Parking brake

[Illusion51]

A hypothetical question: We've all heard stories of runaway vehicles that accelerate with unresponsive brakes which usually end catastrophically. I always thought that you could put the car in neutral and engage the parking brake. That would work with the old mechanical parking or "emergency" brake that engaged in response to the amount of pressure put on the pedal or the pull on the lever. The Maverick's parking brake engages fully rather instantly. If you engaged the brake at, say, 60 mph, would the truck self-destruct? Or has Ford built in a prevention that would keep the brake from engaging at all?

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[vandeda2024]

From the 2025 Mav user manual:

Applying the Electric Parking Brake in an Emergency

You can use the electric parking brake to slow or stop your vehicle in an emergency.

Pull the switch up and hold it.

The red warning lamp illuminates, a tone sounds and the stoplamps turn on when you use the electric parking brake in an emergency.

The electric parking brake continues to slow your vehicle down unless you release the switch.

Note: Do not apply the electric parking brake when your vehicle is moving, except in an emergency. If you repeatedly use the electric parking brake to slow or stop your vehicle, you could cause damage to the brake system.

 

[GreyCacti]

It does not slide out of control. Going slow I tried it once, jold it up and it definitely shows the truck down. But I wouldn't use it more than just to see that it works or an emergency

 

[Tiger Dude]

A hypothetical question: We've all heard stories of runaway vehicles that accelerate with unresponsive brakes which usually end catastrophically. I always thought that you could put the car in neutral and engage the parking brake. That would work with the old mechanical parking or "emergency" brake that engaged in response to the amount of pressure put on the pedal or the pull on the lever. The Maverick's parking brake engages fully rather instantly. If you engaged the brake at, say, 60 mph, would the truck self-destruct? Or has Ford built in a prevention that would keep the brake from engaging at all?

I have heard peple claim this and have never believed them. Pressing the brake pedal will stop a car no matter what the engine is doing. I taught my kids this, made them practice it. I suppose it is possible to have complete brake system failure AND a locked throttle, but it seems almost impossibly remote. I did have a throttle stick on me in a 73 Ford LTD. I used the brakes and then turned it off.

 

[Glen Baker LLC]

A hypothetical question: We've all heard stories of runaway vehicles that accelerate with unresponsive brakes which usually end catastrophically. I always thought that you could put the car in neutral and engage the parking brake. That would work with the old mechanical parking or "emergency" brake that engaged in response to the amount of pressure put on the pedal or the pull on the lever. The Maverick's parking brake engages fully rather instantly. If you engaged the brake at, say, 60 mph, would the truck self-destruct? Or has Ford built in a prevention that would keep the brake from engaging at all?

To answer your question. The electronic parking brake has built-in safeguards. It will bring the truck to a stop slowly. I believe it's covered in the manual.
Most of the cases that have been cited. It has been found out that, it was actually operator error pumping the the accelerator instead of the brake pedal or a floor mat on the gas pedal.

 

[HeyBales]

Or a 2 pedal driver not really skilled with it - and in freak-out mode pushing both down but the brake not as much.

But yes to neutral would have been the solution not stamping feet down.

It is a good practice session, young drivers especially.

 

[Vettereddie]

It does not slide out of control. Going slow I tried it once, jold it up and it definitely shows the truck down. But I wouldn't use it more than just to see that it works or an emergency

No well-executed handbrake turns then? How will the lads impress the ladies now.

 

[idk]

I have heard peple claim this and have never believed them. Pressing the brake pedal will stop a car no matter what the engine is doing. I taught my kids this, made them practice it. I suppose it is possible to have complete brake system failure AND a locked throttle, but it seems almost impossibly remote. I did have a throttle stick on me in a 73 Ford LTD. I used the brakes and then turned it off.

It happened to me once. I was driving across the Nullabor Plain in Australia on cruse control when I came up to a car driving much slower. I put on the brake and the pedal went straight down to the floor. No brakes. As the brake light switch was operated by a pressure switch in the brake lines, and there was no pressure, the brake lights didn't come on. As the brake lights didn't come on the cruise control stayed on. There was a vehicle coming the other way, so it was a little difficult to get around the one in front of me, but somehow I managed. I drove the next thousand miles before I could repair it using gear changes and the hand-brake to slow down.

btw, the same thing happened to me with a Ford LTD from about the same year. The inner throttle cable welded itself to the outer cable because there wasn't a good ground connection from the engine to the battery.

 

[GreyCacti]

No well-executed handbrake turns then? How will the lads impress the ladies now.

Well for one, as much as we love our mavericks, they are not chick magnets .
And besides the girls should be more impressed with the 43 mpgs than a drift haha.

 

[todd92]

Runaway cars with unresponsive brakes? Nope.

 

[Ozarkbeard]

...I did have a throttle stick on me in a 73 Ford LTD...

There have been cases of Mavericks accelerating on their own. Past discussion of it on MTC.

 

[Ozarkbeard]

From the 2025 Mav user manual:

Applying the Electric Parking Brake in an Emergency

You can use the electric parking brake to slow or stop your vehicle in an emergency.

Pull the switch up and hold it.

The red warning lamp illuminates, a tone sounds and the stoplamps turn on when you use the electric parking brake in an emergency.

The electric parking brake continues to slow your vehicle down unless you release the switch.

Note: Do not apply the electric parking brake when your vehicle is moving, except in an emergency. If you repeatedly use the electric parking brake to slow or stop your vehicle, you could cause damage to the brake system.

Good to know this. Thanks for posting it.

I have been curious as to what would happen if the parking brake was activated while the vehicle was moving, and if it could be used in an emergency situation. If it's in the '23 manual, I must've overlooked it.

 

[GreyCacti]

There have been cases of Mavericks accelerating on their own. Past discussion of it on MTC.

Mine did.
It was crazy. It would accelerate to about 30 mph on its own. As soon as I release the brakes it would keep doing it
This was after I jump started the truck. Has all sorts of warnings and errors on display.
I bought a new battery after that

 

[Glen Baker LLC]

Good to know this. Thanks for posting it.

I have been curious as to what would happen if the parking brake was activated while the vehicle was moving, and if it could be used in an emergency situation. If it's in the '23 manual, I must've overlooked it.

It should be there.

 

[Glen Baker LLC]

There have been cases of Mavericks accelerating on their own. Past discussion of it on MTC.

Other than Antidotal, especially if you're talking about "Old Sarge"
I have not seen or read anything confirming, verifying or documenting, any Maverick runaway accelerations or brake failures.

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