Electric parking brake - part 2.

[Ozzie Osmond]

Electric parking brake in new Boxster is the devil's work. To activate the parking brake you have to lean forward from the driving seat and fumble unnder the dashboard. When I first saw the demonstrator I said "Why on eath isn't that on the centre console where the handbrake used to be? Then you could use it properly. It won't be long before someone's designed a modification to move that switch. It's rubbish where it is".

Today my Boxster is at the dealer for minor work and they've lent me a VW Passat with electric parking brake.

But what's this? Electric parking brake switch on the centre console! So you can actually use it conveniently!

What were they thinking with the Boxster...

Anyway, first person to come up with a decent modification to move the switch gets a prize from me!
With fairly standardised VAG switchgear it surely can't be difficult to juggle something together.

[Actus Reus]

Drill a hole in the switch, poke a bent coat hanger through it, and then pull on that. Much better.

[SFO]

activating parking brake is a small push of the switch not far from the ignition .. how often do you activate?

if you have your seat belt on, the electric parking brakes automatically disengages as you pull away.

it works really well for me

[Ozzie Osmond]

Actus Reus said:

Drill a hole in the switch, poke a bent coat hanger through it, and then pull on that. Much better.

I think you might be onto something!

[mankey]

What about another aspect of electric brakes; people holding the foot brake when they come to a halt at lights instead of using the handbrake.

I don't have particularly sensitive eyesight but find it so annoying when the car in front lights up your windscreen.

Anyway loads of people do it, just because they're so lazy. Bah !!!

[Ady128]

mankey said:

What about another aspect of electric brakes; people holding the foot brake when they come to a halt at lights instead of using the handbrake.

I don't have particularly sensitive eyesight but find it so annoying when the car in front lights up your windscreen.

Anyway loads of people do it, just because they're so lazy. Bah !!!

It'll be due to automatic cars. I can't be bothered putting my car in neutral.

[MrTickle]

Ady128 said:

It'll be due to automatic cars. I can't be bothered putting my car in neutral.

Can't you put a handbrake on when in Drive then?

[mankey]

MrTickle said:

Can't you put a handbrake on when in Drive then?

Precisely. My car's an automatic, I seem to be able to to put the handbrake on.

[cd1957]

Hi the reason the handbrake switch is not on the centre console is that it can be mistaken for an electric window switch and activated whilst driving,it happened to a friend at 70mph it tried to lock the rear wheels on!!!!!
Chris

[randlemarcus]

cd1957 said:

Hi the reason the handbrake switch is not on the centre console is that it can be mistaken for an electric window switch and activated whilst driving,it happened to a friend at 70mph it tried to lock the rear wheels on!!!!!
Chris

On the assumption that a button is slightly less than useful for practising your Scandinavian Flicks in McDonalds, why not add a line of code to the bit that says "if seatbelt engaged, release brake on accleration" that prevents idiots doing... oh, wait, that might be quite an exhaustive list

[MrTickle]

cd1957 said:

Hi the reason the handbrake switch is not on the centre console is that it can be mistaken for an electric window switch and activated whilst driving,it happened to a friend at 70mph it tried to lock the rear wheels on!!!!!
Chris

That must be why all these VW and Audi keep flying off the motorway all over the place. Passats, A6, A7, A8, Phaetons all have central console parking brake switches.

[Ian_UK1]

Ozzie Osmond said:

Anyway, first person to come up with a decent modification to move the switch gets a prize from me!

Hmmmm... how about replacing it with a mechanical lever that can't be mistaken for anything but a handbrake (so can be positioned in the centre console) is easy to operate, failsafe, cheap to manufacture and totally fit for purpose?




Nah... would never catch-on!

[BnB]

Can't see any problem with it at all. Works perfectly well. I find the button easy to locate "blind", simple to activate and impossible to trigger inadvertently (hence location away from centre console).

What's more, the change makes for less clutter in the centre console and, crucially, removes an obstruction which otherwise might prevent Mrs BnB from leaning across to make occasional, er...., vital equipment checks

What's not to like?

[MrTickle]

BnB said:

What's more, the change makes for less clutter in the centre console and, crucially, removes an obstruction which otherwise might prevent Mrs BnB from leaning across to make occasional, er...., vital equipment checks

What's not to like?