Skip to main content
0 items

Haynes Repair and Workshop Manuals | Print and Digital | DIY Friendly

Find your repair guide

Registration Number
Vehicle Search
Quick Search
Find your repair guide
(Cars and vans only)
(Shortcuts to product pages)

What is a car's electronic hand brake?

What is a car's electronic hand brake?

An electronic handbrake, also known as an electronic parking brake, replaces a conventional manual handbrake or parking brake in a car, and is becoming more common on modern models.

It usually takes the form of a button, positioned behind the automatic or manual gearlever, which is pressed or lifted by the driver when the car comes to a standstill.

When you do this a light illuminates on the button and the dashboard, and you may hear the rear brakes being activated by two electric motors.

On some cars, such as VWs, the brake lights are also activated, and remain lit until the switch is deactivated.

To do this the brake pedal needs to be pressed while the button is pushed. The electric motors release the brakes and you can drive off.

What is an electronic hand brake

An electronic handbrake, also known as an electronic parking brake, replaces a conventional manual handbrake or parking brake in a car, and is becoming more common on modern models.

It usually takes the form of a button, positioned behind the automatic or manual gearlever, which is pressed or lifted by the driver when the car comes to a standstill.

When you do this a light illuminates on the button and the dashboard, and you may hear the rear brakes being activated by two electric motors.

On some cars, such as VWs, the brake lights are also activated, and remain lit until the switch is deactivated.

To do this the brake pedal needs to be pressed while the button is pushed. The electric motors release the brakes and you can drive off.