25/07/2009
Driving in modern traffic conditions can often be a stop-and-go affair, leading to driver fatigue and a constant need to keep your foot on the brake pedal. Fortunately, many contemporary vehicles, including the popular Honda CR-V, come equipped with clever features designed to alleviate this stress. Among these, the 'Brake Hold' system stands out as a significant convenience, distinct yet complementary to your vehicle's traditional parking brake. This comprehensive guide will demystify the Honda CR-V's Brake Hold function, explain how it interacts with the parking brake, and provide practical advice on its safe and effective use, ensuring you get the most out of your driving experience.
Unlocking the Honda CR-V Brake Hold Feature
The Honda CR-V's Brake Hold feature is a unique convenience designed to make driving in congested conditions far more comfortable. It's a system that, once activated, automatically holds the vehicle stationary when you come to a complete stop, even if the transmission is still in 'Drive' (D). This means you no longer have to keep your foot pressed firmly on the brake pedal, significantly reducing leg fatigue during long queues or at traffic lights.
How the Honda CR-V Brake Hold Works
At its core, the Brake Hold system works by maintaining the braking force you apply when you bring the car to a halt. When you press the dedicated 'Brake Hold' button, typically located near the gear selector, the system becomes active and ready for use. A corresponding indicator light will appear on your dashboard, signifying its readiness.
Activation and Usage: To engage the Brake Hold function, first ensure your vehicle is stationary. Press the brake hold button, and you'll see a green 'BRAKE HOLD' light illuminate on your dashboard. This indicates the system is armed. As you drive and then come to a complete stop by pressing the foot brake, an additional 'HOLD' indicator will appear on the dashboard. At this point, you can safely lift your foot off the brake pedal, and your CR-V will remain stationary. The system essentially 'holds' the brakes for you, allowing you to relax your foot.
Dashboard Indicators: The dashboard lights are your best friends when using this function. When you initially press the Brake Hold button, a single green light will appear, indicating the system is 'on' and ready. When you then come to a complete stop and the system activates to hold the vehicle, an additional 'HOLD' light will illuminate, confirming that your CR-V is being held in place and you can remove your foot from the pedal.
Automatic Deactivation and Fail-Safes: While the system is designed for ease of use, it also incorporates important fail-safes. For instance, if you unfasten your seat belt or turn off the engine, the system will automatically disengage, and the parking brake may engage as a safety measure. Furthermore, if the vehicle remains stopped with Brake Hold active for more than 10 minutes, the system will automatically turn off, and the parking brake will engage. This prevents prolonged use in stationary conditions beyond its intended purpose.
When to Utilise Brake Hold
The Honda CR-V Brake Hold is particularly beneficial in scenarios where you find yourself frequently stopping and starting. These include:
- Traffic Congestion: Ideal for long traffic jams where you're constantly inching forward and then stopping.
- Red Traffic Lights: No need to keep your foot on the brake while waiting for the light to change.
- Stop Signs: Provides a brief respite at busy intersections.
- Drive-Throughs: Convenient when waiting in line at a fast-food or coffee drive-through.
By using Brake Hold in these situations, you can significantly reduce the physical strain of driving, making your commute more enjoyable.
Deactivating Brake Hold on Your Journey
While the Brake Hold feature is designed to be largely automatic, there are several ways it can be deactivated, both manually and automatically.
Manual Deactivation: If you wish to turn off the Brake Hold function during your journey, simply press your foot down on the brake pedal and then press the Brake Hold button again. This will deactivate the system, and the indicator light on your dashboard will turn off.
Automatic Deactivation Conditions: The system will also automatically disengage under specific circumstances, even if you don't manually turn it off:
- When braking is applied for more than 10 minutes.
- If the electric parking brake is engaged.
- When the foot brake is pressed, and the gear lever is moved to 'Park' (P) or 'Reverse' (R).
- Upon turning off the ignition.
- If the driver's seatbelt is unfastened.
- When the accelerator pedal is pressed to move the vehicle forward.
It's important to remember that the system is designed to seamlessly integrate with your driving. When you're ready to move, simply pressing the accelerator pedal will disengage the hold and allow your CR-V to proceed smoothly.
