It's called being polite. You were not.

Whenever I run across someone who responds the way you did in this thread after seeking assistance, I just make a note to not respond in the future to that individual's questions.

 

OK I'm curious. How am I not being polite? Let's take this paragraph as an example:

I understand the guy was trying to be helpful by pointing out what the manual said. However what the manual said doesn't really apply to my case. Sure it says it should work but my direct experience is that it isn't working. Essentially I'm saying "When I do X it doesn't work" and he answered "the manual says to do X". How is his answer helpful really? And why do you think I'm being rude by saying "No, you said 'do X' and I'm doing X but it's not working. It must be something else"? Seriously you consider that rude?!?

Now I'm sure you'll hide behind the "well if you're gonna be rude I won't answer you" but I'd really like to know why you think my response here was rude.

 

I think part of the problem here is that you are asking how to do something that is not in line with the accepted (and recommended) way of doing things.

1) I know this was not your main point, but you mention keeping the clutch depressed when sitting at the light. You should never have the clutch depressed unless you are shifting if you want your clutch bearings to last. Sitting at a light with the clutch depressed puts a lot of strain on the bearings and springs in a clutch. Put the car in neutral and take your foot off the clutch pedal at lights.

2) About taking both feet off the pedals at the light and letting the e-brake hold the car... This is not safe, as your brake lights are not on and you are asking to be rear-ended by an inattentive driver.

I also believe that the automated e-brake release is not intended to be a part of your everyday driving routine. I believe it was put in to help prevent the wear that can occur if a person forgets to disengage it and drives away. If you intend to use it for purposes other than what it was intended for, you cannot expect straightforward analysis of your problem.

Please give the people responding a break...they are trying to help, but were responding to an unusual (and difficult to understand) request.

The ebrake is a mechanical device with moving parts, and in your situation is interacting with very hot metal and pad material. It is not meant to be engaged and released regularly when driving while all of the brake parts are heated up. I'm not surprised that it occasionally sticks and I doubt that the dealer can do anything about it given how you are using it.

 

Excellent post by Paul R.

I would add that the OP is asking strangers on the internet to diagnose a problem with his car and getting upset because that's not happening. A dealer can diagnose a problem; strangers on the internet can't.

 

The ebrake is supposed to apply the brakes, no?

I respectfully disagree. And inattentive driver, by definition is not paying attention, therefore is likely to ignore the brake lights too. Also, if I'm stopped and there's a guy behind me also stopped, then the guy behind him can't even see my brake lights and the guy immediately behind me already knows we're stopped for the light.

I see nowhere where it is said to not use it in the manner that I'm using it. In fact, checking the manual online now I find on page 191:

Pretty much exactly my use case!

Trust me, if you have had the ebrake on and it stayed on, you're not gonna be driving away without recognizing it.

But my use case is documented in the manual itself!

Look I posted here to see if others experience this problem (some do) and what they do to work around it. Obviously there are some inputs into the system to say when the ebrake should release and when it shouldn't. I'm just asking what those inputs are.

Huh? What's so difficult to understand? Sometimes the ebrake fails to release. Sometimes that happens when I use the ebrake at a stop light but I do believe on rare occasions it happens from a parked situation. I'm giving nobody a hard time here. See previous post and point out where you think I'm being rude. Unless you think disagreeing with somebody is giving them a hard time, I challenge you to point out to me why you think I'm giving somebody a hard time.

Well considering that's one way you're told you can use it by the owners manual, I must disagree with your viewpoint.

 

Yeah, except his main point that my usage is not a valid use case is incorrect...

Don't tell me I'm getting upset. You have no way of knowing that and I'm not upset. You don't seem to understand that I'm merely asking of other people's experience with what seems like a problem. There are literally hundreds of such posts by other people here in this very forum. Go bother them!

PLONK.

 

Ah, the irony.

Your parking brake (it's not an emergency brake BTW) isn't working as it's supposed to. Go to a dealer and have them diagnose and fix it.

/thread

 

Nope, my seat is one notch from all the way back and never moves. I would never rely on the ebrake only at a stop like that. It would be like parking with the EB and not putting in gear. Someone hits you, your definitely going into the rear of someone or into an intersection.

 

hmm, I am going to be honest... I thought the parking brake was an emergency brake. The terms are normally interchangeable. What are you saying the difference is? So the Corvette has no EB?

 

The Ebrake is effectively the same as putting your foot on the break. As such, how is this different?

 

It is if you read the manual...

 

Somewhat semantics, but the Owner's Manual calls it an Electric Parking Brake (EPB). It does say it can be used to hold the car at a stop when out of gear as the OP describes. There are several pages about it in the Owner's Manual - and yeah, I know most don't bother to read that. As for the difference the EPB is either fully on or off, there is no in between and no way to apply it partway like there is with a manual emergency brake.

 

No its not in most cars...

 

Read the manual...and? Where does it state otherwise? Other then multiple lock positions how does it differ from other EB's? Let me frank here, if you feel you are super intelligent and above conversation, feel free to stfu. These boards are called DISCUSSION forums. If your response is read what's on the manual, you are of no use. Don't try to be cool. I am sure if you physically meet people on this, and any forum, you will find that many are much smarter then you.

 

On the C6/C7 the parking brake is a small shoe and pad inside the rear brake rotors.

The small surface area of the shoe plus the fact it's only on the rear shows that it is really a parking brake and not an emergency brake (as it would be terrible for stopping the car in emergency situations.) Nowhere in the manual does it refer to it as "emergency brake" however, it does talk about using the EPB while in motion, it just doesn't say why.

If when taking off, the EPB tries to disengage but is unable, I'd think the shoe is sticking somewhere and see if maybe some rust is causing it to stick. This isn't terribly uncommon for drum brakes, especially those of parking variety which don't get used to stop the vehicle, but generally just to hold it in place. However, the C7 knows about this, and may cycle the EPB (while stopped) if the driver hasn't in a while. (This is an assumption, as once again, the manual doesn't say "why" this is intended behavior.)

However, if when taking off, the failure is that the EPB doesn't even try to disengage, then I'd start pointing my finger at the control module.

 

Actually, its that way in most cars. The emergency brake does not engage the brakes at all 4 corners.

 

^Some cars only have the parking brake on one wheel, even.

 

absolutely. The passenger side rear.

 

Learn...

On page 191 of the manual:

Ergo the parking brake can be used in an emergency.

Geeze what crawled up your *** today? No, Mr. Strawman, I never said I was super intelligent, in fact I haven't even said I was smart. So don't you go stuffing words in my mouth and then attempt to shoot me down for saying it, it only makes you look foolish. These are discussion forums and I'm discussing this issue.

Hmmm... A couple more strawmen - you appear to be good at them. Now go argue with somebody who actually said such things because it wasn't me - it was your imagination.

Look, I already referred to the manual before. It was asked is it a parking brake or an emergency brake - there is none (https://goo.gl/U7QR6G), further as I read in the manuel last time I came across the statement cited above.

Now let's make up some more stuff that I didn't say...

 

Bro, and? I knew the data you posted. Show me where I argued that? You probably need to read the website.