How to operate the electronic parking brake on VW ID.4

You must activate the VW ID. 4’s parking brake every time you park your car. If it doesn’t actuate the brakes, your vehicle might simply roll away. Of course, it’s imperative on hills.
This article walks you through the basic actions needed for turning the ID. 4’s EPB on and off. Here’s what it is and how to use it.

What is the EPB on the VW ID.4?

The electronic parking brake (EPB) replaces the parking brake in many modern cars. Traditionally, a cable would have been used to activate the rear brakes without the pedal. It’s an important extra way to secure your vehicle when parked.
You’ll also put the vehicle in its Park gear if you drive an automatic transmission, as most Americans do. It locks the output shaft with a parking pawl (a bit like a pin). This means the shaft and, therefore, wheels can’t turn.
Electric vehicles like the ID.4 don’t have these components (at least, not in the same way). The engine and transmission simply don’t exist. The only thing to stop a car from rolling away is the brakes.
The electronic parking brake actuates the brake calipers electrically. They squeeze the pads against the rotor faces and hold your car in place.

How to turn the VW ID. 4’s electronic parking brake on

You need to use your parking brake. If you don’t, there’s nothing to stop your car from rolling away.
In emergencies, it turns on automatically. This happens as soon as:

• The ignition is turned off.
• The ID.4 suspects you’ve left the car incorrectly.

You shouldn’t rely on this, though. Ensure you turn your ID. 4’s electronic parking brake on before you exit the vehicle.
Here’s how to turn the ID. 4’s electronic parking brake on.

1. Bring the ID.4 to a complete stop.
2. Press the electronic parking brake/Park button.
   • You’ll find it on the end of the driving mode selector.
3. The electronic parking brake indicator illuminates red when it’s active.
4. Exit the vehicle.

Your ID.4 will now remain parked in place without rolling away.

How to deactivate the parking brake on the ID.4

You must deactivate the parking brake when you return to the driver’s seat. This will allow you to drive away.
Again, deactivating the electronic parking brake is very simple.

1. Get in the driver’s seat and put your foot on the brake.
2. Select a driving mode from the driving mode selector.
3. The electronic parking brake deactivates automatically.
   • The indicator light will turn off when the electronic parking brake deactivates.
4. Drive away.

In summary, the EPB deactivates itself automatically when you’re ready to drive.

Using roll mode in the ID.4

Sometimes, you don’t want to use the parking brake automatically. In this case, you should activate roll mode.
Situations you might not want automatic electronic parking brake activation could include any case where the ID.4 needs to roll. These could include:

• Car washes
• If you temporarily need to push the car down the road

Note that most manufacturers advise against towing EVs except on a flatbed truck. The same applies to the ID.4.
Activating roll mode means deactivating the automatic function of the electronic parking brake. Here’s how you do that.

1. Go to the infotainment system.
2. Open the vehicle settings.
3. Select the Brakes menu.
4. Switch the function on.
5. The instrument cluster will tell you that the function is active.

To switch roll mode off, either:

• Press the electronic parking brake button on the drive mode selector; or,
• Turn the ignition off.
  • The ID. 4’s parking brake automatically applies itself.

Using the VW ID. 4’s EPB in an emergency

In the rare situation that your footbrake fails, the EPB is the only remaining braking method you have. In this case (and only in emergencies like it), you can use the button to bring the ID.4 to a halt.

• Press and hold the parking brake button.

The VW ID.4 will come to a sudden and difficult-to-control stop. You’ll also hear a warning from the car’s system.
Stopping using this method is dangerous and could easily lead to a crash. It’s also potentially damaging to the car itself. Only use this technique in emergencies! Most people will never need it, but it’s good to know.

See a snip from the VW ID. 4’s owner’s manual here.