I am sure you are excited about your new Honda Civic. If it is your first time using the “Brake Hold On Honda Civic”, you will notice there is a brake hold button below the parking brake (P) button. Do you know what the Honda Civic’s brake hold is?
The (Brake Hold Honda) button on a Honda Civic is a safety feature that holds the car’s brake for you while you are stopping somewhere. It puts pressure on the brake and prevents your car from rolling without needing you to keep your foot on the brake pedal.
But how does it work, and how do you use this fantastic feature? Is it reliable? I know your mind is rumbling with questions. Stay with me till the end as I answer all your questions regarding the brake hold on the Honda Civic.
What is the Brake Hold on Honda Civic: How does Honda Brake Hold work?
You can find the brake hold button on the left side of the shift lever. It is beneath the parking button. The text “BRAKE HOLD” is clearly written on the button. This is an excellent feature in the Honda Civic that makes driving easier.
A brake hold button on a Honda Civic allows you to hold your car’s brake without having your foot on the brake pedal. When you press the button, it applies brake pressure to prevent your car from moving.
Whenever you stop at the signal on the road, you need to brake your car to ensure that it does not move forward or backward. This problem mostly occurs when you are stopping at an incline. You will need to keep pressing the brake pedal to keep the vehicle steady, which can be tiresome for your foot.
But thanks to Honda for adding this amazing feature to the Civic. You can press the Brake Hold button and take your foot off the brake pedal. Your car is still on the brake, and now your foot can relax until you are ready to go. Did you know what the Brake Hold button does?
How do you use the Brake Hold on a Civic?
Using the brake hold button on a Civic is simpler than you think. You can do it when you are driving and stopping somewhere.
To use the brake hold feature, keep your Honda Civic running. Then stop somewhere using the brake pedal. Keep your foot on the brake pedal, and at the same time, press the Brake Hold button. Now you can remove your foot from the pedal as your Civic will automatically hold the brake for you.
When you activate it, a “Brake Hold” light will appear on your Civic’s dashboard to let you know that the feature is on. Then, when you are ready to go, put your foot on the accelerator pedal, and it will disengage the brake hold feature.
One thing to keep in mind is that this feature will not hold the brake forever for you. It remains activated for 10 minutes, and then it will automatically disengage. If you need to hold for more than 10 minutes, put your foot on the brake pedal again and press the Brake Hold button to activate it.
Can Brake Hold be Activated while Driving the Vehicle?
No. You can not activate or engage the brake hold while driving your Honda Civic. If you want to stop while driving, then you will need to press the brake pedal with your foot.
The main purpose of the brake hold function is to hold the brake for you. You need to fully stop the car and press the brake pedal before you can enjoy the benefit of a brake hold system.
How to Disengage the Brake Hold Honda Civic?
Disengaging the brake hold means removing the automatic brake pressure. After that, you can manually press the brake or continue your drive.
Here are the ways to disengage the brake hold in a Honda Civic:
Press the accelerator: Alternatively, you can press the accelerator to continue your drive. It will automatically turn off the brake hold. The brake hold light will go off, indicating that the button is disengaged.
Wair 10 minutes: The brake hold system in the Honda Civic automatically disengages if there is no activity for more than 10 minutes. That is because the purpose of the button is to hold the brake for you for a short time. If you need it for longer, you should turn off the engine and use the parking brake.
Activate the electronic parking brake: You also can shift the gear to parking and activate the electronic parking brake(EPB). It will turn off the brake hold and turn on the EPB. You can turn it on by pressing the parking button above the brake hold button.
However, the brake hold system (honda civic brake hold) is automatic in Honda Civic. That means once you activate it, it will keep working until you turn it off.
Is it Bad to Drive with Brake Hold on?
No. You can drive with the brake hold on, and it can be quite helpful. If you keep it on, you will not need to press the brake hold button repeatedly every time you stop somewhere.
After turning on the brake hold, when you start driving, it disengages the system. But it remains on. Then when you stop somewhere and press the brake pedal, it will engage the brake hold. Even if you remove your foot, the brake will still be applied.
However, it can be pretty annoying sometimes. Suppose you brake for a few seconds and then want to rush off. Although the brake hold will disengage as soon as you accelerate, it can still cause a slight delay. To solve this issue, you can turn off the automatic brake hold in Honda Civic.
How to Turn off Brake Hold Honda Civic?
Turning on the brake hold button and disengaging it was pretty easy. But, how do you turn it off?
Here are the ways to turn off the brake hold in a Honda Civic:
Push the button: The first method you can try is to press the brake pedal first and then push the brake hold button. If you try to turn off the brake hold without pressing the brake pedal, the brake will disengage, and the car may automatically move forward. It can cause accidents. That is why it is necessary to press and hold the brake pedal.
Turn off the engine: Alternatively, you also can turn off the engine to turn off the brake hold. Once you restart the engine, you will have to press the brake hold button again to turn it on.
These are the most common ways to turn off a brake hold in Honda Civic models.
What if the Brake Hold fails on a Honda Civic?
