Driving with handbrake on for 9km!

[polar_white]

Wife told me she was driving the car with handbrake on for about 9km going about 40-60km/h to work this morning! I want cry now... :mad: :cry: :frown:

I hate to say this, but this is a BRAND NEW 2007 Toyota Hatchback! Yes that's right, one day old car!!! The car is only one friggin day old, I'm so mad right now I don't know what to say.

I just took the car out for a ride. It appeared normal braking is still okay, no weird noise or burning smell... I also parked the car on a hill (about 30 degree) and push to neutral and pulled the handbrake, I needed 4 clicks to stop the car completely from moving, with 3 clicks it still moved a bit, I don't know how strong our handbrake is designed for, is this still normal?

Hopefully everything is okay. Arrrgh but to have this happened on a brand new car that just got off dealership less than 24 hours ago... it really sucks!

Question, how bad could it have done to the rear drum brakes / brake lining? she said she didn't smell anything burning, but I still have concern whether it may have damaged the brakes or other parts of the car.

Has anyone had this mistake before? Is handbrake a separate brake system? Any Yaris expert help would be appreciated!!!

[fu_im_from_texas]

... everybody makes mistakes ...

you will probably need to replace the rear pads at ~90,000 km instead of at ~100,000 km ... i wouldnt lose any sleep over it.

[Black Yaris]

she did not hear the terrible screaching noise from the tires being locked up in the rear? or do Canadian's not use there parking brake like they are supposed to?
if the parking brake was only partially pulled only a bit of friction material may be worn away 40-60km/h is not too fast so it probibly did not heat them up too bad...you should be good

[kurokoma-kun]

I think a lot of people do this by mistake, and like Black Yaris says she could not have gone that fast if the brake was fully engaged.

I would not be embarrassed to have the brakes inspected though. The brake fluid can boil away if too much heat builds up, so a problem might not be obvious from outside. And it will make you both feel better.

[polar_white]

Wife didn't even notice the handbrake warning light is ON, I guess she is not used to the center dash/speedometer yet...

[Thotprawsis]

I doubt you did any serious damage to the brakes. It wouldn't hurt to take it in and have them looked at prior to the winter. Go easy on her, when you drive a new car it's hard to tell if it's supposed to feel like that. Everything is new and tight. She at least told you and as "fu im from texas" said everyone makes mistakes!
I'm sure it's going to be ok.

[Meteorite Man]

As all have said...The yaris will be fine. If it's embarrassing to get it looked at, tell the dealer you think you have a problem with the e-brake not releasing like you think it should. 6863.

Don't get to crazy mad, it's a mistake and remember...Your Mistake is coming.

Take her out for a ride so both of you can get reaquainted with the car.

[black2yaris]

take it in for an early oil change & ask them to look at the back brakes at the time .. early oil changes are best on new cars as there might be metal still in the engine from the MFG'ing process betters safe than sorry later way down the road & what an extra 50 bucks for some piece of mind . Cool off everyone makes a BooBoo .. Now if she does the same thing agin then get mad !

[bnther36]

I can relate, my wife did the same thing. She drives an auto and my Yaris is a 5-speed, so in her defense this was something new. I've got a gravel driveway so the back tires stayed locked the whole 65 yards or so to the road. Poor car looked like a sick dog dragging its ass across the carpet. I swear there are indentations where I stood griping the window trim as I tried scream through a double pane window as she drove by!! I couldn't believe that she never realized that screaming sound from the engine was a bad thing, let alone all the gravel flying from the front tires spinning wasn't normal.
:eek: :eek: :eek:

[tacsniper]

i wonder why Toyota didn't make a beeping sound if your ebeak is on while you are driving......

[CameraCrew]

These things can happen if you don't take the time to go over everything on a new car with your whole family. As a husband, father, brother or leader of the house, it's your responsibility to make sure your family is safe and prepared.
Be mad at yourself.

[marcus]

Wife told me she was driving the car with handbrake on for about 9km going about 40-60km/h to work this morning! I want cry now... :mad: :cry: :frown:

I hate to say this, but this is a BRAND NEW 2007 Toyota Hatchback! Yes that's right, one day old car!!! The car is only one friggin day old, I'm so mad right now I don't know what to say.

I just took the car out for a ride. It appeared normal braking is still okay, no weird noise or burning smell... I also parked the car on a hill (about 30 degree) and push to neutral and pulled the handbrake, I needed 4 clicks to stop the car completely from moving, with 3 clicks it still moved a bit, I don't know how strong our handbrake is designed for, is this still normal?

Hopefully everything is okay. Arrrgh but to have this happened on a brand new car that just got off dealership less than 24 hours ago... it really sucks!

Question, how bad could it have done to the rear drum brakes / brake lining? she said she didn't smell anything burning, but I still have concern whether it may have damaged the brakes or other parts of the car.

Has anyone had this mistake before? Is handbrake a separate brake system? Any Yaris expert help would be appreciated!!!

well was the brake up all the way. coz ull definetely feel that rubber dragging behind you... its probably just up a bit..a little wear on the shoes of ur parking brake pads..

[Yaris Revenge]

Hey, it could always have been worse. I know a guy on a smartcar forum who's girlfriend borrowed his car and accidentally refueled it with gasoline... it was a diesel engine. RUINED.

~YR

[jdium]

As Mitch Hedberg said, it's not an e-brake lever, it's a "make the car smell really bad in 5 miles" lever :biggrin: