Electronic Parking Brake Malfunction - Intermittent
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From: Raleigh, NC
Electronic Parking Brake Malfunction - Intermittent
A month ago I replaced the rear brake pads on my 2021 Mazda 3 Premier at ~70K miles. I had a real time getting the Electronic Parking Brake (EPB) into maintenance mode. The problem appeared to be 2-3 apparently incorrect procedures shown online. I did call the local Mazda dealer service department for the official procedure, but they were unable to help. Their response was that they use a scanner to do it. I finally called an auto repair shop who gave me the right procedure and it worked first time, every time. During the trial and error sequence of attempts to get the EPB into maintenance mode, I was occasionally getting on my dash board the message "Parking Brake Malfunction. Stop the vehicle in a Safe Location." If I recall, this was happening after the engine attempted to start because of the wrong sequence of steps to get it into maintenance mode. Some of the online sequence incorrectly said to push on the brake when hitting the start button 3 times, which was resulting in the engine attempting to start. The sequence which eventually worked for me did not involve touching the brake pedal at all. Once I got and used the proper sequence to get the EPB into and out of maintenance mode, I did not once again get the error message during the brake job.
Since the time when I replaced the rear brake pads, I occasionally get the same warning on my dashboard. It seems to happen when the car is cold, but I can't ensure you that the car's temperature is what's doing it. It just hasn't happened enough to say that it's definitely correlated 100%. I've probably started/stopped the car 50 times since the rear brake job, and the error message has popped up 3-4 times. Most of the time that it's happened it has occurred when stopping the engine. When things are working properly, I hear the EPB motor running for perhaps a half a second. But when this happens, usually, but not always, I hear the EPB motor running for multiple seconds as if it's trying to achieve some positioning of the parking brake mechanism, but then fails. The EPB motor stops and then the error message pops up. So far, I've been able to get it out of this condition by going through the sequence to put the EPB into maintenance mode, and then the sequence to get it out of maintenance mode. Likely, this is related to the rear brake job that I did, as it never happened before I did that job. For what it's worth, I had a 2017 CX-5 with EPB. I working on the rear brakes multiple times without any issues such as these.
Does anyone have an idea what is causing this? And is there a way for me to determine which of the parking brakes are failing, left or right? How to fix it?
Thank you,
DSPGuy
Since the time when I replaced the rear brake pads, I occasionally get the same warning on my dashboard. It seems to happen when the car is cold, but I can't ensure you that the car's temperature is what's doing it. It just hasn't happened enough to say that it's definitely correlated 100%. I've probably started/stopped the car 50 times since the rear brake job, and the error message has popped up 3-4 times. Most of the time that it's happened it has occurred when stopping the engine. When things are working properly, I hear the EPB motor running for perhaps a half a second. But when this happens, usually, but not always, I hear the EPB motor running for multiple seconds as if it's trying to achieve some positioning of the parking brake mechanism, but then fails. The EPB motor stops and then the error message pops up. So far, I've been able to get it out of this condition by going through the sequence to put the EPB into maintenance mode, and then the sequence to get it out of maintenance mode. Likely, this is related to the rear brake job that I did, as it never happened before I did that job. For what it's worth, I had a 2017 CX-5 with EPB. I working on the rear brakes multiple times without any issues such as these.
Does anyone have an idea what is causing this? And is there a way for me to determine which of the parking brakes are failing, left or right? How to fix it?
Thank you,
DSPGuy
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Joined: Oct 2018
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From: Northern California
The basic procedure was still not done correctly…
The re-set was done either improperly or just wrong
Sorry because brakes a specifically the rear electric brakes my best advise is to either go to Firestone or in you city find an ASE service shop that has a certified ASE Mechanic or better(best) an ASE certified Master Diagnostic Technician.
Some serving like brakes especially with rear electronic parking should only be serviced from an individual trained to perform brake service and not a DIY that looks on the internet for how to do a service.
I understand totally the DIY mentally but regarding rear brakes, ABS service and rear electronic brakes we fix DIY mistakes every month in the shop.
The re-set was done either improperly or just wrong
Sorry because brakes a specifically the rear electric brakes my best advise is to either go to Firestone or in you city find an ASE service shop that has a certified ASE Mechanic or better(best) an ASE certified Master Diagnostic Technician.
Some serving like brakes especially with rear electronic parking should only be serviced from an individual trained to perform brake service and not a DIY that looks on the internet for how to do a service.
I understand totally the DIY mentally but regarding rear brakes, ABS service and rear electronic brakes we fix DIY mistakes every month in the shop.
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From: Northern California
Hint only…….
repeat the proper sequence as if it were your starting point of the service. And then the finalized steps as if the service was done .. And yes you do have to push the pedal…
if it fails to work some and the problem did not exist before the service either something was damaged or some has now failed that was likely failing before the service either.
repeat the proper sequence as if it were your starting point of the service. And then the finalized steps as if the service was done .. And yes you do have to push the pedal…
if it fails to work some and the problem did not exist before the service either something was damaged or some has now failed that was likely failing before the service either.
