Emergency brake - “they all do that”

[TRDrew]

2020 4Runner ORP with 7,700 miles on the clock. I set my emergency brake frequently when parking because I live in very hilly terrain (West Virginia). Truck always rolls on to transmission anyway. And I’ve driven off with emergency brake still set and only realized because the truck beeped to warn me. I asked dealer to look at it and tighten up. They told me, “they all do that. 4Runners, Tacomas… They all roll a little after setting the brake.” Hmmm. I’ve owned 30 cars in my life - including several large, heavy SUVs and I’ve NEVER had a car that rolls after setting the brake. I asked them to look at it anyway, even though they almost, basicallly refused my request. So…. Is this what the 4Runner community experiences? A emergency brake that is one step above worthless???

 

[Jivewalker]

Mine doesn't roll. Once I engage it stays. Just thinking mechanically, I don't think it should roll. The e brake pads should expand against the inside of the rotor and hold tight. Sounds like it needs adjusted or something isn't correct. I would tell them to fix it or escalate the issue to the manager or even Toyota. On previous cars, rolling backwards and stopping would auto adjust the e brake, but it could be something not installed correctly. That's my $.02.

 

[Tieyota]

I can tell you my Tacoma had an amazing parking brake and did not roll! But it was also operated by a handle and not a pedal. The one on my 2021 tends to do the same as you’re describing and I’ve been less than impressed, but the dealerships around here are garbage so I’ve just grown used to it. Parking brakes on newer vehicles are USUALLY self adjusting. I say usually because Toyota slacks so bad in some areas that I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if I took the rear apart to see it’s manually adjusted still

 

[Baystate4Runner]

My 4Runner does not roll after setting the e-brake.

 

[ahtoxa11]

It might settle but it should not roll. It shouldn't put a lot of pressure on the parking pawl either.

If you leave it in N and set the brake and then truck rolls, or, you leave in park, set the brake and the pawl is hard to disengage, then the aux brake needs to be serviced.

I use mine a lot, too (Colorado) and it doesn't roll. Even on steel inclines when out wheeling.

 

[Unretired]

Parking Pawl

They all do that because so many are adjusted wrong and just rolling onto the parking pawl and not really using the parking brake. I'm unimpressed with the parking brake, but after fiddling with it several times I have gotten it to work. It seems to hold MUCH better nose down hill.

I adjusted the brake with the shoe adjusters at the rear wheels and that helped, but didn't seem to last. The third adjustment I also took up slack under the center console and tightened up the lock nut real well and that has made a difference... maybe it was slipping?

I always put the truck in neutral, set the parking brake, feel it hold, then put it in park so the stress isn't on the parking pawl. Months after the adjustments, my parking brake will still hold on 6-7 clicks nose uphill and 4-5 clicks nose downhill.

 

[jhguth]

i've also noticed that mine holds the vehicle pretty well when facing nose down, but not very well when facing nose up. i've needed to adjust mine for the past year, but i'm just lazy

 

[the_economist]

About six months after I bought my 2016 SR5 brand new, I decided it was time to adjust my parking break for the same reason.

It will take you about an hour to do so. Try searching around for some threads here for instructions.

As a first step, you should be adjusting the parking brake from the rear wheels with the tires off. With the car off the ground and parking brake off, you use a screwdriver to tighten the star wheel through the small hole in the brake drum. Keep tightening until the wheel just can’t spin by hand. Then you back off and loosen a couple turns to make sure the brake isn’t dragging.

I did that adjustment once about three years ago, and have not had to adjust it since. My truck doesn’t roll anymore with a brake on.

 

[rayofsi]

with my ebrakes on, my 4runner isnt moving lol...

 

[rightyouareken]

My 2020 also has a pretty soft parking brake and it doesn’t hold my truck on steep hills either.


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[justanothereric]

I noticed this from day 1 of owning the 4Runner and it bothers me EVERY time I park and engage it. Just figured the car was too heavy and fat so the parking brake sucks. Even on flat surfaces it will still move unless I jam down on the parking brake with like 250lbs of force.

 

[Whippersnapper02]

Due to their design, drum brakes (yes the parking brake is basically is drum brake) work better rolling forward than backwards. I guess I don't park on hills all that much and when I do I point the wheels into the curb but I don't recall my Runner moving or barely moving when I set the parking brake.

 

[2021nightshade4x4]

I must have got a good one. Pull uphill steep driveway and it holds pressed even halfway down. No rollback.

I hope what they meant by “they all do that” is that they are all inconsistent? [emoji23]


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[Pilotmatt]

My ebrake isnt great but when I push the clutch in between gears it definitely slows down.

For those of you under 25 let me explain a clutch…

 

[1000MPH]

Really put your foot into it. It should hold on even steep hills. If not, get it adjusted.

 

[Hans Moleman]

My 2nd gen Tacoma parking brake has much more holding power. My 4Runner is so weak. The Tacoma does have a huge drum and regular brake shoes so that's probably why. The 4Runner has tiny parking shoes inside the rotor.

 

[TRDrew]

Update - had to basically argue with the dealer, but he sent it back to a technician who did find it needed to be adjusted. Now it seems to hold better, but still a little roll. The pedal used to go all the way to the floor with barely any effort. Now it goes 3/4 of that distance but I have to push hard. I guess it will have to do. Thanks much for the comments and feedback.


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[BobsTrail]

I always put the truck in neutral, set the parking brake, feel it hold, then put it in park so the stress isn't on the parking pawl. Months after the adjustments, my parking brake will still hold on 6-7 clicks nose uphill and 4-5 clicks nose downhill.

I have been doing it this way for 8 years and it works fine. Have not needed to adjust in 67K miles.

The difficulty was getting my wife to do it this way.

 

[jmf_tracy]

you need to adjust it properly.
Mine was never adjusted properly from the dealer (lazy mechanics) and I finally broke down and adjusted it correct and it works great now.

 

[TRDrew]

you need to adjust it properly.
Mine was never adjusted properly from the dealer (lazy mechanics) and I finally broke down and adjusted it correct and it works great now.

Nope. They got it. I posted an update - all good. I just didn’t care for having to argue over it. Customer expresses concern. Just look into it. Don’t tell them some BS that non-functioning is how it’s supposed to be.


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