Hill Hold Assist / Auto Hold / Hill Hold Assist Lite

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duffbeerman

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Hi everyone.
I've just placed an order for my new company car - an A4 Avant, S-Line, 2.0 TDI 190, S-Tronic in Daytona Grey. My boss is not keen on extras so I wasn't able to add anything to the standard spec.

This is my first car with an automatic gearbox and I'm a little concerned about the need for Hill Hold Assist. I have had two previous VW cars that had an EPB and both had Hill Hold Assist as standard so I assumed the A4 would be the same. I don't like the idea of having to use the EPB for a hill start as in my experience it doesn't release the brakes quick enough when you're at a busy junction. It seems crazy that some sort of Hill Hold would not be standard on a car with no clutch or hand brake!

I've been reading about a function in the A3 called Auto Hold or Hill Hold Assist Lite and I would like to know if it applies to the new A4.

This thread here seems to suggest it is standard on the previous A4 but I cannot find any info on the new model.
http://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/hill-hold-assist-question.264206/

I've spoken to a guy at my local dealer and also someone in Audi customer services but neither of them have any idea what I'm talking about!

Please can someone offer me some info?!?
 
There is no hill hold as standard, I think its £75 as an option and well worth having.

EPB works ok but the hill hold means you can do it all with just the footbrake.
 
Thanks for your reply....not good news though. How can it not have any sort of hold as standard?? Seems crazy to me as it is standard on the A3 and the previous A4. From what I understand, the Auto Hold or Hill Hold Assist Lite as some people call it only holds for a second or so just to give you enough time to move your foot from brake to accelerator.
There's no way I can add HHA to my new order but if it doesn't at least have the lite version I think it will be very annoying to drive if it rolls back at every junction!
 
audi upgrades
It wasn't standard on the last A4 either but it is one of those things that is becoming standard on lots of other cars.
You will be fine most of the time its just a lack of convenience.

Can you not offer to pay the £75?
 
Unfortunately not, the order has already been placed. Are you sure it wasn't on the old A4? The thread in my first post seems to suggest it was.
 
It defiantly wasn't on the last A4 cause I don't have it on mine!

You can amend the order and add extras up until a few weeks before the build date so I have informed by helpful members on here.
 
Since HHA was also a relatively cheap option on the B8 and the 'lite' version can be enabled via VCDS I'd expect that it should be possible on the B9 too. As I understand it this holds the brakes for a few seconds, so although not as good as full HHA it would make a huge difference when coming off the brake pedal, especially in a turbo engine car.
 
HHA was one of the best options I had on my A3 manual and I've speccd it on my new A4 s-tronic....although not sure how it's going to work on an auto with stop/start. On our other car BMW 5 series auto, taking your foot off the brake starts the engine....?
 
Kev131 said:
HHA was one of the best options I had on my A3 manual and I've speccd it on my new A4 s-tronic....although not sure how it's going to work on an auto with stop/start. On our other car BMW 5 series auto, taking your foot off the brake starts the engine....?
Click to expand...
And it's the same with S-Tronic and Stop/Start. Example: approaching red traffic light, brake to a stop, engine stops, HHA engages, take foot off brake, engine restarts. It's a bit annoying and leads to a bit of a game. If you don't press the brake pedal hard it's possible to engage HHA without the engine stopping. Personally I turn stop/start off.
 
Hill Hold Assist with stop start works perfectly on my car. You arrive to a stop, engine cuts off and it won't start again until you tap the accelerator
 
A4B9 said:
Hill Hold Assist with stop start works perfectly on my car. You arrive to a stop, engine cuts off and it won't start again until you tap the accelerator
Click to expand...

Just to clarify, you don't have s/s deactivated....HHD is on, you brake to a standstill on a slope and remove your foot from all pedals......the engine stops, the car stays fixed to the spot without rolling....and a press of the throttle starts the engine again. Neat if that's how it works....thanks.
 
Yes. You can also apply different levels of pressure on the break pedal to either bring the car to a stop without hha or stop start kicking in (so that you can crawl forward in slow traffic), activate hha without activating stop start or activating both and then restarting the engine with the accelerator
 
A4B9 said:
Yes. You can also apply different levels of pressure on the break pedal to either bring the car to a stop without hha or stop start kicking in (so that you can crawl forward in slow traffic), activate hha without activating stop start or activating both and then restarting the engine with the accelerator
Click to expand...
I hope that they have improved the "different levels of pressure on the break pedal" from the B8. That's my only criticism. I have to be very careful when braking to get HHA without S/S because it only takes a slight bit more pressure to activate S/S. The final feature is certainly new on the B9 and seems like a good idea.
 
Dippy said:
I hope that they have improved the "different levels of pressure on the break pedal" from the B8. That's my only criticism. I have to be very careful when braking to get HHA without S/S because it only takes a slight bit more pressure to activate S/S. The final feature is certainly new on the B9 and seems like a good idea.
Click to expand...
I did not opt for HHA but my car certainly has hill hold, I live on a steep lane and usually reverse onto the driveway and I can feel the brakes being applied and slowly released as I manoeuvre onto the drive, in the same way my VW Up does (standard on VW).
I am wondering if the £75 option is just to be able to disable it, with the button?
Any comments? Apologies if this has been discussed before...
 
