XL Hybrid Automatic Parking Brake (Revisited)

[MaverickDragon]

I just discovered (by accident) that on my 2025 Hybrid XL AWD with keyed ignition, that the parking brake can be automatically enabled under the following circumstances:

1. Truck is driven and stopped with transmission selector in Drive or Reverse
2. Ignition key turned to off position
3. Truck changes gear selection to Park and parking brake is set automatically

So, instead of stopping, rotating the gear selector to park and lifting the parking brake lever, I just turn it off with the ignition key, remove the key and I'm in park and have the brake set ready to exit. This seems to be the only way on my vehicle to automatically set the parking brake.

Before I stumbled onto this I had thought that an auto parking brake set was not possible.

I have no idea if this function works with any pushbutton to start hybrid vehicles which is every other trim but the XL for 25.

I also don't know if prior to the 25MY keyed vehicles perform this way, nor if that automatic feature/function works the same in a MY26, and no idea if it works on any EB powered Maverick regardless of trim level.

In case it makes a difference, the park recall (25C69) was performed on my vehicle.

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[JimKivi]

I totally dislike the auto stop and brake functions on my truck, but for those who need or want to leave the truck parked with the brake on.... beware of wet conditions. I have had the brakes freeze when parked (and even rust once when on vacation with a Honda due to airport parking) and getting it freed up is not a pretty picture.

 

[MaverickDragon]

@JimKivi
Perhaps your M.Y. is different, but for me it's easy to avoid the automatic parking brake - Just put the truck in park manually before turning the truck off.
BTW - Is your '23EB a keyed or push button ignition?

 

[JimKivi]

Yes, that is how I shut it down. My Maverick is the "switchblade" key.

 

[Randorita]

My '25 Lariat will automatically apply the parking brake if I am parked on an incline. I never applied the parking on any of my vehicles, unless i was parked on a pretty steep incline, or I had to crawl under it. My dad used a parking brake every time he parked and got out. Evidently, it was not hereditary!

 

[Glen Baker LLC]

I just discovered (by accident) that on my 2025 Hybrid XL AWD with keyed ignition, that the parking brake can be automatically enabled under the following circumstances:

1. Truck is driven and stopped with transmission selector in Drive or Reverse
2. Ignition key turned to off position
3. Truck changes gear selection to Park and parking brake is set automatically

So, instead of stopping, rotating the gear selector to park and lifting the parking brake lever, I just turn it off with the ignition key, remove the key and I'm in park and have the brake set ready to exit. This seems to be the only way on my vehicle to automatically set the parking brake.

Before I stumbled onto this I had thought that an auto parking brake set was not possible.

I have no idea if this function works with any pushbutton to start hybrid vehicles which is every other trim but the XL for 25.

I also don't know if prior to the 25MY keyed vehicles perform this way, nor if that automatic feature/function works the same in a MY26, and no idea if it works on any EB powered Maverick regardless of trim level.

In case it makes a difference, the park recall (25C69) was performed on my vehicle.

That must be something that they added for model year 25 and 26.
Yesterday I tried twice, turning the key off with the truck in drive. All it did was put it in park, no parking brake was set. This was in a level parking lot.

The below video was shot on an incline.
In order to test if the parking brake would Auto engage when the truck was turned off while still in drive. The parking brake did not auto engage.
I open the door to simulate me getting out and when I restarted the truck. The brake was still not set.

 

[MaverickDragon]

That must be something that they added for model year 25 and 26.
Yesterday I tried twice, turning the key off with the truck in drive. All it did was put it in park, no parking brake was set. This was in a level parking lot.

Interesting.. I did my test on level ground, and it is consistent.

Vehicle left in drive or reverse when the key is turned off puts the hybrid in park and sets the parking brake.
I wonder if the recall might have changed that, but I cannot find any evidence for that.

I'd never tried the in drive/reverse key off before as I always put every car with an automatic I've ever owned in park first and the only brake set option was to pull the manual lever to engage the parking brake.

I haven't tried to see if the auto park brake sets on an incline that @Randorita reported.
I seem to recall you saying that your vehicle did not do that on another thread.

