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Old 11-17-2012, 04:17 PM   #1
bobdole888
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Default Parking brake clunk

My impreza makes a loud clunk sound when I apply the parking brake.
This is the only car that I have ever driven that does this.
Is this normal?
It only happens when the car is moving. If the car is already parked, then it doesn't do it.
So if the car is moving ~5mph or more and parking brake is applied, a lound clunk sound is heard. This happen even when the brake is applied lightly.

I thought part of the break-in procedure is to apply the parking brake while the car is in motion. So it can't be that this parking brake is not meant to be engaged when the car is in motion.

Have you guys experienced this?
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Old 11-17-2012, 05:33 PM   #2
BoxerSport2.0
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bobdole888
My impreza makes a loud clunk sound when I apply the parking brake.
This is the only car that I have ever driven that does this.
Is this normal?
It only happens when the car is moving. If the car is already parked, then it doesn't do it.
So if the car is moving ~5mph or more and parking brake is applied, a lound clunk sound is heard. This happen even when the brake is applied lightly.

I thought part of the break-in procedure is to apply the parking brake while the car is in motion. So it can't be that this parking brake is not meant to be engaged when the car is in motion.

Have you guys experienced this?
Mine does exactly the same thing, I'm not sure if it has something to do with the hill assist but it is definitely meant to be applied I while the car is in motion in an emergency situation.
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Old 11-18-2012, 01:07 AM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BoxerSport2.0 View Post
Mine does exactly the same thing, I'm not sure if it has something to do with the hill assist but it is definitely meant to be applied I while the car is in motion in an emergency situation.
Mine is a CVT, I don't think there is hill assist feature on CVT model.

The clunk sound seem to indicate something is loose.
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Old 01-08-2013, 10:36 PM   #4
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Has anyone else have this parking brake clunk?
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Old 01-08-2013, 11:01 PM   #5
ans2k
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cvt and it does
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Old 01-09-2013, 09:13 AM   #6
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The OP says this clunk only happens when the car is moving. Stupid question:

Why are you applying the parking brake while your car is moving?

I can only think of two reasons to do this:
  • You've lost your main brakes and you're using the parking brake to slow the car down.
  • You're trying to break the rear end of the car loose to force it into a drift.

Am I missing something?

EDIT: I see that the OP says the owner's manual states that applying the parking brake while in motion is part of the break-in procedure. I don't remember seeing this in the owner's manual, but maybe I missed it. I'm not sure why this would be part of a break-in procedure.
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Old 01-09-2013, 09:46 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sgoldste01 View Post
EDIT: I see that the OP says the owner's manual states that applying the parking brake while in motion is part of the break-in procedure. I don't remember seeing this in the owner's manual, but maybe I missed it. I'm not sure why this would be part of a break-in procedure.
It's on page 11-20 of the manual. I nearly missed it myself, until someone in another thread mentioned about it.
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Old 01-09-2013, 10:07 AM   #8
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Hmm. I didn't do that as part of my break-in, and I'm not sure what break-in purpose driving with the parking brake engaged would perform. I know that normal brake shoes go through a break-in/setting process from normal use, but this is the parking brake we're talking about, so I wouldn't think that would be necessary.

Regardless, I still don't understand the concern over this clunking sound. Other than the documented break-in procedure, and the bulleted items in my post above, I can't think of any other reason to apply the parking brake while in motion. If you don't like the clunk, then don't use the parking brake while you're rolling!
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Old 01-09-2013, 10:56 AM   #9
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If you can hear the clunk it means youre not giving it enough gas around the turn.
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Old 01-09-2013, 10:56 AM   #10
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does the parking brake utilize the normal brakes? on my old car it was a cable to the rear brakes. it basically just bypassed the brake lines.
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Old 01-09-2013, 12:14 PM   #11
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Thanks for all the response, but I still haven't heard any feedback from '12 impreza owner whether their car does this or not.

