2019 Leaving parking brake off during storage?
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Welcome. Please explain what “disable parking” means. If you mean disable the parking brake, no.
Meant - not to have the parking brake engaged so as to prevent the disc brakes from ceasing due to an extended (six weeks) car in “park” mode.
I wouldn't personally do it, but I supposed you could. if you do, make sure you're not on a slope (even a slight one), no other liabilities are present (pedestrians, roadways or other vehicles). if you're leaving it in a garage, you won't have anything to worry about, just put something behind the wheels if you want. don't leave bricks or anything around if it's outside, some hoodlums might get some ideas.
If you can, connect a battery maintainer/charger to the car. MAKE SURE TO USE AGM/WINTER MODE. I bought this one on sale from Canadian Tire, works well on the GLA and my motorcycle. General PDP Template
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Better to use chocks on the tires if hill-necessary and leave the parking/emergency brake disabled for the reasons you subsequently cited. I even use chocks on opposing wheels when rotating tires on a flat garage floor.
However I thought the parking brake automatically-electronically engaged when parked? Perhaps different on Canadian models? edit: just verified that our 2018 FWD does auto-apply the parking brake when "park" on the stalk is selected.
Welcome to the forum. Perhaps next time you'll include a more descriptive and "savvy" title, and more insightful posting, so others searching in the present/future may be availed (I augmented your original terse "2019"). Would have also made a better introductory first impression.
However I thought the parking brake automatically-electronically engaged when parked? Perhaps different on Canadian models? edit: just verified that our 2018 FWD does auto-apply the parking brake when "park" on the stalk is selected.
Welcome to the forum. Perhaps next time you'll include a more descriptive and "savvy" title, and more insightful posting, so others searching in the present/future may be availed (I augmented your original terse "2019"). Would have also made a better introductory first impression.
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At least on the AMG models when you select Park you will hear an electric motor (actually two) toward the rear of the car that operate for a few seconds. This applies pressure to the "parking" brake pads. It's also the reason you need to go through a routine to release the brake when you change the rear brakes.
At the AMG Driving Academy the instructors insisted we release this brake when we came in off the track so the pressure wouldn't warp the hot rotors. This was done by putting the car in Park, opening the driver's door, and then reaching to the bottom of the dash to pull the brake release lever. The transmission (only) then held the car from rolling.
Think about how quickly the car stops if you open the door at 3 mph. That's not the electric motors stopping the car (they initiate the brake slowly). That's the transmission locking.
If the rotors are cold they won't warp with pressure. The concern of releasing the brake during storage is probably over thinking the situation, IMHO.
At the AMG Driving Academy the instructors insisted we release this brake when we came in off the track so the pressure wouldn't warp the hot rotors. This was done by putting the car in Park, opening the driver's door, and then reaching to the bottom of the dash to pull the brake release lever. The transmission (only) then held the car from rolling.
Think about how quickly the car stops if you open the door at 3 mph. That's not the electric motors stopping the car (they initiate the brake slowly). That's the transmission locking.
If the rotors are cold they won't warp with pressure. The concern of releasing the brake during storage is probably over thinking the situation, IMHO.
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I agree in general. However there's also disc rotor flash rust to consider. I once "put up wet" my Audi TTS and then not driving for a few days the auto parking/emergency brake pad application was so "frozen" the computer-DCT transmission balked so I had to put the vehicle in neutral and get out and rock it free. However first time that has ever happened to me (also first DCT) and I now make sure to blow dry the rotors.
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I've had a friend's car in my garage during this California rain fest. So our cars are in the driveway. Every time I drive the GLA or the Porsche the brakes need to break free. The car jerks free initially and the brakes sound horrific for a distance. In the case of the Porsche this is even without the hand brake being engaged. It's just the way with high performance (iron rotor) brakes.
thank you for your timely feedback and shared insights as to what options may work if disengaging the hand break. Additionally your suggestions for a battery minder is timely since i have started to investigate what options are out there.
Thank you for your timely feedback and insights. I will digest the information provided and arrive at a solution.
Appreciate your feedback and observations… thanks
Thank you for your feedback. I will have to try the steps used by the AMG driving instructor. I think you observation is correct, i probably am overthinking this issue.
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I release the parking break every single time I park in the garage (as taught at the AMG Academy). Mainly for the rust reasons others have mentioned. It's a very controlled environment, so no issues with excess load on the transmission pin in Park, or rolling away. Just about everywhere else I go though, I let the car keep the parking brake engaged.
My pads and rotors rust together after nearly every single drive, except dry summer days. In the winter, even when it's not wet out, the tiny amount of condensation that happens in the garage (insulated, but not heated) freezes the pads and rotors very badly. I have to put it in neutral and rock the wheels by hand to break them free. The DCT does NOT like trying to do that job, especially in the cold. Then the rotors are scraping very harshly against the pads on every rotation for the first several miles. That's gotta be hard on brake pad life.
I've been wondering if aftermarket rotors would be any different?
As long as it's safe to do so, I'm a fan of releasing the parking brake for longer sits.
My pads and rotors rust together after nearly every single drive, except dry summer days. In the winter, even when it's not wet out, the tiny amount of condensation that happens in the garage (insulated, but not heated) freezes the pads and rotors very badly. I have to put it in neutral and rock the wheels by hand to break them free. The DCT does NOT like trying to do that job, especially in the cold. Then the rotors are scraping very harshly against the pads on every rotation for the first several miles. That's gotta be hard on brake pad life.
I've been wondering if aftermarket rotors would be any different?
As long as it's safe to do so, I'm a fan of releasing the parking brake for longer sits.
I've never disengaged the parking brake on my GLA, though I've had the rusting and sticking issues after a car wash or going through deep snow. I should probably disengage the parking brake in these situations, but I always forget. The car breaks free after a bit of force.
The dealer says my brakes are like new at 11K kms. I wouldn't worry too much about this kind of stuff, especially since brakes are consumables and ought to be replaced eventually.
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