[bengelking]

Here is a new one for me:

My dealer stated that I should use the parking brake on my Pilot whenever I park. He said it would help reduce wear on the rear brakes (??) and help them require less maintenance down the road.

Now, I understand the concept of the parking brake in a manual transmission, but have never heard of using it all the time with an automatic.

Any other experiences or thoughts on this?

The "push on" and "push off" feature makes it very easy to use and I'm getting in the habit of doing it, it just sounds wierd.

 

[renov8r]

Here is a new one for me:

My dealer stated that I should use the parking brake on my Pilot whenever I park. He said it would help reduce wear on the rear brakes (??) and help them require less maintenance down the road....

Hey, this is MOSTLY true! Smart dealer.

The parking brake/emergancy brake (in an auto) will need LESS maintence if used. The primary maintence need is 'adjustement of slack" and using the brake will minimize this need as it forces self adjustment. The "wear" is not on the "real" brakes but the parking brake. Using the parking brake is a good way to take the weight of the vehicle off of the transmission's "PARK stop" when on a slope , to do this you have to set the parking brake BEFORE taking it out of drive/reverse...

 

[N_Jay]

Yes, use it

If you are on enough of a hill for the vehicle to roll at all, you should use it to reduce stress on the transmission.
Stop the vehicle with the foot brake, set the parking brake without releasing the foot brake.
Then put it in park.

 

[MG Pilot]

Has anyone had the parking brake adjusted on the Pilot as of yet??? It is very, very weak IMO-

 

[N_Jay]

Saw a posting on the MDX board about it working well after adjustment.
I will be asking for that to be done on my next visit.

 

[Sage]

Oh - This is a helpful thread. Never knew this stuff. :29:

 

[BPilot]

Adjustment

The parking brake adjustment is super easy. It is done with a ten mm wrench and is easily located inside at the parking brake pedal. BP

 

[airgate]

Around flat 'ole Eastern North Carolina, we never use the parking brake but I found myself using it every time as we traveled into New York. With all the slopes and ridges, it just made sense.

 

[lamuncha]

Parking brake

It is always a good idea to get in the habit of using it. The guy is right. In a Acura Legend I once owned I rarely used the parking brake. One day it failed inspection. The mechanism in the rear (a small piston that moves the brake cylinder) had frozen in the housing - due to lack of use.
The job was beyong me and after $650.00 I learned to use the parking brake on everything I own.
Don't know if this is unique to Honda but I learned the hard way.

 

[copilot]

Maybe parking brakes are differenct now...

but in cold, snowy, wet climates we used to not use the parking brake during the winter because it could freeze in the "on" position and you couldn't get it released because of the ice and snow. Does anyone know if they have changed them so that this is no longer a problem?

 

[nighthawk]

Parking Brake adjustment

I know someone mentioned this recently, but can't find the post. Is it me or do the parking brakes need to be adjusted to make them tighter / harder to press down? Seems loose in my Pilot, although it looks like it's doing the job. Anyone w/ a manual that can post a pic or explain where I can adjust these parking brakes? Any info will be greatly appreciated.

 

[pjb3]

I haven't checked but my understanding is that the parking brake is a drum brake. If this is the case I don't see how it could effect the main rear disk brakes since it is a completely different system. I would also expect little or no wear to the parking brake since it is usually applied with the vehicle stopped. Any adjustment would most likely be due to incorrect initial adjustment or cable stretch over time. Cars with rear drums for the main brakes have to adjust for pad wear and this was usually done with an adjuster that activated by applying the brakes moderately hard when backing up. Disk brakes are self adjusting by nature. No parking brake that I have seen is self adjusting.

Renov8r and N_Jay are correct when they suggested setting the parking brake before placing the transmission in park. The idea is to have the parking brake hold the vehicle rather than the parking pawl in the transmission. Both are designed to hold the vehicle but the parking brake is stronger and much cheaper to repair.

As far as parking brakes freezing on, I believe it is less of a problem.
With the addition of plastic coating over the outside of the cables it is difficult for moisture to get inside and freeze.

 

[loxar]

This is totally random, but I'd like to add that I find the Parking break nifty when u step on it to activate and step on it again to release =). No lever to pull ie. C-class

 

[Scoobs]

I've always used the parking brake in every vehicle I have owned since 1977 ( '71 Nova, '75 Firebird, '80 Trans Am, '86 Escort, '88 Mazda 323 GT - man did that thing fly !!, '90 Sentra, '96 Grand Caravan, '96 Civic, and the Pilot. Even in the "coldest cold" of the dead of winter in the "great white north" I have never, and I mean never, had a parking brake "freeze" or" stick". It saves your transmission.

 

[AlH]

Yup, the parking brake should be set before the trans is put in park, and done every time!
I've even heard of vehicles getting bumped hard in a parking lot while just in park and snapping off the pawl in the auto transmission, very expensive to fix. Some vehicles can also be very hard to get out of park if it rolls against the pawl. FWIW I personally HATE the step on/step off parking brake...every other vehicle I drive is "normal", I'm constantly getting into the Pilot and feeling around for the PB release

Al

 

[sillec]

Just The Opposite

My problem's just the opposite. Everytime I get in the Mountaineer now, I step on the parking brake and wonder why it's not releasing!

 

[lamuncha]

Mountaineer

What's your comparission on the Mountaineer vs the Pilot. I also try pushing on the brake in the Explorer after driving the Pilot. I like the push/push thing a lot.

 

[lamuncha]

Parking brake

According to the book the brakes should be tight between 1 and 6 clicks on the pedal. Mine was to the floor. For minor adjustment there is a nut at the pedal covered by a black plastic lock that looks like a washer. Remove the black lock and with the brake off you can turn the nut to tighten the cable.
The real procedure is to lift the rear end and check tire rotation with the brake off to be sure you don't overtighten and constantly drag the brakes.
There is a major adjustment at the rear drums.

 

[nighthawk]

Re: Parking brake

According to the book the brakes should be tight between 1 and 6 clicks on the pedal. Mine was to the floor. For minor adjustment there is a nut at the pedal covered by a black plastic lock that looks like a washer. Remove the black lock and with the brake off you can turn the nut to tighten the cable.
The real procedure is to lift the rear end and check tire rotation with the brake off to be sure you don't overtighten and constantly drag the brakes.
There is a major adjustment at the rear drums.

Whew, Finally an answer to my Parking Brake adjustment question. Did you notice a difference in the Parking brake tension when you press the pedal after you did the "minor adjustment". I'll check this out tonight.

Now people are mentioning "rear drums".... , Does'nt the Pilot have 4 disc brakes?

 

[N_Jay]

Rear Drums

The pilot (like many 4 wheel disc systems) used small drumms inside the rear discs for the parking brakes.