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Electric Parking Brake auto release

Posted: Sat Apr 13, 2019 8:07 am
by Soozie
Can anyone advise me at what point their Electric Parking Brake auto releases?

I had my CX-3 3 days before I came to my first hill start at traffic lights. I put the EPB on and as I went to drive off the car started to roll backwards towards another car - it released the EPB before the clutch/accelerator was at the bite point. I’ve have since tried to test it on very small inclines and it seems that it releases when you press the accelerator and then even slightly release the clutch.

I am not sure if this is how it should work? Or whether there is a fault with the car.

The manual says it releases when you press the accelerator and the clutch is depressed half way. So is that ‘half way or further’?

Mazda have told me I should drive it the conventional way on hill starts pressing accelerator first then bring clutch to biting point and the EPB should then release. If I do that I will have rolled back into another car as my EPG will have released before this point!

Re: Electric Parking Brake auto release

Posted: Sat Apr 13, 2019 11:58 am
by DaveG
I have an auto, so I cannot test it out for you, but for what it is worth the biting point should be before halfway so you should not roll back and as the clutch is raised through the bite the handbrake should release.
I would go to your dealer and insist a technician or the salesman demonstrates a hill start, as to me you are correct the handbrake should not release before the biting point.
Let us know how you get on.

Re: Electric Parking Brake auto release

Posted: Sat Apr 13, 2019 3:09 pm
by Turbo
I found it a little strange after being used to mechanical handbrake hill starts for 50 years. But found it far better after you know how it's going to react. Clutch down, I raise the RPM 500rpm or so' raise the clutch and as soon the bite point grabs and the car moves forward fractionally and not before the parking brake releases

Re: Electric Parking Brake auto release

Posted: Sat Apr 13, 2019 6:08 pm
by switchback
Are you talking about the hand brake or the auto hold?

Re: Electric Parking Brake auto release

Posted: Sat Apr 13, 2019 7:07 pm
by Turbo
switchback wrote: Sat Apr 13, 2019 6:08 pm Are you talking about the hand brake or the auto hold?
Electric parking brake

Re: Electric Parking Brake auto release

Posted: Mon Apr 15, 2019 11:52 am
by switchback
It should work as Turbo says. No different to a manual handbrake............The steeper the hill needs more revs just the same. On a very steep slope you need to be confident that it will release as the back of the car squats down a fair bit, but if you keep engaging the clutch it will release and then you're away. Perhaps a bit more practice? The situation that you are experiencing is what happens with the "auto-hold" system if you are not consistent and continuous with the pedal movements.

Re: Electric Parking Brake auto release

Posted: Tue Apr 16, 2019 1:07 pm
by DaveG
I thought the complaint was the handbrake releasing before the clutch was at the biting point.

Re: Electric Parking Brake auto release

Posted: Wed Apr 17, 2019 5:01 pm
by switchback
DaveG wrote: Tue Apr 16, 2019 1:07 pm I thought the complaint was the handbrake releasing before the clutch was at the biting point.
It was................That's what happens with "auto-hold" but shouldn't happen with the EPB.

Re: Electric Parking Brake auto release

Posted: Wed Apr 17, 2019 5:52 pm
by Strangways
I'm so glad I upgraded to an auto :lol:

Re: Electric Parking Brake auto release

Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2019 9:34 am
by Turbo
Strangways wrote: Wed Apr 17, 2019 5:52 pm I'm so glad I upgraded to an auto :lol:
Nothing wrong with the electric parking brake, a great piece of kit once you have got the hang of it