Electronic Handbrake!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

currymunster · Feb 2, 2019

Hi Guys.
Anyone come a cross a stranded car in snow or suchlike that you've tried to tow but can't because the electronic handbrake?? either they are a crap design or the owner I came across did not know how to disable it??
This was a hill start assist one which appeared to have no switch??? New VW Golf
There must me a way as it has a towing eye!!!!!!!

Cheers guys

marjon · Feb 2, 2019

Was the car not running?
Most cars have a way of disabling EHB if can’t wont run, generally it’s the owner not knowing, Reading the manual usually gives the answer

VW golf I am not knowing

J

currymunster · Feb 2, 2019

marjon said:
Was the car not running?
Most cars have a way of disabling EHB if can’t wont run, generally it’s the owner not knowing, Reading the manual usually gives the answer
VW golf I am not knowing
J

Thanks for your reply.
This car was running as it just couldn't get up a snowy hill.
I assume the owners manual tells you how to do it then and they are all different??

What about when the engine isnt running??
I hate new cars !!!!

marjon · Feb 2, 2019

If the car was running I don’t understand how they could not release the handbrake

.

Most cars have an emergency release for this purpose if they are not runners. It’s just a matter of knowing how.
As said reading the manual is often full of little hidden gems

.

J

currymunster · Feb 2, 2019

marjon said:
If the car was running I don’t understand how they could not release the handbrake.

Most cars have an emergency release for this purpose if they are not runners. It’s just a matter of knowing how.
As said reading the manual is often full of little hidden gems.

J

I've never owned a car with these new automatic electronic handbrakes so I have no clue myself.
The female driver did not seem to know how to do it so I ended up having to leave her stranded.
This car seemed to put the handbrake on automatically when you stopped and only released when when you had the clutch at biting point.
Hill start assist I believe. All crap in my opinion!
Whats wrong with a simple mechanical lever???

marjon · Feb 2, 2019

Sounds to me like operator error

As said earlier am not knowing anything about Golf (or the game)

Do we really need all these new fangled things? the car designers think so, and peeps buyin.
They are great until they go wrong, but from what I know most manufacturers build a manual way of getting round things like this, and once you know they don’t become an issue and leave you stranded.

We have a rotary gear knob that only pops up when engine is running

but yes we also know how to release the handbrake and get it into N to be able to move the car a bit. So it’s not a problem

J

currymunster · Feb 2, 2019

marjon said:
Sounds to me like operator error
As said earlier am not knowing anything about Golf (or the game)

Do we really need all these new fangled things? the car designers think so, and peeps buyin.
They are great until they go wrong, but from what I know most manufacturers build a manual way of getting round things like this, and once you know they don’t become an issue and leave you stranded.

We have a rotary gear knob that only pops up when engine is running but yes we also know how to release the handbrake and get it into N to be able to move the car a bit. So it’s not a problem

J

I hope you are right but I did read that renault have a manual release lever down the side of the seat or somewhere obscure.
However if you use it, by default it breaks something which is then very expensive to replace!!
Wheres the sense in that? apart from making more money!!!

bluedog333 · Feb 2, 2019

I’ve never quite trusted those electronic handbrakes, I feel much better having cable operated beneath me. Aren’t handbrakes also referred to as ‘emergency brakes’? What goods an electric one if your pedals fail?

currymunster · Feb 2, 2019

bluedog333 said:
I’ve never quite trusted those electronic handbrakes, I feel much better having cable operated beneath me. Aren’t handbrakes also referred to as ‘emergency brakes’? What goods an electric one if your pedals fail?

Totally agree!!!!!!!!!
There's probably some special red button that lets the car levitate momentarily before automatically bringing the car to a stop while a freshly brewed latte appears from the glove box???

mick 1986 · Feb 2, 2019

Could you not have dragged it with the handbrake still on? Surely it was on ice/snow to be stuck in the first place? Given the lack of grip, I would have pulled it with it still on, so long as the owner knew that if I didn’t tow it, they were staying there.

Disco1BFG · Feb 2, 2019

currymunster said:
I hope you are right but I did read that renault have a manual release lever down the side of the seat or somewhere obscure.
However if you use it, by default it breaks something which is then very expensive to replace!!
Wheres the sense in that? apart from making more money!!!

I've heard the same - EPB is a revenue earning solution to a problem which does not exist. Another good reason to steer clear of modern cars IMO.

Bantam1 · Feb 3, 2019

Dont like these things. Just had a hire car with one and although no issues with it I could see many potential issues including this.
From what I could work out, if you pressed the brake pedal you could then release the handbrake using the two way button.
You would need the ign on though.
If the battery was flat then I suspect its a case of getting the spanners out to back off the motors or springs.

