# Can driving with the hand brake on f\*ck up your brakes? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 14, 2009, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-driving-with-the-hand-brake-on-f-ck-up-your-brakes/503053 "2009-07-14T22:32:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![otorophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3ab097/32.png) [@otorophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/otorophile)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-driving-with-the-hand-brake-on-f-ck-up-your-brakes/503053/1 "2009-07-14T22:32:22Z")
I was driving home from work today, going about 40 mph on a large street, when a car in front of me changed lanes, to enter my lane. Without thinking, I put my foot on the break a bit, but instead of feeling resistance and my car slowing down, the pedal just flopped and my car kept up its speed. I frantically pressed the break down again and was able to slow the car, albeit with less deceleration than usual, by pressing the break all the way down. After this, I noticed that I had left the hand brake on and quickly lowered it. I spend the next mile or so to my house going much slower and more carefully, and “pumping” the break with my foot when I needed to slow down. When I got out I could smell burning rubber. Could driving for about 3 miles, with speeds up to 50 mph and the hand brake on, wear through the normal brakes, or was it just a coincidence? Obviously I’m taking the car to be repaired, driving with malfunctioning breaks wasn’t so fun. ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-driving-with-the-hand-brake-on-f-ck-up-your-brakes/503053/2 "2009-07-14T22:36:36Z")
Coincidence. You couldn’t have applied your hand brake fully and be able to go so fast, especially without knowing it. Therefore, the brake had to be applied loosely. In addition, in most cars the hand brake is separate from your regular brakes. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-driving-with-the-hand-brake-on-f-ck-up-your-brakes/503053/3 "2009-07-14T22:48:10Z")
> [@barbitu8](#): > > Coincidence. You couldn’t have applied your hand brake fully and be able to go so fast, especially without knowing it. Therefore, the brake had to be applied loosely. In addition, in most cars the hand brake is separate from your regular brakes. If I’m not mistaken, in most cars the e-brake engages your rear brakes. I have done this and driven up to about 40 miles an hour, but I noticed the car seemed sluggish, discovered my error, gave myself a :smack: and kept on going. If you only drove about 3 miles I don’t think it’s too big of a deal. Maybe some excess wear on your rear pads or drums. ---
**Author:** ![otorophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3ab097/32.png) [@otorophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/otorophile)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-driving-with-the-hand-brake-on-f-ck-up-your-brakes/503053/4 "2009-07-14T22:49:18Z")
> [@barbitu8](#): > > Coincidence. You couldn’t have applied your hand brake fully and be able to go so fast, especially without knowing it. Therefore, the brake had to be applied loosely. In addition, in most cars the hand brake is separate from your regular brakes. Yeah, I did notice that the hand brake wasn’t fully cranked up, and I’m sure I would have noticed something beforehand if it was really messing with things. I guess my brakes just gave way ☹ At least I’m still here to post about it 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Gbro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Gbro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gbro)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-driving-with-the-hand-brake-on-f-ck-up-your-brakes/503053/5 "2009-07-14T22:54:44Z")
I would question if it was burning rubber you were smelling. Brake linings do stink though. A parking brake set and driven through will wear down the linings and depending on age of car if there is separate brakes for parking, as most rear brakes are a combination of service and parking brake. > [@](#): > > I spend the next mile or so to my house going much slower and more carefully My kid brother one time drove his car 800 miles to Ft. Riley Ks with no brakes. He told me that having no brakes wasn’t that big a deal as long as one knows there are no brakes:rolleyes:, Ya he is an Idiot, but he isn’t alone on the road like that either. It sounds like you have a serious problem with your brakes, a wrecker may be nessesary to get it to the repair shop. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-driving-with-the-hand-brake-on-f-ck-up-your-brakes/503053/6 "2009-07-14T23:46:51Z")