The Honda CR-V Parking Brake: A Distinct Control
While often confused with Brake Hold, the parking brake (also known as the handbrake or emergency brake) serves a fundamentally different purpose. It's designed to hold your vehicle securely when parked, especially on inclines, preventing any unintended movement. Modern Honda CR-Vs typically feature an electric parking brake, which offers enhanced convenience and safety over traditional lever-operated systems.
Distinguishing Parking Brake from Brake Hold
The crucial difference lies in their function: Brake Hold is a temporary convenience feature for brief stops in traffic, allowing you to quickly resume driving by pressing the accelerator. The parking brake, on the other hand, is for long-term secure parking and requires a deliberate action to disengage before driving. The parking brake is a safety mechanism to prevent rolling when the vehicle is unattended or parked.
Understanding the Electric Parking Brake (EBS)
Since around 2015, Honda CR-V models have been equipped with an Electric Braking System (EBS), which includes both the Brake Hold function and an electric parking brake. This system is activated and deactivated via a small switch, typically located near the gear selector or Brake Hold button. While the provided information mentions a 'lever' and 'notches' in the context of checking a parking brake's effectiveness (which relates to older, manual systems), modern CR-Vs utilise this electric switch for engagement and disengagement. This article focuses on the *operation* of these features for driving convenience and safety, not the physical removal or uninstallation of the parking brake system components.
Checking Parking Brake Effectiveness
For vehicles with a lever-style parking brake, or as a general check of the braking system's rear wheel engagement, the following steps can be used to verify its effectiveness:
- Pull up on the parking brake lever two notches and verify there is a slight resistance on the rear wheels.
- Raise the parking brake lever to six notches and verify the rear wheels don't move.
- Lower your Honda CR-V using your jack and remove the jack stands from the rear wheels (this step implies the car was raised for inspection).
This procedure is for verifying the brake's adjustment and holding power, not for daily disengagement for driving. For electric parking brakes, their engagement is confirmed by an indicator light on the dashboard.
Benefits and Considerations of the Electric Braking System (EBS)
The shift to Electric Braking Systems (EBS) in vehicles like the Honda CR-V brings several advantages, alongside a few considerations.
Advantages of EBS
- Consistency and Precision: EBS offers more consistent and precise braking force compared to mechanical systems. This is particularly noticeable during high-speed stops, where the system helps maintain vehicle stability.
- Reduced Maintenance: Electric brakes generally require less routine maintenance than traditional mechanical systems, with fixes typically only needed if a malfunction occurs.
- Enhanced Safety: The integration with features like Brake Hold increases safety by automatically holding the vehicle, preventing accidental rolling.
- Space Saving: The compact nature of the electric parking brake switch frees up console space compared to a large manual lever.
Disadvantages of EBS
- Small Switch Size: Some users might find the parking brake switch relatively small, potentially making it challenging to engage quickly in emergency situations, though this is rare.
- Repair Costs: Should a component of the electric braking system malfunction or require replacement, the repair costs can sometimes be higher than those for a conventional mechanical system due to the complexity of the electronics.
Brake Hold vs. Other Driving Aids
It's common for drivers to confuse Brake Hold with other automated braking features in their vehicles. Understanding the distinctions is key to using each system effectively.
Brake Hold vs. Hill Start Assist
While both systems involve holding the brakes, their primary functions and activation methods differ:
| Feature | Primary Function | Activation | Typical Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brake Hold | Reduces driver fatigue in stop-start traffic; holds vehicle indefinitely until accelerator is pressed. | Manual button press to arm, then automatic upon complete stop. | Up to 10 minutes or until accelerator/P/R engaged. |
| Hill Start Assist | Prevents vehicle roll-back on inclines during transition from brake to accelerator. | Automatic detection of incline and brake release. | Momentary (a few seconds) to allow driver to move foot. |
Hill Start Assist is designed to give you a brief window to move your foot from the brake pedal to the accelerator pedal without rolling backward on a slope. Brake Hold, conversely, keeps your car stopped until you actively tell it to move forward, making it ideal for extended stops.
Does Brake Hold Improve Fuel Economy?
