Are You Parking Your Car Wrong? [POLL]
Every car comes standard with one, but there seems to be disagreement as to what it's for and when to use it. The parking brake seems to cause some of the most debate between drivers and mechanics alike.
I always engage my parking brake no matter where or how I park. If I'm getting out of the car, I set the parking brake. On a hill, on a flat street or in my driveway, the parking brake goes on.
Many say it isn't necessary, but I feel it can't hurt, can it? I don't like that feeling of the car rolling that slight little bit when you take your foot of the main brake and honestly it's a habit I've had ever since my first car which was a manual shift.
Depending on who you ask, you'll get different answers on whether or not you should use your parking brake when you park your vehicle. NAPA's Know How Blog says it's a good habit to always use your parking brake (also called an emergency brake), even if you aren't parking on a hill.
Using the emergency brake regularly when you park, even if you drive an automatic, also has a secondary benefit: It keeps the cables and levers moving. Most often found on automatic-transmission vehicles, unused cables and levers tend to oxidize and seize in place. If a real emergency comes up, you’ll be glad you kept those cables in motion.
Despite a quick Google search showing most experts recommending you always use the parking brake, Lori's mechanic told her never to use it unless she needed to. Something about wear and tear. Other's I've talked to have said that it's redundant, because the transmission is designed to hold the car in place when you put it in park.
The debate goes on, but what do you think? Do you use your parking brake on a regular basis?