Had a chance to play around with my brother’s 2010 Buick with an electric parking brake. It is an innovation that shows how far cars have come but how they still require a good pad and rotor.
The Regal has an electric parking brake switch in the center console, which takes the place of the manual parking brake system, the foot pedal and release handle. In case of insufficient electrical power, the electric parking brake cannot be applied or released. The system also adjusts the rear parking brake.
My brother’s car had seen two Michigan winters and the pads and rotors were worn along with a two missing abutment clips. The motor pulling the E-brake cables was taking up the slack and getting hot and bothered.
Top Tips
-The brake could be active when you don’t expect it to.
-To release the brakes manually, the motor can typically be found in the rear passenger side wheel well. If you can access, try disconnecting the center pull cable.
-Most service light issue are related to the temperature of the motor. It the pads, rotors, hardware or cables are worn, below spec or seized, it could cause the motor to fail.
-An enhanced or factory scan tool might be required to calibrated the system.
The electric parking brake can be applied any time the vehicle is stopped or in motion. The electric parking brake is applied by momentarily lifting up on the park brake control switch. The red park brake light will momentarily flash while the parking brake is being applied. Once fully applied, the red park brake light will turn on. If the electric parking brake is applied while the vehicle is in motion, a chime will sound, and the message “Release Park Brake Switch” will be displayed.
If the red park brake light is flashing, the electric parking brake is only partially applied or released, or there is a problem with the electric parking brake. The message “Service Park Brake” will be displayed.
To release the electric parking brake, turn the ignition switch to the ON or RUN position, apply and hold the brake pedal, and push down momentarily on the park brake control switch. When the electric parking brake is released, the red park brake light turns off.
The electric parking brake can be used to prevent roll back for vehicles with a manual transmission taking off on a hill. In a situation where no roll back is desired, an applied electric parking brake will allow both feet to be used for the clutch and accelerator pedals in preparation for starting the vehicle moving in the intended direction. In this situation, perform the normal clutch and accelerator actions required to begin moving the vehicle.
If the electronic parking brake control module is replaced or if there is a concern with either low pedal, noise or the brake is not holding, the module can be calibrated with or with out a scan tool.