Minor parking brake issue?

[ReintjeWA]

Scary, however I do think you need a neutral “gear” for the car to be able to roll freely, for instance for towing.

I can appreciate hindsight is 20/20 but perhaps hitting the brakes is a safer option when something unexpected occurs.

I’ve had it happen where I thought the car was in drive and actually remained in neutral, but thankfully nothing serious came of it at the time.

 

[bobs2293]

I’ve never operated the handbrake switch.

Never any need.


Just leave it alone.

 

[Kenno]

I have done the same after reversing back (handbrake off automatically) and then putting it in drive. Except I obviously didn't turn it all the way and found myself going forward down a slight hill in neutral. Not a dangerous place in that case, but I do look down and check D is lit these days, which I find easier than checking the screen.

 

[Chrisdriving]

Thanks for sharing but as you say, this is not a fault of the car it is user error, the R N D illuminates and is shown on the screen.
In your situation just release handbrake and clear neighbours car in N then select D to move off.

 

[bobs2293]

Are people physically using the handbrake switch?

 

[Alecfrank]

I have done the same after reversing back (handbrake off automatically) and then putting it in drive. Except I obviously didn't turn it all the way and found myself going forward down a slight hill in neutral. Not a dangerous place in that case, but I do look down and check D is lit these days, which I find easier than checking the screen.

Agree, I check at least 3 times now!

 

[ReintjeWA]

Are people physically using the handbrake switch?

I've used it once when the car for whatever reason didn't want to disengage the parking brake whilst in D. And I've used it once to test the emergency function.

Post in thread 'Using the electronic parking brake or the P button whilst driving at speed??'

Aug 16, 2025

Here is the dashcam footage, I did 60 kph and 80 kph apparently. During the second one you can hear some clicking/thumping noises which is the ABS activating. And as you can see the car takes off again as soon as the EPB button is released.

MG4 EPB activation at speed

MG4 EPB activation at speed

www.veed.io

• ReintjeWA

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[Alecfrank]

Scary, however I do think you need a neutral “gear” for the car to be able to roll freely, for instance for towing.

I can appreciate hindsight is 20/20 but perhaps hitting the brakes is a safer option when something unexpected occurs.

I’ve had it happen where I thought the car was in drive and actually remained in neutral, but thankfully nothing serious came of it at the time.

I mounted

I’ve never operated the handbrake switch.

Never any need.


Just leave it alone.

I would, if I could, but the natural inertia created by the bank, then the right foot pressure needed to release the brake, with a car 3 foot in front of you makes it impossible. but I shared this to make folks aware.

Scary, however I do think you need a neutral “gear” for the car to be able to roll freely, for instance for towing.

I can appreciate hindsight is 20/20 but perhaps hitting the brakes is a safer option when something unexpected occurs.

I’ve had it happen where I thought the car was in drive and actually remained in neutral, but thankfully nothing serious came of it at the time.

yep I got away with it, the road i pulled onto was a 60 MPH single road, and the car that was a good way, away, got to me darn quick! I went to the verge in case he had to overtake, but BIG lesson learnt

I have done the same after reversing back (handbrake off automatically) and then putting it in drive. Except I obviously didn't turn it all the way and found myself going forward down a slight hill in neutral. Not a dangerous place in that case, but I do look down and check D is lit these days, which I find easier than checking the screen.

same here now, big lesson learnt, and I got away with that lesson.

Are people physically using the handbrake switch?

I do, but only when pulling out on the bank outside the house, because the natural inertia created by the bank, then the right foot pressure needed to release the brake, with a car 3 foot in front of you makes it impossible. but I shared this to make folks aware.

 

[dsr]

Are people physically using the handbrake switch?

I use it at traffic lights or a junction, when dark, to avoid blinding a driver behind me.

 

[gary333]

I use it at traffic lights or a junction, when dark, to avoid blinding a driver behind me.

I pretty sure they mean using to release the handbrake when setting off, not when stopping

 

[Alecfrank]

My normal exiting the driveway is as follows : get in car , let the system boot up whilst fastening seatbelt, Press brake and put into neutral ( the parking brake auto disengages? ) let it roll backwards down the hill controlling the speed with the footbrake. Swing into the road , brake ,D , go. Sometimes when putting into neutral you need to manually disengage the handbrake? before rolling back. I would have thought the second method is the correct "safer " way of operation, why would anyone want the "handbrake" automatically disengaging when in neutral, especially on a hill. Putting it in D or R from P always auto disengages the parking brake as it should. Any one found similar issues or has any thoughts on this peculiarity?