It did not wear through the brakes and it was not coincidence. The parking brake was PARTWAY on - not enough to keep the car from moving, but enough to keep the rear shoes rubbing against the drums. The friction from that generates a lot of heat, which results in a burnt smell and expansion of the drums. Because the drums were expanded, the shoes had to move farther to make contact. Far enough that one stroke of the pedal wasn’t enough to do it, hence the pedal going to the floor with no resistance. Usually the drums will cool down enough to return to their normal size in 30 minutes or so of sitting. I’ll bet if you go to the car right now, the brake pedal will be firm again and the brakes will work normally. ETA: Probably no repair is necessary. The shoes and drums may be a bit glazed, but the majority of the time when this happens no significant harm is done. ---
**Author:** ![otorophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3ab097/32.png) [@otorophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/otorophile)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-driving-with-the-hand-brake-on-f-ck-up-your-brakes/503053/7 "2009-07-14T23:54:21Z")
> [@Gary\_T](#): > > It did not wear through the brakes and it was not coincidence. > > The parking brake was PARTWAY on - not enough to keep the car from moving, but enough to keep the rear shoes rubbing against the drums. The friction from that generates a lot of heat, which results in a burnt smell and expansion of the drums. Because the drums were expanded, the shoes had to move farther to make contact. Far enough that one stroke of the pedal wasn’t enough to do it, hence the pedal going to the floor with no resistance. > > Usually the drums will cool down enough to return to their normal size in 30 minutes or so of sitting. I’ll bet if you go to the car right now, the brake pedal will be firm again and the brakes will work normally. > > ETA: Probably no repair is necessary. The shoes and drums may be a bit glazed, but the majority of the time when this happens no significant harm is done. Thanks a lot! I just tested the brakes now, and they are fine. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-driving-with-the-hand-brake-on-f-ck-up-your-brakes/503053/8 "2009-07-15T00:05:05Z")
I’d never be one to one-up **Gary T** but another (temporary) problem would have been brake fade. This is what happens when your brakes get too hot from overuse like in road racing (or driving with your brakes on). In your case, a squishy pedal would be caused by the brake fluid boiling and forming bubbles in the brake lines which would dissolve into the fluid when the heat goes back down. But **GaryT** prolly has the more correct answer cuz e-brake usually workes the rear (often drum) brakes. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-driving-with-the-hand-brake-on-f-ck-up-your-brakes/503053/9 "2009-07-15T00:18:44Z")
> [@Inigo\_Montoya](#): > > …another (temporary) problem would have been brake fade… True. If he’d been using the brakes a lot, such as descending a mountain (or racing :D) that would be a prime suspect. In this case I gathered he hadn’t been on the brake pedal for a while (hence the surprise), and the overheated drums scenario seemed more likely. ---
**Author:** ![BorgHunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@BorgHunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BorgHunter)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-driving-with-the-hand-brake-on-f-ck-up-your-brakes/503053/10 "2009-07-15T00:39:02Z")
> [@barbitu8](#): > > In addition, in most cars the hand brake is separate from your regular brakes. Depends on if the rear brakes are discs or drums. Disc brakes, the handbrake is an entirely separate system. Drum brakes, the handbrake is almost always just a lever that actuates your regular rear brakes. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-driving-with-the-hand-brake-on-f-ck-up-your-brakes/503053/11 "2009-07-15T00:46:38Z")
> [@Gary\_T](#): > > ETA: Probably no repair is necessary. The shoes and drums may be a bit glazed, but the majority of the time when this happens no significant harm is done. Depending upon how new the rear brake shoes are, no repair may be needed. However, the burning smell is due to brake lining being burned. The life of the rear shoes have been shortened at least a little. If it was about time to have your brakes looked at, you are much closer now. If they were newish, I wouldn’t worry about it either. ---
