# Car Towed with Parking Brake On



## TiredDigger (Jan 22, 2016)

I have a 2021 Cadillac XT6 2WD. Got my car towed from the place I work just because I forgot to hang the parking pass on my rear view this morning. 

I have no idea how they towed it but what I do know is that I parked head first and engaged my parking brake as I always do.

Could they have damaged my car somehow? I checked all tires with a mag light at their yard and they didn’t show any odd excess wear and the car drove fine with the small exception of a small wheel correction when I put it in gear?

Are the park break pads in the rear, front, or both?

What do you guys think?


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

They may have used wheels under it.


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## chandler48 (Jun 5, 2017)

Parking brakes are usually on the back. They could have damaged the transmission or transaxle by pulling it backwards out of the parking space. Did you notice any skid marks from the front tires in the parking space? They could have used dollies, roll back, or nothing. May want to check and see their procedure.


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## HotRodx10 (Aug 24, 2017)

As far as the parking brake being on, it would have taken some material off the brake shoe, but it shouldn't damage anything. You might need to adjust the cable for the parking brake.


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## Missouri Bound (Apr 9, 2011)

Do you mean parking brake or did you have the vehicle transmission in park?
I know very few people who actually use their parking brake.


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## icerabbit (9 mo ago)

Honestly, I have yet to see any US tow guy use anything like wheel dollies and/or a vehicle dolly or trailer.

Now the good news would be that you parked nose first, with a rear wheel drive vehicle, and thus they scooped your vehicle under the rear wheels with a “stinger”. Thus your transmission and parking brake should be fine.

Is this some kind of a deal where a tow truck driver gets to police the parking lot at a series of offices? I’d be t’d off if I have worked there for months or years and because of mirror placard they figure they can nail somebody for quick cash, knowing full well your vehicle is an authorized vehicle by brand, model, color and car tag. And in the process quite likely are rather careless and may damage your vehicle.


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## Elmer-Dallas Texas (9 mo ago)

Seems to me to be crappy system where you need to hang permit everyday. The company should have window stickers. I would quit and find a job with company that has more consideration for their employees imo.


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## lenaitch (Feb 10, 2014)

It seems the XT6 is a front wheel drive. I'd be really pissed if they used an underlift ('stinger') and just dragged it out without using speed dollies. Maybe check with the tow company, and see if the lot has a security camera that caught the action.


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

Any good tow truck guy can open the door, it is not like the door locks really do anything.


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## lenaitch (Feb 10, 2014)

Nealtw said:


> Any good tow truck guy can open the door, it is not like the door locks really do anything.


That would be really sketchy and, depending on the jurisdiction, probably illegal. Some company policy or local parking bylaw that allows a vehicle to be towed doesn't, by implication, give permission to enter the vehicle. Even if it did, I doubt a reputable tow company would do it, for fear of claims for missing contents, damage, etc.


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## peter1122 (8 mo ago)

TiredDigger said:


> I have a 2021 Cadillac XT6 2WD. Got my car towed from the place I work just because I forgot to hang the parking pass on my rear view this morning.
> 
> I have no idea how they towed it but what I do know is that I parked head first and engaged my parking brake as I always do.
> 
> ...



in the situation you describe, they would most likely use something like this on the front wheels.......


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## chandler48 (Jun 5, 2017)

I doubt a "take back" man or "towing for parking offense" truck driver will use such a contraption. He took enough time to hook up that tire to allow the owner to come out and beat him with a baseball bat. He is set for a pick up and "go" method, damage be damned.

@TiredDigger hasn't been back with pictures of the parking space showing tire skid marks, so I question whether or not it was pulled with it in Park or not.


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## Startingover (Apr 18, 2012)

Missouri Bound said:


> Do you mean parking brake or did you have the vehicle transmission in park?
> I know very few people who actually use their parking brake.


I use my parking brake all the time.


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## HotRodx10 (Aug 24, 2017)

Startingover said:


> I use my parking brake all the time.


Why? Even when I had a manual, other than while I was working under the vehicle, the only thing I ever used the parking brake for was spinning cookies in icy parking lots. Automatic in Park, or manual in 1st gear, is all I've ever needed to keep my vehicles stationary.


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## peter1122 (8 mo ago)

HotRodx10 said:


> or manual in 1st gear, is all I've ever needed to keep my vehicles stationary.


a manual transmission car can still roll while in gear, you are only relying on the compression in the engine to hold the car in place,

even on a slight hill, the wheels can start turning the engine,

you should always use a parking brake with a manual tranny car


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## chandler48 (Jun 5, 2017)

Until you've rebuilt an automatic transmission and seen the puky little parking pawl inside, you'll never be able to respect parking brakes. If I'm on a hill in my 5.9 Cummins, I have to use the parking brake. It will roll due to the low compression inherent with diesels.