I live on an incline, so the brake does not auto disengage, so i suppose you may have the same incline issue, as it would appear to be by design?

 

[OriginalBigAl]

The issue, not that it really is ,if you half expect it, is, ... sometimes it auto disengages the handbrake and sometimes it does not, when engaging neutral. This is when facing slightly uphill, whether its the same for facing downhill , I don't know, or rather I haven't done it enough to form an opinion.

 

[gary333]

My car annoyingly often selects neutral if i rush it before it's ready to go in to D. Not sure if this could be what's going on here or not? Like with most things in my MG the behaviour is inconsistent, so sometimes if you dare to rush it, it will drop the car in to N, other times it will leave the car in P and just bong.

 

[siteguru]

I do, but only when pulling out on the bank outside the house, because the natural inertia created by the bank, then the right foot pressure needed to release the brake, with a car 3 foot in front of you makes it impossible. but I shared this to make folks aware.

I do likewise when exiting my driveway. (I reverse park up the drive). Putting the car in D doesn't release the parking brake, so (like you) I use the manual release to give a smoother start. (I do however keep my foot on the foot brake when setting off and regulate the speed that way, until it is pertinent to press the Go pedal).

 

[Logan T]

My normal exiting the driveway is as follows : get in car , let the system boot up whilst fastening seatbelt, Press brake and put into neutral ( the parking brake auto disengages? ) let it roll backwards down the hill controlling the speed with the footbrake. Swing into the road , brake ,D , go. Sometimes when putting into neutral you need to manually disengage the handbrake? before rolling back. I would have thought the second method is the correct "safer " way of operation, why would anyone want the "handbrake" automatically disengaging when in neutral, especially on a hill. Putting it in D or R from P always auto disengages the parking brake as it should. Any one found similar issues or has any thoughts on this peculiarity?

I've never used N and I park on a steep hill.
Always P to R then D.
Never had any problems with the parking brake.

 

[Kithmo]

Not sure how or why your brake is on to start with, but the best way to park your car is to either press "P" on the selector knob or just turn the car off, don't use the parking brake switch. Pressing "P" or turning it off engages the parking brake automatically and when you next start up and select "D" or "R" it automatically disengages it.

 

[Alecfrank]

I use it at traffic lights or a junction, when dark, to avoid blinding a driver behind me.

I do that as well...

 

[Alecfrank]

Not sure how or why your brake is on to start with, but the best way to park your car is to either press "P" on the selector knob or just turn the car off, don't use the parking brake switch. Pressing "P" or turning it off engages the parking brake automatically and when you next start up and select "D" or "R" it automatically disengages it.

Not unless you are on an incline, it stays firmly on... give it a try

 

[Alecfrank]

My normal exiting the driveway is as follows : get in car , let the system boot up whilst fastening seatbelt, Press brake and put into neutral ( the parking brake auto disengages? ) let it roll backwards down the hill controlling the speed with the footbrake. Swing into the road , brake ,D , go. Sometimes when putting into neutral you need to manually disengage the handbrake? before rolling back. I would have thought the second method is the correct "safer " way of operation, why would anyone want the "handbrake" automatically disengaging when in neutral, especially on a hill. Putting it in D or R from P always auto disengages the parking brake as it should. Any one found similar issues or has any thoughts on this peculiarity?

Just a thought.. but we are in an incline, and the brake stays on 100% when I go into Drive.
This indicates to me that there is a gyro (not sure if a gyro, but something is telling car it's not level) maybe in your case the angle of your drive maybe right at the point where the system decides to leave the brake on, or disengage, and sometimes does either?
I may be talking complete rubbish, but it's good to talk

 

[siteguru]

Not sure how or why your brake is on to start with, but the best way to park your car is to either press "P" on the selector knob or just turn the car off, don't use the parking brake switch. Pressing "P" or turning it off engages the parking brake automatically and when you next start up and select "D" or "R" it automatically disengages it.

In my case I am using the P button in the gear selector when parking my car on my drive. (This also illuminates the red LED next to the P lever switch). However when I next go to drive the car, the red P indicator stays on (because my driveway is quite steep) until I either press the accelerator or I press down on the P lever (to disengage the parking/hand brake). I typically do the latter as it leads to a smoother take off, and I can control the descent speed using the foot brake.