The emergency brake on your car is a useful component that can help protect your vehicle’s transmission, provide emergency assistance, and keep your vehicle in place when parked. But, knowing when to use it can be tricky. Here are a few situations when pulling the emergency brake makes sense.
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When parking your car (everywhere)
You’ve probably engaged the emergency or parking brake when you’re parking your car on a hill. But, that’s not the only time it can assist you when parking. Level ground is also an optimal location for using the emergency brake, especially when your car has a manual transmission.
“It reduces pressure on the clutch, transmission, parking pawl, and CV joints — and reduced pressure means reduced wear,” according to NAPA Online writer Benjamin Jerew.
Engaging the emergency brake in your everyday parking can also benefit your car’s automatic transmission.
When something goes wrong with your brakes
If your brakes fail, the emergency brake will be your best friend. Although the emergency brake may not immediately bring your vehicle to a stop, it will help you regain control, notes Jerew.
“If you can’t stop your car, slowly pull up on the emergency brake handle or press the pedal down to come to a complete stop,” advises Nationwide.com.
When changing out a flat tire
Changing a flat tire can be a challenging, dangerous chore, especially if you’re doing the procedure on the side of a busy road. It is so important to get to a safe place, turn on your hazards, and in addition to setting up cones or flares to signal to other drivers and placing wheel wedges appropriately, apply the parking or emergency brake when tending to your flat tire.
“Once stopped, always use the parking brake when preparing to replace a flat tire. This will minimize the possibility of your vehicle rolling,” according to Bridgestone Tire.com.
Using the emergency brake in these situations can help protect your vehicle’s components and safeguard your journey.
DeAnn Owens is a Dayton transplant by way of the Windy City, yet considers herself to be a California girl at heart even though she’s only visited there once. To get through the dreaded allergy season unique to the Miami Valley, she reads, writes, complains about the weather, and enjoys spending time with her husband, two sons, and their newest addition, a Boston terrier puppy that is now in charge of all their lives. In the future, she hopes to write a novel and travel through time. See more articles by DeAnn.