How bad is it to raise the handbrake without stepping on the brakes? I have a friend that does this in everyone of my clique's cars, I swear. He always calls shotgun and when the car is parked/stopped he just plays with the handbrake up and down up and down.

Also on the topic how bad is it not to hold down the button? You can pull up the handbrake and the BRAKE light will turn on by just pulling the lever up...

 

First thing: with respect, your friend is an idiot, and should be walking.

Second thing: The e-brake is a manual backup for the regular hydraulic system, and it also acts as a parking brake. Simply put, it is a mechanical lever-and-wire system that when pulled, brings the brake shoes in contact with the drum. It should be used regularly to avoid a build-up of rust. The cable should also be regularly inspected for corrosion and adjusted, as the cable will stretch over time with regular use.

You should treat all of your belongings with care and respect. The e-brake should be applied slowly in all normal driving situations. Yanking on it, wears out and stretches that cable, increasing the risk of breaking something. The button is simply a release for the ratchet locking mechanism, after the e-brake has been engaged. You do not have to push the button when lifting the lever.

 

Well thought out and complete!

 

Buy this guy a Rubik's cube or a Game Boy, for Pete's sake! Doesn't anyone ever just slap his hand??? He could do something else with his hands like sit on them! I don't think he's doing any real harm, but it would drive me NUTS and would ensure that he didn't ride with me any more. It's kind of like vandalism to mess with parts of someone else's car. Maybe get a quote to replace the hand brake and tell him he needs to put that amount on deposit so the first person's brake he ruins can replace it.

 

duck tape dat foo!

 

HAHAHA LOVE ALL THE REPLIES THANKS GUYS. Now knowing you don't need to push the button when raising the handbrake, what about when you're not stepping down on the brakes? :O What kind of damage (if any) is done?

 

You don't have to step on the brakes to apply the e-brake...

For me, it's just a habit so the car doesn't move... apply brakes, put car into park, engage e-brake, release foot brake.

 

Haha that's how it is for me then, never even considered the possibility that you didn't have to step on the brakes.

 

if your not moving its not bad.... i wouldnt let him play with my e-break tho.... just cuz that stuff annoys me... i agree with the posts above as to it may streatch the cable prematurely but other than that no real harm... but if he did it while moving thats obviously dangerous.... maybe he wishes he was drifting? lol and as for him calling shotgun.... if u google the game of shotgun, you will find extensive rules on the game... i belive it states the driver or owner of the car may under any circumstances over rule the winner and decide not to allow him or her the privelege.... might consider that one lol

 

As long as the transmission isn't in neutral (it should be in one of the manual gears or in park for an A/T), it shouldn't cause any damage outside the potential brake mechanism issues previously noted unless you're on a hill. Some automatics (if you have one) can be difficult to get out of park if the weight of the car is allowed to rest on the parking cowl on a hill. Even in this situation, it shouldn't cause physical damage, just your psyche because of the loud clunk and lurch the car will take when you go to shift out of park.

If you're in neutral while he's playing with the brake, you could roll forward or backward into whatever is nearby.

On a steep hill with an MT, the car could drift even when in gear since the weight of the vehicle could provide enough torque to turn the engine.

 

Actually, the nintendo DS is the way to go. comes in most of the fits colors. (I parttime at gamestop)

Best advice for anything! Second best advice is to throw rocks.