[mel]

So this is a new one...

We went to the lake to visit friends this weekend. Husband parked the Traverse in their driveway, on an incline, with the parking brake engaged. Almost two days later, I go out to move it so my son's girlfriend could leave for work. I pushed the parking brake button to disengage, and started backing up the hill. Ha! Couldn't figure out why I wasn't backing up very well until I realized that the parking brake was still engaged. I pushed on the brake pedal, and pushed down on the button again. It was then that I noticed the red PARK light on the DIC was flashing, not solid as it is when it is engaged. Also, the yellow park light next to it with the wrench was on, and suddenly the DIC flashed up a message to service the parking brake. Uh, what?

Here I am, stuck in the driveway, on a hill, with only a foot clearance on either side (rock walls), no way for the girlfriend to get her car out, 2 hours from the nearest dealership. Hmm. Pushing the button down, I could clearly hear the parking brake disengaging (and pulling it up I could hear it re-engage) but obviously when I pushed the button down, it was not actually releasing the rear wheel. We tried turning the car off and on, but that didn't help. I put it in drive and slowly moved the car about 10 feet down the hill and out of the way so she could get her car out. Not the best thing since the left rear wheel didn't turn, but we had no choice.

I did exit the car, which I now realize after Googling is probably what helped release the brake after 5 minutes(?). I was trying to look through the manual at the time (really, these things are not intuitive to search through) - wifi at the lake is non-existent to Google - and finally husband got in to re-park the car and it was totally fine.

Yes, I am scheduling an appointment with the dealership as it's time for an oil change anyway. Anyone have any ideas what happened? I can't figure out why the parking brake wouldn't actually disengage; I wondered if Hill Assist played a part, but surely it wouldn't affect the parking brake like that. I'd hate to think it would stick like this on a hill! I might live in Kansas, but do periodically park on an incline (my own driveway, for instance).

 

[Thomcat]

Just a guess , but I'm for the hill assist screwing it up it applies equally whether facing either downhill or uphill.. Put in reverse before hitting the parking release button? Possible weight of car fell onto the hill assist before the button was pressed and jammed the drum parking brake shoe(s) inside the wheel of the combo disk/drum rear axle and caused the fault. Parking brake has a fail safe - If you forget to remove the parking brake and try to move in the opposite direction, then engine will rev quite a bit, brake shoes groan, and then automatically release after the vehicle starts moving without pushing the brake release button). Then once put in drive it triggered the auto parking brake release (or at least one wheel). Exiting the car should also recycle the parking brake apply motor.



If it continues to work normally , I doubt there is anything wrong or permanent damage. I'm not crazy about the electronic parking brake, but the extra space for the driver's left foot gained by eliminating the parking brake pedal is welcome.





As a note working the parking brake against the hill assist caused a similar screwup in my manual tranny Camaro. Didn't know it had hill assist and I kept working the handbrake with the clutch to move the car (as with every other older manual) and the rear brakes locked and only released once I dumped the cluch at high rpm and it flew up the hill.

 

[mel]

Thanks, Thomcat. I could swear that I released the parking brake before I put it in reverse. I did delay in actually backing up due to the tight quarters, so it's possible Hill Assist jumped in there. However, I just didn't think to check the DIC to make sure there was not red PARK there, let alone that it was flashing! You bet I will from now on.

Later, I finally finding it under "Electric Parking Brake" - I guess I was too dumb at the time to think to look under "electric" - I realized I could have held the release up until it cleared, instead of just pulling it up and releasing the button. And I'm not sure it would have worked, because it says if it doesn't to have it serviced immediately. Seems odd that the message would also keep flashing there.

Nonetheless, it has an appointment Thursday morning. No parking on hills until then!

As a note working the parking brake against the hill assist caused a similar screwup in my manual tranny Camaro. Didn't know it had hill assist and I kept working the handbrake with the clutch to move the car (as with every other older manual) and the rear brakes locked and only released once I dumped the cluch at high rpm and it flew up the hill.

Yikes! I hope you were okay! I have fun driving the 6-speed Mustang GT we have. Now I need to see if it has hill assist!! Just my luck I will mess it up.

 

[mel]

The verdict is that the parking brake actuator on the left rear wheel was "hanging up". Not much I could have done about that, I guess. The service manager said that with electronic parking brakes, sometimes these things happen. Uh huh, okay. I got the impression that he's seen it before because he basically told me what happened before I could relay all the details, especially the part about the service message on the DIC.

They "lubed it up" and all the parts are working fine. He said he didn't think with it only being six months old that would be an issue, so now I feel the need to keep an eye on it. Hopefully the "lubing it up" will prevent future problems.

Wish me luck!

 

[mel]

And...I am back. This is still an ongoing issue. I have taken it to the dealer twice since.