I'm not sure if that was also a key off while in a drive mode or put in park first.
Next time I'm on an incline, I'll try that.
UPDATE: UPDATE: UPDATE: UPDATE: UPDATE: UPDATE: UPDATE: UPDATE:
I tried the car on a hill steep enough to roll backwards. Put car in park and turned off key.
Parking brake did NOT automatically set for me.
On my vehicle (YRMV) the parking brake only sets automatically if the key is turned off while the trucklett is NOT in park. If in park, the brake won't set regardless of conditions.
END UPDATE: END UPDATE: END UPDATE: END UPDATE: END UPDATE: END UPDATE:

Not a major thing IMHO, but as I recall there was a lot of discussion regarding the auto park brake being a "thing" or not and likely that is due to model year and/or trim differences, as your vehicle does not set the parking brake when in a drive mode and mine does.

From a nanny state perspective, I can see how this would be seen as a safety feature, as you can't just turn off the truck while leaving it in a state where it would be able to roll away, even though it does always set the trans to park... Extra insurance perhaps..

 

[Glen Baker LLC]

Interesting.. I did my test on level ground, and it is consistent.

Vehicle left in drive or reverse when the key is turned off puts the hybrid in park and sets the parking brake.
I wonder if the recall might have changed that, but I cannot find any evidence for that.

I'd never tried the in drive/reverse key off before as I always put every car with an automatic I've ever owned in park first and the only brake set option was to pull the manual lever to engage the parking brake.

I haven't tried to see if the auto park brake sets on an incline that @Randorita reported.
I seem to recall you saying that your vehicle did not do that on another thread.

Also I'm not sure if that was also a key off while in a drive mode or put in park first.
Next time I'm on an incline, I'll try that.

Not a major thing IMHO, but as I recall there was a lot of discussion regarding the auto park brake being a "thing" or not and likely that is due to model year and/or trim differences, as your vehicle does not set the parking brake in a drive mode and mine does.

From a nanny state perspective, I can see how this would be seen as a safety feature, as you can't just turn off the truck while leaving it in a state where it would be able to roll away, even though it does always set the trans to park... Extra insurance perhaps..

It had to be a change they made model years 25 and up.
I updated my post #8 with a video I just shot.

 

[MaverickDragon]

It had to be a change they made model years 25 and up.
I updated my post #8 with a video I just shot.

I had no reason to doubt what you observed.
We both have consistent results with different models.

 

[Glen Baker LLC]

I had no reason to doubt what you observed.
We both have consistent results with different models.

I didn't think you doubted it.
I wanted to try it on an incline seeing if that made a difference. It didn't.
I thought I'd video it.

 

[Timothyd]

I just discovered (by accident) that on my 2025 Hybrid XL AWD with keyed ignition, that the parking brake can be automatically enabled under the following circumstances:

1. Truck is driven and stopped with transmission selector in Drive or Reverse
2. Ignition key turned to off position
3. Truck changes gear selection to Park and parking brake is set automatically

So, instead of stopping, rotating the gear selector to park and lifting the parking brake lever, I just turn it off with the ignition key, remove the key and I'm in park and have the brake set ready to exit. This seems to be the only way on my vehicle to automatically set the parking brake.

Before I stumbled onto this I had thought that an auto parking brake set was not possible.

I have no idea if this function works with any pushbutton to start hybrid vehicles which is every other trim but the XL for 25.

I also don't know if prior to the 25MY keyed vehicles perform this way, nor if that automatic feature/function works the same in a MY26, and no idea if it works on any EB powered Maverick regardless of trim level.

In case it makes a difference, the park recall (25C69) was performed on my vehicle.

The e parking brake is a PITA.

 

[MaverickDragon]

I didn't think you doubted it.
I wanted to try it on an incline seeing if that made a difference. I thought I'd video it.

The post for auto parking brake set on an incline was from @Randorita who also has a MY 25.
I haven't tried that to see if the eBrake sets with a "normal" shutdown (put in park/turn off key).

I know that the eBake doesn't auto set on level ground with a normal shutdown.
At some point when it isn't a major windstorm I'll get around to that...

EDIT: Just tried that - eBrake is NOT set on my vehicle when on an incline if placed in park before turning it off. In that regard, similar to your vehicle. An incline doesn't change anything.
What is different is if the truck is turned off while in Drive or Reverse, when the Mav's parking brake automatically sets and displays the same animation when I initiate the parking brake manually and your vehicle does not.

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