Guess This Goes Here

[DanStokes]

I've been doing brakes for widow lady friends this week. I did a set on a 2017 Hyundai Sonata and pretty much standard operating procedure. Then the state inspection turned up that another friend needed rear brakes on her 2019 Subaru Forrester. I don't know why she has this car as I don't think she does any forresting at all but that's how it is.

Anyhow, the Forrester has electric parking brakes, my first exposure to them. Didn't know it was a thing. Turns out that you need to retract them with a scan tool and there's no way around it. I've been putting off buying a scan tool so this is my excuse. I bought the cheapest Harbor Freight unit that had the electric e-brake function (the cheaper ones don't) and after I learned how to use it it it sure enough does the job. I'll finish up after lunch and use the tool to return the e-brakes to their upright and locked position (or something like that).

The "Inside Track Club" membership paid for itself. I got 20% off on the scan tool.

[dave.g.in.gansevoort]

I've been doing brakes for widow lady friends this week. I did a set on a 2017 Hyundai Sonata and pretty much standard operating procedure. Then the state inspection turned up that another friend needed rear brakes on her 2019 Subaru Forrester. I don't know why she has this car as I don't think she does any forresting at all but that's how it is.

Anyhow, the Forrester has electric parking brakes, my first exposure to them. Didn't know it was a thing. Turns out that you need to retract them with a scan tool and there's no way around it. I've been putting off buying a scan tool so this is my excuse. I bought the cheapest Harbor Freight unit that had the electric e-brake function (the cheaper ones don't) and after I learned how to use it it it sure enough does the job. I'll finish up after lunch and use the tool to return the e-brakes to their upright and locked position (or something like that).

The "Inside Track Club" membership paid for itself. I got 20% off on the scan tool.

Good to know. Both of my vehicles have those electronical mystery do they work PARKING brakes. I can’t imagine trying to use them in an emergency. BTW, FYI, next month or year, however you want to say January, the Blazer is getting a new seat base on the passenger side. After perusing the internet and contacting people, I found that a Canadian company, Link, has engineered a mechanism that meets federal safety regulations. It rotates the seat, extends out of the door, and lowers the seat for access. It also can tilt the seat like those reclining chairs that help a person stand up. The Blazer is the smallest SUV in GM’s lineup that can be converted, front seat only. And to think that I almost sold the Blazer last summer!

So, do you know anyone that is in the market for a mildly used Subaru Impreza RS, bright red, probably just over 5000 miles when it is ready to go?

[anotheridiot]

surprised nobody has posted a youtube of getting around it. I feel that its like the air brakes on a big truck,Turn off the air or in this case power and the loss of electricity causes them to hold, Throw power at them and they get held open. I have been thru GM hell of having blend doors clicking endlessly because I disconnected the power, but I am assuming the scan tool is throwing power to the circuit to open the brakes.A jumper somewere could probably do tha same and probably cost thousands when you screw it up.. But bottom line is you gotta have a scan tool now adays.

I know electronic parking brakes was an option when picking wilwood brakes out, but my thought at that time was how are we supposed to keep a battery full if you have power going to the parking brake? Thats when the reverse operation came to me. I still dont know how they would work in an emergency situation or if you just lock up and spin out of control.

[DanStokes]

surprised nobody has posted a youtube of getting around it. I feel that its like the air brakes on a big truck,Turn off the air or in this case power and the loss of electricity causes them to hold, Throw power at them and they get held open. I have been thru GM hell of having blend doors clicking endlessly because I disconnected the power, but I am assuming the scan tool is throwing power to the circuit to open the brakes.A jumper somewere could probably do tha same and probably cost thousands when you screw it up.. But bottom line is you gotta have a scan tool now adays.

I know electronic parking brakes was an option when picking wilwood brakes out, but my thought at that time was how are we supposed to keep a battery full if you have power going to the parking brake? Thats when the reverse operation came to me. I still dont know how they would work in an emergency situation or if you just lock up and spin out of control.

As far as I can tell they're either off or on. There's a motor that pushes the pucks out to engage the rear calipers just like the foot brake does. The scan tool runs the motors (1 on each side) in reverse and you can hear them run. To reenergize the system you have to clear the ebrake codes then the scan tool will energize the motors in the "on" direction. When you switch the ebrake on it just nudges the motors out and then they seem to shut off in the out position. To disengage the ebrake (BTW - they call it a "parking brake") you have to switch the switch while holding the foot brake down so I'm guessing the motors just take up the space that the pucks travel when you push the pedal.

[dave.g.in.gansevoort]

Interesting. So if I understand correctly, there is no power on, the motors are in essence stepper motors that go to a position under power, and then stay there until they get power again asking for them to retract, by turning the opposite direction from when they set. ..

I don’t know, I think I’d still like a completely mechanical mechanism that can be modulated by me. I’ve experienced a couple of times where the hydraulic system failed for some reason, and I was able to get home using the “Emergency Brake”.

[anotheridiot]

Interesting. So if I understand correctly, there is no power on, the motors are in essence stepper motors that go to a position under power, and then stay there until they get power again asking for them to retract, by turning the opposite direction from when they set. ..

I don’t know, I think I’d still like a completely mechanical mechanism that can be modulated by me. I’ve experienced a couple of times where the hydraulic system failed for some reason, and I was able to get home using the “Emergency Brake”.

I agree, I dont even want to drive one of those cars that shuts off at the red lights.

[DanStokes]

I agree, I dont even want to drive one of those cars that shuts off at the red lights.

Me either. I know the "why" for those systems but they give me the creeps. A friend had a VW SUV thingie with that system and every time it restarts it kicks you in the butt with a surge forward. Nasty.

[anotheridiot]

Me either. I know the "why" for those systems but they give me the creeps. A friend had a VW SUV thingie with that system and every time it restarts it kicks you in the butt with a surge forward. Nasty.

well, from the carburetor days, we were always told that it takes more fuel to restart a car at a stop light than it would have taken to keep running for that minute.

[dave.g.in.gansevoort]

I don’t want to pay for the new starter at X cycles, when it dies from overuse. Probably as much as the vehicle will be worth at that point.