Do I Need to Press the Electronic Handbrake on the 8th Generation Camry?
3 Answers
Eight-generation Camry electronic handbrake usage method is: Depress the brake pedal, pull up the electronic handbrake switch continuously until the indicator light on the instrument panel illuminates, and the indicator light on the handbrake switch will also light up. The car's electronic handbrake is mainly used for long-term braking after parking, similar to the traditional mechanical handbrake, except that the control method has changed from the previous mechanical handbrake to an electronic button. Working principle of the electronic handbrake: The car's electronic handbrake is mainly used for long-term braking after parking, similar to the traditional mechanical handbrake. The driver does not need to brake for a long time when the vehicle is stopped. The car's electronic handbrake, also known as the Electronic Parking Brake system, abbreviated as EPB. The button symbol on the vehicle is "P", and its working principle is the same as the traditional mechanical handbrake, both achieving parking brake control through the friction generated between the brake disc and brake pads, except that the control method has changed from the previous mechanical handbrake to an electronic button. Emergency braking function of the electronic handbrake: When the vehicle cannot be stopped with the foot pedal brake, pull the electronic handbrake switch for more than 2 seconds to perform emergency braking on the vehicle, and a warning signal will sound at the same time. Releasing the handbrake switch or depressing the accelerator pedal can cancel the emergency braking.
I find that when driving the 8th-generation Camry, I hardly ever need to manually press the electronic parking brake. Normally, after parking and shifting into P gear, the system automatically engages the parking brake, and the dashboard displays an EPB indicator for confirmation. When starting to drive, simply shifting to D or R gear releases the parking brake automatically, which is extremely convenient. Having driven this car for three years, I rarely need to operate it actively, except when parking on steep slopes where I manually press the button to reinforce it for fear of rolling. The Auto Hold function is also very effective, and using it together can save a lot of hassle. Although it's designed to be automatic, it's still advisable to check in the settings menu to ensure this function is enabled, just in case. In short, it makes driving simpler and safer.
When I first got my 8th-gen Camry, I was a bit confused about the electronic parking brake. The manual said it would work automatically, but I wondered if I needed to press the button every time I parked. Later, I asked friends and experienced owners, and they all said the parking brake automatically engages when shifting to P and releases when starting, eliminating frequent operation. Now during daily commutes, I simply ignore this button unless the warning light comes on or I'm parking on a slope, when I handle it manually. It feels like the car understands human needs—saving the hassle of manual handbrake operation while reducing the risk of embarrassing rollbacks when starting.
