Quote:
Originally Posted by colenso
I have an '09 XC70 D5 AWD with an EPB and although it works fine every time I've used it I confess to being a little nervous about it releasing, no problems so far however.
It doesn't take much to imagine being in a queue of traffic with a stuck parking brake. I use the EPB only when really necessary, like on hills for a protracted time, otherwise it's into neutral or very occasionally P. Parking up is fine I think as long as the car is released very gently in the Park position and the hill isn't very steep.
Are we saying that if the brake sticks that it will free off if driven against?
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My car's EPB failed and was very firmly locked on. With much operating of the control button, cursing and swearing it did eventually release, and was OK for a day before locking up again - luckily at home.
The NSR calliper had seized, and then the EPB motor, in trying to cope with a sticky calliper, actually fractured its plastic casing, causing the motor to jam in the engaged position. The AA patrol man was able fix it by fitting a complete new calliper and motor, but it left me with a £300 bill for what I feel is a bit of a gimmick really.
Apparently it can play havoc with the car's computer too, as the system recognises a fault and then gets its digital knickers in a twist.
Given the choice I would think twice before buying another car with an EPB.
Oh and I think elsewhere in the thread self-levelling headlights are mentioned. I'd definitely recommend avoiding a car with Xenon lights after one failed on my V70. A replacement was over £40 from Halfords - and would have been £65+ had I not done a bit of interweb research and just got one from the local motor factors.
Although my V70 is a good car, to my mind there are just too many unnecessary gadgets and gizmos, all of which are fine when they work, but are potentially hugely expensive when they go wrong.
EPB is a good example, as are the various driver aids - BLIS for example. And when I needed a new windscreen I was told by my insurer's provider that there'd be a wait of about six weeks because the job involves removing and then recalibrating the various windscreen mounted cameras and sensors.
I ended up paying a specialist fitter direct, and then claiming the money back through the insurers - which took a month and multiple phone calls to sort.
I guess that most makes and models will be similarly afflicted with high-tech goodies, but next time I do buy a car I'm going to do my best to avoid anything with gimmicky electronic extras.
Jack