Note, not much effort is needed to be applied to the hand brake to have the clunk sound. Not even enough pressure to feel any slowing down.
It just seems like the brake pad is loose and as hand brake is applied it shifts and makes the clunk.
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Old 01-09-2013, 01:37 PM   #12
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I will try it today. It will prob make the sound. I suspect its normal. Probably something to do with being awd.
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Old 01-09-2013, 01:50 PM   #13
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I think in the cvt the multi plate clutch center might be programmed to go full open mode if the e-brake is pulled to protect the drivetrain. This might be the source of the sound and could explain why it occurs with little brake application. The switch in the handle probably releases the clutch to full open if the handle is lifted at all. If you were previously moving and had some amount of locking rate between the axles, the sudden clutch release or the actuator moving might produce a sound.
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Old 01-09-2013, 01:59 PM   #14
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I would have suggested that it might be the Hill Hold feature, but you guys are hearing this clunk in CVT cars. Do CVT cars have Hill Hold too?
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Old 01-09-2013, 02:22 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sgoldste01 View Post
I would have suggested that it might be the Hill Hold feature, but you guys are hearing this clunk in CVT cars. Do CVT cars have Hill Hold too?
it seems like that could be accomplished via other means...
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Old 01-09-2013, 10:10 PM   #16
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My ***8216;13 CVT has the clunk as well. I use the E-brake every once in awhile when I notice a familiar set of headlights in the rear view and need to slow down without drawing attention
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Old 01-09-2013, 10:20 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Piper View Post
My ‘13 CVT has the clunk as well. I use the E-brake every once in awhile when I notice a familiar set of headlights in the rear view and need to slow down without drawing attention
I use the paddle shifters for that...
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Old 01-10-2013, 08:54 AM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bobdole888 View Post
Thanks for all the response, but I still haven't heard any feedback from '12 impreza owner whether their car does this or not.

Note, not much effort is needed to be applied to the hand brake to have the clunk sound. Not even enough pressure to feel any slowing down.
It just seems like the brake pad is loose and as hand brake is applied it shifts and makes the clunk.
Yes mine does this. Holy crap i was not expecting it to be that loud either. lol definitely something mechanical going on before the brake pad actually hits the rotor.
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Old 01-10-2013, 09:14 AM   #19
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I didn't notice a clunk this morning when I tried this out. Maybe I wasn't listening carefully enough???
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Old 01-10-2013, 09:40 AM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by myrt1987 View Post
Yes mine does this. Holy crap i was not expecting it to be that loud either. lol definitely something mechanical going on before the brake pad actually hits the rotor.
I just looked at the design of the parking brake shown in the service manual. It looks like the parking brake is more of an old-fashioned shoe/drum arrangement. The parking brake does not use the rear brakes' pads and rotor.
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Old 01-10-2013, 10:11 AM   #21
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one thing I did notice was that the car did not stop as fast as I expected. on my old car if I pulled the parking brake it was not a gentle stop.
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Old 01-10-2013, 10:19 AM   #22
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thanks for being out crash test dummies guys
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Old 01-10-2013, 10:29 AM   #23
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Quote:
Originally Posted by M45 View Post
one thing I did notice was that the car did not stop as fast as I expected. on my old car if I pulled the parking brake it was not a gentle stop.
The parking brake is for making sure your vehicle does not run down the hill without you, not stopping while in motion.
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Old 01-10-2013, 10:35 AM   #24
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kharn View Post
The parking brake is for making sure your vehicle does not run down the hill without you, not stopping while in motion.
My thoughts exactly. I really don't understand the concern with the clunk. If you don't like the clunk, don't use the parking brake while in motion. Problem solved!

The **only** time I've ever used a parking brake while in motion was when I was teaching my daughter winter driving skills in my old Civic. In a snowy parking lot, I'd have her get up to speed and then I'd pull on the parking brake to simulate a loss of control/over-steer situation on a slippery road, then I'd release the brake so that she could practice regaining control of the car. Good lesson.

Other than that, I've never used my parking brake while a car is in motion.
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Old 01-10-2013, 11:00 AM   #25
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Haha that sounds like a fun lesson^
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