{"id":82146,"date":"2023-03-29T06:20:53","date_gmt":"2023-03-29T13:20:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogv2prod.wpenginepowered.com\/blog\/?p=82146"},"modified":"2025-03-24T08:59:24","modified_gmt":"2025-03-24T15:59:24","slug":"parking-brake-what-it-does-how-it-works-and-its-different-types-explained","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/parking-brake-what-it-does-how-it-works-and-its-different-types-explained\/","title":{"rendered":"Parking Brake: What It Does, How It Works, and Its Different Types Explained"},"content":{"rendered":"<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\">\n<html><body><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 5<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span><style>.kadence-column82146_312c9c-72 > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column82146_312c9c-72 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;}.kadence-column82146_312c9c-72 > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column82146_312c9c-72 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;}.kadence-column82146_312c9c-72 > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kadence-column82146_312c9c-72 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column82146_312c9c-72{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column82146_312c9c-72 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kadence-column82146_312c9c-72 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column82146_312c9c-72 inner-column-1 qk-look-widget\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-ultimate-post-row ultp-block-a7c584  qk-main-wrap\"><div class=\"ultp-row-wrapper\"><div class=\"ultp-row-content\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-ultimate-post-column ultp-block-78b30e\"><div class=\"ultp-column-wrapper\"><style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading82146_e80ad2-30, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading82146_e80ad2-30[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading82146_e80ad2-30\"]{text-align:center;font-size:20px;font-style:normal;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading82146_e80ad2-30 mark.kt-highlight, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading82146_e80ad2-30[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading82146_e80ad2-30\"] mark.kt-highlight{font-family:Inter;font-weight:500;font-style:normal;color:#f76a0c;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;box-decoration-break:clone;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading82146_e80ad2-30 img.kb-inline-image, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading82146_e80ad2-30[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading82146_e80ad2-30\"] img.kb-inline-image{width:150px;vertical-align:baseline;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"kt-adv-heading82146_e80ad2-30 summary-title wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\" data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading82146_e80ad2-30\"><span>Summary<\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The parking brake is a latching mechanism that&rsquo;s part of the overall brake system, which operates independently, connecting to the rear wheels and the rear brakes.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Its primary role is to keep your vehicle stationary while parked, especially on inclines.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Parking brakes work differently based on the type of service brake in your vehicle.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Stick lever, center level, pedal, and electric\/electronic\/push button are the different types of parking brakes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>When it first came out, the parking brake served as the emergency backup to the main brakes. Nowadays, it teams up with the parking gear to make sure your vehicle doesn&rsquo;t budge from its parking spot, especially when you have to leave it on an inclined slope. To better understand how this still-important system works, read on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Is a Parking Brake?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/how-do-car-brakes-work\/#Parking_Brakes_formerly_known_as_Emergency_Brakes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"parking brake\">parking brake<\/a> is a latching mechanism that is a part of the overall brake system but operates independently and not through the hydraulics of the primary braking system. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/why-is-my-parking-brake-stuck\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"parking brake\">parking brake<\/a> connects to the rear wheels and the rear brakes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whereas most main brake systems rely on hydraulic pressure to operate their moving parts, the typical parking brake relies on mechanical cables to engage and disengage the brakes. By using a different method of operation, the emergency parking brake will keep working even if the main brakes develop a hydraulic-related issue that causes the latter to act up or fail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some manufacturers also offer electronic parking brakes. Instead of cables, these parking brakes use geared electric motors. You engage or disengage the electronic parking brake by pushing a single button that takes up far less room than a control <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/parking-brake-lever\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"lever\">lever<\/a> or pedal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During its first appearance, the parking brake was called the emergency brake or e-brake for short. Other people used the term emergency parking brake. Some people called it the hand brake because they operated it by hand through a lever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/parking-brake-button-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"hand on a parking brake button\" class=\"wp-image-82153\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/parking-brake-button-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/parking-brake-button-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/parking-brake-button-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/parking-brake-button-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/parking-brake-button-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/parking-brake-button-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/parking-brake-button.