Handbrake will not Auto Release :(

[First Ever Audi]

Posted a while ago that the Electronic Handbrake would not Auto release when moving off.....at the time is was only occasionally. Now its continuous, to the point where i am releasing manually 100% of the journey. The worst case is on a hill when you release manually and then even the HHA is stuck also.For the record, the Seat Belt is on, door is shut, and more than enough welly is given to release, even to the point of wheel spin and or stalling. It happens regardless of surface, weather, first thing in the morning or last thing at night....no indication of a pattern.It's going in tomorrow but my fear is if the usual diagnostics don't see anything, then they will have to do it the old fashioned way and get their hands dirty.Anyone else have the same issues, surely it's can't just be me? Also, any mechanics out there who understand the system and could comment on what may be the problem....a sensor perhaps? Thanks!

 

[JohnM100]

The only time I have had this is when I had not put my seatbelt on, but your post covers that.

Good luck getting it sorted and let us know how you got on. Will be watching this thread.

Assume you also tried turning the car off and restarting it to see if that cleared it?
[i know that's not the point and it needs to be fixed, but trying to see if it an electronics thing or more likely to be mechanical].

Is handbrake icon on dash red or green? On first pull away after ignition start mine is red but subsequently it goes green when hill hold operating.

John.

 

[mjcourtney]

Probably a sensor somewhere. I suspect it either detects the position of the clutch pedal, or the amount of movement in the wheels to determine when to release the handbrake, so could be some sensors here that need checking. Someone did mention in an ealier thread that the system struggled to auto-release when pulling off on a loose gravel driveway (I guess because the rear wheels drag easier).

The fact that it disengages when released manually suggests that the physical mechanism is ok, it's just the ability to sense when to auto-release which is playing up.

Hope they sort it for you.

 

[First Ever Audi]

The only time I have had this is when I had not put my seatbelt on, but your post covers that.

Good luck getting it sorted and let us know how you got on. Will be watching this thread.

Assume you also tried turning the car off and restarting it to see if that cleared it?
[i know that's not the point and it needs to be fixed, but trying to see if it an electronics thing or more likely to be mechanical].

Is handbrake icon on dash red or green? On first pull away after ignition start mine is red but subsequently it goes green when hill hold operating.

John.

Handbrake Icon is always red as i don't have the Hill Hold, its just the regular 3 second assist as standard with the regular HB....tried switching on and off also but no joy....my fear is that i'm rear ended by someone presuming i'm moving off

 

[First Ever Audi]

Handbrake Icon is always red as i don't have the Hill Hold, its just the regular 3 second assist as standard with the regular HB....tried switching on and off also but no joy....my fear is that i'm rear ended by someone presuming i'm moving off

went to the dealer this morning and the Service Manager test drove the car with me....all the while a 63 TT S-Line BLACK edition was sitting waiting for me to look after it for the day!

The service manager managed to move off each and everytime, with the HB disengaging perfectly, whereas i managed to replicate the same problem, time after time. After much scratching of heads, butts and analysis of driving styles, the fault was found ! Turns out that the switch that disengages the HB and is managed by the clutch pedal, requires that to disengage the handbrake, the clutch pedal must be fully depressed, all the way to the carpet! I don't know about you but when i change gear, there is no need to bury the pedal into the carpet...but it seems that to release the HB you must.

I felt like a right Muppet, especially after i drooled all over the TT....

 

[cemerson]

That's interesting to know, seems like an odd way to sense it though.

 

[Daveotto]

That's interesting to know, seems like an odd way to sense it though.

I am guessing here......... might be first sensor in a two sensor system. Depressing the clutch indciating you might want to move off soon is the first and then a second sensor actually triggers the disengage function once tripped so if you dont trigger the first the second can't work?

 

[cuke2u]

I didn't have to change my driving style when I went from a manual handbrake to the saloon I test drove and I'm sure I didn't have to press the clutch as far as the carpet.

 

[cemerson]

I am guessing here......... might be first sensor in a two sensor system. Depressing the clutch indciating you might want to move off soon is the first and then a second sensor actually triggers the disengage function once tripped so if you dont trigger the first the second can't work?

Yes, that's what I thought as well. I'll try and test it tonight.

 

[AJB]

That's interesting to know, seems like an odd way to sense it though.

I guess it doesn't want to release as you push the clutch down, but does want to release when you bring it up.

So, it can't just release then the clutch is at half travel. It has to detect that you've pressed it down (and pretty much all the way down by the sounds of it) and then releases when it gets part way up after that.

Just guessing though!

 

[cemerson]

I've been testing this over the past couple of days, but I can't replicate it at all - mine releases every time whether it's the hold assist or the handbrake that's on, or whether i put the clutch in just enough to select 1st or all the way down - it has never not released.

 

[cuke2u]

I would have thought there is a fault with the OP's clutch switch that the Audi dealership can't be bothered to repair...

 

[Anarch]

It's weird when we test drove A3 neither me or Mrs had any problem with it. When I want to start the car (ie from neutral to first gear) I always push the clutch to the carpet - an old habit. Still I think there might be something wrong with the sensor.

 

[rvtb101]

Posted a while ago that the Electronic Handbrake would not Auto release when moving off.....at the time is was only occasionally. Now its continuous, to the point where i am releasing manually 100% of the journey. The worst case is on a hill when you release manually and then even the HHA is stuck also.For the record, the Seat Belt is on, door is shut, and more than enough welly is given to release, even to the point of wheel spin and or stalling. It happens regardless of surface, weather, first thing in the morning or last thing at night....no indication of a pattern.It's going in tomorrow but my fear is if the usual diagnostics don't see anything, then they will have to do it the old fashioned way and get their hands dirty.Anyone else have the same issues, surely it's can't just be me? Also, any mechanics out there who understand the system and could comment on what may be the problem....a sensor perhaps? Thanks!

Has anyone else had an issue like this recently?

I’ve had the car for the past 5 years and the handbrake could be temperamental auto releasing, requiring me to take it out of gear and then back in to gear making it auto release. This would last a few days then miraculously fix its self.

The past few days it has completely stopped auto releasing... it’s such a PITA having to put your foot on the brake and pushing the button down, having a lurch as it eventually releases, I guess that’s from the hill hold assist stopping you from rolling back clinging on...

Thanks in advance, Rich

 

[Fatbloke]

Yes, same intermittent problem. In at several dealers many times for over 2 years. It even did it in one of the dealers car parks and yet they still said they couldn't find a fault. Now out of warranty it still does it intermittently.

One of the dealers managers (the one it did it in their car park) even told me they "had no knowledge of this fault" and had never seen it before. Surprisingly one of the members on here actually had that same dealer buy their car back for exactly the same fault so the manager just lied straight to my face.

Not impressed at all by Audi. First and probably my last one.