Electric handbrake
Discussion
How do electric handbrakes release themselves?
Recently I was driving an Audi A3 manual with an electric handbrake. Most of the cars I've driven have had old fashioned lever handbrakes or been automatics with electrics, not sure I've driven that combination before. On this occasion I'd parked forward into a downhill parking space so had to reverse out. The annoying things was that as soon as I started to rev the engine, the parking brake disengaged and the car rolled forward. Not being used to the car, the first couple of times this happened I thought I might not be in reverse but I certainly was. Maybe if I'd kept revving for a couple of seconds it would have reversed but I was nervous about rolling into the bollard in front of me, and I didn't want to pull the clutch up suddenly because it was quite congested behind me. After a few attempts the car actually nudged the bollard, fortunately without damage, so then I was able to let the clutch up and reverse.
It honestly seemed the parking brake was disengaging in response to engine revs rather than in response to the car pushing against it which is how I thought it worked. Should I have just accepted the car rolling forward until the clutch reached biting point?
For anyone wondering why I didn't reverse in to the space, which is what I normally do. This was a space at a petrol station which I could drive forward into from the pump, but reversing would have meant much faffing. Also once there with traffic passing behind me I was obviously cautious about reversing out.
Recently I was driving an Audi A3 manual with an electric handbrake. Most of the cars I've driven have had old fashioned lever handbrakes or been automatics with electrics, not sure I've driven that combination before. On this occasion I'd parked forward into a downhill parking space so had to reverse out. The annoying things was that as soon as I started to rev the engine, the parking brake disengaged and the car rolled forward. Not being used to the car, the first couple of times this happened I thought I might not be in reverse but I certainly was. Maybe if I'd kept revving for a couple of seconds it would have reversed but I was nervous about rolling into the bollard in front of me, and I didn't want to pull the clutch up suddenly because it was quite congested behind me. After a few attempts the car actually nudged the bollard, fortunately without damage, so then I was able to let the clutch up and reverse.
It honestly seemed the parking brake was disengaging in response to engine revs rather than in response to the car pushing against it which is how I thought it worked. Should I have just accepted the car rolling forward until the clutch reached biting point?
For anyone wondering why I didn't reverse in to the space, which is what I normally do. This was a space at a petrol station which I could drive forward into from the pump, but reversing would have meant much faffing. Also once there with traffic passing behind me I was obviously cautious about reversing out.
With the parking brake on you should slowly lift the clutch to find the biting point at that point apply revs and the parking brake will release and the car will move backwards.
If you are revving before you have the clutch to the bite point it will roll forward when you took the hand brake off manual or electric
If you are revving before you have the clutch to the bite point it will roll forward when you took the hand brake off manual or electric
Liamjrhodes said:
With the parking brake on you should slowly lift the clutch to find the biting point at that point apply revs and the parking brake will release and the car will move backwards.
If you are revving before you have the clutch to the bite point it will roll forward when you took the hand brake off manual or electric
But I didn't take the hand brake off, that's just it. The only revs I applied were the normal revs you apply with having your foot on the accelerator while you try to find the biting point.If you are revving before you have the clutch to the bite point it will roll forward when you took the hand brake off manual or electric
Austin Prefect said:
But I didn't take the hand brake off, that's just it. The only revs I applied were the normal revs you apply with having your foot on the accelerator while you try to find the biting point.
There's your error. Have the clutch at biting point before you start accelerating. Not the other way around.
I agree with the OP that it's an odd combination the first time you come across it.
Having driven a fair few cars with it over the last few years though, I also agree with the other posters - once you get used to how it operates, it's absolutely fine. And I'll be honest I only have experience of it with Korean/German cars and on all of them it worked really seamlessly.
I've also (despite many views to the contrary on here) had far more trouble with manual handbrakes not working properly than I have with e-handbrakes...
Having driven a fair few cars with it over the last few years though, I also agree with the other posters - once you get used to how it operates, it's absolutely fine. And I'll be honest I only have experience of it with Korean/German cars and on all of them it worked really seamlessly.
