Facelift Somthing wrong with my brakes? My car rolls forward and backwards?

[LaurenP]

I have a a3 sline 1.5 petrol automatic (67 plate) for nearly 6 months now. I'm curious why the car keeeps rockign forward and backwards when I select P. Basically when I select P (Parking) the car will rock forward and backwards every time I select P to park my car etc. Its so weird because it feels like the car is moving. What the F is wrong with my car? Surely this is not normal? Again I didn't care for 6 months because I was so busy with real life stuff I just forgotten about it...

Appreciate everyones help

Typed on phone.

 

[Sean6211]

Sounds like you select P on the gear lever, but you didn't activate the electronic Parking Brakes before you let go of the brake pedal.

 

[LaurenP]

Sounds like you select P on the gear lever, but you didn't activate the electronic Parking Brakes before you let go of the brake pedal.

Sorry I'm confused.

Sounds like you select P on the gear lever, but you didn't activate the electronic Parking Brakes before you let go of the brake pedal.

Sorry I'm confused. When I say P I meant this P (see attachment photo) Is that what you mean?

Just re read your comment. I NEVER touch the electric parking button. I dont see the point? Mine is not automatic so I have to manually click it so its a pain in the butt to do so I never touch that.

 

[Sean6211]

Right, that is why you feel the rocking back and forth slightly as you NEVER use the electronic parking brakes. The parking brakes actually physically lock the rear wheels and prevent them from rotating even a tiny bit. Mighty handy if you park on a slope.

The P on the lever merely uses a small pawl in the transmission to stop it from turning, but there is a lot of free play in the system, hence the rocking motion. Also, that small pawl is not meant to hold the car on a steep slope, so it is recommended you use the electronic parking brakes too.

 

[LaurenP]

Right, that is why you feel the rocking back and forth slightly as you NEVER use the electronic parking brakes. The parking brakes actually physically lock the rear wheels and prevent them from rotating even a tiny bit. Mighty handy if you park on a slope.

The P on the lever merely uses a small pawl in the transmission to stop it from turning, but there is a lot of free play in the system, hence the rocking motion. Also, that small pawl is not meant to hold the car on a steep slope, so it is recommended you use the electronic parking brakes too.

Oh **** really? I legit didn't know that. I thought I only need to select P on the lever and that's all. So after selecting P lever you then press the electronic parking? That's so much work?

 

[Ormesome]

Are you sure your handbrake isn’t automatic? Mine is. When I put the gear lever to P and then turn off the engine, the handbrake automatically comes on. Might be different for different models though. Anyway, the movement you feel would be the same in a manual or automatic car, in a manual if you leave it in gear and don’t put on the handbrake then it will move forwards too. Always put the handbrake on!! Surprised you think it’s so much work, it’s basic car driving knowledge!!

 

[RichardT]

Just wondering what your driving instructor told you to do when parking the car. You should always put on the hand brake.
However, it is true that your EPB will activate when you park your A3. But it will not activate before you put it in park so the gearbox lock will do that. I think this puts a bit of stress on the mechanism. You should apply the handbrake/EPB first (in my opinion).

 

[AlS3BE]

By the looks of your picture you have hill hold assist. Turn it on so when you come to a stop the brakes will be held on and as soon as you turn ignition off the handbrake will apply.
I wouldn’t rely on the pin locking mechanism in the gearbox to hold the car especially on a hill. These dsg gearboxes are different to old school torque converter boxes. In torque converter boxes there’s fluid and the torque converter it self along with the pin to hold the car still in park. Dsg boxes are like a manual box and as far as I know it’s in neutral and just the pin locking mechanism holding the car in park. Risk of damaging the gearbox if it breaks or someone nudges in to you while parked. Last I checked the dsg boxes are £10k+ to replace.

 

[Adam14]

What others have said is correct, if you think "it's a lot of effort" to activate the EPB each time you park up, then any damage or failure on the car is on you.
I can't see why you'd think that.

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

 

[Ron240]

I completely understand what @LaurenP is meaning, and NO there is nothing wrong with your car.
It is completely normal for the car to move slightly when selecting Park and taking your foot off the brake, in the same way it would when a manual car is left in gear.
I use the "electro-mechanical parking brake"(what a mouthful) when I leave my car parked on a hill....there is no need on a flat road. I never used a conventional handbrake on a flat road either....simply leave the gearbox in first.
To quote from the owners manual under Stopping/parking the car with an automatic gearbox - "on level ground it is sufficient to move the selector lever to P". It then goes on to say if parking on a gradient the parking brake should be applied first....which is just common sense.
I have mentioned before why I do not like "hold assist" and never use it. This is a different thing to "hill hold assist", which I do use.

I can see this is a potentially controversial subject....but as far as I am concerned its all about understanding what you should be using and when to use it.

 

[S32B]

I NEVER touch the electric parking button. I dont see the point?

It stops you from rocking back and forward when you press P!!!

So after selecting P lever you then press the electronic parking? That's so much work?

Mine is not automatic so I have to manually click it so its a pain in the butt to do so I never touch that.

