Un-wanted Emergency Stop

[rolydog2001]

This is my wife's car so apologies if some info is a bit wishy-washy as it's second hand. Anyway my missis was dropping our son at the bus stop on the way to work this morning and about 30m before she was to stop the car did an emergency stop all on it's own. No forward collision warning just did an emergency stop throwing them both forward and the brake pedal sank down. There was nothing in front of her (though I did suggest a bird may have flown in front)! She got in a bit of a flap as she couldn't immediately get the car moving again however with several turn off and on's it set off again.
Any thoughts that may have caused this? it was washed (for the first time since we got it (March) on Saturday but has been used since.
Thanks

 

[Jomarkh]

Hi, is this a SR or LR?
Do you think that one of the parking brakes may have been pressed?

 

[rolydog2001]

It's a LR, I did wonder that myself BUT I wouldn't have thought they would activate whilst driving?

 

[smokie]

Was she using ACC?

 

[Gomev]

It's a LR, I did wonder that myself BUT I wouldn't have thought they would activate whilst driving?

It is possible to activate the parking brake using the little parking lever (in front of the Autohold button) whilst moving on the Gen 1 ZS. so would imagine it is possible on the 5. However it does require a finger to lift the lever so quite a deliberate act, so unlikely in your case.

 

[BugEyed]

No forward collision warning just did an emergency stop

I've always had the forward collision warning come on when getting phantom braking.

Do you think that one of the parking brakes may have been pressed?

My Daughter has done this with her bag straps, fortunately only when stationary.

 

[Buchanty]

There are some interesting thoughts on this thread Front Collision Avoidance

 

[rolydog2001]

Not really got to the bottom of this, however I have discovered that if you pull the handbrake switch on the handbrake will operate whilst the vehicle is moving and boy does it pull it up suddenly!

 

[Gomev]

Not really got to the bottom of this, however I have discovered that if you pull the handbrake switch on the handbrake will operate whilst the vehicle is moving and boy does it pull it up suddenly!

A manual emergency brake.
As mentioned above it works on the Gen 1 ZS so why not, after all it's the handbrake, but not something you could easily do by mistake.