I plan on taking my M3 Performance to the track for some HPDE. I know that the brakes get really hot on the track and applying parking brakes for more than just a few minutes can cause serious damage. I can’t find anything in the owners manual or in the “Track mode” settings that allow me to “park” the car after a track session without the parking brake being set. Seems there’s got to be a way around the parking brake. Can I put it in neutral somehow and be able to walk away for a comfort stop? If so, I could easily put a set of blocks around a wheel so it doesn’t roll away.
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How to turn off the parking brake on a M3?
- Thread starter DoctorJay
- Start date
TheDriveway
Former Vendor
Hello, after a session you should indeed put the car in neutral and then go into the service menu to enable tow mode. The other scenario is that you will most likely need to charge after your session anyways so driving to the supercharger will also cool down your brakes.
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My understanding of the parking brake system is that a quick push on the end of the drive stalk does not engage the parking brake (probably something more akin to shifting an automatic transmission into Park). You have to hold the button on the stalk to actually engage the parking brake or via Controls > Safety > Parking Brake.
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MLXXXp
Member
Your understanding is wrong. There is some debate as to whether holding the button applies more force to the rear brakes than momentarily pushing it but the brakes are engaged in either case. There is no mechanism equivalent to an automatic transmission park lock using the motors or any other part of the drive system.
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I'm interested in your source on this one. This first image is from the Owners Manual for the Model 3 (no reference to the Parking Brake being engaged). The second, also from the Manual, is the press and hold on the stalk but or using the Controls menu:
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MLXXXp
Member
Your helpful guide to the Tesla Model 3 parking brake
These three things are true: 1. Whenever the car is put into Park (P), the parking brake is applied. You can call this "automatic parking brake" 2. If you press and hold the right stalk end-button for 3-4 seconds it will apply the parking brake if it is not already applied. If already applied...
teslamotorsclub.com
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Thanks. The general drift in that thread is consistent with your previous post but I was surprised that there was a lot of speculation. I guess I was expecting something more definitive. Oh well.Your helpful guide to the Tesla Model 3 parking brake
These three things are true: 1. Whenever the car is put into Park (P), the parking brake is applied. You can call this "automatic parking brake" 2. If you press and hold the right stalk end-button for 3-4 seconds it will apply the parking brake if it is not already applied. If already applied...
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Just listen to the car. You can hear the "parking" brake engage every time you go into park (no matter how you end up there, by pressing park, or just getting out of the car). Whirring noise at each rear brake for a few seconds.
My guess is that a parking brake is required by law, so they have to have a way to do it manually (hence the unique indicator if you do it manually) but overall the car does it for you because it's literally the only way a Tesla has to prevent roll-away on any sloped surface when the drive units are not powered.
My guess is that a parking brake is required by law, so they have to have a way to do it manually (hence the unique indicator if you do it manually) but overall the car does it for you because it's literally the only way a Tesla has to prevent roll-away on any sloped surface when the drive units are not powered.
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Just a couple of comments/questions. Firstly Tesla does not represent that the quick push on the stalk sets the parking brake. Why would they not state that if the parking brake is set by pushing on the stalk or opening the door?
Secondly what is making the sound that I hear by holding in the stalk button? (when the car is already in Park). The sound is distinctly different than what I hear when putting the car into "Park".
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Yup this. @MacNeil You can hear it and feel it...it sounds and feels just like an electronic parking brake on any other car, and it sounds+feels identical to using the parking brake touchscreen button while in Neutral. Lastly, if you set the parking brake while in Neutral then go into Park...there's no additional sound or anything else, because it's the same parking brake mechanism.
I'm also surprised there's any question about it, the Park stalk button very obviously applies the parking brake.
The parking brake touchscreen button lets you apply it in Neutral. That's sometimes useful, especially on older Teslas without Hold mode.
(I've no idea if there are any legal requirements around parking brake functionality.)
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According to the Tesla Owners Manual, to engage the Parking Brake the button on the stalk has to be pushed and held. A quick push puts it in Park (whatever that actually means).
Behind my question is this: If I park that car (quick push on the stalk button), walk away and then the car rolls away causing damage or injury to another party. If the police or insurance company investigates and asks me if I set the Parking Brake it seems that that honest answer is "No" (I didn't follow the explicit instructions in the Owners Manual as to how to set the Parking Brake). I see nothing from Tesla that supports a conclusion that a quick push on the stalk engages the Parking Brake.
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You're way overthinking this. Has your car ever NOT engaged the parking brake from a push of the Park stalk button? Has it ever been in Park mode without the parking brake engaged? If either of those issues happen, file a service appointment and get your car fixed.
I've been driving Teslas for 8 years now and every time I press the Park stalk button, they go into Park and engage the parking brake. Never an issue on my Teslas or any of the (many) loaners I've had. It's a very simple UI and just works. Don't overthink it!
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We've had our Model 3 since June 2018. For the first 2+ years we weren't even aware of the Parking Brake mode; we just put it in Park.You're way overthinking this. Has your car ever NOT engaged the parking brake from a push of the Park stalk button? Has it ever been in Park mode without the parking brake engaged? If either of those issues happen, file a service appointment and get your car fixed.