Al2O3 · Feb 3, 2019

mick 1986 said:
Could you not have dragged it with the handbrake still on? Surely it was on ice/snow to be stuck in the first place? Given the lack of grip, I would have pulled it with it still on, so long as the owner knew that if I didn’t tow it, they were staying there.

Defo. Years ago I pulled a porsche out of a caravan park in about 10" snow. Didn't have the handbrake on, but in my wing mirror I could see his front wheels turning form one full lock to the other. He didn't have a clue where his centre wheel position was, but it was making no odds anyway. I couldn't feel the difference as he spun his steering wheel around. He was just a big sledge with no choice but to follow my line.

mick 1986 · Feb 3, 2019

Al2O3 said:
Defo. Years ago I pulled a porsche out of a caravan park in about 10" snow. Didn't have the handbrake on, but in my wing mirror I could see his front wheels turning form one full lock to the other. He didn't have a clue where his centre wheel position was, but it was making no odds anyway. I couldn't feel the difference as he spun his steering wheel around. He was just a big sledge with no choice but to follow my line.

Last year, around this time when the “beast from the east” turned up. The defender was off the road, only for one day. We didn’t get to work on time that day, and I swore I wasn’t pushing dads Note up the hill the next day. So I spent around 2-3hours tracing the fuel/air leak and fixed it.

On the way home the next day, there was one of them 2 seater merc things sat at the bottom of the hill spinning away. He had his window down and shouted that we would “never get up the hill”. I asked if he wanted a tow and he sort of laughed and said something like “if you think you can”. We got hooked up and set off, all the way up the hill he was sliding left and right, god knows if he was trying to drive or not, but I dragged it up anyway. I found a clearing at the top of the hill, minor snow coverage due to trees. Stopped so he was on the clearer bit, unhooked him and buggered off. Some people don’t realise the pulling power of low range and half decent tyres.

goonarmy · Feb 3, 2019

A golf Does have the switch dunt. Up for on and auto off when pulling away, down for manual use iirc. Hate ebrakes. Nothing wrong with a proper handbrake.

norseman · Feb 4, 2019

currymunster said:
This car seemed to put the handbrake on automatically when you stopped and only released when when you had the clutch at biting point.
Hill start assist I believe. All crap in my opinion!
Whats wrong with a simple mechanical lever???

But that's why the manuf. invent these infernal devices, for the benefit of today's drivers (of both sexes) who cannot handle such simple things such as handbrakes

resto_d1 · Feb 5, 2019

Ive got one and used it maybe twice - hill starts I'll always be in d anyways and p when I get out. I can't release my key until in p actually. I have noticed if in neutral and I open the door it comes on though. All more fandangles. A lot could drive mine so easily as soon as they were tall enough for the pedals. Point n go

norseman · Feb 5, 2019

I'm beginning to think that handbrakes have gone out of fashion, sit in a line of stationary traffic & note the percentage of vehicles NOT having their brake-lights on

Nodge68 · Feb 6, 2019

norseman said:
I'm beginning to think that handbrakes have gone out of fashion, sit in a line of stationary traffic & note the percentage of vehicles NOT having their brake-lights on

There's a couple of reasons for this phenom now. More cars are automatic than has been the case, and many of those have fully autonomous traffic control. This means that a computer monitors a Rader and forward facing camera, moving the vehicle forwards as the vehicle in front moves off, and brakes the vehicle when it's time to stop. We just picked up our new family car (A Mazda CX5) and it is equipped with stop start traffic control, Radar guided cruise control and it stays in a lane, all by it's self.

It's pretty amazing what how little the driver needs to get involved in driving these days.

norseman · Feb 6, 2019

Nodge68 said:
There's a couple of reasons for this phenom now. More cars are automatic than has been the case, and many of those have fully autonomous traffic control. This means that a computer monitors a Rader and forward facing camera, moving the vehicle forwards as the vehicle in front moves off, and brakes the vehicle when it's time to stop. We just picked up our new family car (A Mazda CX5) and it is equipped with stop start traffic control, Radar guided cruise control and it stays in a lane, all by it's self. It's pretty amazing what how little the driver needs to get involved in driving these days.

Well you learn something new every day

. I like to be fully in control of my vehicle & not be dictated to by electronics that will fail sooner or later anyway & cost me a load of money. Once these cars are out of warranty they can become a financial liability.
Yes I know people like me are dinosaurs, but some of these vehicles will be extinct before we are

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