Breaking proximity.

[VeliVel]

Just picked up my new golf mk8 , had a mk7.5 and this new one feels great to drive apart from it constantly feeling like it’s breaking lightly constantly, especially on the lanes and been behind other cars, soon as let go of the gas and coast the car puts on the breaks to make a big safe gap. I tried turning off the safety feature but seemed to do nothing. Also annoying having to turn off the lane thing every time.

Is there a way to stop this stupid soft breaking proximity thing as it feels like I’m driving a huge magnet that’s repelling me away from other cars.

[fredgroves]

That sounds a bit weird....

It does have all sorts of clever tech, but...

Which model do you have and is it DSG?

The Lane Assist, yes you have to turn it off each time.... press the end of the left stalk, then click "Ok" on the steering wheel.... done. You can do it without looking even.

[VeliVel]

That sounds a bit weird....

It does have all sorts of clever tech, but...

Which model do you have and is it DSG?

The Lane Assist, yes you have to turn it off each time.... press the end of the left stalk, then click "Ok" on the steering wheel.... done. You can do it without looking even.

It’s a 1.5 automatic 7 speed DSG    All the model automatics are DSG.  All the gtd , r line , style etc are all DSG   you can’t get most models in manual now.   

I turn that lane thing off no prob like you say it’s a 1 sec job,  I tried turning off the ACC , all the other features in that list and tried in sports mode and no matter what the car always hits the breaks light when coast if I’m near a car in front , like it’s forcing the safety gap.  Also at the end of some roads and on turns.  Only when coast ,   There must be a way to turn off this proximity safety slow down off?   I have turned everything I can think of off and no change. 

[fredgroves]

Do you get the red "brake now!" symbol up on the dash?

[Foxy367]

That sounds a bit weird....

It does have all sorts of clever tech, but...

Which model do you have and is it DSG?

The Lane Assist, yes you have to turn it off each time.... press the end of the left stalk, then click "Ok" on the steering wheel.... done. You can do it without looking even.

It’s a 1.5 automatic 7 speed DSG    All the model automatics are DSG.  All the gtd , r line , style etc are all DSG   you can’t get most models in manual now.   

I turn that lane thing off no prob like you say it’s a 1 sec job,  I tried turning off the ACC , all the other features in that list and tried in sports mode and no matter what the car always hits the breaks light when coast if I’m near a car in front , like it’s forcing the safety gap.  Also at the end of some roads and on turns.  Only when coast ,   There must be a way to turn off this proximity safety slow down off?   I have turned everything I can think of off and no change.

Which model do you have? There are manuals still available GTI for example? You say it’s 1.5 is it eTSI they are a mild hybrid and will use energy recuperation so if you come off the gas they naturally retard to gain energy back into the system. PHEV’s do the same. My Clubsport definitely doesn’t come off the gas ECO mode kicks in and it rolls!!!

[Brocky_]

I think what you're experiencing is simply engine braking when the coasting is being switched off as the car detects a close proximity to another car or an upcoming corner.  The car will also do this if coasting downhill and you start to creep too far over the speed limit.  I am pretty sure that the brakes are not being engaged, unless you have ACC active.  It's just the difference between coasting and 'in gear' that you are feeling.  Test it at night and look in your rear view mirror to see if you can see the hue of the brake lights.

Reducing the 'safe distance' in ACC may or may not affect the proximity at which this kicks in.

[VeliVel]

It’s not the red break now type of breaking, it’s just coasting it kicks in.  I have heard it’s eco assist kicking in. I have put it in all modes and the eco logo shows up on the dash no matter the mode soon as coast.  I don’t no how to turn that off.

I have turned off ACC and turned off all the other settings but can’t find this eco coasting assist.    It only breaks slow like when you starting to slow before you stop in traffic, the light breaking then slowly getting harder the closer you get to the car in front.   It’s a crazy feature that feels like having a driving instructor sat inside my car trying to drive for me.  I have driven for many years and had 2 golfs.  I don’t want a hand holding car, I want 100% control. 

If anyone knows about this eco assist please help me and hopefully turn it off.  The manual is as much use a chocolate tea pot. 😂

[Brocky_]

I obviously haven't driven your car but in mine, after 7,000 miles, I have never experienced the car braking of it's own accord, other than when using ACC (whether in response to proximity, a change in speed by me or a change in speed limit) or one time when I was slowly reversing out onto a road and a it spotted a car coming and slammed on quicker than I could brake.

The only thing that I can attribute to what you're saying is the difference in how the car feels when coasting (essentially in neutral) and when coasting switches off and the car goes back 'in gear' - ie; engine braking. 

The car will switch off coasting when it comes into close proximity to a car in front resulting in engine braking being felt.  This can normally be seen with it's own symbol showing that you're too close.  It also turns off coasting when going too far over the speed limit, again resulting in engine braking being a factor.  It is possible that the car will also switch coasting off if there is an impending corner - often shown when the car tells you to lift of the accelerator.  However, I am pretty sure that the car does not engage the brakes in any of these situations and it is only the car being put back 'into gear' that makes the car slow down.

Again, without driving your car I could never know for sure but, if you're reading this and thinking 'I know what engine braking is and this is different', then I would take the car to a dealer to be looked at.

[fredgroves]

When it's coasting you get a little grey symbol on the dash that says "eco" in a circle, you also see the revs drop to about 1k.

When i first got my car i really noticed the jolt of the engine restart and it will do it if you touch the brakes or it thinks there is a roundabout or speed limit change coming up... I suspect that with a mild hybrid there might even be more of a jolt as its going to try and use slowing for energy recovery...

[VeliVel]

The only thing I have heard is eco assist and I need to turn this off.  It’s always when coasting and the eco symbol pops up, even in sports mode.  I cant find how to turn off eco assist tho.  It’s in all automatics models.  As usual the manual is no help.  And VW are not getting back to me.