But HHA leaves the brake lights on when active.. so I've ended up not using it much at all when it would be useful, i.e. traffic lights, as I can see the driver behind me being blinded.Yep, well on the S-Tronic I'd say anyway.
Stop the car and it comes on, pull away and it comes off. Without it you'd either have to keep your foot on the brake or put the handbrake on each time, bit of a PITA in traffic.
But HHA leaves the brake lights on when active.. so I've ended up not using it much at all when it would be useful, i.e. traffic lights, as I can see the driver behind me being blinded.
Maybe I'm too sensitive
Can't get used to sitting there with hand brake on in Drive... so then I put it in neutral... but then it's a pain having to out my foot in the brake to get it back in DriveYou can always put the handbrake on to turn the brake lights off, even when HHA is active, if you are there for a long time, or it's night or whatever, to avoid blinding.
But if you haven't got hold assist (nothing to do with hills - Hill Hold is different and is standard on S-tronic) then most people leave their foot on the brake anyway - so no difference really.But HHA leaves the brake lights on when active.. so I've ended up not using it much at all when it would be useful, i.e. traffic lights, as I can see the driver behind me being blinded.
Maybe I'm too sensitive
But you can make that jump anyway by the bearest of touches on the throttle. Will release the brake but not rev the engine. Then just go. Or you can hold the car on the foot brake even when HA is active, but that does take a very gentle touch on the brake.I have mine on most of the time. It sometimes is a PITA if your in Dynamic Sport mode as it takes a split second to release...
But if you haven't got hold assist (nothing to do with hills - Hill Hold is different and is standard on S-tronic) then most people leave their foot on the brake anyway - so no difference really.
Hill hold assist is great, I wouldn't be without it for £75!! Don't question it!!
You ever have to touch the handbrake again, pulls off automatically... it applies pressure to the brakes when you stop (doesn't apply handbrake). If you turn off the ignition, it puts the handbrake on as you can hear it. If you open the drivers door, it puts the handbrake on.
Brilliant kit for £75 and a must for easy driving. I wouldn't be lost without it, I've driven cars without it since and it's fine but it's such a pain having to hold the brake unnecessarily or apply the handbrake, when the car will do it without you thinking for so little cost.
So this the button next to the EPB switch? In NA, we do not have this, would be nice to add if just needing a switch?
Dave - I don't quite follow what you mean when you say that you "needed to apply more throttle...to get it to release".I used to find the HHA was a pain when I was putting the car quite slowly in to the garage as well. The HHA used to hold the car and I needed to apply more throttle than I wanted to get it to release. As I said earlier I switched mine off after a few weeks in the previous A3 and did not order it with the latest one and I have never missed it. As far as brake lights are concerned perhaps it's not so much of a problem in places like London where most areas have street lights. But stopped at traffic light or junction on country roads where the are no lights at all they can feel very bright.
Yes that is correct. I'd have thought the harness is already there and its just a plug and play button, with the addition of coding.
Have to say I love my HHA - and use it all the time (not a fan of the electronic handbrake). The only time that it does get annoying is if you are stuck in traffic on a downward slope you have to accelerate to disengage rather than just roll forward. Minor issue though!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Again I can't quite see this. Hold assist never needs the engine to speed up from tickover to release - just the bearest touch on the throttle and it releases.
When I am in a queue at traffic lights for example, I look for the lights to change, one touch on the trottle starts the engine, then another touch releases the brake and you start creeping forward on tickover, all without affecting the revs at all.
I haven't seen Hill Hold activate when using Hold Assist. I have a very steep drive joining the road. If I don't have Hold Assist active, then as I stop at the road then release the brake, HH will hold the car for a second before releasing, or if you rev the engine it will release (often with a bit of a jerk). But if HA is active, then it will hold the car on the brake indefinitely until I just touch the throttle (no revving) and the car immediately starts rolling.
I just wonder if sometimes folks get confused between Hill Hold (standard feature with S-tronic) and Hold Assist (option).
No. It's on my 64 reg.Is tapping the throttle once to start the engine and again to release the brake in your example not a FL thing?
Again I can't quite see this. Hold assist never needs the engine to speed up from tickover to release - just the bearest touch on the throttle and it releases.
When I am in a queue at traffic lights for example, I look for the lights to change, one touch on the trottle starts the engine, then another touch releases the brake and you start creeping forward on tickover, all without affecting the revs at all.
I haven't seen Hill Hold activate when using Hold Assist. I have a very steep drive joining the road. If I don't have Hold Assist active, then as I stop at the road then release the brake, HH will hold the car for a second before releasing, or if you rev the engine it will release (often with a bit of a jerk). But if HA is active, then it will hold the car on the brake indefinitely until I just touch the throttle (no revving) and the car immediately starts rolling.
I just wonder if sometimes folks get confused between Hill Hold (standard feature with S-tronic) and Hold Assist (option).
Perhaps it's different on the FL version. I cannot remember all the reasons I did not like the Hold Assist but I know on my previous A3 I disliked it so I switched it off. On my current one I use the EPB whenever I want to hold the car still. Not too much effort to to click the switch.Dave - I don't quite follow what you mean when you say that you "needed to apply more throttle...to get it to release".
On mine you can release the HA by the slightest touch on the throttle, not enough to affect the engine at all.
Some folks advocate leaving the EPB on all the time and just getting it to release by driving forward. I find in that case you need to rev more and you get a jolt when you take off.
Has anyone tried this? Just ordering and installing the switch?
Out of interest what does HHA do that the EPB does not?I really wanted HHA on my last 'dealer stock' A3. It was a no from them - they couldn't (or wouldn't) fit it.
I looked into retro fit on the net and found you need a switch, harness and programming so didn't bother.
New car has it and I wouldn't want another car with EPB without it now.
Probably not. That person is actually the person least likely to use it, since that's exactly the function HHA is carrying out anyway. I'm not sure the designer had a specific person in mind, other than one filling the basic requirements of the rest of car, being designed for the use of humanoids with the standard number of legs, arms and heads.So it's designed for drivers who would normally sit still will their foot on the brake pedal rather than use the handbrake.
Again I can't quite see this. Hold assist never needs the engine to speed up from tickover to release - just the bearest touch on the throttle and it releases.
When I am in a queue at traffic lights for example, I look for the lights to change, one touch on the trottle starts the engine, then another touch releases the brake and you start creeping forward on tickover, all without affecting the revs at all.
I haven't seen Hill Hold activate when using Hold Assist. I have a very steep drive joining the road. If I don't have Hold Assist active, then as I stop at the road then release the brake, HH will hold the car for a second before releasing, or if you rev the engine it will release (often with a bit of a jerk). But if HA is active, then it will hold the car on the brake indefinitely until I just touch the throttle (no revving) and the car immediately starts rolling.
I just wonder if sometimes folks get confused between Hill Hold (standard feature with S-tronic) and Hold Assist (option).
Not much. It's a question of convenience more than anything, but there are some advantages. HHA acts on the hydraulic system, simply locking in the pressure you've already applied when you stopped, so it acts on all four wheels instead of just the rears. Because it's using the ABS module to hold pressure, it's many many times faster to engage and disengage than the handbrake, which is using a motor drive. This makes departures very much smoother. Plus, you don't have to continually flick the handbrake on, which is a big bonus.