blkvet6

The Owner's Manual states that a feature of the electric parking brake is that one does not really need to push down the console switch to release it. One can simply accelerate (either backwards or forwards), and upon sensing the acceleration, the parking brake electronically automatically releases.

I had a new Caddy loaner, that had a feature that, for example, when stopped at a traffic light, one can take their foot off the brake, and the car stays with the brakes on, and then it auto-releases when one pushes the gas pedal to accelerate. (Thus, one does not have to sit through the traffic light holding one's foot on the brake pedal.)

I thought, why not use this C7 feature the same way? I tried it this morning, and it works great! It's a little more hassle than the Caddy, in that one has to apply the parking brake (i.e. lift the parking brake switch on the console in order to engage the electronic parking brake), but it releases very quickly and with little fuss once one accelerates (when the light turns green). It's nice not having to sit there through long lights with my foot on the brake pedal. I'm going to try experimenting with it some more, but so far, it seems to work well, for me, in long traffic light situations.

My slight concerns are 1) I'm not sure it's wise to sit at a traffic light without the brake lights on (maybe tap the brakes when I see a car coming from behind just to make sure they see me?), and 2) whether or not using the feature so often will cause unintended excessive wear of some kind.

Any thoughts / experience?

Foosh

My e-brake auto-release also works flawlessly. However, I don't use it often because I'm in the habit of pushing the button.

I don't ever use it sitting at stop in traffic. I want my brake lights brightly lit at all times.

Black18C7

Not sure why you would ever do this just sitting at a light. I'm with foosh I want my brake lights illuminated at all times. Unless you're stuck in standstill traffic for an accident or something I don't see the point.

mschuyler

You actually have two methods available to you. The first is the "Hill Assist." Press the brake firmly and release. The car will, in theory, stay in place until you move forward. The second is to engage the e-brake, as Foosh mentioned, which will also disengage automatcally. IMO and experience the Hill Assist requires a substantial hill to engage. If you are on a slight incline, it won't engage and you still roll backwards, making the ebrake method more reliable. Of course, if you are fast you just slide your foot off the brake and accelerate in one smooth motion. I've had many older cars with three on the tree where the ebrake was not easily accessible and that was your only option. Frankly, I miss the "brake on a stick" in the console like the older vettes, old bugs, etc. I used to live on a dirt road where we would lock up the rear tires with the ebrake and slide into a turn just for the fun of it.

Steve_R

That works with the electric version on the C7.

I've used the auto-release feature on mine for the 4 years I've had it. I can't imagine anything wearing out from using it. I do agree using it stopped in traffic is a bad idea.

Rebel Yell

That's a good tip brother. When I'm the last car in line I keep my foot on the brakes so the brake lights are on. If there are cars behind me I usually just put the tranny in park at long lights. But now I'll give the park brake a try when others are stopped behind me.

blkvet6

Thanks, Foosh, I agree regarding safety. Wouldn't it be nice if, when the car is running, if the brake lights came on whenever the electronic parking brake is engaged?! I don't see why that isn't the case - seems like it would be logical that brake lights should always be on whenever brakes are applied, doesn't it? (Except, of course, when the car is turned off.)

saleen556

orca1946

All good till your foot atrophies from lack of use!

Foosh

Or unless someone gives you a love tap or worse. I keep my foot firmly on the brake for that reason as well.

dvilin

Good solution if holding your foot on the brake pedal is a problem.

Avanti

Yeah, pretty advanced... Studebaker's "Hill-Holder" (and several others) worked the same way... all automatically, back in the day.

capeli

C6Velocity

I have 2017 C7 M7. When I am at a light and not on a hill, I rarely have my foot on the brake. Never been hit from behind in about 50 years of driving cars with manual transmissions. I'm pretty sure other drivers can see me while I'm sitting there.

Woodson

Solution to a problem that doesn't exist.

Bill Dearborn

I wouldn't bet my life on that. We have seen plenty of police car dash cam videos where people have run into police cars sitting still alongside the road with their lights flashing. Some people don't have the depth perception or if not paying attention the visual acuity to tell when a car is stopped in front of them until it is way too late to avoid a collision. You think they can see you but there is a high likelihood they might not. Anything you can do to break the spell may save your butt.

Bill

raylo

I use my PB once in awhile at certain red lights, but only after someone else stops behind me. We have some horrendously long lights over here in MoCo. Sitting for 3 minutes with foot on the brake is just too long. BTW, I have M7. Not sure I would do this with an auto trans car.

cowboy casey

I always look in the rear view until at least 3 cars have stopped behind me.. I have dodged two 75 MPH wrecks by doing this, the last one I got out of the way of a minivan that took out the 2 cars directly behind me, talking on the phone and did not see the mile of stopped cars in line...

saleen556

defaria

"A high likelihood they might not"? You're kidding right? Anybody who has taken even a brushing of statistics would quickly realize that there are literally billions of occasions each day of people at stop lights either with or without their brake lights on that do not get rear ended. Counting the number of rear end collisions even with the brake lights on would be a small fraction of the total number of people waiting on a light. Those who got rear ended as a result of not having their brake lights on would be even tinier! I find your comment of "a high likelihood" to be totally bogus. There's a tiny likelihood you'll be read ended at a stop light, though I admit it's not impossible.

You mention a police car on the side of the road with lights flashing getting hit. This is not at all like being at a stop light. A car on the side of the road is an unexpected situation. A car at a stop light is not. If a driver cannot recognize that this is a stop light and that you are stopped, having your brake lights on surely isn't gonna make that much of a difference if at all. Hell the damn flashing lights of the cop car didn't do it, why would a non-flashing brake light do it?

I use the eBrake on stop lights if it's a long one and is on an incline where the car would roll. I also use it at a stop light if I'm on an incline where hill assist will time out but the eBrake doesn't.

And I fail to see how or why using the eBrake would put any more pressure or cause any more damage than having your foot on the brake.