While the primary purpose of Brake Hold is to reduce driver fatigue and enhance safety, there can be a secondary, albeit minor, impact on fuel economy. When an automatic transmission vehicle is in 'Drive' (D) mode and stationary without Brake Hold, the engine is still technically 'working' to overcome the brakes, even if slightly. By engaging Brake Hold, and allowing you to take your foot off the brake, your vehicle is held securely, and there's less of a constant strain on the engine to creep forward. However, the fuel savings are generally minimal compared to shifting into 'Neutral' (N) during long stops. The main benefit remains convenience, not significant fuel savings.
Common Questions and Troubleshooting
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about the Honda CR-V Brake Hold button, along with basic troubleshooting advice.
Is it Safe to Drive with Brake Hold Always On?
Yes, it is perfectly safe to drive with the Honda Brake Hold system 'on' (i.e., the system armed and ready to engage). That's precisely what it's designed for – to be used while you are in 'Drive' (D) and navigating stop-start conditions. It will automatically disengage when you press the accelerator pedal to move off. However, it will deactivate when you turn the ignition off, meaning you'll need to re-engage it each time you start your car if you wish to use it.
When Should You Avoid Using Brake Hold?
While incredibly useful, there are specific situations where the Brake Hold system should be used with caution or avoided altogether. Honda's official guidance advises:
“Using the automatic brake hold system on steep hills or slippery roads may still allow the vehicle to move if you remove your foot from the brake pedal. If a vehicle unexpectedly moves, it may cause a crash resulting in serious injury or death. Never use the automatic brake hold system or rely on it to keep a vehicle from moving when stopped on a steep hill or slippery roads.”
In such conditions, it's always best to keep your foot firmly on the brake pedal or engage the parking brake if you anticipate a longer stop.
Do All Honda CR-Vs Feature Brake Hold?
No, not all Honda CR-Vs come equipped with the Brake Hold feature. This function became standard on Honda CR-V models manufactured from 2015 onwards, coinciding with the introduction of the tenth-generation CR-V, which incorporated the Electric Braking System (EBS). If your CR-V was produced before 2015, it is unlikely to have the Brake Hold button.
Troubleshooting Honda CR-V Brake Hold Issues
While the Brake Hold system is generally reliable, you might occasionally encounter issues. If your Honda CR-V brake hold is not working as expected, consider the following possibilities:
- User Error: Ensure you are activating the system correctly by pressing the button and observing the dashboard lights. The 'BRAKE HOLD' light should be green for the system to be armed, and the 'HOLD' light should illuminate when the vehicle is stationary.
- Battery Problems: A weak or failing car battery (perhaps a dead cell) can sometimes cause electrical systems, including Brake Hold, to malfunction.
- Wiring Problems: Less commonly, an issue with the vehicle's wiring could disrupt the system's operation.
If troubleshooting these basic points doesn't resolve the issue, it's advisable to consult a qualified Honda technician for diagnosis.
A Quick Recap on Brake Hold Usage
To ensure you're confident in using your CR-V's Brake Hold feature, here's a quick summary:
- Press the 'Brake Hold' button on your console. A green 'BRAKE HOLD' indicator will appear on your dashboard, signifying the system is armed.
- Drive as normal. When you come to a complete stop (with the gear lever in 'Drive' (D) or 'Neutral' (N)) by pressing the foot brake, an additional 'HOLD' indicator will illuminate on your dashboard.
- You can now safely lift your foot off the brake pedal; your CR-V will remain stationary.
- To move off, simply press the accelerator pedal. The 'HOLD' function will automatically disengage.
- To manually turn off Brake Hold during your journey, press the foot brake and then press the 'Brake Hold' button again.
Remember, the system will also automatically cancel if you unfasten your seat belt, turn off the engine, apply the parking brake, or if the hold is maintained for more than 10 minutes.
Conclusion
The Brake Hold function on your Honda CR-V is a remarkably intuitive and beneficial feature designed to enhance your driving comfort and safety, especially in the challenging conditions of modern traffic. By understanding how it works, when to use it, and how it differs from the parking brake and other systems like Hill Start Assist, you can truly leverage its capabilities. While the parking brake secures your vehicle when stationary, Brake Hold provides dynamic convenience for those frequent short stops. Mastering these features will undoubtedly make your Honda CR-V driving experience smoother and more enjoyable.
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