Handbrake programing

[Rick101]

Hi,

Really like having auto hold and an electronic handbrake but for some reason just recently, I've nearly been caught out with the car rolling away when parked

Had the car since May, 4000+ miles on it now. It's manual. I have auto hold enabled.

I never used to engage the manual handbrake at all. I'd come to a stop, get green then when I switched the engine off, (I think it then changed to red).
On starting, sometimes it would come up red, sometimes nothing at all. Sometimes I could just pull away with the red, sometimes I would have to apply foot brake and disengage handbrake. I know the auto hold will not work if you do not have your seatbelt on.

I can't work out what requirements I need for the handbrake to come on and off automatically. I'm getting into the habit of doing it manually now after 2 or 3 scares.

Can anyone help?

[Ross Detours]

Basically, if you bring the car to a standstill using the brake, the autohold should engage. You should then be able to drive off and it will disengage (as long as you have your seatbelt on, as you've mentioned). I have not found that there are any special circumstances.

If autohold is engaged and you shut the engine off, it will turn red to indicate the parking brake is on.

[itavaltalainen]

If the green "P" symbol is light when you stop the engine then the parking brake (handbrake) will engage and the symbol will turn red.
If not it won't - i.e. if you do bring the car to a stop using the foot brake but you don't go over the threshold where it will engage auto hold (i.e. if you just about touch the brakes because you were just rolling really slowly before coming to a stop).

When you then set off again the parking brake will disengage itself, certainly if it engaged because auto hold was active and it was turned on by the car itself (can't recall if you have to disengage yourself if you pulled switch up yourself but think not). You need to slowly come off the clutch and push the throttle a little (like with auto hold).

[JohnH]

You need to slowly come off the clutch and push the throttle a little (like with auto hold).

I think this is the key: you need a little throttle for it to decide to release the auto hold or handbrake smoothly.

[GeoBog]

What I have noticed is if you engage the brake before stopping the engine, the next time you start the engine, it will disengage automatically.

If you stop the engine and then engage the brake, the next time you start the engine you will have to press the brake pedal, then manually disengage the parking brake then take off.

[Rick101]

Yes I think thats one of the issues. Sometimes you have to manually disengage.

I hove found that when arriving a firm press and hold of brake pedal when switching off seems to guarantee a red every time.

There have been occasions when I've had a green, assumed it's braked and got out of the car and felt it rolling away.

[herbie911]

It all works well if the electrics behave themselves.
In the past, not only I use my handbrake when I parked. I also put it in gear to make sure it won't roll if the handbrake fails. Since I got my new Golf R, I stop this habit as the car already engage handbrake automatically when I park as long as the autohold button is switch on.
Just last week, I got a warning light flashes on my dash saying the autohold malfunctioned. I decide to wait til next week to get it fixed when I got some time off work. What I forgot is the handbrake also stop working as well. So after I park my car at my work car park, I got a call from my colleague that my car roll back and hit the car park barrier. The whole rear screen was shattered and the flimsy tiny spoilers was wrecked. The rear spolier now need repainting and I also need a new rear wiper motor!
I now learn an expensive lesson not to just rely on these electronic handbrakes. Always park leaving the car in gear!