Driving with emergency brake on

Asked by 7877bnelson Oct 15, 2015 at 10:59 AM about the 1998 Toyota Corolla

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

So dumb. I drove to work this morning (about 25 minutes) and realized when I got there that the emergency brake had been on the whole time. I'm now concerned my normal brakes might be messed up. They feel like it takes more pedal to engage them, but it could be because I was just used to the E-brake being on during my commute. Should I take my car in or are my brakes and E-brake separate systems?

1 Answer

They work on the rear only, separate systems of engagement - but same brake shoes, not an entirely different system - the e-brake uses a cable in case of complete hydraulic failure (Exceedingly rare) and if you didn't smell them 'burning up' or feel a lack of power they are probably fine. If it gives you peace of mind, by all means take it to a dealer or a shop/service center a have them inspected/adjusted The shoes probably took some wear . The front was not affected at all and does 70% of stopping. But the rear may need adjustment. But then again the rear is self-adjusting, every time you apply brakes while backing up. The front are disc .Good Luck

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