Hill Hold Assist problem!

[MarkyH]

Had my new car for a couple of weeks and all good except for on 3 occasions now on pulling away the Hill Hold Assist has failed to automatically release and had to manually release by simultaneously pressing the A button and P parking brake button. Also somehow managed to roll forward into a barrier which has damaged the front grill - argh - I thought this should not happen with Hill Hold Assist? Need to phone up Carlisle Audi tomorrow to get it booked in for a check up. Anybody else had this problem - could I claim on insurance for damage or should Audi pay for repair?

 

[RichardT]

.......or should Audi pay for repair?

Good luck with that !!!

 

[K4RL]

Hi there
I've got hill hold on my 8P which has been a great help, but on my car it's automatic there's no switch to turn it off (s-tronic as well). It only works for about 4 or 5 seconds after coming off the foot brake, after that the car will roll.
I have specc'ed it on my new car & was hoping just to turn it on once & then forget about, hope you get it sorted.
Karl

 

[h5djr]

Hi there
I've got hill hold on my 8P which has been a great help, but on my car it's automatic there's no switch to turn it off (s-tronic as well). It only works for about 4 or 5 seconds after coming off the foot brake, after that the car will roll.
I have specc'ed it on my new car & was hoping just to turn it on once & then forget about, hope you get it sorted.
Karl

You are getting confused Karl. Hill Hold is the system fitted as standard to all A3s.There is no way to switch Hill Hold on or off, it is always on. Hold Assist is the optional system that you can switch on and off and holds the car still whenever you stop. Some members like this system, some, including myself do not. On the s-tronic it can make it a bit jerky when in a confined space and also stop the gently 'creep' that you get with the s-tronic which can be helpful in some situations. Hold Assist also keeps you brake lights on, shining in to the face of the driver behind you for the whole time you are stopped, which again some members are not bothered about but sum, again including myself, regard as bad manners.

 

[K4RL]

^ Doh....looks like I've wasted £90.

 

[h5djr]

^ Doh....looks like I've wasted £90.

Don't worry you not the only one. I spec'd it on my latest A3. Used for the first few weeks and didn't like it so I switched it off and I've not used it since.

 

[RichardT]

I have it and I was in the don't like it camp after quite a short time. But I have recently come to like it in certain situations, eg when in a traffic queue. It means you don't have to keep your foot on the brake all the time.
It doesn't jump forward once you get used to it. Just a slight tap on the go pedal and it releases. Then you are in normal creep mode.
But I must admit that I assumed it turned off the brake lights (ie as per putting on the EPB).

 

[phil1824]

I agree. I use it in similar circumstances. Another one is when driving in Sheffield which is extremely hilly.

 

[Nightmare1708]

It works perfectly on my S3. It sounds like yours may be faulty. If Audi does find a problem with it then you should definitely make Audi pay. It'll be hard for them to deny it if they find a problem.

 

[Ignition1]

If it's repeatable - i.e. take it to a garage and let them try it - then you have a good shot I'd say. Not sure if Sale of Goods Act applies for new cars (I'd assume it does, or there is an equivalent) but you might have a case for them to pay due to a manufacturer fault.

Despite numerous explanations, and using it myself on a demo, I still struggle to see the worth of Hold Assist versus standard Parking Brake and the built in Hill Hold. If I'm on a steep road with traffic (rare for me but happens) flicking the Parking Brake seems to do the job as it auto releases as soon as I drive away. Bit jerky doing it my way though, and £90 isn't a huge amount to spend on a bit of convenience - I was just being tight.

Side question - does ACC work in stop-start and slow moving traffic?

 

[h5djr]

Side question - does ACC work in stop-start and slow moving traffic?

If your questions is a general question about ACC and not asking if it still works for the OP, then the answer is Yes. I have s-tronic and ACC and they work very well together in stop-start traffic. I use it whenever I join a queue of traffic and the ACC moves the car forward as the traffic moves. If the period of stop has been more than 3 mins then you just need to tap the accelerator pedal or pull up the ACC lever. If it's less than 3 mins the car will move forward without you doing anything. I normally drive in manual mode but I always move in to D mode when I engage the ACC. It is also great for going through road works with speed cameras as you can set it to the limit and it will maintain that speed, but unlike normal cruise control, if the car in front is going a bit less than the limit, the ACC will just keep a given distance behind it and keep the same speed.

 

[Ignition1]

Thanks. It was a general question. Wish I added ACC

 

[RichardT]

Thanks. It was a general question. Wish I added ACC

Oh - so ditto!!

 

[sunscreemer]

I have it and I was in the don't like it camp after quite a short time. But I have recently come to like it in certain situations, eg when in a traffic queue. It means you don't have to keep your foot on the brake all the time.
It doesn't jump forward once you get used to it. Just a slight tap on the go pedal and it releases. Then you are in normal creep mode.
But I must admit that I assumed it turned off the brake lights (ie as per putting on the EPB).

Sure i read somewhere that it only displays the brake lights for a certain time then they switch off.

 

[h5djr]

Sure i read somewhere that it only displays the brake lights for a certain time then they switch off.

As the Hold Assist maintains the pressure in the brake circuit it will keep the brake lights on all the time. The Owners Manual does say that "In certain situations the Hold Assist may transfer the job of holding the vehicle to the parking brake" but personally I have never found out what these 'certain situations' are. I therefore just click the parking brake switch when I going to be stopped for more than a minute or so. Not really a great hardship especially as it automatically releases as soon as your drive away.

 

[veeeight]

Going on past responses on this forum about this topic, no one has ever seen (light changing from green to red) the HHA transfer to the EPB.