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The parking brake is a latching mechanism that is a part of the overall brake system but operates independently and not through the hydraulics of the primary braking system.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Does the Parking Brake Do?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The parking brake makes sure your vehicle doesn&rsquo;t budge while it&rsquo;s parked. It&rsquo;s critical when you park on road surfaces that aren&rsquo;t level, such as roads that go up and down inclines. Parking on these surfaces may lead to your vehicle rolling down, potentially causing damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In automatic vehicles, the parking brake works with the parking gear. When you shift to parking gear, the transmission engages a pin called the parking pawl to lock its gears into position. However, the pawl can break from the constant stress placed on it by the heavy gears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By engaging the emergency parking brake and the parking gear together, you take some of that strain off the parking pawl. That makes the pawl last longer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The right way to park your vehicle is to engage the parking brake first and then shift the transmission gear to the park position. When you&rsquo;re ready to leave the parking spot, switch to the appropriate gear and then disengage the brake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"article-search-widget\">\n<div class=\"cp-search\">\n<div align=\"center\">\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cld.partsimg.com\/image\/upload\/w_auto,dpr_auto\/carparts\/logos\/badge_wordmark\/full_color\/CP_LOGO_COLOUR_RGB\" alt=\"CarParts.com\" width=\"300\" height=\"56\">\n<\/div>\n<form id=\"cpsearchform\" name=\"cpsearchform\" action=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/search\" method=\"get\" target=\"_blank\" accept-charset=\"character_set\" aria-label=\"search CarParts.com\">\n    <input type=\"text\" class=\"keyword\" name=\"q\" placeholder=\"Search for parts on CarParts.com\" value=\"\" aria-label=\"Search CarParts.com\"><input type=\"submit\" class=\"btn-search\" value=\"Search\" aria-label=\"Search\">\n<\/form>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Does A Parking Brake Work?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The parking brake attaches to the rear brakes through a series of cables arranged in a Y-shaped pattern. Because it uses mechanical means to engage and disengage the brakes, the emergency brake doesn&rsquo;t have to rely on hydraulics like the main brakes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">With Drum Brakes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Drum brakes are more common in older vehicles, but some new vehicles use them in the rear. In these vehicles, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/parking-brake-cable\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"parking brake cables\">parking brake cables<\/a> directly hook up to the brake shoes inside the brake drum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Drum brakes offer different advantages, including more braking force than an equal-diameter disc brake. They also last longer because drum brakes have more friction contact area. Lastly, drums have a lower frequency of maintenance due to better corrosion resistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When you engage the emergency brake, its cables pull the shoes into the surface of the brake drum&rsquo;s interior. The contact between the shoes and the drum produces friction that slows down the wheel to which the brake is attached.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">With Disc Brakes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Many newer vehicles, especially higher-end models and trims, use more efficient but costlier disc brakes on all four wheels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Disc brakes have better heat dissipation, reducing the risk of brake fade (a decrease in a vehicle&rsquo;s braking power). However, the biggest advantage of disc brakes is that they&rsquo;re far more effective at quickly stopping a car at high speeds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Their parking brake systems follow one of two configuration styles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some four-wheel drive (4WD) vehicles made by Honda and certain other manufacturers feature caliper pistons on their rear wheels. The cables physically connect to these pistons. This parking brake system also shows up in non-4WD drives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When you engage the emergency brake, the parking brake cables push the brake piston into the brake pads. The force applied by the cable-powered piston presses the pads into the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/brake-disc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"brake rotors\">brake rotors<\/a>, albeit with less power than the hydraulic-powered main brakes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Other disc brake-equipped vehicles feature a small brake drum inside the brake rotors of their rear wheels.&nbsp;In their case, moving the parking brake lever into the engaged position will press the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/parking-brake-shoe\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"brake shoes\">brake shoes<\/a> into the internal drum. Much like conventional <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/brake-drum\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"drum brakes\">drum brakes<\/a>, this will prevent the wheels from rotating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/center-lever-parking-brake-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"driver pulling the parking brake lever\" class=\"wp-image-82154\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/center-lever-parking-brake-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/center-lever-parking-brake-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/center-lever-parking-brake-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/center-lever-parking-brake-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/center-lever-parking-brake-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/center-lever-parking-brake-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/center-lever-parking-brake.