BMW 3 Series 2018-2023 Owners Manual: Parking brake

Concept

The parking brake is used to prevent the vehicle from rolling when it is parked.

Safety information

Warning An unsecured vehicle can begin to move and possibly roll away. There is a risk of accident.

In order to ensure that the vehicle is secured against rolling away, follow the following:

• Set the parking brake.
• On uphill grades or on a downhill slope, turn the front wheels in the direction of the curb.
• On uphill grades or on a downhill slope, also secure the vehicle, for instance with a wheel chock.

Warning Unattended children or animals in the vehicle can cause the vehicle to move and endanger themselves and traffic, for instance due to the following actions:

• Pressing the Start/Stop button.
• Releasing the parking brake.
• Opening and closing the doors or windows.
• Engaging selector lever position N.
• Using vehicle equipment.

There is a risk of accidents or injuries. Do not leave children or animals unattended in the vehicle.

Take the vehicle key with you when exiting and lock the vehicle.

Overview

Parking brake

Setting

With a stationary vehicle

Pull the switch.

The LED lights up.

The indicator light in the instrument cluster illuminates red. The parking brake is set.

While driving

General information

To use as emergency brake while driving.

Pull the switch and hold it. The vehicle brakes hard while the switch is being pulled.

The indicator light in the instrument cluster illuminates red, a signal sounds, and the brake lights illuminate.

A Check Control message is displayed.

The parking brake is engaged when the vehicle is stationary.

With Emergency Stop Assistant

Pull the switch for the parking brake briefly to activate the emergency stop function.

Releasing

Releasing manually

1. Switch on drive-ready state.

2. Steptronic transmission: press the switch while the brake is pressed or selector lever position P is set.

The LED and indicator light go out.

The parking brake is released.

Automatic release

The parking brake is released automatically when you drive away.

The LED and indicator light go out.

Automatic Hold

Concept

Steptronic transmission: This system assists the driver by automatically setting and releasing the brake, such as when moving in stop-and-go traffic.

The vehicle is automatically held in place when it is stationary.

On uphill grades the system prevents the vehicle from rolling backward when driving off.

General information

Under the following conditions, the parking brake is automatically engaged:

• Drive-ready state is switched off.
• The driver's door is opened while the vehicle is stationary.
• The moving vehicle is brought to a standstill using the parking brake.

Display

The indicator light changes from green to red.

Safety information

Warning An unsecured vehicle can begin to move and possibly roll away. There is a risk of accident.

In order to ensure that the vehicle is secured against rolling away, follow the following:

• Set the parking brake.
• On uphill grades or on a downhill slope, turn the front wheels in the direction of the curb.
• On uphill grades or on a downhill slope, also secure the vehicle, for instance with a wheel chock.

Warning Unattended children or animals in the vehicle can cause the vehicle to move and endanger themselves and traffic, for instance due to the following actions:

• Pressing the Start/Stop button.
• Releasing the parking brake.
• Opening and closing the doors or windows.
• Engaging selector lever position N.
• Using vehicle equipment.

There is a risk of accidents or injuries. Do not leave children or animals unattended in the vehicle.

Take the vehicle key with you when exiting and lock the vehicle.

NOTICE If the vehicle is stationary, Automatic Hold engages the parking brake and prevents the vehicle from rolling in a vehicle wash. There is a risk of damage to property. Deactivate Automatic Hold prior to entering the vehicle wash.

Overview

Automatic Hold

Establishing function readiness of Automatic Hold

1. Switch on drive-ready state.

2. Press the button.

The LED lights up.

The indicator light lights up green.

Automatic Hold is functional.

After every new vehicle start, the last selected setting is active.

Automatic Hold holding the vehicle

Function readiness is established and the driver's door is closed.

After stepping on the brake pedal, for instance when stopping at a traffic light, the vehicle is automatically secured against rolling.

The indicator light lights up green.

Driving off

Step on the accelerator pedal to drive off.

The brake is released automatically and the indicator light is no longer illuminated.

Activating the parking brake automatically

The parking brake is automatically set if drive-ready state is switched off while the vehicle is being held by Automatic Hold or if the vehicle is exited.

The indicator light changes from green to red.

The parking brake is not set automatically, if the drive-ready state is switched off, while the vehicle is coasting to a halt. Automatic Hold is deactivated.

Switching function readiness off

Press the button.

The LED goes out.

The indicator light goes out.

Automatic Hold is switched off.

If the vehicle is being held by Automatic Hold, press additionally on the brake pedal, when switching off.

Malfunction

If the parking brake fails or malfunctions, secure the vehicle against rolling before exiting.

A Check Control message is displayed.

Secure the vehicle against rolling away, for instance with a wheel chock, after existing the vehicle.

After a power failure

To reestablish parking brake functionality after a power failure:

1. Switch on standby state.

2. Pull the switch while stepping on the brake pedal or selector lever position P is set and then push.

This process may take a few seconds. Some mechanical sounds associated with this process are normal.

The indicator light is no longer illuminated as soon as the parking brake is ready for operation again.