Parking Brake Issue

[Naz24]

Hey all -- searched but couldnt come up with a response.


When i engage the parking brake on my 2012 X5M, it holds well until i turn off the engine. then it seems the car lurches forward and settles again. Is there a way to test if the brake is holding? What could be the issue?

[Kraftwerk AG]

Originally Posted by Naz24

Hey all -- searched but couldnt come up with a response.


When i engage the parking brake on my 2012 X5M, it holds well until i turn off the engine. then it seems the car lurches forward and settles again. Is there a way to test if the brake is holding? What could be the issue?

Mine does the same! I'd like to know the answer as well. Thanks.

[Naz24]

Originally Posted by DeeO

Mine does the same! I'd like to know the answer as well. Thanks.

Interesting. and it only started after i replaced the brake pads

[fsd350]

Normal. The DME holds 4 wheel disc braking while the engine is running, switches to a mechanical rear parking brake shoe when turned off. There are adjustments you can perform, but may not improve the behavior. Be sure to always engage parking brake before shifting in park on all vehicles to prevent transmission parking pawl wear.

[JoeyBimX5din]

Parking pawl wear isn't a modern failure people have to worry about, in the real world.

In theory yes, it is a great idea.

[fsd350]

Beg to differ on that one.

[yco]

its because as its said to switch into mechanical hold.. car needs to roll a bit to lock it properly.. its weird.. i never seen such a thing in any car i drove.. i dont know why BMW likes complex things this much.. when parking on incline narrow places there is a way to make less dangerous to hit another car.. after stopping putting it in N to get rid off torque converters push then parking brake.. then car rolls less.. "generally"..

[JoeyBimX5din]

Originally Posted by fsd350

Beg to differ on that one.

So you have had a bunch of parking pawl failures? I have honestly never seen one single failure, ever, and I have spent more then a few years working at dealers, and currently have a fleet of vehicles I am supporting, and yet, not one single failure.

I know they are out there. If you could explain maybe I would understand

[philly42]

Same thing is happened to me and it doesn't seem normal

However I've noticed the car barely moves after the car is off, if you use "Auto H". The green auto H light will turn to a red park when you turn off the car and there will be minimal movement.

[fsd350]

Originally Posted by JoeyBimX5din

So you have had a bunch of parking pawl failures? I have honestly never seen one single failure, ever, and I have spent more then a few years working at dealers, and currently have a fleet of vehicles I am supporting, and yet, not one single failure.

I know they are out there. If you could explain maybe I would understand

The parking pawl is not designed to hold the weight of the vehicle. Ever tried to get a transmission out of gear while an incline? It is a best practice to set the parking brake before putting the vehicle in park, as it can cause damage. Here's a link:
https://estimate.myautomatictransmis...-parking-pawl/

[JoeyBimX5din]

That's wrong. If that is what has swayed you over to thinking that a parking rod or pawl is not designed to hold a vehicles weight, then I hope to persuade you otherwise.

There are more people with automatics that do not use a parking brake then people who have automatics and do, so why are they not seeing failures?
Being as the parking pawl is holding the weight of the vehicle in the majority of those applications, why are there parking pawls not failing? I think you will only see parking pawl failure if you have a car that you can manual activate park, and you slam it into park at a high rate of speed.

I tried to find something in the Ford operators manual in regards to parking pawl, the only thing they state on the park selection is,

"Park (P)
This position locks the transmission and prevents the rear wheels from turning."

I can't seem to find any reference to the parking pawl holding a vehicles weight.

I looked through our owners manual and it doesn't specifically say anything on the issue, though they state the parking brake should be set with the vehicle parked

Please also keep in mind I have seen the worst of the worst coming through the shops I have worked at, and personally have not seen a failed parking pawl.

I also want to let you know I mean no offense, or ill will towards you, this kind of 'debate' just intrigued me.

[godmans]

Agreed with above that the roll is a because of the car switching from abs hold (normal brake) to mechanical rear brake drum (parking brake). If you can feel an obvious roll before the parking paw (inside transmission) holds the car, it is a sign that the parking brake needs to be adjusted.

It is a simple diy if you are mechanically inclined (search e70 parking brake adjustment), or should be a .5 labor thing with any good INDY.

Good luck

[fsd350]

No offense taken Joey, I appreciate that. Applying the parking brake before shifting to P was something I was told many years ago by one of my mentors when I was a technician. I have seen a couple pawl failures due to a customer rocking a transmission back and forth in the snow and then slamming into park. That was back in 88 when I worked for Honda, and their transaxles were less than robust at that time. We used to rebuild them back then. No issues from an incline or otherwise. I picked that article as it was the first that came up when I searched. I wouldn't want to rely on the parking pawl alone at a boat ramp for example, that's for sure. It makes sense to me to apply the brake before as a best practice, it does not create that load on the pawl and is easier to shift out. I get your point also. I have not seen any failures from normal use either.

[heatmizr]

Totally agree on it being best practice to apply the parking brake before putting in park.
Also totally agree that 98% of the population has no clue about this.

I have seen one instance which was suspected to be parking pawl failure. About 22 yrs ago I had a leased pickup parked on the street in front of my residence, and a neighbor's pickup which was parked in his driveway directly across the street rolled backward and down into the side of my truck. Don't recall what make truck his was.

I would think regular abuse from ignorance over time MAY result in occasional failure, but very rare.

However my father-in-law NEVER uses his Exploder's parking brake and many times I have had to yank his tranny out of park when moving his vehicle in my inclined driveway.