So you will (indefinitely) dazzle the person behind.

Oh no, not this again......



http://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/hill-assist-hill-hold-assist.184536/
http://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/hill-hold-assist-hha.209890/
http://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/parking-brake-close-call-and-a-warning-to-all.227053/
http://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/hill-assist-question.227261/
http://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/a3-brakes-and-warnings.210651/
http://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/unexpected-handbrake-release.214386/
http://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/hill-hold-assist-and-s-tronic-anyone.201902/
http://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/electronic-park-brake-feature.216065/
http://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/hold-assist-and-brake-lights.209289/

 

[phil1824]

It is good that it automatically transfers when you park the car and switch engine off!!

 

[leosayer1]

Going on past responses on this forum about this topic, no one has ever seen (light changing from green to red) the HHA transfer to the EPB.

It happened to me once whilst sitting in solid traffic on the North Circular road.

It was a hot and sunny day and I had the windows down so I heard the noise of the EPB engaging.

So I assume these 'certain conditions' are due to heat management.

 

[cilurnum]

I've had this problem and lately it's been getting worse so I'll be getting this seen to in the next week or two. I've had to turn hold assist off as I just can't trust it. I can't move off, the brakes bind on, I then have to turn it off which then applies the parking brake which binds on itself and I then have to manually release that. It's left me stranded in traffic a few times. The parking brake and hill hold assist have been unaffected.

As for whether it's useful, I'm indifferent. I can live without it but I do find it useful.......if I can trust it.

 

[cilurnum]

Got this checked out at the dealer finally, as it's been getting worse. Demonstrated it on a test drive, along with non-functioning traction control..... They can't reproduce either fault apparently and it's been in a day and a half.

Time to find another dealer, and they certainly won't be getting my car serviced.......

 

[syncromike]

Had my new car for a couple of weeks and all good except for on 3 occasions now on pulling away the Hill Hold Assist has failed to automatically release and had to manually release by simultaneously pressing the A button and P parking brake button. Also somehow managed to roll forward into a barrier which has damaged the front grill - argh - I thought this should not happen with Hill Hold Assist? Need to phone up Carlisle Audi tomorrow to get it booked in for a check up. Anybody else had this problem - could I claim on insurance for damage or should Audi pay for repair?

 

[syncromike]

hi mark.
i would be grateful if you could let me know what was the outcome to your A3 hold assist problem.
i too seem to have the same problem.
i bought my A3 new in April 2015. the problem i have is very intermittent. i can go for weeks on end without a problem and then suddenly i am in for a spate of the hold assist not releasing automatically. i have had the car inspected on 2 occasions by the dealer but were unable to find any fault. i would appreciate to know if your fault was diagnosed and fixed.
thanks
mike

 

[syncromike]

Had my new car for a couple of weeks and all good except for on 3 occasions now on pulling away the Hill Hold Assist has failed to automatically release and had to manually release by simultaneously pressing the A button and P parking brake button. Also somehow managed to roll forward into a barrier which has damaged the front grill - argh - I thought this should not happen with Hill Hold Assist? Need to phone up Carlisle Audi tomorrow to get it booked in for a check up. Anybody else had this problem - could I claim on insurance for damage or should Audi pay for repair?

hi mark.
i too seem to have same problem with my A3 .
the problem is so intermittent, where i can go weeks with the car working fine and then suddenly a spate of issues with the hill hold not releasing automatically. As soon as i bring it back to the dealer, it works perfectly and they can find nothing wrong. they have checked it out twice.
i would be grateful if you could let me know what was the outcome of your problem and did they fix and find the fault?
thanks in advance
mike

 

[MrMoo28]

Love hold assist, it would be a nightmare to do a hill start with an EPB without it imo, at least on a manual. There's been a few instances where mine hasn't come on (rarely) and I have noticed the car has rolled back a bit too. I thought hold assist would have prevented that but never seemed to have kicked in for me :s

A few times it has messed me around though, e.g. Wanting to reverse back a bit further into a bay (that's also sloped downwards) and not being able to take it off without driving forward first. Kept saying press EPB button and put foot on brake, which is opposite to what I want to do - and that message is what makes me hate EPBs. If I'm on a hill how is putting my foot on the footbrake going to help when I want revs on the accelerator to move off?!?

 

[cuke2u]

Never had a problem with a conventional handbrake, in fact I still miss them. I would say it's down to manufacturers insistence on EPB's that's the issue and why I also purchased hold assist. However I am sure there is good reason for a EPB, like a nice clean centre console..

 

[Martinbanshee]

My Hill Hold Assist has been flawless and I'd spec it again although it should be standard in an A/S3.
I find manual hand brake levers a chore now, a bit like old window winders. My work van has no EPB, S-Tronic, etc and its great to jump in the S3 and just drive without having to move levers about constantly when I want to go somewhere



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[MarkyH]

hi mark.
i would be grateful if you could let me know what was the outcome to your A3 hold assist problem.
i too seem to have the same problem.
i bought my A3 new in April 2015. the problem i have is very intermittent. i can go for weeks on end without a problem and then suddenly i am in for a spate of the hold assist not releasing automatically. i have had the car inspected on 2 occasions by the dealer but were unable to find any fault. i would appreciate to know if your fault was diagnosed and fixed.
thanks
mike

Hi Mike - Carlisle Audi could find no fault and it has worked flawlessly since so not sure what happened. I suspect as I had only had the car a couple of weeks I was not used to the system and I assumed it was engaged but I know check every time that the green P symbol is showing before I trust it! It has never not auto released since which is weird. Hope you get your issue resolved.
Mark