Hi, I have a 08 TLS purchased 2 months ago and when I engage my ebrake alone on inclines and hills the car still tends to slide backwards. It requires me to recrank the ebrake to the fullest extent or do it a few times to finally get the car to catch. I'm new to the car but is this normal? Does the ebrake alone not have enough power to keep the car from sliding on an incline and requires the car to be in 1st gear as well?

Thanks

 

well --always park in gear anyway, to prevent runaway cars- and turn the wheels to the curb as required in every state too- so if the car decides to go anywhere- it turns into the curb and stops... instead of turning out into the street and rolling backwards thru the intersection gaining speed as it nears the dock and rolls into the Bay

The park brake has to be pushed ALLLLLL the way on to hold the car- if you saw the size of these tiny brake drums built INSIDE the center of the rear brake rotors...you would know they are not good for much

Level surface- they should hold as you try to drive away in gear to alert you to that fact.
Read your owner manual- it says how many clicks is normal- its a lot more than you think!

On hills- engage the park brakes FULLY- then shut the car off and allow to settle against the park brakes and the gear- if nose down use reverse- nose up use 1st so the car wont want to go anywhere.
Be careful as strain on the gears is not good-- so dont use the trans to park- its a backup system to the brakes

 

Thats great information, thank you. I'm still debating on whether to take it in to have it checked out but I may do so at the sametime they check out a rattle in the rear.

 

Sounds like you need to adjust your Ebrake. I posted instructions on here sometime ago..... but the forum is moving too slow for me to successfully execute a search.

@ 01tl4tl ... Do the second Gens have a pedal for Ebrake or is it like the third gens with a pull up handle? Only reason I ask is because you said Ebrake has to be pushed all the way.... rather than pulled

 

Here it is..... finallly.... only took 5 minutes to complete the search (is the forum running slow for anyone else?)

 

gen2 has auto trans and foot operated ebrake- I drive an 01 so thats my referance point.

Its my understanding the gen3 with hand brake can also make adjustment at the handle- if thats been done- you have to back it off and the adjuster in the brakes themself in order to do it right
The handbrake one is just for minor adjust

iirc the gen2 book calls for 16 clicks of the foot pedal to fully engage- I was using about half that much!!
Your owner book will say for sure in the park brake section--maybe 6 or 8 or 12 clicks to fully engage- its usually a pretty big tug- way more than people think

Its amazing whats found in the operating manual--
what is says about every system and normal and emergency procedures. You can at least glance thru yours now- and read traction and brake sections before rain or winter comne this year- gen3 thinks for itself~~

 

Pretty spot on. The pictures I posted call for 8 clicks. Right out of the manual.

 

we are talkng about different things on the clicks

To activate the park brake- it should have in the owner manual- a number of clicks to fully engaged- how many clicks at the handle?
Thats what the MINOR adjust procedure at the handlke is for- fine tuning

What you found is the adjustment at the wheels-
wheels stop, then back off the adjuster 8 clicks-
I thought it was 6, sorry everyone-- I was using bad info I found here from a past post

 

get it fixed by the dealer if you just bought it my 04 use too do that and i have the manual tL took it to the dealer and they fixed my brakes lines..seems common..till then park your car on 1st gear w/e-brake

 

Always park the car in gear- 1st if nose pointed up-
reverse if nose pointed down
Set the park brake first- then shut off engine with trans in gear.
In case the brake fails the car wont roll away into the street~