Hi All, Just need some advice on storage, normally for manual cars I would leave in gear and keep the handbrake off to stop the park brake binding. How does it work for the 458 should I just let it do it's thing and put into park if storing over the winter period? Any tips appreciated. Cheers.
How do you not engage park - I thought it automatically puts in park when engine key is turned off? Thanks
There is a park button on the left hand side. I never use it. Maybe it does automatically put in park when the engine key is turned off. If it does, what's the point of your original question?
So in my manual stick shift cars, I put it in 1st gear and don't engage the manual handbrake to avoid the parking brake binding in extended storage. Can this be done on the F1 gearbox or does it apply it automatically? The dealer said it automatically applies the handbrake even if I turn off the engine in 1st gear so by the sounds of things not possible and hopefully not a problem in extended storage.
The 458 has a DCT gearbox. From my experience, handbrakes are much more reliable and I'd rather have one than an electronic parking brake.
My 458 Spider automatically sets the parking brake when i turn off the vehicle. I’ve never had a problem leaving the brake set all Winter. (November-March).
Just let it do its thing. These cars are (generally*) idiot-proof. Don't outhink the room. (*The one caveat is if you're tracking a DCT Ferrari, a 458, 488, F8/Pista), and you come in from a hot lap, do not engage the parking brake, just park it in 1st gear.)
Thanks - so after track use, just leave it in 1st gear, will the DCT automatically not engage the brake in these circumstances?
When you have a strong battery. As soon as you get some voltage drop on these cars things start to go haywire, and the epb may fail to release itself. If people experience this you should check the battery first before you follow the manual release procedure for them. I haven't researched best process for long term storage but if it was me I'd probably click it into neutral, turn off the EPB as above and then chock the wheels. Then even in a low volt situation you should be able to fire it again and get it moving.
Thanks, so it sounds like there are 2 "brakes" - 1st parking brake that selects P and then the 2nd Electronic Parking Brake (EPB) that you can manually turn off and on - I may disengage the EPB by pressing the autopark button with "Park Off" for longer term storage in that case. The car will be on a battery tender but can't be too careful. Cheers.
Not quite true Kent. I almost learned the hard way about a yr. ago when I shut down as I needed something in the house and found my /Italia on it's way down a small embankment into the bushes next door. Thank God we had a hard rain a few hrs. before my outing which stopped the car. Now I just put it on for peace of mind. If the car is put into auto before shutdown I've noted it goes into park.
I fail to understand what you're arguing about. I only spoke to my own experience in my garage and what I do. There is a parking brake button on the left hand side, I don't use it and my garage is not on an incline.
I am not arguing Kent. I simple made a statement of what happened to me while parked on my driveway rather recently. Do not trust your electronics esp. with storage. I was not in the least attempting to belittle or undermine your post. Certainly not being critical and /i am sorry if you took it that way. docf
Found a good video from Rich that explains it, didn't even realise you can also release the Gearbox brake manually. So indeed there is a the gearbox brake and the electronic handbrake as @ipsedixit says not to engage after a heavy track session.