I've also (despite many views to the contrary on here) had far more trouble with manual handbrakes not working properly than I have with e-handbrakes...
My daughter has a SEAT Ateca with the same arrangement and I nearly rolled it into her garage doors as ther drive slopes down towards them. The hand brake seemed to release with slightest lift of the clutch.
If you stop on a hill normally autohold will hold the car and hillhold will delay the brake release momentarily as the clutch is engaged to stop the car rolling.
If you get stuck you can hold the car on the handbrake manually if you need to - hold the lever up then let go of it to release.
How old is the car? There were software updates to fix issues like this so if it’s an older car that has been out of the network for a long time it may have missed those updates.
If you stop on a hill normally autohold will hold the car and hillhold will delay the brake release momentarily as the clutch is engaged to stop the car rolling.
If you get stuck you can hold the car on the handbrake manually if you need to - hold the lever up then let go of it to release.
How old is the car? There were software updates to fix issues like this so if it’s an older car that has been out of the network for a long time it may have missed those updates.
Sheepshanks said:
My daughter has a SEAT Ateca with the same arrangement and I nearly rolled it into her garage doors as ther drive slopes down towards them. The hand brake seemed to release with slightest lift of the clutch.
If you stop on a hill normally autohold will hold the car and hillhold will delay the brake release momentarily as the clutch is engaged to stop the car rolling.
If you get stuck you can hold the car on the handbrake manually if you need to - hold the lever up then let go of it to release.
How old is the car? There were software updates to fix issues like this so if it s an older car that has been out of the network for a long time it may have missed those updates.
It was a 2026 car, 3000 miles on the clock.If you stop on a hill normally autohold will hold the car and hillhold will delay the brake release momentarily as the clutch is engaged to stop the car rolling.
If you get stuck you can hold the car on the handbrake manually if you need to - hold the lever up then let go of it to release.
How old is the car? There were software updates to fix issues like this so if it s an older car that has been out of the network for a long time it may have missed those updates.
Wills2 said:
Seems strange, it should be working off wheel and engine load not revs otherwise it would be a right old mess, plus hill start/auto hold is a feature most have.
Hillhold is a bit of a mystery in VW cars - they've had it for years, our old 2011 Golf with manual handbrake had it. On the cars with EPB and autohold is supposedly works in the background even if autohold is off.It works by detecting the incline the car is on and holds the brakes (the footbrake) for a couple of seconds if it detects the car is on an incline - but I've seen comments that it doesn't work if the incline is slight. I also wonder if it has to be "primed" after a cold start by pressing the brake pedal. In a manual you might not do that, as you only need to press the clutch to start the engine.
Edited by Sheepshanks on Thursday 10th September 10:20
Mandat said:
There's your error.
Have the clutch at biting point before you start accelerating. Not the other way around.
If you did that without any gas at all on much of a slope then the car would easily stall. Especially as VWs hard stop the engine if the revs go too low (it's a longstanding issue on the manual 1.5 petrols - apparently it's an emissions thing).Have the clutch at biting point before you start accelerating. Not the other way around.
The best approach I've found with all auto release EPBs is just not to think about how they work and just set off.
The OP's problem does make me wonder whether there is something wrong with their car though. With every VAG car I've driven I've never had an EPB or auto-hold release unless the clutch is already biting.
The OP's problem does make me wonder whether there is something wrong with their car though. With every VAG car I've driven I've never had an EPB or auto-hold release unless the clutch is already biting.
This combination is the work of the devil.
I'd rather have a manual handbrake everyday of the week. On an auto it works okay, because the transmission can hold the vehicle.
In fairness I recently had a hire car (VW Tiguan?) with this combo and it did work okay. Everything previously has been horrible to use.
I'd rather have a manual handbrake everyday of the week. On an auto it works okay, because the transmission can hold the vehicle.
In fairness I recently had a hire car (VW Tiguan?) with this combo and it did work okay. Everything previously has been horrible to use.
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