My taco almost got away

So my daughter knocks on my office window at home with a panicked look on her face and screaming your truck is moving…

I have a steep driveway and depending on whether I'm head or tail in, I have been leaving the truck in first or reverse plus the parking break on. Well today I came home after running out to grab lunch and was rushing a bit because I had to get on a conference call for work. I backed up into the driveway (tail in) and put the truck in reverse BUT forgot to put the parking brake on Fast forward about 30 minutes when my daughter came home from school and the truck was about half way down the driveway plus about a foot away from one of the retaining walls

I ran out and averted disaster but WTH, should this be happening? I never had this previously happen with any other manual car. I've always left cars with reverse engaged when parked downhill and never experienced this, maybe I never forgot to put the parking brake on.

I sat in the truck put it in reverse without the parking brake and sure enough, it took about 30 seconds, but eventually it crept forward and stopped, then did it again. This doe not happen in first gear. Does anybody know why?

One thing is for sure I will not be forgetting to put the parking brake on again any time soon

 

Sounds like the truck just doesn't like you that much

 

happens sometimes, the weight of the car/truck can turn over the engine kinda like a bump start e-brake her when on any hill

 

You parked on an incline, left your truck in reverse and didn't lock the brake?

I always use my E brake when parking, especially if I am even remotely close to something that represents an incline.

 

Yep, this is what it felt like afterwards when I was trying to recreate it... and yes always put the parking brake when on a incline, definite brain fart on my part but I guess my question is why would it not turn the engine when engaged in first gear.

 

it happens because new engines are better made so they have much less friction in them, plus synthetic oil. Also first gear is lower than reverse so more torque is needed to turn engine over

 

Yeah, I forgot once in my first car, even turned the wheels to the curb...

Went to check the mail an hour later and it was down the street in a driveway!

 

I always set the parking BRAKE and leave it in neutral (Habit from having a turbo car with a turbo timer). I will put it in gear if I'm on a steep hill. Reverse if I'm pointed down the hill and first if I'm pointed up the hill.

 

I always set my ebrake... Incline or not. Good habit so things like this don't happen. Worth the 1 second and lat pull for the day lol

 

This happened to me with my Honda civic. Disaster!

 

This will happen to me too one day. I never use the parking brake because Florida is flat and we do not have any inclines. I am just not in the habbit of doing it. My truck and other vehicles are auto, so they are locked up better when in Park, but probably still a good habbit to use the parking brake.

Glad you caught it - go buy your daughter an ice-cream for calling you!

 

in neutral? i am in gear with the parking brake on.

 

1st is the gear to use, as Blue mentioned it is a lower ratio than reverse, and contrary to a common myth, engines are not harder to turn over backwards. I always use my brake, flat or on a hill, the cables never seize that way.

In my younger and dumber days, my '83 hilux used to like to creep down steep boat launches even on 4lo, as the parking brake wasn't up to speed when I first bought it. It made you hurry!

 

My '80 did the same thing when it was brand new (I later found that the parking brake wasn't adjusted properly from the factory).

 

im glad this hasent happen to me because sometimes i forget the e-brake that aint going to happen anymore

 

I was home visiting my parents a couple of years ago with my old manual 9-5 and I had decided to take the dog to wal-mart with me. They have a long driveway with a very slight incline. I forgot something and ran inside with the dog inside of the car, and I forgot to set the ebrake. I popped out of the house just in time to watch my car with the dog sitting happily in the drivers seat roll out of the driveway, across the street and right into a tree in the ditch. I always set the brake now, no matter what.

 

who uses reverse? stick it in 1st and be done with it!

 

sue toyota. lol. jk. don’t do it! i just had to say it, because when i read thread first think i thought of was all the toyotas “running away” and not stoping. lol

 

I always leave it in first with the parking brake. At the very least it'll keep the parking brake freed up and functioning well.

 

It's habit from when I drove a turbo car with a turbo timer. My car would still run for another minute and a half after I pulled the keys out. I couldn't leave it in gear with the engine running.

If I'm on an incline, I will leave it in gear and use the parking brake.