I picked up my C7Z M7 2 weeks ago and only 1 week in of owning it I managed to damage it. I ended up in a rain storm commuting to work and decided to stop at a convenience store to get under a overhead cover due to it being hail season here in Texas. When I pulled up to the pump I flicked the e-brake up and immediately got out and made a mad dash to the store to grab some coffee. As I was making my coffee someone screamed in the store, "anybody own a corvette outside?". Just from his tone I knew it wasn't good and I rushed back outside only to find my car 50 feet from where I parked it resting up against a steel pole.

As I approached the car the damage wasn't visible until I stood behind it. The rear driver side bumper and quarter panel crushed in like a tin can. I felt so bad because when I purchased my z51 this past October I was involved in an accident within 1 week of purchasing it. Am I cursed?

Anyway I was totally distracted and didn't take the time to ensure that the brake engaged, as I normally do. Sometimes the e brake has a mind of its own and will engage instaneously, or within 5 seconds of flipping the switch or it will not engage at all. This time I experienced the latter and my car took a ride on its own. Anyway I'm schedule to have it repaired late this week ($3,000.00 worth of damage).

I have learned my lesson and will be going back to keeping it 1st gear along with the e brake as a back up measure. So my fellow vette brothers please take your time to ensure that your e brake is engaged before exiting your vehicles.

 

Yup, pretty common actually. I've already had my e-brake whoops. Mine was thankfully only $200. The light flickered as if it was on, however it was not. Rolled out of a parking space into another car. Now I both hit the e-brake and put it in gear.

 

My Z06 is an A8 but I never completely trusted the old mechanically actuated parking brakes when parking a manual and I always left it in gear. I have even less faith in the electronically controlled parking brake not having a "glitch" at the worst possible time so your advice about leaving it in gear after parked is excellent advice.

I guess at age 56 I hopefully will be fortunate enough to be alive as autonomous driving vehicles become more common but when something as comparatively simple as an electronically activated parking brake fails to properly engage (or LCD instrument clusters that "reboot" while driving, etc.) I have little faith in something as complex as a self-driving vehicle is going to be anywhere close to glitch free.

 

This is somewhat comforting knowing that I'm not cursed....just the behavior of this type of e brake.

Thanks cvp33!11

 

I owned a c6 for 6 years and it was an automatic, so when I stepped up to M7 I knew I wanted a M7. However, I hadn't drove a manual for at least 15 years of owning my first c7. Therefore, when I was leaving it in first I had a habit of starting it up and immediately taking my foot off the clutch, only to be startled by the car jumping violently. I will need to get back to starting my car up in 1st gear.

 

Yep with my M7 or any manual I have ever driven I will leave the car in gear with the engine off.

 

I understand the need to incorporate any improved technology into the design, however the old pull e-brake is missed.

 

Agreed, that made it easy to do a quick visual check.
But I've never even considered parking a manual in neutral, or an automatic in a position other than "park". I thought that was pretty basic stuff.

 

I hear ya. That routine and locking down the top are good habits to get into

 

The light doesn't flicker when it is on, it stays on. You can also hear the e motor ratcheting up during application. It's called paying attention to what you are doing.

 

Manual says...

Automatic EPB Release

The EPB will automatically release if
the vehicle is running, placed into
gear, and an attempt is made to
drive away. Avoid rapid acceleration
when the EPB is applied, to
preserve parking brake lining life.
The EPB can also be used to
prevent roll back for vehicles with a
manual transmission taking off on a
hill. When no roll back is desired, an
applied EPB will allow both feet to
be used for the clutch and
accelerator pedals in preparation for
starting the vehicle moving in the
intended direction. In this case,
there is no need to push the switch
to release the EPB.

Dependant on circumstances pertaining to incident, this may apply.

 

I've driven manuals for my entire 40 years of driving and have never parked one without having it in gear.

 

When I read that you that you were in a rainstorm I knew it would have a bad ending……..I thought vettes melted in the rain??? !!

Thanks for sharing so others can benefit from your experience. Good luck with the repair!

 

always leave stick in gear,NEVER trust parking brake.

 

this is scary. I always trust the e brake. I only put it in gear when on inclines (front sloping, I put in reverse. 1st, if facing up.) Now I will put the car in gear all the time to be ultra safe. yikes.

 

been there. Rolled back into my garage door and when I opened the garage, $1600 later. Always parked in gear now

 

Sorry man, stuff happens so don't beat yourself up too bad. From now on make sure you leave it in gear and not trust the parking brake....... Although this method comes with other problems like releasing the clutch thinking its in N. lol Good luck!

 

I only park in 1st gear. I don't even use the brake.

 

It's always standard procedure for me after parking to step 1 put in gear and step 2 engage parking brake. 60 + years of driving manuals developed this automatic response habit. Never even think about it.

 

^^^ I do the same. Have had manuals most of my life and just got use to leaving the car in gear without thinking about it- muscle memory.

Of course this poses an issue if you want the car running, then you have to use the ebrake, which is very infrequent...