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From: Raleigh, NC
I have not tried scanning it. I do have a OBD II scanner. It's not professional grade. I haven't tried it because I didn't think it would be good enough to help with electronic parking brakes. You're right. I should at least try it. It may prove useful. Thanks for the suggestion.
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DSP in this case is "Digital Signal Processing". It was the major focus of my masters degree in electrical engineering.
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Junior Member
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Hint only…….
repeat the proper sequence as if it were your starting point of the service. And then the finalized steps as if the service was done .. And yes you do have to push the pedal…
if it fails to work some and the problem did not exist before the service either something was damaged or some has now failed that was likely failing before the service either.
repeat the proper sequence as if it were your starting point of the service. And then the finalized steps as if the service was done .. And yes you do have to push the pedal…
if it fails to work some and the problem did not exist before the service either something was damaged or some has now failed that was likely failing before the service either.
To put the 2021 Mazda 3 INTO Electronic Parking Brake Maintenance Mode:
1. Begin this sequence with the car totally off.
2. Foot off the brake. Do not touch the brake throughout this entire process.
3. Change to ignition on, engine off. (Do this by pressing the start button twice WITHOUT your foot on the brake pedal.)
4. Push the accelerator to the floor & move parking brake switch DOWN. Continue holding the accelerator pedal and parking brake switch in these positions while doing the next step.
5. Hit the ignition switch 3 times in 5 seconds. The engine will not attempt to start. If it does, something went wrong. Probably you had your foot on the brake pedal which you should not do.
6. At this point, you should hear the parking brake motor run and the parking brake light will light up on the dashboard. (A circle with an exclamation point in it, also two brake shoes around the circle.)
7. You can now remove foot from gas & release parking brake switch.
8. You’re done.
To TAKE IT OUT of maintenance mode.
Same sequence as above, except:
· In Step 4, pull UP on parking switch instead of pushing it down. And the parking brake light should go out.
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Joined: Oct 2018
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From: Northern California
Bruce’s shop is a listed ASE and it looks like has been for an established while .
That procedures you posted is the same (more or less ) as a Mazda factory guide .
You need a Diagnostic scanner with ABS access capability
If you retried the procedure to the guide then you have an overlooked problem. ABS and Electric brakes need a little more learning and specialized tools to diagnose problems .
I would recommend to at least get perhaps Bruce’s to look at it and give you the diagnosis and then you can decide if you are capable and have the correct tools to DIY.
Sometimes a one hour Diagnostic charge is money well spent . Some shops are like ours that will reduce the Diagnostic fee if they get the complete service work to repair the problem. If they don’t offer ask , you never know unless you ask.
That procedures you posted is the same (more or less ) as a Mazda factory guide .
You need a Diagnostic scanner with ABS access capability
If you retried the procedure to the guide then you have an overlooked problem. ABS and Electric brakes need a little more learning and specialized tools to diagnose problems .
I would recommend to at least get perhaps Bruce’s to look at it and give you the diagnosis and then you can decide if you are capable and have the correct tools to DIY.
Sometimes a one hour Diagnostic charge is money well spent . Some shops are like ours that will reduce the Diagnostic fee if they get the complete service work to repair the problem. If they don’t offer ask , you never know unless you ask.
Thread Starter
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Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2024
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: Raleigh, NC
Bruce’s shop is a listed ASE and it looks like has been for an established while .
That procedures you posted is the same (more or less ) as a Mazda factory guide .
You need a Diagnostic scanner with ABS access capability
If you retried the procedure to the guide then you have an overlooked problem. ABS and Electric brakes need a little more learning and specialized tools to diagnose problems .
I would recommend to at least get perhaps Bruce’s to look at it and give you the diagnosis and then you can decide if you are capable and have the correct tools to DIY.
Sometimes a one hour Diagnostic charge is money well spent . Some shops are like ours that will reduce the Diagnostic fee if they get the complete service work to repair the problem. If they don’t offer ask , you never know unless you ask.
That procedures you posted is the same (more or less ) as a Mazda factory guide .
You need a Diagnostic scanner with ABS access capability
If you retried the procedure to the guide then you have an overlooked problem. ABS and Electric brakes need a little more learning and specialized tools to diagnose problems .
I would recommend to at least get perhaps Bruce’s to look at it and give you the diagnosis and then you can decide if you are capable and have the correct tools to DIY.
Sometimes a one hour Diagnostic charge is money well spent . Some shops are like ours that will reduce the Diagnostic fee if they get the complete service work to repair the problem. If they don’t offer ask , you never know unless you ask.
Good suggestions. Well intended, well written, reasonable, and without being insulting like one of the earlier responses was.
I don't know if my OBD II scanner has the ABS and Electric brakes capabilities that you mention. It was a medium grade device I bought from Autozone about 10 years ago. So I sorta doubt it. I will give it a try today. And post the results.
I do have a second OBD II scanner called an Ediag Elite by Kingbolen. It's much a more modern, bluetooth, phone app based device which likely has the capabilities. But I've found it so difficult to use and understand that I've put it on the shelf and forgot about it. Maybe I'll break it out and give it a try again.
Thank you,
DSPGuy