Yeah it's a hard life having to drive modern cars these days, I feel sorry for people who have to use the clutch and gears whilst they are driving...they must be knackered by the time they get to where they are going!

 

[Khufu]

best using handbrake all the time, especially if old style with cables. We get cars in needing rear brakes fixed as they dont use the handbrake on an auto. They are back a year later complaining that it was fixed last year..

 

[DJAlix]

Is it just me or has anyone else noticed that NO ONE in the American film or tv industry uses a hand break of any kind? TV / Big screen cars always seem to rock backwards and forwards when the “actors” are getting out. Drives me mad!

 

[Ron240]

Is it just me or has anyone else noticed that NO ONE in the American film or tv industry uses a hand break of any kind? TV / Big screen cars always seem to rock backwards and forwards when the “actors” are getting out. Drives me mad!

It's not just you...I've noticed this as well....happens all the time!
I've been reliving my youth recently by watching Starsky & Hutch on tv and you see it regularly there.

 

[Ron240]

best using handbrake all the time, especially if old style with cables. We get cars in needing rear brakes fixed as they dont use the handbrake

This is true.
If you don't use a conventional handbrake the cable can need replacing prematurely. This happened to me many years ago when I owned a Ford Orion from new.
Modern electronic ones don't use a cable though.

 

[AlS3BE]

Is it just me or has anyone else noticed that NO ONE in the American film or tv industry uses a hand break of any kind? TV / Big screen cars always seem to rock backwards and forwards when the “actors” are getting out. Drives me mad!

I was told years ago not to park with my handbrake when driving in Paris cause the locals bump the cars in front and behind to make a space big enough for their cars that wouldn’t have fitted otherwise.

 

[AlS3BE]

This is true.
If you don't use a conventional handbrake the cable can need replacing prematurely. This happened to me many years ago when I owned a Ford Orion from new.
Modern electronic ones don't use a cable though.

There’s still mechanism like the worm gear that needs to move back and forth and if that seizes it’s new calliper or rebuild, not cheap compared to old school cables at a tenner a pop in my old fiesta

 

[Ron240]

There’s still mechanism like the worm gear that needs to move back and forth and if that seizes it’s new calliper or rebuild, not cheap compared to old school cables at a tenner a pop in my old fiesta

Good point.
A workmate has an older A6 and his electronic handbrake was seized on. He had to call out the AA and said the guy had to deliberately break something so the car could be driven. It was either that or the car would need to be recovered to a garage.
This only happened within the past few months, and I meant to ask him how it all worked out in the end. I will do when I'm back at work.

 

[L_G]

Off topic but presumably pressing 'P' while the car is being driven would ruin the gearbox?

 

[RichardT]

I think there would be an interlock to prevent you moving the lever to P whilst moving. Haven’t tried it though - and don’t intend to

 

[AlS3BE]

Off topic but presumably pressing 'P' while the car is being driven would ruin the gearbox?

I think modern gearboxes are a bit smarter but wouldn’t want to try it.
The connection between the gearstick and box is all electronic so unlike old auto where there was a mechanical connection the computer should say no. I’ve seen YouTube videos and it doesnt do anything but I wouldn’t like to try it. Suppose audi needs to make these things idiot proof.

 

[S32B]

I think there would be an interlock to prevent you moving the lever to P whilst moving. Haven’t tried it though - and don’t intend to

I'm sure there will be, I stopped and opened my drivers door yesterday whilst in reverse, as I knew I was getting close to a high step.....I tried to carry on reversing towards it whilst watching, but the car wouldn't move with the door open!

 

[Ron240]

I stopped and opened my drivers door yesterday whilst in reverse, as I knew I was getting close to a high step.....I tried to carry on reversing towards it whilst watching, but the car wouldn't move with the door open!

I've tried this for a similar reason then wondered why the car wouldn't move....then I noticed the electronic parking brake had came on.
I was able to manually release it so the car would move.

 

[S32B]

I've tried this for a similar reason then wondered why the car wouldn't move....then I noticed the electronic parking brake had came on.
I was able to manually release it so the car would move.

lol I just shut the door and moved back Too much work pushing a button to do it

 

[AlS3BE]

In my a6 if you take off the seatbelt the handbrake comes on and the same if you open the door. Don’t think the seatbelt off puts handbrake on in the s3 which is strange

 

[Tej13]

In my a6 if you take off the seatbelt the handbrake comes on and the same if you open the door. Don’t think the seatbelt off puts handbrake on in the s3 which is strange

It does - releasing seat belt or opening door activates the P break in mine.

 

[AlS3BE]

It does - releasing seat belt or opening door activates the P break in mine.

Doesn’t in mine. Light stays green which means it’s still in hill hold mode not handbrake.
Maybe a software update or some adaptation somewhere that’s changed the behaviour. Mines only a few months old so could be a new configuration.

 

[Tej13]

Doesn’t in mine. Light stays green which means it’s still in hill hold mode not handbrake.
Maybe a software update or some adaptation somewhere that’s changed the behaviour. Mines only a few months old so could be a new configuration.

Could be - mine was delivered Nov 17

 

[AlS3BE]

Could be - mine was delivered Nov 17

Could it be a hatch/sportback and saloon differences?