Steps to Engage/Dis-engage Parking Brake

I am specifically interested in the 4Runner, as there is a lot of unclear information online.

When parking the car, is this the correct order?

1. Come to a stop (whether on a flat or downhill road).
2. Press the brake.
3. Move the lever to N.
4. Engage the parking brake.
5. Move the lever to P.

When starting the car to drive, is this the correct order?

1. Press the brake.
2. Start the car.
3. Move the lever to N.
4. Disengage the parking brake.
5. Move the lever to D.

Could you please confirm if these steps are accurate?

 

I've always come to a stop, foot on the brake, engage the parking brake and then put it into park. The reverse is start it up with foot on the brake, disengage the parking brake and then put it into drive.

 

I always set it with the foot brake down then shift into park.

 

^^ Same.


I come to a complete stop by stepping on the brake, then press the foot brake. Then I shift into park.

When I start the car, I press the foot brake and then shift into gear.

 

I do that, but I don't move it into N first. If you remove step 3 you'll be fine.

 

I use parking brake only if I park on steep incline, which happens maybe 2 times a year. I just put shifter to P, shut the engine and apply parking brake then.

 

The parking brake should be used to keep the vehicle from rolling when parked, but you also want the all of the vehicle’s weight on the parking brake and none of the weight on the parking pawl. After shifting into neutral and applying the parking brake, I also take my foot off the foot brake and then shift into park. When leaving, I’ll put the transmission in gear (engine running) before releasing the parking brake.

 

You’re overthinking it.

Whatever you want to do will work just fine, these aren't fragile vehicles.

 

^^^^

 

Also, if you ever have a primary brake failure, use can use the parking brake to slow down or stop.

 

It doesn't really matter. The 4Runner has a shitty parking brake design that typically can't hold the vehicle on a grade (i.e. between step 4 and 5 the vehicle will roll downhill). So all the vehicle weight is on the parking pawl, which does have the mechanical advantage from gearing. And if you engage the parking brake after a car wash or driving through deeper water, the parking brake shoes can flash rust against the rotor hat and seize, so it's better to leave it off in that situation, to avoid damaging the parking brake mechanism.

 

From the factory many of these come with parking/emergency brakes so poorly adjusted that they are absolutely useless. But, for what it’s worth, after carefully adjusting it, my parking brake has been working great for a very long time now…there is hope.

And as long as you use the parking brake everyday, even if it’s left in the rain, it doesn’t stick. Maybe it might stick if you leave the 4runner outside unused for days on end, or if things are really rusty?

As far as the OP’s question, just shift it into park, lift your foot off the brake slightly to unload the drivetrain tension from the park pawl, then step on the parking/emergency brake.

 

This is what I do:

1) shift into neutral with my foot on the brake pedal
2) press the parking brake down
3) lift my foot off the brake pedal so all the weight is on the parking brake
4) press the brake pedal again and shift into park

When starting back up, the procedure doesn't matter (to me).

 

Where do you guys come up with this craziness? Shifting into neutral when using the parking brake? WTF? Just push the brake pedal with your foot whenever you want and you really only need it on a super steep hill like a boat ramp. Even then it’s just an extra safety measure.

 

It’s crazier to not use the parking brake every time as a matter of habit! I don’t view it as an extra safety measure, it’s the primary way to independently hold the vehicle on a hill. If it can’t, it’s crazy not to fix it so it can.

So there!!!! Lol

 

lol I was thinking the same exact thing. It’s an old school parking brake.
These vehicles go off road, can take abuse like no other, but others make do these little steps and got me thinking like ??? Have you ever used a parking brake before lol

yeah shift to neutral, turn on your windshield wipers and roll down back window up and down before engaging parking brake. And don’t forget to tap you heels when you walk to our front door just to be sure that bitch holds on a 2 degree incline lol /end of Friday night rant

 

It’s not 1970. You don’t need to use a parking brake on an automatic transmission.