[Fleecewife]

Hypothetical(ish) question - in an emergency, say if the driver collapses at the wheel, how would you stop a car which has an electronic handbrake, from the passenger seat?  The handbrake doesn't work when the car is going along and the switch is far to the right. It would be very difficult to reach across the central bit between the seats to reach the pedals, but could maybe reach the ignition key - if you turned off the ignition, would you also lose steering?

[OhLaLa]

..........if you turned off the ignition, would you also lose steering?

The power steering would turn off, and the steering lock would turn on.

[Julestools]

Electric handbrakes? Why. As far as i was lead to believe, when i used to build cars in my youth, the vehicle had to be fitted with a mechanical park brake, indipendent of the normal hydraulic braking system. Unless the construction and use regulations have changed i wouldn't think an electric parking brake was legal

A few weeks ago one of the lads at work parked his VW Passat on a slope in the car park at work and applied the electric park brake. When he got back to the car later it had moved.... and was embedded in the side of a VW Golf. For no apparent reason the parking brake had failed. You can't beat the old "brick under the wheel" park brake

[Hassle]

Trying to stop a vehicle using the handbrake would be dangerous pulling the hand brake applies the rear wheel brakes and can induce a skid. It would be better to kick your foot across and apply the foot pedal while holding the wheel. Of course hypothetically speaking this is assumes reaction and no panic as the driver may possibly slump over taking you straight into the hedge.

Discovery electric brake is a prop brake so pulling that at speed could mean all 4 wheels locking and the shafts shattering.
Prius has an electric hand brake but then they're a death trap already so that will probably speed up

Finally parking according to the Highway Code when you park on a hill you are supposed to turn the wheel in to the curb, therefore your friend technically be prosecuted.

 

[Fleecewife]

It's a 2010 Subaru Outback and the electronic brake is standard - but weird      I don't really trust it at the best of times so always leave the car in gear when parked.  Everything in the Subaru seems to be electronic and it definitely has a mind of its own.
 
I would think that if this problem were to happen it would be more important to stop the car somehow even if it blew up the engine or broke the axles, rather than crashing and dying, so I am trying to have an advance plan so there is no thinking time.  Maybe I shouldn't worry about it - it might never happen, but then again, it might.
 
It is not easy to reach a foot across from the passenger footwell as there is a central console bit in the way.  I would think it's possible to push the gearstick into neutral without using the clutch, but then the car itself would still have to be stopped.   

[90driver]

Hassel..... Landrover ELECTRIC handbrakes do not work on the propshaft as per older models . Infact it is only the Defender that uses a transmission brake in the current line up.

 Other models use small handbrake shoes inside drums built into the rear discs.
Some are good old fashioned lever but most are now electric. The  Evoque and current encarnation of the Freelander use electric motors on the back of the caliper.

Back to the original posters question, the ability to reach the handbrake from the passenger seat depends on vehicle some are next to the gearlever as per normal ..... But that has always been the case. The old Peugeot 504 and jaguars had the handbrake on the RHS of the driver.... And a lot of Mercs use a system that can only be used by the driver.

Some manufacturers are now turning away from electric handbrakes as they could never get them right. Replacing the motors on discoveries is a very expensive job . Adjusting and maintaining them is not straigh forward either..... So much for progress !!!!!

[Hassle]

Oh i stand corrected, well I have both one I work on and keep road worthy the other I give to a computer technician to keep going

Can you guess which is which 

[90driver]

Oh yes.... There are some days that all I use at work is a laptop !! Very clever stuff but rather dull ! But that said most jobs on modern LR's are a PIA.

Still luv 'em though :-)

[Julestools]

"electric motor on the back of the caliper"

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha......... how long is that going to last down on the farm. I do think Landrover have lost their way somewhat. Bottom of the JD Power reliability survey too

And i have four of the buggers (had five till the Disco TD5 got nicked) '81 Series 3 Diesel is the daily driver :-)
 

[Hassle]

I do think Landrover have lost their way somewhat. Bottom of the JD Power reliability survey too

When you lead the pack though you are going to suffer mistakes

[90driver]

I am not sure sure they deserve to be bottom of J.D. Power. There are just some cars that I never need to touch... Freelander2's are pretty sorted. And my own Defender I have had from New and never had to do anything to it in 7 years.  Most of the problems can be avoided with care ;-)

Despite their faults they do the job better than anything else. 

I have heard recently of a Discovery 3 owner being annoyed at needing a new engine at 470,000 miles !!!! That is Toyota territory!

[Julestools]

But i've had TDCI (2) Defenders imobilise themselves when changing a light bulb and then need re coding. And Disco 3s needing new suspension bushes for the first MOT? And the diff breaking up on a (dealer serviced) Freelander 2 at 70,000 (three years)

I'll stick to the series motors thanks

[Hassle]

Pardon 

[90driver]

Jules... Not sure why a tdci should need attention after a  bulb change as they are still pretty simple and don't have much in the way of can- bus tech that is blessed upon the rest of the automotive world.

Yes Disco 3's are horrendous money pits, with some of the jobs still listed as "body off" . And full suspension rebushes are common at pretty low mileages. But I guess that is a trade off for trying to achieve the impossible ( fantastic off road and superb on road) .

Under Fords wing LR made huge steps forward, and it is clear that this continues with Tata....... And all the time they are less than perfect they keep me in business....... Once they become perfect, they will loose their attraction......that is why Hondas, Toyotas are so dull.....

[Hassle]

I thought that was just the drivers