Krusovice said:
I did not opt for HHA but my car certainly has hill hold, I live on a steep lane and usually reverse onto the driveway and I can feel the brakes being applied and slowly released as I manoeuvre onto the drive, in the same way my VW Up does (standard on VW).
I am wondering if the £75 option is just to be able to disable it, with the button?
Any comments? Apologies if this has been discussed before...
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, some of the answers to my original question above are incorrect. I took delivery of my car a couple of weeks ago and according to the owners manual it DOES have the basic hold assist as standard. The full Hill Hold Assist has the extra button to enable or disable and it holds the car still for much longer.
 
Okay, so the "lite" version is standard then? At least on S-tronic cars?
Thanks all the same.
 
I had a Tiptronic on loan and it didn't have it at all. I find the full HHA useful at junctions and traffic lights as you don't have to keep your foot on the brake pedal.
 
Krusovice said:
I did not opt for HHA but my car certainly has hill hold, I live on a steep lane and usually reverse onto the driveway and I can feel the brakes being applied and slowly released as I manoeuvre onto the drive, in the same way my VW Up does (standard on VW).
I am wondering if the £75 option is just to be able to disable it, with the button?
Any comments? Apologies if this has been discussed before...
Click to expand...
It does and it keeps the brakes momentarily applied before you pull away but not permantly as does hill hold assist which applies the brakes on all four wheels when you come to a halt, thus there is no need to always apply the handbrake. However that is an option..
 
ughh I might actually call the dealer and add the hold assist for £75, is it really worthed?
 
I think so as I have it on my A3, the only thing to remember is that when you are sitting in traffic with it on the brake lights are also illuminated, as if you had your foot on the brake pedal. I tend to put on the handbrake if I am at rest for any length of time so as to not dazzle people in the car behind me.
 
cuke2u said:
I think so as I have it on my A3, the only thing to remember is that when you are sitting in traffic with it on the brake lights are also illuminated, as if you had your foot on the brake pedal. I tend to put on the handbrake if I am at rest for any length of time so as to not dazzle people in the car behind me.
Click to expand...

Yes they do stay on which is a shame as they didn't on the B8.
 
I was just thinking it must be standard as the Sport I had a lend of at the weekend was not equipped with it (well it didn't have the button) and it was definitely held on hills when pulling away.

I have the full HHA in my B9 but I take it the the full system is not activated until the button is pressed?
 
If I had been given the correct answer to my original question, I would not have paid for the full Hold Assist.
 
Well at least with the full system you don't get a blanked off button which I hate!
 
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hmy7k said:
Yes they do stay on which is a shame as they didn't on the B8.
Click to expand...
Strange because as the brake system has to be pressurised for all four wheels you would think it was logical for the brake lights to be on as well...
 
I don't disagree, just saying that they do on my A3 thus assuming the same for the A4. Kinda makes sense that they would...
 
What I find strange when people think that the brake lights must be staying on when the HHA is holding the car is, in my mind, very few cars had the brake light switch connected to the brake fluid lines, most VAG cars now have switches either connected to the brake pedal or the brake master cylinder - HHA works by using the ABS valves to hold the wheel callipers "on" so the brake pedal or brake master cylinder will be at their "rest" or off position.
 
I don't think I know they do because when sitting in a queue of cars the brake lights can be seen to be on behind my car but when you pull away or pull on the handbrake they are extinguished. How it done, and maybe my explanation was flawed, is irrelevant because that is exactly what takes place.
However are we talking about the same system, as they easily be confused, the one that momentarily prevents the car from rolling backwards, or the version I am referring to which applies the brakes automatically when coming to a halt. Where I think it becomes confused is because Audi don't know what to call it either sometimes.
It has been discussed here http://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/hold-assist-and-brake-lights.209289/
 
Last edited:
Question about hill start (or more lack of) / auto handbrake. I haven't ordered it on mine.

I have a fairly steep drive so was slightly worried about this as I currently park with full handbrake and in gear. I'm assuming is how it will work now.

Parking - pull up. floot on brake. electric handbrake and put in park on the gear box

Pulling off - if the handbrake is on, can I put it in drive and simply pull away and it will auto release? Or do I need to disengage first?

I've not overly worried about daily driving and it rolling back, I'll use the handbrake. But my drive is the concern!
 
PhxViper said:
Question about hill start (or more lack of) / auto handbrake. I haven't ordered it on mine.

I have a fairly steep drive so was slightly worried about this as I currently park with full handbrake and in gear. I'm assuming is how it will work now.

Parking - pull up. floot on brake. electric handbrake and put in park on the gear box

Pulling off - if the handbrake is on, can I put it in drive and simply pull away and it will auto release? Or do I need to disengage first?

I've not overly worried about daily driving and it rolling back, I'll use the handbrake. But my drive is the concern!
Click to expand...

Don't worry you'll be fine on your drive. The electric parking brake releases when you pull away.
 
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PhxViper said:
Pulling off - if the handbrake is on, can I put it in drive and simply pull away and it will auto release? Or do I need to disengage first?
Click to expand...
Yes the handbrake automatically releases...
 
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Sorry to repost on an old thread chaps but just to clarify does a B9 A4 Avant have a basic form of Hill hold assist? As In the car is held for a second or so?

And HHA is just a longer version that can be turned on/off? My dealer convinced me this was a silly option I didn't need. Im starting to regret this choice for £75....
 
For the cost it's defo worth having!
I've got it now, but didn't bother on my previous car as dealer said I didn't need it on an auto.
It's worth it just so you don't have to keep your foot on the brake pedal for stop/start.

And as stated above, the blank button use to bug my OCD.
 
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