermittent so I can’t recreate it on demand. I’ve taken to trying to remember to video the dashboard every time but I don’t always remember to do that. It does it when I forget. I’ll say it will do it once every 20 times or so. It’s done it when going to Reverse or Drive, depending how I’m parked. It’s only done it on a flat surface, so far. Not too hilly by me. I searched and can’t find this exact issue, or at least I can’t find it. Link me if you find it, please. Putting the car back in Park and redoing the shift fixes it, always as I try videoing at that time and nope.

I have the same scenario with my 2018 GT2, RWD.

 

[MerlintheMad]

But, when you apply throttle to drive off, the parking brake disengages then? Drive or Reverse, it disengages, right? You are observing the PB icon staying on when you shift out of "P". That, at a ratio of 1/20, is not, imho, a "major mechanical issue". But to OC people (I know about this) any change that is something that isn't supposed to happen, feels major. Perspective helps calm us down. As long as the PB is disengaging when you press the throttle, it's all good: a balky PB icon is just an annoying, minor glitch: bound to happen with this or that feature on complex, modern cars. I doubt that even super cars are immune.

 

[CKeeler]

I doubt that even super cars are immune.

Super cars have even more problems. Lol

 

[Crccobra]

But, when you apply throttle to drive off, the parking brake disengages then? Drive or Reverse, it disengages, right? You are observing the PB icon staying on when you shift out of "P". That, at a ratio of 1/20, is not, imho, a "major mechanical issue". But to OC people (I know about this) any change that is something that isn't supposed to happen, feels major. Perspective helps calm us down. As long as the PB is disengaging when you press the throttle, it's all good: a balky PB icon is just an annoying, minor glitch: bound to happen with this or that feature on complex, modern cars. I doubt that even super cars are immune.

It's not just the light staying on it is clearly stuck in park until you give it gas. It kind of jumps out of park, like launch control.

 

[Joseph Spiegel]

But, when you apply throttle to drive off, the parking brake disengages then? Drive or Reverse, it disengages, right? You are observing the PB icon staying on when you shift out of "P". That, at a ratio of 1/20, is not, imho, a "major mechanical issue". But to OC people (I know about this) any change that is something that isn't supposed to happen, feels major. Perspective helps calm us down. As long as the PB is disengaging when you press the throttle, it's all good: a balky PB icon is just an annoying, minor glitch: bound to happen with this or that feature on complex, modern cars. I doubt that even super cars are immune.

I wouldn’t chance that. When I lift my foot off the brake the PB is still gripping hard. I wouldn’t want to take a chance and damage it. Technically when I’m off the main brake gas is being applied. It’s gripping. The light is working perfectly. The PB is applied.

 

[CKeeler]

I wonder if the auto hold is staying engaged

 

[Joseph Spiegel]

I wonder if the auto hold is staying engaged

I don’t use it very often. So, no. The vast majority of the time it’s off. Now if that’s a cross referencing problem. Maybe. But the parking light is reporting the truth, the brake is engaged.

 

[MerlintheMad]

It's not just the light staying on it is clearly stuck in park until you give it gas. It kind of jumps out of park, like launch control.

"Like" LC, is surely an exaggeration?! You'd crash the damned thing reversing in LC.

Like I said, you give it gas, and THEN it disengaged the PB; instead of calmly, smoothly, agreeably disengaging when you merely shift to "R" or "D". It isn't just doing that (1/20 times), it is making you give it gas to release. That is a mechanical flaw, alright. Probably something starting to go south, but not really serious, yet. Definitely take it in and get them to check the brakes, or rather the electronic parking brake system. Probably the PB sensor (it has to have a sensor to "know" when to release the PB) is failing.

I wonder if the auto hold is staying engaged

I don’t use it very often. So, no. The vast majority of the time it’s off. Now if that’s a cross referencing problem. Maybe. But the parking light is reporting the truth, the brake is engaged.

Auto Hold uses the regular brakes; the PB is a separate drum on the inside of the disc; so, no connection with this problem.

 

[Joseph Spiegel]

I uploaded the best video I have so far. I started filming after the brake didn’t disengage. I’m keeping on trying to capture the entire sequence as evidence. I don’t want guff from the dealer.

 

[Crccobra]

"Like" LC, is surely an exaggeration?! You'd crash the damned thing reversing in LC.

Like I said, you give it gas, and THEN it disengaged the PB; instead of calmly, smoothly, agreeably disengaging when you merely shift to "R" or "D". It isn't just doing that (1/20 times), it is making you give it gas to release. That is a mechanical flaw, alright. Probably something starting to go south, but not really serious, yet. Definitely take it in and get them to check the brakes, or rather the electronic parking brake system. Probably the PB sensor (it has to have a sensor to "know" when to release the PB)
Auto Hold uses the regular brakes; the PB is a separate drum on the inside of the disc; so, no connection with this problem.

Yes it was a exaggeration to make a point, the brake is clearly engaged, it's not just the light.

 

[MerlintheMad]

I uploaded the best video I have so far. I started filming after the brake didn’t disengage. I’m keeping on trying to capture the entire sequence as evidence. I don’t want guff from the dealer.

That's pretty clear. I doubt you need a better video. Getting more than one instance won't hurt, of course.

 

[nhcowboy28]

Forgive the question, but you guys have your seat belt on?

 

[Crccobra]

Forgive the question, but you guys have your seat belt on?

Funny you ask that because that's the way it acts even though I have my seatbelt on. By the way that feature sucks.

 

[STINGER]

I have the same problem, I just disengage it manually when it happens, no biggy.

 

[BlaydeX15]

Has happened to me twice. I usually back out at a roll, and was confused when I didn't roll.

In my experience both times I was in a major hurry in the cold, shifted out of park before the car had even finished starting up (cold start is hella slow sometimes). Try that as part of your testing? Just hit start and shift immediately and see what it does.

 

[Waynerm002]

According to the manual:

To release EPB (electronic parking brake) automatically: • Shift lever in P (Park) With the engine running depress the brake pedal and shift out of P (Park) to R (Reverse) or D (Drive). • Shift lever in N (Neutral) With the engine running depress the brake pedal and shift out of N (Neutral) to R (Reverse) or D (Drive). • Automatic Transmission 1. Close the driver's door, engine hood and liftgate. 2. Fasten the driver's seat belt. 3. Start the engine. 4. Depress the accelerator pedal while the shift lever is in R (Reverse)

Now, as someone that have had other cars with this system (Volvo in recent memory), it releases once put in gear. I think my Optima releases within a couple of seconds after putting it in Drive, I know on the Stinger I put it in Drive then start driving. If it doesn't release, just drive off or press the EPB lever down, it releases, then drive off. If you depress the switch and it doesn't release, then I would say you have an issue.

 

[MerlintheMad]

If it doesn't release, just drive off or press the EPB (Electronic Parking Brake) (Electronic Parking Brake) lever down, it releases, then drive off. If you depress the switch and it doesn't release, then I would say you have an issue.

Just pushing down on the EPB lever won't release it. You have to have your foot on the brake pedal first.

 

[Joseph Spiegel]

Forgive the question, but you guys have your seat belt on?

Always.

 

[white03]

Just pushing down on the EPB (Electronic Parking Brake) lever won't release it. You have to have your foot on the brake pedal first.

Thank you, saves me time reading the manual