Once, this happened after the car sat at the airport for 5 days, NOT on any incline. There were 3 different error messages received in the DIC, which was quite concerning. For whatever reason, the car only wanted to go about 50 mph. We ended up pulling over and waiting a while but it didn't get any better. The parking brake was NOT on. We wondered if there was an electrical issue. Unfortunately, even though it was a Monday, it was a holiday and the service department was not open.

The dealership did say they were unable to find any problems (and of course when I drove it there the next day, the only message still appearing in the DIC was the "service parking brake"). However, they did reset the electrical system.

Unfortunately, the error message has popped up periodically since, even with another visit to the dealership, who still says they cannot find anything wrong with the parking brake system. I am getting tired of this message popping up. I only use the parking brake on hills (thought hubby uses it every time he parks), and yet the message seems to appear randomly, without warning, about once a week - and disappears usually after a day or two.

I know with enough complaints, they would recall this - if they knew what was causing it. Has ANYONE else had this happen? I searched but didn't see any other posts about it in the 2018 forum, at least. TIA

 

[Thomcat]

And...I am back. This is still an ongoing issue. I have taken it to the dealer twice since.

Once, this happened after the car sat at the airport for 5 days, NOT on any incline. There were 3 different error messages received in the DIC, which was quite concerning. For whatever reason, the car only wanted to go about 50 mph. We ended up pulling over and waiting a while but it didn't get any better. The parking brake was NOT on. We wondered if there was an electrical issue. Unfortunately, even though it was a Monday, it was a holiday and the service department was not open.

The dealership did say they were unable to find any problems (and of course when I drove it there the next day, the only message still appearing in the DIC was the "service parking brake"). However, they did reset the electrical system.

Unfortunately, the error message has popped up periodically since, even with another visit to the dealership, who still says they cannot find anything wrong with the parking brake system. I am getting tired of this message popping up. I only use the parking brake on hills (thought hubby uses it every time he parks), and yet the message seems to appear randomly, without warning, about once a week - and disappears usually after a day or two.

I know with enough complaints, they would recall this - if they knew what was causing it. Has ANYONE else had this happen? I searched but didn't see any other posts about it in the 2018 forum, at least. TIA

Recent information has surfaced on isolated parking brake problems.


Evidently lubricating it is not the solution. Likely caused by driving in heavy rains or deep puddles and leaking bake assembly covers. Check the color of the plastic covers on the brake mechanism......if black a known problem due to water entry and remedied by retrofitting with new redesigned blue plastic covers.


Show dealer this bulletin:


https://sandyblogs.com/techlink/?p=10173

 

[mel]

Thanks, @Thomcat! I will do that! Other than this issue, I have had no issues with my Traverse and I love it! (Except smashing the driver's side mirror against the garage opening because I misjudged the distance backing out! Totally my fault! $900 later...lesson learned.)

 

[Janutsa]

Thank you both for your posts. We just experienced this problem and after reading the service memo ours could be from a weak battery. We have been on an extended vacation and have only pulled the car in and out of the garage a couple of times since our return. We will check the color of the cover as well.

 

[jwilliamson73]

I just recently had this issue with my 2018 LT. The Service Electric Parking Brake Light and a flashing PARK light were both on. It wouldn't release. The next morning it did. Although now it feels like there is a drag while trying to back out of the driveway. It is being towed to the garage.

 

[jshatch]

My wife just called me and told me that she drove about 2-3 blocks and discovered that the parking brake never released. There were no messages, no flashing lights, no chimes, but she could tell there was drag, and she could smell hot rear brakes when she got out. The next time she drove the brake released. Anyone have any luck at the dealership figuring out what's going on? Not sure if my problem is the same but any information is helpful.

 

[jshatch]

Sorry to bring up an old post, but tonight this happened again to my wife, she drove it for a little while on a highway, the service parking brake warning was showing, and when she got home the rear right brake rotor was north of 600°F. I'm taking it in tomorrow for service, hoping it is covered under warranty.

Anyone else having this happen, and what was the fix if you did?

If you want to see it, watch this little video I made. New video by Jarom Hatch

 

[highcountrytraverse]

My 2018 High Country with ~46k miles just recently experienced my parking break engaging on it's own. The first time it happened I had been stopped to talk with a friend for a good 10 minutes (but I didn't engage it in park, I was idling the entire time). When I started driving, I got maybe 100 yards and the parking break engaged itself. It would not disengage and the driver panel said 'service parking brake'. I had it towed (though after about 15 minutes of engine off it did eventually disengage) because I didn't feel safe driving it. They claimed it was a faulty switch, they changed it out, reprogrammed it and sent me on my way. Tonight, about a month later, I was sitting idle for a good 5 minutes at a long red light and it again engaged on it's own, this time I was able to 'dismiss' the message that it was on and when I pressed on the gas pedal it disengaged. I wonder if this auto-engagement has anything to do with being in idle (not parked) at length. Can anyone relate and know if it's something other than a faulty switch? Before a month ago I had never experienced anything like this but it seems like it may not be going away.