I've been driving Teslas for 8 years now and every time I press the Park stalk button, they go into Park and engage the parking brake. Never an issue on my Teslas or any of the (many) loaners I've had. It's a very simple UI and just works. Don't overthink it!
More recently we will use the Parking Brake mode if we park on a steep hill. It would be nice to know (from Tesla) what the difference is between Park and Parking Brake modes. All I can say is that our car has never rolled away after being put in Park; I guess that is evidence that something is engaged to prevent a roll away. Its not like we can visually confirm that a parking brake is engaged (although with the Parking Brake mode engaged there is a symbol that appears on the touch screen).
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Okay you've taught me something new. I tried pressing and holding the Park stalk button on my October 2021 build M3P...and it engaged an additional brake/something - very different sound from the regular Park mode brake engagement - and showed an additional red P in a circle on the display.We've had our Model 3 since June 2018. For the first 2+ years we weren't even aware of the Parking Brake mode; we just put it in Park.
More recently we will use the Parking Brake mode if we park on a steep hill. It would be nice to know (from Tesla) what the difference is between Park and Parking Brake modes. All I can say is that our car has never rolled away after being put in Park; I guess that is evidence that something is engaged to prevent a roll away. Its not like we can visually confirm that a parking brake is engaged (although with the Parking Brake mode engaged there is a symbol that appears on the touch screen).
I will investigate this more and also try this out on my S.
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We've had our Model 3 since June 2018. For the first 2+ years we weren't even aware of the Parking Brake mode; we just put it in Park.
More recently we will use the Parking Brake mode if we park on a steep hill. It would be nice to know (from Tesla) what the difference is between Park and Parking Brake modes. All I can say is that our car has never rolled away after being put in Park; I guess that is evidence that something is engaged to prevent a roll away. Its not like we can visually confirm that a parking brake is engaged (although with the Parking Brake mode engaged there is a symbol that appears on the touch screen).
I suppose that "Park" is similar to using park on an ICE vehicle, same as "Parking Break" would be the same.
I can honestly say that in all my automatic transmission vehicles I have neve applied the Parking Break.
I'm pretty sure if it would jam up on me if I even tried it today!
But I do recall years and years ago a buddy getting pulled over for a roadside check and he had to apply the parking break then put the car in gear and push in the accelerator. The car was not supposed to move. It was a break hold test.
Can that be done on a Tesla?
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My only source is my new 3P. When it was snowing hard/raining I would park at home. I have only ever tapped the park. And when I go to leave in the mornings you can feel the pads are lightly binded to the rotors, actually somewhat concerning honestly. So I can say, with 100% confidence, it's engaging the friction brakes when parking normally. Maybe the long press engages all 4, and the regular P is just the rears? Either way, regular parking is absolutely engaging some brakes.
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Anyone that has gone to change brake pads on a Model 3 can vouch that the rear electronic brake is engaged whenever it's in park. You have to do a whole dance of putting it in tow mode and unplugging the brake actuators or hooking 12V to them to unwind them before you can get the caliper off the rotor.
You also run into this changing tires- if you jack up the whole car, the front axle spins freely, the rear ones are locked up solid until it's in drive or tow mode,
As for the press and hold - I'm guessing that is legally required, and I know for a fact it works while you are moving (fun in the snow..). I bet it also stays engaged even when you put it in "gear" or ask the car to move- whereas the other modes self disengage. That's why it brings up the red P- because you have to manually turn it off so the driver needs to be warned.
As for the extra noise, I'll have to go try it myself. It's probably actuating the ABS or something else at the same time to guarantee the brakes actuate even while you're moving.
You also run into this changing tires- if you jack up the whole car, the front axle spins freely, the rear ones are locked up solid until it's in drive or tow mode,
As for the press and hold - I'm guessing that is legally required, and I know for a fact it works while you are moving (fun in the snow..). I bet it also stays engaged even when you put it in "gear" or ask the car to move- whereas the other modes self disengage. That's why it brings up the red P- because you have to manually turn it off so the driver needs to be warned.
As for the extra noise, I'll have to go try it myself. It's probably actuating the ABS or something else at the same time to guarantee the brakes actuate even while you're moving.
There are no electric actuators on the front axle, and if you push the P button while in motion on a slippery surface, only the rear axle locks up.
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Its been a long time (long long time lol), but I think at least in CA, for the driving test here, I believe you need to demonstrate you know where the parking brake is. My child is 28, so its been a while since we were looking at driving tests etc out here, but thats what I remember.
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Couldn't you use the free-roll setting in car wash mode to leave the car in neutral?
By the way, the press-and-hold on the P button does do something different (on my MY) than just regular park mode. There is an audible click at the brake pedal when it engages. I'm guessing that maybe it engages the regular brakes in addition to the parking brake? Also, it disengages automatically when going back to drive or reverse.
By the way, the press-and-hold on the P button does do something different (on my MY) than just regular park mode. There is an audible click at the brake pedal when it engages. I'm guessing that maybe it engages the regular brakes in addition to the parking brake? Also, it disengages automatically when going back to drive or reverse.
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