Auto Hold

[AB]

Just realised, much to my disappointment, that when Auto Hold is engaged the brake lights are on!

Poor form, BMW.

Its taken me a while to notice, love the auto hold feature, no creeping forward at lights etc but I'm dead against sitting on the brakes at lights/junctions - especially at night, and last night was when I noticed.

My Volkswagen doesn't do it.

First world problems and all that... But still, irritating. Do I need to put it in park every time I stop at lights? Engage the electronic handbrake?

[AB]

Yes in park they are out.

Safety feature? Huh?

[AB]

Erm, for many years now people have been driving manuals and popping the handbrake on at lights and when stopped.

You shouldn't be sitting on the brakes at lights etc so it's no safety feature, just a way of dazzling people behind you at night.

[AB]

It's there to stop the car creeping at traffic lights and junctions etc, people utilise this because its it's easier than putting the handbrake on. It shouldn't keep the brake lights illuminated, that's just silly.

My VW doesn't which is much better. Auto hold in huge VW is also on by default, seems stupid you have to actually put huge BMW one on every time you start the engine.

[AB]

Am I the only one who gets annoyed by people sitting on their brakes at lights or in a queue at night? More so if it's raining?

My point is auto hold is handy in an auto. But I'd never knowingly sit there for a couple of minutes with my brake lights on. It renders the BMW feature pointless to me but it's great in the VW as it's like putting the handbrake on when stopped.

[AB]

It's clearly just me then, which is fine.

[AB]

Happy that someone sees where I'm coming from!

[AB]

I'm exactly the same as you when driving a manual and assumed auto hold did the handbrake for me. Seems it just keeps the brake pressed though.

[AB]

Fox- said:

It does apply the handbrake - you can hear it doing so.

Makes it even more stupid for the brake lights to be on then.

In a manual car, you take it out of gear and apply the handbrake, would make sense if the auto hold feature did the same.