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The most common type of parking brake nowadays is the center lever parking brake, which features a sizable lever located between the front seats.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Types of Parking Brake<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>While all parking brakes use cables, they can have different ways to engage and disengage the emergency brake. Here are the different types of parking brake systems:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Stick Lever Parking Brake<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The stick lever parking brake is the earliest type of emergency brake. Understandably, it mainly appears in older vehicle models.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It takes its name from the slender control lever that engages and disengages the parking brake. You can find the lever under the instrument panel or the steering wheel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Center Lever Parking Brake<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The most common type of parking brake in modern vehicles, the center lever parking brake can be found in numerous models and is likely the one you know. It features a sizable lever located between the front seats, earning its name. There is a prominent button on the lever&rsquo;s handle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Engaging this type of parking brake requires you pull the lever up. Releasing the brake involves pushing the button while returning the lever to its starting position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Pedal Parking Brake<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You control the pedal parking brake with a foot pedal. There is also a parking brake lever that you operate by hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The parking brake pedal sits to the left of the gas and brake pedals. By keeping the control pedals as far apart as possible, there is minimal risk of accidentally stepping on the wrong pedal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are two ways to disengage the pedal parking brake. You can press the control pedal down with your foot. Alternatively, you can manipulate the control lever to pull the release cable. Either way, the pedal parking brake will release the rear wheels, allowing your vehicle to move.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>There are two ways to disengage the pedal parking brake. You can press the control pedal down with your foot. Alternatively, you can manipulate the control lever to pull the release cable.<\/p>\n<cite><em>&ndash; <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/author\/anthonyharlin\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Anthony Harlin, ASE Certified Master Automobile Technician\">Anthony Harlin, ASE Certified Master Automobile Technician<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Electric\/Electronic\/Push Button Parking Brake<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The newest type of parking brake lets you engage and release the brakes by simply pushing a button. It sees use in recently released models, including many hybrid and pure electric vehicles (EVs). Electronic parking brakes usually use a motor controlled by the car&rsquo;s computer to engage the brake caliper.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 5<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span>When it first came out, the parking brake served as the emergency backup to the main brakes. Nowadays, it teams&#8230; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/parking-brake-what-it-does-how-it-works-and-its-different-types-explained\/\" rel=\"nofollow\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":82152,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3749,52],"tags":[],"ppma_author":[2607,3742],"class_list":{"0":"post-82146","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-braking-system","8":"category-diy","9":"entry"},"acf":{"adrotate_specific_mobile_ad":"","adrotate_specific_desktop_ad":""},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Parking Brake: What It Does, How It Works, and Its Different Types Explained - In The Garage with CarParts.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Find out how a parking brake works, and learn the differences between stick, center lever, pedal parking, and electric brakes.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/parking-brake-what-it-does-how-it-works-and-its-different-types-explained\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Parking Brake: What It Does, How It Works, and Its Different Types Explained - In The Garage with CarParts.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Find out how a parking brake works, and learn the differences between stick, center lever, pedal parking, and electric brakes.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/parking-brake-what-it-does-how-it-works-and-its-different-types-explained\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"In The Garage with CarParts.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/carpartscom\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-03-29T13:20:53+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-03-24T15:59:24+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/electronic-parking-button-parking-brake.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1500\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/electronic-parking-button-parking-brake.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@carpartscom\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@carpartscom\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/parking-brake-what-it-does-how-it-works-and-its-different-types-explained\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/parking-brake-what-it-does-how-it-works-and-its-different-types-explained\\\/\"},\"author\":[{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"$id\":\"4\",\"name\":\"CarParts.com Research Team\",\"jobTitle\":\"Expert Automotive Writer\",\"description\":\"The CarParts.com Research Team is composed of experienced automotive and tech writers working with (ASE)-certified automobile technicians and automotive journalists to bring up-to-date, helpful information to car owners in the US. 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