If your Civic’s Brake Hold system does not function after you press the button, immediately place your foot back on the brake pedal. Besides, you can also unlock the seatbelts, and it will activate the parking mode.
The brake hold can fail due to various reasons, such as a wiring malfunction or a damaged brake hold button. If the brake hold fails, check for the following issues:
#1 Faulty brake hold button
The brake hold button or the switch can get damaged in various ways, including a broken switch. You can take out the button to check if it is broken or if there is any other problem with it.
- Solutions: If the brake hold button is damaged or faulty, you will need to get a replacement. The brake hold button and the parking brake button are usually connected. Hence, you will need to replace the full set even if the other button is okay.
#2 Low brake fluid level
The brake fluid is responsible for the smooth operation of the whole brake system. If there is not enough brake fluid, then the components in the brake system may not work well.
It can affect various braking system functions, such as the brake, electronic parking brake, and brake hold. If the button is okay and you remember not using new brake fluid for a long time, then this is the issue behind brake hold failure.
- Solutions: You need to change the brake fluid in your vehicle to solve this problem. Honda Civic cars use DOT 3 brake fluid. First, drain out the old brake fluid residuals to avoid contamination. Then put the new oil to get the brake hold working smoothly.
#3 Wiring malfunction
Wiring malfunction is a common problem behind many issues in vehicles, including brake hold failure. If any wire is frayed or damaged in other ways, then the brake hold will not work.
Besides, corrosion in the connections can also cause wiring problems. You can check the wires with a multimeter to know whether they are functional or not.
- Solutions: If the wires are damaged, then you will have to replace them to make the brake hold work again. In case of corroded connections, you can clean the area with a corrosion cleaner. If that does not work, replace the connectors with new ones.
Nevertheless, if something is wrong with the brake system, all the brake buttons, including the pedal, parking, and brake hold, will fail. In this case, your vehicle will not start either. Take your car to the mechanic to find the problem and fix it.
We talked about troubleshooting brake problems, see our article on electric parking brake problem honda civic.
Is the Brake Hold on a Honda Civic useful?
Yes, the Brake Hold button on a Honda Civic is quite useful in real-life scenarios. Suppose you are stopping at a signal or on an incline, or you may be stopping to talk to someone outside or over the phone.
In these situations, pressing the brake pedal for an extended period of time can be irritating. But the brake hold feature can save you.
Although you can turn off the ignition and turn on the parking, it is also troublesome to do when you are stopping only for a few minutes. That is why Honda added this button to make your driving experience better.
However, this feature is not exclusive to Honda. You will find this feature in other Honda cars as well as in cars from other brands. In most other cars, the brake hold button is also known as the auto hold button.
Difference between Brake Hold and parking brake in Honda Civic:
Many drivers confuse the brake hold and parking brake features. Some people think they are the same thing, but they are different. They work the same way with some minor differences.
The brake hold and parking brake both hold the brakes of your car, but the main difference is that the brake hold is for use while you are driving, and the parking brake button is for when you are parking the car somewhere.
You must put your car in neutral to use the parking brake. You can also use it after turning off the ignition. But the brake hold is exclusively for use while you are driving, whether the gear is in neutral or not.
But you need to keep the seatbelts fastened to use the brake hold. If you release the seat belt, then you will have to use the parking brake feature to keep your Honda Civic steady on the ground.
Is Brake Hold on a Honda Civic reliable?
Yes, the brake hold feature on a Honda Civic works pretty well and is reliable. It can be used to hold the brake and keep the vehicle stable during quick stops.
However, the pressure the button can create has limits and can fail when high pressure is needed to hold the brake. That is why Honda recommends not solely relying on the Brake Hold on steep hills or slippery roads. It’s best to keep your foot on the brake pedal in such conditions.
Is There a Specific Maintenance Schedule for Brake Hold?
No. The brake hold in the Honda Civic is a part of the braking system, and there is no scheduled maintenance for the brake hold. Instead, you will need to inspect the whole braking system from time to time to ensure it is working fine.
However, you should change the brake fluid to ensure the whole system, especially the brake hold, is functioning properly. It is recommended to change the brake fluid once every two years or once every 30,000 miles.
FAQs
1. Is Auto Hold same as handbrake?
No, an auto hold is not the same as a handbrake. Handbrake, also known as the parking brake, is for when you are parking the car. But auto hold is mainly for holding the brake when you are driving and taking a quick stop.
2. Can you drive with the Brake Hold on?
No, you can not drive with the brake hold on. As soon as you press the gas pedal or the accelerator, the car will start moving, and the brake hold will automatically turn off.
3. Does Brake Hold work in reverse?
Yes, the brake hold will work even if the car is in reverse (R). The feature stops your car from moving forward in normal mode as well as backward when in reverse mode.
4. Why is my car saying Brake Hold?
If your car is saying “Brake Hold,” that means the Brake Hold feature is activated. Some people mistakenly think that there is something wrong with the button, which is why they are getting this message, but that is not the case.
5. What is the P button in Honda Civic?
The P button in the Honda Civic indicates the parking brake. When you are parking your car, you should pull the P button to activate this feature. It will prevent your car from rolling.