I drove my 00 Ford Taurus for 1 hour with the parking brake on (Yikes!)

Hi, I never park with my parking brake on but for some reason yesterday I decided to use it. Today I drove for a good hour with it on. I think the brakes feel a little weaker now, but honestly I don't know. I'm a single mother and I don't want to take it in to a repair shop for fear of getting "conned" into thinking I need new everything! Does anyone know what happens to a 2000 Ford Taurus when you drive it with the parking brake on for an hour? Should I take it in to be looked at? And what should I expect to have to replace? Anything helps! Thanks!

Reply to
FordOwner
Loading thread data ...

The severity of this depends on what kind of braking system your vehicle has. In a typical vehicle with front-wheel disc and rear-wheel drum, the emergency brake cable only pulls on the rear drums. The bulk of the braking effort when you press the pedal is carried out by the discs on the front wheels, so your normal driving efforts should not be affected.

Have you caused unwanted wear and heating to the pads and rotors? Yes. Would it be a good idea to get them checked? Yes. However it needs to be done by someone you trust; telling people they need new pads and/or rotors is the #1 scam perpetrated by service stations IMHO. If you're due for an oil change, ask the station to check your brakes while they rotate the tires. Don't necessarily leap to your checkbook if they tell you the brakes need replacement, though.

Simple test (part of the state safety inspection in NYS): Stop on a level piece of road. Apply the emergency brake. Put the car in drive. Don't press the gas, but just let go of the brake pedal. If the emergency brake keeps the vehicle stationary then it passes.

Also, monitor the fluid level to make sure the heating hasn't caused anything to start leaking.

Reply to
zwsdotcom

thats good advice...my wife did the same thing on her 97 Taurus and it didn't hurt a thing.(I checked) Kinda funny really, I set the brake for some reason and when she drove it next she called me and told me the brake light was on. I asked if the park brake was set...well....:) If your car stops smooth and well its probably ok. You need a boyfriend that can fix cars ;) But really, the best advise would be find a mechanic you can trust to check them. I know, easier said then done...

Reply to
ShoeSalesman

Reply to
FordOwner

Reply to
FordOwner

Of course you should have a competent technician check your brakes. Why would you NOT want to be sure your brakes are working properly?

By the way one should always use the PARKING brake.. Why rely on a small pawn inside the tranny to make sure your car does not roll down a hill? Another reason is you will keep it operable and know it will work if you ever need it as an emergency brake.

mike hunt

Reply to
Mike Hunter

My father-in-law (who taught me to drive) never uses the parking brake and taught me this bad habit. The thing that cured me was when I parked my '86 Mitsubishi Galant in the lot of a Giant Eagle somewhere out near Akron, walked away, and had the car follow me right up to a railing designed to stop shopping carts...

Fortunately I only paid $1.00 for the car (plus $0.08 state sales tax).

Reply to
zwsdotcom

I bought a 1946 Dodge when I got out of the Navy after the war. I sold it to a friend a few years later, that lived on the top of a hill. The first night he parked it in the street in front of his house, with the tranny in reverse facing down the hill, without using the parking brake. A bit later he saw red lights flashing outside. When he stepped out he saw the red lights were at the bottom of the hill three blocks away where the Dodge, with its fluid clutch, was sitting inside a house. Other than the damage to the house it only killed a dog. LOL

mike hunt

Reply to
Mike Hunter

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.