Electric Parking Brake automatically engages when shifted to park

[peterk9]

I also have a’21 Explorer with the software “fix” to solve the recall. Has anyone had issues with the parking break failing to release after getting the “fix?” Mine was updated a few months ago and today the break would not release, I had to turn the car off, then on then off and on again before it would finally release. Obviously I need to take it in to get looked at, but I’m just curious if this is a common problem.

Welcome to the Forum.
Did you try to manually release the parking brake before turning the vehicle OFF/ON?

Peter

 

[peterk9]

Ford will not update my 2021 Platinum to automatically set the e-brake so we set it manually.
Ford claims my vehicle is not covered in the bolt failure recall even though it's equipped with the V6 and the factory hitch.
Personally, my preference is to have it set automatically.

Hopefully the bolt doesn't brake when I'm towing the trailer.

Looks like you and Mmichels have your brakes and breaks mixed up.

Peter

 

[Pedro504]

Looks like you and Mmichels have your brakes and breaks mixed up.

Peter

Best laugh I've had in a while, thanks peterk9

 

[slow3v]

Interesting how owners have a meltdown over this parking brake fix, here, but every new Toyota model sold in the last 5 years does exactly this by default. Shift to park? EPB applied.

 

[Sea_Ray]

Interesting how owners have a meltdown over this parking brake fix, here, but every new Toyota model sold in the last 5 years does exactly this by default. Shift to park? EPB applied.

My 2 cents

This is Not a Fix
The vehicle was not sold with the auto parking brake
And the recall for many was changed to customer satisfaction .....meaning if the rear end fell out they would fix it up to 150.000 miles

The original recall notice warned of possible accident if the drive train became misaligned while driving....and they come up with lets make the parking brake come on.

FYI,
USA is not a City or State

 

[rachelleikela]

Maybe I'm missing something but why would it be annoying? It engages when you go into Park and disengages when you start to drive.

Peter

the car hesitates as it switches off so that is what is annoying

 

[JAMADOR]

the car hesitates as it switches off so that is what is annoying

Only if you're trying to get a hard start acceleration. Become a force of habit for me, shift to D, tap the gas to release the brake, then go.

 

[peterk9]

the car hesitates as it switches off so that is what is annoying

Welcome to the Forum.
I don't have that feature on my 2020 but likely will on my 2023 if it ever gets here. If it is really annoying, you can use the manual release before driving off.

Peter

 

[LLCJR]

Maybe I'm missing something but why would it be annoying? It engages when you go into Park and disengages when you start to drive.

Peter

I don't like that unless you barely touch the gas the car can rapidly jump backwards in reverse. Feels like the brake doesn't release fast enough and then the car jumps backwards if you apply too much accelerator. My opinion is it sucks. And the auto stop when you stop at a light.

 

[peterk9]

I don't like that unless you barely touch the gas the car can rapidly jump backwards in reverse. Feels like the brake doesn't release fast enough and then the car jumps backwards if you apply too much accelerator. My opinion is it sucks. And the auto stop when you stop at a light.

Welcome to the Forum.
My Aviator doesn't automatically engage the parking brake. I have to manually apply it. In any case, you have the option to release it manually. I don't mind the Stop/Start feature since in my case it seldom comes ON.

Peter

 

[LLCJR]

Welcome to the Forum.
My Aviator doesn't automatically engage the parking brake. I have to manually apply it. In any case, you have the option to release it manually. I don't mind the Stop/Start feature since in my case it seldom comes ON.

Peter

I just about always forget to release the emergency brake. Our stop/start feature does work. The reason I don't like it is because being a mechanic for most of my career I just can't understand why you would want to subject your starter components and even the engine to all those stop/starts.
Like the brake we just don't think about turning it off. Give me the option to disable options like these.

 

[peterk9]

I just about always forget to release the emergency brake. Our stop/start feature does work. The reason I don't like it is because being a mechanic for most of my career I just can't understand why you would want to subject your starter components and even the engine to all those stop/starts.
Like the brake we just don't think about turning it off. Give me the option to disable options like these.

It has been mentioned several times that the parts in these vehicles have been built with the feature and wear in mind. Are you sure that the parking brake on yours does engage when shifted to Park? It was implemented on the earlier 2020 models to prevent possible rollaway. As I mentioned, my 2023 doesn't have it. If it does engage, you have the option of manually releasing it or simply putting the vehicle in gear and start driving. It will automatically release. I think the reason my Start/Stop seldom kicks in is due to maintaining a low battery condition as I don't drive very much. My 2020 Aviator was the same.

Peter

 

[Sea_Ray]

the car hesitates as it switches off so that is what is annoying

My recall was completed August of 2022 and has been a nightmare ever since.

I turn the brake off when I park in the garage.....The reason I do this is I don't drive every day and when I wash it on the driveway the brakes don't dry enough and the pads rust to rotor and then make a loud popping noise as the vehicle moved. This auto brake is a crock of ****T and those that say it's no big deal are lucky they haven't experianced the problem. It's well documented on this site by me and The Currie Ford of Valpo Indiana service manager.

IF FORD did their homework they would had instructed dealers and owners of the option to turn brake off after washing. These jack@sses caused me to visit the dealer at least 15 times over 18 months.

The dealer tried to fix it by installing ceramic pads which caused another problem....the brakes made a grunting noise everytime the vihicle went from drive to reverse or from park to drive which they tried to tell me it was normal....I had to go to another Dealer which entered a Technical Support Request 120171499 the response which I didn't no they had replied said put on lift and try to isolate blah blah blah.

Not knowing this I ordered and paid $570. to have OEM pads and rotors installed and to quote Brandon "Well Son of a B" the noise went away and has been perfect since October 19th. The dealer from what I could tell used the wrong Pads from advanced Auto Parts they were 1MM thicker from what I could tell. I told this to FORD 800 support jack@ss and he replied they have no control over the dealer I said ****-You and hung up.

The 1800 FORD support was no Help thru this whole process.

I asked several times for the Ford Factory rep to look at it.

I was told by the dealer the grunting was normal.

I have a security camera in garage with sound so I was able to show the dealer I overed to share with Ford but they never responded. If you're interested I can send you a link.

 

[HacksawMark]

I wonder if the 2025 model will auto disengage the parking brake when shifting it into drive mode? I have another car that does that automatically.

 

[peterk9]

I wonder if the 2025 model will auto disengage the parking brake when shifting it into drive mode? I have another car that does that automatically.

I'm not sure why the newer Explorers still have that feature. My 2023 Aviator doesn't and neither did my 2020.

Peter

 

[KMB505]

I have a '20, but drove a '23 rental recently (hit a deer) that had the automatic parking break setting. I really didn't mind it. Since this issue came up with later models, and even though mine wasn't part of the recall, I've been setting my brake, just in case. It disengages when the gas in applied.

As for the deer, it ran off. Wasn't. a bad hit, but all plastic got replaced and rtfender refinished.

 

[Pioneer4x4]

First, I always use parking break, even on the level, in my garage. I learned that driving manuals in my youth. On a previous Volvo, you could enable "Put on automatically parking brake when off" or something like that, which I did. I manually do that in my aviator (recall not performed yet,parts ordered), and I manually take off the parking brake after I put it in D or R.
With this change, I ass-u-me that I won't even notice anything different.
Can you turn off the parking break, after it is automatically put on? Can you still turn it off after you put it in gear?