Electric Parking Brake-- Driving Away in Reverse

[Lightfoot]

I notice that after having set the electric parking brake on my 2014 FFE, when I attempt to drive away in reverse, the EPB doesn't not automatically release. Is this intended? It works as expected when I drive forward. The owner's manual does not address this issue. It says, "You can release the electric parking brake either manually by pressing the switch or automatically." Then the owner's manual goes on to equate automatic release with drive away release, not saying that you have to be driving in forward.

Edited July 31, 2014 at 02:26 AM by Lightfoot

[Energized]

I've been checking mine the last few days. It does release as described in the manual, with just the application of the throttle.

Edited August 16, 2014 at 11:15 PM by Energized

[Lightfoot]

On the 2014 Fusion Energi, upon driving forward, the Electric Parking Brake automatically releases without driver involvement other than stepping on the accelerator. This is a convience feature described in the owner's manual on my 2014 Energi. Apparently, it does not work in reverse. I can see how Ford might design it like that as a safety feature. They might want to articulate that in the owner's manual.

[Eric4539]

I have a 2013 Energi and I never use the button to release the Parking Brake anymore.  Either in Drive or Reverse I can tap the accelerator and my Parking Brake releases.

 

I do not recall ever being on an incline, though, but I would think a safety measure would be NOT to release the Parking Brake using the accelerator if you're on an incline. 

[FordTech]

Actually I think that is one of the points of being able to automatically disengage the parking brake with the accelerator. Say you are parked on a hill nose facing up, if you disengage the parking brake then let off your brake without being able to hit the gas fast enough you have the possibility of rolling backwards before moving forward. The point of the parking brake disengaging with throttle input is to keep you parked on the hill until you can apply throttle to start moving you forward so you have no chance of rolling backwards before moving forward.

[larryh]

Hill Start Assist should prevent the car from rolling down a slope for a couple of seconds after taking your foot off the brake. 

Edited August 16, 2014 at 03:00 PM by larryh

[FordTech]

Looked into this for you in the Ford WSM. Found this:

 

Automatic Release

The parking brake is designed to automatically release under the following circumstances:

• the driver door must be closed.
• the driver safety belt must be fastened.
• the engine must be running or the green Ready-to-Drive indicator must be illuminated.
• the transmission must be in any forward gear or REVERSE.

 

Once all the conditions have been met, the parking brake releases automatically when the accelerator pedal is pressed. A vehicle driving away up an incline requires more accelerator pedal input than a vehicle driving away down an incline.

[Eric4539]

I can vouch that it works in both forward and reverse.  I do both without physically releasing the parking brake.

 

The only thing I have not tried is being parked on an incline facing up and then having to reverse down the incline.  That might happen in someone's driveway.  I would think as a safety the parking brake would not release to prevent you from reversing down the incline too quickly.  Has anyone been in that situation?

[Lightfoot]

Thanks. I'll try it again. In the past, the brake did eventually release in reverse, but I had to drive a few feet with the brake on. 

[FusionEnergi]

I always release the parking brake with the button, but today I was a little flustered and forgot to use the button to release the brake. Guess what....I felt a slight nudge and heard a small pop and then it reversed as normal. I didn't even think about it till later and was like.....Woooo Man, like Cool!

[Hybridbear]

We never used this feature in the FFH because it only worked sporadically. I always made sure that all the required conditions were met and it still wouldn't work consistently. I instead just got in the habit of pressing the parking brake release button right after shifting out of park but before touching the accelerator pedal.

[HotLap]

I too can vouch that the auto release works in both Drive and Reverse on my 2014 FFE, however, it can be a bit "clunky" at times requiring more pedal input than others.  Also, I find the parking brake sequence counter intuitive in that with my other car you push the electric brake button to engage and pull it to release...seems weird on the FFE to push to release and pull to engage... 

[Hybridbear]

I too can vouch that the auto release works in both Drive and Reverse on my 2014 FFE, however, it can be a bit "clunky" at times requiring more pedal input than others.  Also, I find the parking brake sequence counter intuitive in that with my other car you push the electric brake button to engage and pull it to release...seems weird on the FFE to push to release and pull to engage... 

You pull up on a console-mounted parking brake to engage and push it down to release it. I think that's the idea behind the design. It's copying a console-mounted parking brake with an electronic button.

[murphy]

Note that you don't have to hold the switch until it fully releases or applies.  Just a quick pull or push and release is all that is required.

[HotLap]

Gotcha, makes sense as my other car's elec brake is left side under dash where a traditional sedan's parking brake release would be...funny it's a Carrera where the manual brake was a console mounted pull handle and I'm betting the Fusion manual brake was on the left side...seems they switched'em up! 

 

By the way, now that I understand the pre-conditions of the FFE elec brake auto release...it works flawlessly every time...seems I was not getting the seat belt fastened in time before, was buckling as I was putting into gear.