**Author:** ![Snnipe\_70E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@Snnipe\_70E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snnipe_70E)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-driving-with-the-hand-brake-on-f-ck-up-your-brakes/503053/12 "2009-07-15T04:36:06Z")
> [@barbitu8](#): > > Coincidence. You couldn’t have applied your hand brake fully and be able to go so fast, especially without knowing it. Therefore, the brake had to be applied loosely. In addition, in most cars the hand brake is separate from your regular brakes. Most cars use a cable to pull on the rear break drum breaks. Few are seperate. The last car that I saw that they were seperate was a 1950 Dodge. It had the emergency break on the drive shaft. Leaving your emergency break on can cause the rear shoes to stay in contact with the rear drum and can cause them to over heat. Assuming drum breaks. What you smelt was hot break shoes, and drum. ---
**Author:** ![Snnipe\_70E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@Snnipe\_70E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snnipe_70E)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-driving-with-the-hand-brake-on-f-ck-up-your-brakes/503053/13 "2009-07-15T04:43:32Z")
> [@BorgHunter](#): > > Depends on if the rear brakes are discs or drums. Disc brakes, the handbrake is an entirely separate system. Drum brakes, the handbrake is almost always just a lever that actuates your regular rear brakes. I have wondered about this. How do the emergency breaks work if not using the padsd and rotor? ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-driving-with-the-hand-brake-on-f-ck-up-your-brakes/503053/14 "2009-07-15T04:49:23Z")
> [@Gary\_T](#): > > True. If he’d been using the brakes a lot, such as descending a mountain (or racing :D) that would be a prime suspect. In this case I gathered he hadn’t been on the brake pedal for a while (hence the surprise), and the overheated drums scenario seemed more likely. It’s been awhile and brakes have probably improved but 40 miles with the brakes on might be worth looking at to make sure the pads aren’t baked. I’ve seen industrial sized brakes (airplanes and semi-trucks) which looked pretty sad after abuse so I defer to your opinion. In retrospect, if the driver didn’t notice the car was sluggish I’m wondering how much pressure was applied to the brakes. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-driving-with-the-hand-brake-on-f-ck-up-your-brakes/503053/15 "2009-07-15T04:51:50Z")
> [@Snnipe\_70E](#): > > I have wondered about this. How do the emergency breaks work if not using the padsd and rotor? On my thunderbird there was a mechanical movement attached to the same disk pads. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-driving-with-the-hand-brake-on-f-ck-up-your-brakes/503053/16 "2009-07-15T04:56:12Z")
> [@Snnipe\_70E](#): > > I have wondered about this. How do the emergency breaks work if not using the padsd and rotor? The typical alternative is for the inside of the rotor to be used as a drum, with small (~1/4 size) shoes used only for the parking brake. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-driving-with-the-hand-brake-on-f-ck-up-your-brakes/503053/17 "2009-07-15T05:02:40Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > It’s been awhile and brakes have probably improved but 40 miles with the brakes on might be worth looking at to make sure the pads aren’t baked. His speed at the time of the incident was 40 mph; the distance he drove with the parking brake partly applied was about 3 miles. > [@](#): > > In retrospect, if the driver didn’t notice the car was sluggish I’m wondering how much pressure was applied to the brakes. Not much, but it doesn’t take much to keep the shoes in contact with the drums. That constant contact will generate some heat in short order. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-driving-with-the-hand-brake-on-f-ck-up-your-brakes/503053/18 "2009-07-15T05:09:01Z")
> [@Gary\_T](#): > > His speed at the time of the incident was 40 mph; the distance he drove with the parking brake partly applied was about 3 miles. :smack: Misread the distance. 3 miles is nothing. ---
**Author:** ![robcaro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@robcaro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robcaro)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-driving-with-the-hand-brake-on-f-ck-up-your-brakes/503053/19 "2009-07-15T19:59:23Z")
3 miles may not seem like a lot, but it is enough to heat and glaze the brake shoes. When this happened to me, I had to remove the wheels and brake drum to roughen the shoes so that they would function again. Also needed to adjust the rear brakes.