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## HotRodx10 (Aug 24, 2017)

peter1122 said:


> a manual transmission car can still roll while in gear, you are only relying on the compression in the engine to hold the car in place,
> 
> even on a slight hill, the wheels can start turning the engine,


In 37 years of driving, the majority driving MT vehicles, I've never had a problem on a "slight" hill, or even fairly steep ones. My old '69 Chevy I drove for years didn't even have a working parking brake.

Parking brakes can fail, too, especially if they aren't kept adjusted.


chandler48 said:


> Until you've rebuilt an automatic transmission and seen the puky little parking pawl inside, you'll never be able to respect parking brakes.


It may be small, but it works.


chandler48 said:


> If I'm on a hill in my 5.9 Cummins, I have to use the parking brake. It will roll due to the low compression inherent with diesels.


I'm not doubting you that it could roll, if the hill is steep enough, but I do need to call BS on your statement of diesels having low compression; diesel engines run 18:1 compression, about twice as high as a typical gas engine.


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## Oso954 (Jun 23, 2012)

HotRodx10 said:


> Parking brakes can fail, too, especially if they aren't kept adjusted.


SF used to have a lot of cars runaway when the parking brakes slipped. Some were adjustment problems, a lot were people not applying them hard enough. Quite a sight to see the big cars of that era rolling down the hill. They did a lot of damage to cars or other things that they hit.

The steeper hills still have signs instructing you to “curb“ your wheels when parking, but not all 3% or greater slopes have them. It’s a parking fine if you don’t comply, ($50, Last I knew)




__





San Francisco Parking Tips: Why Curbing Your Wheels is So Important


To prevent runaway vehicles, local law requires drivers to curb their wheels when parking on a grade greater than 3 percent (1.72 degrees). Since most of us don’t carry a level to measure how steep a street is, it’s a good idea to make it a habit every time you parallel park. Why is curbing your...




www.sfmta.com


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## chandler48 (Jun 5, 2017)

HotRodx10 said:


> but I do need to call BS on your statement of diesels having low compression


That's fine. I was talking specifically about my truck. It has 561,000 miles on it, so I doubt it has the compression it did when it left the factory. I should have said "older" diesels.


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## Old Thomas (Nov 28, 2019)

In NY parking cable brakes are constant maintenance problems. Road salt corrodes the cables and the brake either stops working or sticks on after it is used. It is very rare to see a parking brake used because it really sucks when you put it on and it won’t release. That said, there aren’t many hills around here so cars tend to stay where they are left.
Keep that old diesel, Chandler. A new one with DEF and electronic smog controls won’t serve you as well as that older truck.


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## HotRodx10 (Aug 24, 2017)

chandler48 said:


> I doubt it has the compression it did when it left the factory.


It hasn't dropped much, or it wouldn't start. In a diesel engine, the fuel ignites spontaneously due to the heat and pressure. Without pressure very near the original, there's no ignition at the normal operating temperature of the engine.


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## Racinmason (3 mo ago)

If parking on a hill, it's a good idea to use the parking brake. It takes some stress off of the transmission, which is the only thing keeping the car from rolling.

To the OP, I sure hope they didn't tow it away without a dolly if the rear P brake was on. But, I do't think they are liable for any damage anyway.


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## HotRodx10 (Aug 24, 2017)

Old Thomas said:


> Keep that old diesel, Chandler. A new one with DEF and electronic smog controls won’t serve you as well as that older truck.


I'll agree with that. Btw, from what I know of diesel engines, the compression at 561,000 miles is probably the same as it always was. Diesel is more like oil than gasoline, so it constantly lubricates the cylinders. It's not unusual for a diesel engine to have near original compression after 2 million miles or more. The other parts, such as the rod and main bearings, or the fuel distributor, tend to do them in long before they lose compression.


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## chandler48 (Jun 5, 2017)

HotRodx10 said:


> Diesel is more like oil than gasoline, so it constantly lubricates the cylinders.


Diesel also is a cooling property. It is constantly run through the injection pump. Only 30% of the fuel that leaves the lift pump is ignited. The other 70% cools the injection pump, and is returned to the tank. They are different animals, for sure. Especially when you forget to plug them in on a cold night. Don't expect anything much in the morning. Oil will be too thick to turn over in some instances.


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## lenaitch (Feb 10, 2014)

Except when it is stooopid cold, like maybe -30*C or colder, I found plugging in for an hour or two was sufficient. When we had the farm, if I needed to blow snow I would plug the tractor in when I turned the horses out and went back in for breakfast. It had glow plugs so that helped too.


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