When testing a parking brake, what should you do with the vehicle?

To effectively test a parking brake, it's essential to assess its functionality under conditions that simulate real-world use. Placing the vehicle in a low gear while attempting to pull forward is the correct approach because it allows you to determine if the parking brake holds the vehicle in place. When the vehicle is in low gear, the engine is still engaged, and attempting to move the vehicle while the parking brake is applied will reveal whether the brake is functioning correctly. If the vehicle does not move, this indicates that the parking brake is adequately engaging and holding the vehicle.

Using other positions or states of the vehicle, such as placing it in neutral or keeping it in park, does not provide a realistic evaluation of the parking brake's effectiveness. In neutral, the vehicle could roll freely, and keeping it in park does not apply the brake system in the same manner as engaging a low gear would. Additionally, turning the engine off is not a necessary step for this test, as the main goal is to observe the brake's capability to hold the vehicle against the force of the engine when trying to move forward. Thus, conducting the test in low gear is the most effective way to check if the parking brake is operating correctly.