winsalem

Just wondering if the '17's have the electronic parking brake. My last ES 300h still had the archaic foot pedal.

lesz

All Generation 6 ES have the mechanical parking brake.

zes

I hate that truck like parking brake on the ES. Even Ford Fusions have a switch for the parking brake. The other thing that bothers me is that the ES has the same door locking beep as the Toyotas. It would have been such a simple and cheap way for Lexus to differentiate itself from Toyota by using a nicer sounding chime rather than the Toyota beep. I guess every penny of cost is important. But I don't know why car companies do not realize that it is the little things that count.

I did rent a Malibu (<10,000 miles) for a work related trip and drove it ~800 miles over last week. There is no comparison. My ESh drives and feels so much nicer and more refined. That is why these little things are very irritating..

NdYAG

How often do you guys use the parking brake? I do not remember ever using mine.

GES

I always use the parking brake. Especially if you are parked on an incline you should use it. If you don't you put stress on the transmission to hold the wheels still.

jollick

+1, it is a good habit to do it.

mcomer

Um, am I the only one that executes "hand brake" turns? Even with the damn ratcheting foot brake
you can stab the pedal to kick out the rear and then a quick second stab to release...power oversteer
without the power!

LOLjasonW

used to do this in my old 2002 ford escort, its real fun when you put some mcdonald's trays underneath the rear wheels too. wink wink.

TechNut

The newer vehicle designs, like the NX, even have automatic electronic parking brake. You can just set it and forget it. when you put it in D or R it automatically releases. With that said, I would expect Lexus to add that to the next generation of the ES, along with Brake Hold.

mcomer

BTW, a related feature is "Brake Hold", a separate button right next to the electrically operated
parking brake. Originally fitted to the Hybrid models to prevent rollback on hills (because there
is no IC motor idling to stall the torque converter thus holding in place) it has become part of
the electric PB. Useful when you are waiting at a Railroad grade crossing or creeping along
in stop and stop traffic - press the button and after coming to a stop you can relax (or remove)
you foot from the brake. Touch the throttle to advance, touch the brake again and relax!
Not a substitute for PB, if you take off your seat belt or turn off the car it automatically applies
the PB.

Freds430

A million miles driven and never used it. It is just in the way when I step in.

NdYAG

... until one cold morning you wouldn't be able to drive because the brake lines are frozen - which happened to me on two different cars already.

Majority of automatic-transmission-car drivers never use their parking brake and the transmission problems due to this are very rare.

NdYAG

Not sure what you mean by "electric PB" and a dedicated button. To engage the "Hill Start Assist" on ES300h you just press the brakes a little harder than needed until the buzzer sounds and the stability control light illuminates.

mcomer

Yeah, my mistake...that entire explanation of Brake Hold is for new style RX's and NX's.
You are correct, a firm pedal press once stopped will engage Brake Hold on all Lexus Hybrids and last Gen RX350's

jollick

Ah, the difference being I am now living in the south and park in my garage, good point. However I am from Northern NJ and never had the parking brake freeze up while driving there over 37 years, I guess I was lucky.