The manual parking brake is effective in preventing a car from rolling back on a slope.
Do you notice your car rolling back on a slope or when it’s on an incline?
Are you nervous as you approach the exit of a basement carpark?
Here are a few tips to stop your car from rolling back on a slope and causing a fender-bender.
TIP #1: APPLY YOUR PARKING BRAKE
If you have a manual handbrake (like the one pictured above), you pull the lever when the vehicle has stopped on a slope.
When you’re ready to move off, slowly lower the handbrake while applying the throttle.
With practice, you’ll perform this manoeuvre smoothly and prevent your car from rolling backwards.
This is especially critical if your car has a manual gearbox.
Many cars equipped with electronic parking brakes have an Auto Hold function.
TIP#2: USE YOUR AUTO-HOLD FUNCTION
Cars with electronic parking brakes often have an auto-hold function.
To ready the function, press the dedicated button (as seen in the above example).
Auto Hold prevents your car from rolling backwards or forwards.
To activate Auto Hold, you’ll need to come to a complete stop and have your foot firmly on the brake.
Release the brake pedal. If it has worked, the car will “auto hold” and remain in a static position.
The function is switched off once you depress the accelerator.
But we strongly advise that you only use this function on a level surface to stop your car rolling backwards (or forwards).
TIP #3: KEEP YOUR LEFT FOOT ON THE BRAKE
This takes some practice.
With your left foot on the brake, slowly release it while gently depressing the accelerator pedal with your right foot.
When done right, you’ll stop your car from rolling backwards while smoothly accelerating up the incline.
TIP #4: USE HILL-START ASSIST
Find out if your car has something called “hill-hold assist” or “hill-start assist”.
These functions are identical.
They stop your car from rolling backwards on an incline by delaying the release of the brake.
If your car has this function, activate it (unless it is always active by default).
Hill-start assist is turned on when your vehicle comes to a stop and you have firmly depressed the brake pedal.
When you release the brake, you’ll find that your car remains static for a second or two – despite being on a slope.
That gives you enough time to depress the accelerator and drive up before your car rolls backwards.
