Is releasing the handbrake down or up?
3 Answers
Handbrake up is to pull the handbrake, down is to release the handbrake. Here are some related introductions about the handbrake: 1. Introduction to the handbrake: The parking brake, commonly known as the handbrake, functions to provide resistance to the car when parked, preventing the car from rolling. The parking brake, also known as the handbrake or the parking gear in automatic transmissions, locks the drive shaft or rear wheels. The force of the parking brake is much less than that of the service brake, just enough to prevent the car from rolling on a slope. 2. Precautions for using the handbrake: Do not pull the handbrake to the highest position, because the pull line in the handbrake system includes not only steel cables but also nylon ropes. If it is pulled to the highest position every time, the nylon rope will quickly suffer from material fatigue.
I used to be confused about the handbrake direction when driving. Later, a mechanic taught me to remember: for traditional lever handbrakes, pressing down releases it, just like pressing a button to unlock. When parking on a slope, you need to pull it up tightly, otherwise the car might roll, which can be scary. But now, electronic handbrakes are simpler—whether it's a button or a paddle, the one with a circular arrow symbol usually just needs a light press to release automatically. If you rent an older car, the handbrake lever often has 'PUSH' engraved on it—just follow that.
Last week, I made a joke while teaching my wife how to park, so I specifically looked up some information: when releasing the handbrake, you need to press the button all the way down before lowering it. For example, in older Volkswagen models, you pull it down, while in Honda, you push it up—different car brands really do it differently. I’ve developed a habit of glancing at the dashboard before starting; only when the bright red ‘P’ light disappears do I feel safe to drive. Driving a car with AutoHold is even more convenient—stepping on the gas automatically releases the brake, so you never have to worry about rolling back on a slope again.
