Auto Parking brake causing issues off road

[Solfive]

So tell me about the failure to disengage and what you did to resolve.

I was just parking in a flat parking lot near my home. No off-roading, no 4 wheel drive etc, just normal street driving. I was pulling slowly into a spot and as I started to apply pedal pressure I abruptly came to a stop. When I tried to creep the rest of the way forward the brakes were locked. I turned it on and off a few times, tried the release lever, tried applying the gas pedal to disengage, disconnected the battery…all to no avail. I was in danger of missing a job interview so I left it for a few hours and when I came back to call a tow truck I tried a couple more times to get the lever to work which again didnt work. So I tried to override it with the accelerator and finally it disengaged. I was fortunate to not be off-road like you were. So far I’ve gotten shrugs from the dealer even though I got an on screen “brake system fault” warning. I know it’s not exactly like your situation but I figure the more we document similar occurrences and keep these threads alive the more likely it may end up being helpful for others.

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[Big Pony]

The steps should be:
1. Apply foot brake.
2. Shift into neutral
3. Set park brake
4. release foot brake (let the weight settle).
5. apply foot brake (won't be able to shift without doing so) and shift into park.

Using the parking brake as a habit, will prevent premature wear/tear to the parking pawl.

I was not aware of the parking brake being set automatically on steep grades.

This 100%. The sequence is a transmission saver for sure. This is how I engage the parking brake on all my vehicles. It is particularly necessary on vehicles equipped with electric parking/emergency brake and those with the push pedal type. If you’ve ever experienced hearing a loud clunking noise when shifting from park to reverse or drive on an AT transmission and it made you cringe, this is probably the reason; not properly engaging the parking brake or failing to engage it at all.

 

[NHPoke]

The steps should be:
1. Apply foot brake.
2. Shift into neutral
3. Set park brake
4. release foot brake (let the weight settle).
5. apply foot brake (won't be able to shift without doing so) and shift into park.

Using the parking brake as a habit, will prevent premature wear/tear to the parking pawl.

I was not aware of the parking brake being set automatically on steep grades.

At BOR NH they teach switching steps 2 and 3, but either way works.

Making sure that the parking brake is set, and taking load off the parking pawl is accomplished either way.

In the category of being technically correct, you actually can shift from neutral to park without putting your foot on the brake. You shouldn't, but you can, technically.

I've also never experienced the parking brake being set automatically. I have used hill start assist, but that's different than the parking brake.

 

[da_jokker]

Oops....I never follow that procedure. Instead, I noticed that when applying the parking brake, you have to wait until it stops flashing...only at that point are they actually on.

So I ...

1) press brake pedal
2) shift to park
3) lift parking brake
4) wait until it stops flashing to release pedal

No settling at all.

I'll have to try the neutral method, but it's going to be hard breaking decades of habit.

 

[Scott R Nelson]

1) press brake pedal
2) shift to park
3) lift parking brake
4) wait until it stops flashing to release pedal

No settling at all.

I'll have to try the neutral method, but it's going to be hard breaking decades of habit.

Your method leaves some pressure on the transmission pawl that holds it in park. The whole point of setting the brake and being in neutral (in whichever order), letting it settle, THEN going to park is that you have no pressure on the pawl.

It doesn't really matter when you're parked someplace flat - which is most of the time for most of us - but it makes a big difference when you're on a hill. So doing 2 before 3 causes more wear.

 

[RallyGorgo]

To reply to Tricky Mike, I have a BL manual and it does have a “hill holder” feature that engages the parking brake when you stop on an incline. I’ve noticed it on pavement but haven’t “yet” gone off-road to see how it works. To be honest, the parking brake is one thing that I’d make manual if I was changing the rear axle. The switch for the parking brake is in an awful location. And, now that I’ve had it for a couple thousand miles, the overabundance of electric/electronic “features” on this vehicle makes me nervous if they fail out in the woods.

 

[Ford Motor Company]

While traveling moderate to rough trails (steep, washed out , rocky) trails in Arizona this past week I experienced the parking brake sticking on after auto applying on a steep grade when shifted to park. The owners manual states the brake will apply when shifted to park on a steep grade, then will release manually or automatically when back in gear. The problem is it would not disengage on two occasions. Miles back in, rough country at night, not good.

Both times I was in low range in steep terrain, placed the Bronco in Park to scout the route, was unaware, but the Bronco also set the parking brake. The first time I really didn't know what was happening, by the second time I figured it out. I had to power through the brake, the obstacle and the steepness, it was about all the Bronco could do. The Bronco did not auto disengage as it should and , once I figured out what was going on, would not manually disengage. I powered through to a leveler spot, the first time it disengaged right away, the second it took about 10 minutes with on off cycles, every brake related warning light in the book, hood popping and owners manual reading then just magically released itself.

My question is, has anyone else experienced this and is there a work around? Do any of our Ford service friends @flip @Ducati1098 or @RagnarKon have an answer? Both times I was unaware the brake had set, I did not try to manually disengage until after I noticed the problem, I wonder if that would have worked?

Hi there! I can look into your Bronco's brake concern on my end. To get started, could you please send a private message over with the name/location of your local Ford dealer and your Bronco's VIN?

 

[dgorsett]

Idk if anyone's following any more, but I did a test today. Operating in 4L on a very steep embankment. The brake did not auto set when shifted to park and released fine manually and when driven forward or back if manually set. It seems my experience in AZ may have been a dream.

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