Parked Hybrids in the Cold

[Cyker]

I was just having a thought - All my previous cars were manual, and as it gets colder I'd sometimes put the car in first gear and leave the handbrake off, due to it getting stuck from the cold.

Obviously you can't do that in a hybrid, so what do you hybrid owners normally do?

I'm sliiightly worried about the EPB getting stuck to the caliper and not being able to disengage as it gets colder (Or will it still resume disengaging if I move the car to 'crack' it off, as I'd sometimes have to do in my old cars before I started using the no handbrake, 1st gear trick)

It's also the first car I've had that didn't have rear drums, and I don't know if rear discs are more or less prone to the caliper getting stuck to it in the cold, than drums and shoes are...?

 

[MikeSh]

As long as it's not on a steep slope just leave it in P. Our cars (one hybrid, one auto) both live in the garage in P with the parking brake off, as they can be there for days unused.

I think discs are even more prone to sticking than drums. They are more exposed to the damp and therefore rust that sticks them. They will 'crack off' but sometimes it will take positive action (throttle) to make them.

[Auris James]

My 2015 Auris Hybrid and 1996 Volvo 940 Auto I always put in P and handbrake on and no issues with regular use. All lived out in all weathers as never had a garage.

The only time I had trouble was with a 1989 Volvo 240 auto after it sat unused for 3 months, when setting off the rear brake pads became unstuck, when I pulled away. After that, I left in park and handbrake off.

James👍

[preperationlaunch]

My Yaris lets off a lovely honk if it has been parked for a few days without use. The brake discs flash rust quite quickly, especially as the rear brakes don't get used much on the Hybrid, the motors do a lot of your braking instead.

Remember that with cable handbrakes though, you're relying on the caliper spring to pull the rear brake back off, and they don't even always have those. I've had VAG cars where the spring could be retrofitted to fix binding handbrakes.

With the EPB, you have a motor actively winding the caliper in and out, so it's much less inclined to get stuck in the first place.

[TonyHSD]

No problems leaving it with a handbrake on or off. The trouble back in the days were the cables when got moisture inside and then freeze due to the low temperatures but since many years ago cars has nylon plated inner core of the brake cable that guarantees movement in extreme situations plus it’s not that cold right now it’s just -1C° and it’s dry cold, nothing to worry about. Brake disc hand brakes are absolutely fine as long as the piston moves freely and slider pins are free from rust and well lube, your car is new and you drive regularly therefore you should not have any issues 👍