What is a Service Brake?
3 Answers
The service brake is the foot brake, which is a form of brake control. There are two types of brakes: the parking brake and the service brake. The parking brake is usually the handbrake, while the service brake generally refers to the foot brake. During driving, the service brake (foot brake) is commonly used to slow down or stop the vehicle while moving forward. The parking brake not only keeps the car stationary but can also be used if the service brake fails. Once the vehicle comes to a complete stop, the parking brake should be engaged to prevent the car from rolling forward or backward. After parking, besides using the parking brake, if it's a manual transmission vehicle, it's advisable to leave the gear in first when parking uphill and in reverse when parking downhill.
The parking actuator, I believe it's the electronic parking system in the car, which automatically locks the brakes when parked to prevent vehicle movement. It's not the traditional mechanical lever, but uses an electronic button to control a small motor that brakes the rear wheels. After parking on a slope, you press it and the car stays firmly in place, no fear of rolling back; before driving, step on the accelerator or press the button again to release automatically. This design is very convenient, especially in the city when waiting at traffic lights—no need to keep your foot on the brake, reducing fatigue. Most new cars now come with it as standard, and some high-end models can even integrate hill-start assist to intelligently adjust braking force. For maintenance, the electronic system might occasionally have minor issues, like unresponsive buttons, but regular circuit checks and cleaning should suffice. For me, driving with it gives a great sense of security, with simple operation and enhanced comfort.
I often use the auto hold function while driving, and find it to be a practical little feature. After parking, just press a button and the system automatically applies the brakes, saving the effort of pulling the handbrake. Especially at traffic lights or in traffic jams, the car stays still even when I take my foot off the brake pedal, making things much easier. The first time I used it, I was a bit nervous, worried about not being familiar with the operation, but I got the hang of it quickly. Now that I'm used to it, I can park with peace of mind even on downhill slopes in shopping mall garages. The only thing to note is that when starting off, you need to gently press the accelerator to release it to avoid jerking. Overall, it makes driving more worry-free, and I recommend beginners give it a try. Once familiar with it, it can greatly reduce the operational burden.
