Parking, Park, and Parking Brake

[BradnChristine]

I have been doing this all wrong according to the manual.

When I park, I usually stop, manually spin the dial to Park, even though I know the truck will do it for me when I turn it off. (I don't want to get into the habit of trusting the truck to do it as I drive other vehicles). Then I pull up to engage the parking brake, then I press the On/Off button in the Lariat.

When I start the truck, I push the brake release, spin the dial to D or R and then press the gas pedal.

All normal behaviors, and all wrong for my Maverick according to the manual which tells you not to manually release the parking brake while in Park.

So I tried a few odd behaviors to see what actually happens in different scenarios.

1. Open the door with the truck still on and in gear and your seatbelt connected, and your foot on the brake. Truck stays in selected gear but parking brake applies automatically.
2. Open the door with the truck still in gear with your seatbelt Disconnected, and your foot on the brake. Truck goes to PARK and parking brake applies automatically.
3. Press the On/Off button and truck goes into Park and applies the parking brake, motor turns off.
4. Start truck by pressing button and brake, let go of brake, put in gear. Truck keeps parking brake on unless you press gas pedal, then it automatically releases the parking brake as soon as you give it a little gas.

And I thought I knew how to drive.

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[Maverickman74]

Interesting. I haven't been using the parking brake unless on a hill.

 

[ThisWas]

I'm confused. I always release the parking brake manually in my 2022 XL Hybrid so I can drive off smoothly without the hesitation I can feel if I use the automatic release.

My 2022 Owners Manual does not have the warning you circled in red. I wonder what was the reason for the change.

 

[Last Truck Ever]

Interesting. I haven't been using the parking brake unless on a hill.

I can count on one hand the times I've used a parking brake in the last 30 years.

 

[PNWMaverick]

Right.....

@Ford Motor Company - A little help?

 

[MakinDoForNow]

I have been doing this all wrong according to the manual.

When I park, I usually stop, manually spin the dial to Park, even though I know the truck will do it for me when I turn it off. (I don't want to get into the habit of trusting the truck to do it as I drive other vehicles). Then I pull up to engage the parking brake, then I press the On/Off button in the Lariat.

When I start the truck, I push the brake release, spin the dial to D or R and then press the gas pedal.

All normal behaviors, and all wrong for my Maverick according to the manual which tells you not to manually release the parking brake while in Park.

So I tried a few odd behaviors to see what actually happens in different scenarios.

1. Open the door with the truck still on and in gear and your seatbelt connected, and your foot on the brake. Truck stays in selected gear but parking brake applies automatically.
2. Open the door with the truck still in gear with your seatbelt Disconnected, and your foot on the brake. Truck goes to PARK and parking brake applies automatically.
3. Press the On/Off button and truck goes into Park and applies the parking brake, motor turns off.
4. Start truck by pressing button and brake, let go of brake, put in gear. Truck keeps parking brake on unless you press gas pedal, then it automatically releases the parking brake as soon as you give it a little gas.

And I thought I knew how to drive.

The apparent reason is that IF you release the parking brake then it's possible that you can wind up with the truck parked with the parking pawl holding the truck in park without the parking brake holding the truck. Engaging or disengaging the parking pawl while the weight of the truck is trying to roll downhill can lead to premature failure. The Parking pawl needs the brake and/or parking brake engaged before it's operated

 

[TheSEARCH]

Wait a second I am all confused. Call me slow. My hybrid mav just came in today and will have it shortly. The times in the past I used the parking brake when I was on a hill parking. I would pull on hill go to N then would engage parking brake to hold car in place THEN put into park. This way the weight of car is NOT on parking pawl. Can I do this now with hybrid mav?

Plus sometimes I would back up looking out driver door which I had open for better view. Not sure this is possible anymore? I know not the safest way.

 

[commadorebob]

Maybe I'm weird, but when I hit the brake to turn the vehicle on, I usually keep it depressed until I release the parking brake and put it into gear. Even in times when I do take my foot off the brake, I just instinctively go: brake, disengage parking brake, shift to drive, release brake.

 

[mav_kev]

More overthinking. Just keep your foot on the brake until the transmission is in gear and the parking brake is released. It takes like 4 whole seconds to start, select gear, and release parking brake manually.

I swear, the amount of handwringing on this board is astonishing.

ETA: Bob beat me to it.

 

[K5Blazer]

Maybe I'm weird, but when I hit the brake to turn the vehicle on, I usually keep it depressed until I release the parking brake and put it into gear. Even in times when I do take my foot off the brake, I just instinctively go: brake, disengage parking brake, shift to drive, release brake.

Exactly the way I’ve always done it.
That was SOP for manual cars.

 

[cneth]

FWIW, I didn't see the OP as handwringing. Seems like a legit question based on the owner's manual.... I also think @MakinDoForNow explained a possible reason it might have said that.

(I do agree there is a fair amount of handwringing on this board but this didn't seem like it to me... )

 

[Montana]

Where is the rest of it? Like on page 195.

 

[BradnChristine]

Maybe I'm weird, but when I hit the brake to turn the vehicle on, I usually keep it depressed until I release the parking brake and put it into gear. Even in times when I do take my foot off the brake, I just instinctively go: brake, disengage parking brake, shift to drive, release brake.

And that is exactly what the manual warns against. Exactly the way I have always driven as well.
1. Foot on brake,
2. release parking brake (NOTE this is what you are warned against doing) and THEN
3. take it out of park and put it into gear.

 

[BradnChristine]

Where is the rest of it? Like on page 195.

I'd say "let me google that for you..." but since I know you are a nice guy:

 

[Montana]

I'd say "let me google that for you..." but since I know you are a nice guy:

Crazy! I find it interesting they put it as a warning though.

I was always under the impression a parking brake was to help prevent accidents like mashing on the gas and rolling forward as part of its features lol.

Never argue with a FORD engineer

I still need to know why. Why FORD... Why?

*Edit
Page 194:

You are not doing it wrong. That's just the disclaimer for the AUTOMATIC release.

Had to DL the manual on mobile because I needed clarification lol.

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