Parking Brake Control
Hand-Operated Parking Brake
On all vehicles, a parking brake control lever is located to the left of the steering column. To apply the parking brake, depress the brake pedal, then pull up on the parking brake lever. To release the parking brake, depress the brake pedal and push the parking brake lever all the way down.
Important: Take care to hold on to the parking brake lever while releasing it. Do NOT allow the lever to slam down while releasing it.
Notice: Overtightening of the knob can lead to cable breakage and/or damage to the knob and lever.
If the parking brake does not hold the vehicle securely, depress the brake pedal and release the parking brake. Turn the knob on the end of the lever clockwise to increase the parking brake application.
If the parking brake still doesn't hold the vehicle securely (after adjustment), check the brake lining thickness. For instructions, see Group 42 of the Walk-In Van Chassis Maintenance Manual.
Hydraulic Parking Brake (optional)
To apply the hydraulic parking brake, pull the yellow knob labeled PARKING BRAKE on the dash panel. See figure . In order to release the hydraulic parking brake, the engine must be running (hydraulic pressure is needed to release the brake) and the gear selector must be in the Neutral (N) position. To release the parking brake, push the knob in.
Fig. 1, Parking Brake Control Knob
Caution: On vehicles with hydraulic parking brakes, loss of all hydraulic pressure will cause the parking brake to automatically engage.
Note: If the gear selector is not in the Neutral (N) position and the parking brake is on, a buzzer will sound to let the driver know to place the gear selector in the Neutral (N) position.
If the ignition key is in the OFF position and the parking brake is not applied, a buzzer will sound to let you know that you should apply the parking brake.
With the engine shut down, the hydraulic pump will actuate with your foot on the brake pedal; this could cause the battery to run down. If the engine is inoperable, see the "Emergency Release of Parking Brake" procedure that follows.
Emergency Release of Parking Brake (automatic transmission)
If the engine will not start and you want to release the parking brake, do the following. Block the wheels and turn the ignition switch to the ON position.
Notice: Do not crank the engine for more than 30 seconds at a time during any of the following procedures. Wait two minutes after each try to allow the starter to cool. Failure to do so could cause starter damage.
Use the ignition switch to turn the engine over several times with the gear shift selector in the Neutral (N) position and the parking brake knob in the released (pushed) position.
Note: The emergency release will not work in all cases. The system requires hydraulic fluid to provide pressure for the procedure to work. Since the system is pressurized when the brake is released, the parking brake will come back on in 10 minutes, or longer depending on internal pressure.