‘This is what’s holding your vehicle’: Mechanic shows why you should always use parking brake

Always use your parking brake. That's what this car expert is telling his viewers.

You may be relying on putting your vehicle in "park" to keep it from rolling off. You'll feel differently after seeing Izaiah33 (@hs_unknown58)'s video. It shows just how little is between you and your car rolling away across the parking lot.

Izaiah's video went live on his TikTok account on Tuesday. As of right now, it has over 1.9 million views.

What keeps your car in 'park'?

Izaiah's caption reads, "Do yourself and your tech a favor [and] use your parking brake."

As the video starts, the video screen text reads, "For those of you who park your car on a hill and don't use your parking brake this is what's holding your vehicle."

The video shows a large gear with a metal tooth holding it in place. The tooth is called a parking pawl (more on that later).

Izaiah also shows the lever that engages the pawl when the car is put into park. The device is shown disengaging in the latter part of the video.

How does your parking brake work?

According to Street Smart Transmission, a parking pawl is "a device used in automatic transmissions ... to lock the transmission’s output shaft (and wheels) from rotating when the shifter lever is placed in the Park 'P' position."

The pawl "engages a notched ring that is attached to the transmission’s output shaft" when the car is in "Park." The large gear in the video is that ring.

A parking brake, on the other hand, engages the actual brakes of your car when in use. "The emergency brake operates independently of the main brake system to keep your vehicle from rolling away," according to Wagner Brake.

One reason you should use your parking brake is that it operates independently of your car's electrical system.

"This mechanical system uses cables that are attached to the emergency brake lever. When engaged on cars with drum brakes, the cables pull another lever that puts pressure on the brake shoes to hold the vehicle," per Wagner Brake.

Disc brakes can be engaged by the parking brake as well. According to Wagner Brake, "Applying the parking brake activates a corkscrew mechanism that pushes a piston into the brake pads."

Should you always use your parking brake?

Because the parking pawl keeps your car "parked," many believe they only need to use the parking brake on hills or in emergencies.

Experts recommend that you use it every time you park your car, however.

According to Poway Imports, "While not a common occurrence, [the] “pawl” can break or become dislodged, causing the vehicle to roll away."

"When used correctly, the parking brake helps relieve stress and tension on the transmission and other drive components," the outlet notes.

@hs_unknown58 Do yourself and your tech a favor use your parking brake #mechaniclife #bluecollar #techtok #fypシ #fyp #transmission ♬ beans - yawn.

Viewers fire back

Despite the advice, many of Izaiah's viewers weren't having it.

"Ooh, a mechanical wedge that gets tighter with force. Oh no what if it works FOREVER," wrote randyrainz (@randyrainz).

One viewer added, "looks sturdy thanks for the demonstration."

However, plant of viewers agreed with the video.

"The amount of people in here bragging about never using their parking brake is very concerning, but you know what, as a mechanic, it's great, more money for me," one commented.

Another simply stated, "I don't trust people who don't use their parking brake."

The Daily Dot reached out to Izaiah via TikTok messenger and comment for further statement.

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