# Hill Hold assist?



## stumardy (Oct 25, 2009)

Hi All,

I have a 2L TFSI S-Line Quattro S-Tronic. I did not spec Hill Hold assist but it looks like the car has it? Does it come as standard with the S-tronic box?


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## david.beeston (Oct 10, 2015)

Pretty sure it doesn't come with it. There should be a button that has something like (A) on it, that when turned on will automatically apply the electronic parking brake whenever the vehicle comes to rest.


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## stumardy (Oct 25, 2009)

david.beeston said:


> Pretty sure it doesn't come with it. There should be a button that has something like (A) on it, that when turned on will automatically apply the electronic parking brake whenever the vehicle comes to rest.


I thought the A button was to turn start/stop on or off?


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## david.beeston (Oct 10, 2015)

Yeah, actually think it is. The one on the dash with the buttons for parking sensors etc is the one for start/stop. The one for the hill hold assist is by the electronic parking brake button (on other models).


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## kipiyami (Sep 15, 2015)

stumardy said:


> Hi All,
> 
> I have a 2L TFSI S-Line Quattro S-Tronic. I did not spec Hill Hold assist but it looks like the car has it? Does it come as standard with the S-tronic box?


You probably mean "hill-start assist", which keeps the brakes applied for a couple of seconds on a hill so you don't roll back.

There is no "hill hold assist" - the option is just "hold assist"... This adds an extra button next to your handbrake button. When this is enabled and you come to a stop with your foot on the brake pedal, the brakes are permanently held on until you start driving.
It basically replaces your handbrake (although the handbrake is still used when you turn off the car, or you can still use it manually).


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## AdamA9 (Jul 8, 2011)

I also noticed this. It's a standard feature. The difference being, I believe, is that the hold is temporary. So if you don't accelerate you'll soon roll.


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## stumardy (Oct 25, 2009)

kipiyami said:


> stumardy said:
> 
> 
> > Hi All,
> ...


great thanks for clearing that up. yes it's hold assist. I'm guessing this is standard on the S-Tronic? The car does not roll back on a hill.


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## Mr R (Mar 1, 2015)

stumardy said:


> great thanks for clearing that up. yes it's hold assist. I'm guessing this is standard on the S-Tronic? The car does not roll back on a hill.


I think hold assist is standard across all TT models...?


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## melauditt (Dec 12, 2014)

Mr R said:


> stumardy said:
> 
> 
> > great thanks for clearing that up. yes it's hold assist. I'm guessing this is standard on the S-Tronic? The car does not roll back on a hill.
> ...


 ive got manual and mine got it.


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## david.beeston (Oct 10, 2015)

melauditt said:


> Mr R said:
> 
> 
> > stumardy said:
> ...


I'm pretty sure it's not standard (as I've specced it on mine) S Tronic probably won't roll backwards anyway, so less value with an automatic of course.


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## kipiyami (Sep 15, 2015)

I think hill-start assist (hold for a couple of seconds on a hill) is standard on all, and hold assist (hold brakes permanently) is not standard on any. But it has been a couple of months since I was looking at options so I may be mis-remembering.

I remember hold assist was quite a cheap option, so there are probably a lot of cars with it specced. It's a great system as long as you only drive one car - trying to go back to a traditional handbrake afterwards is a PITA


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## Mr R (Mar 1, 2015)

[smiley=book2.gif]

Ok, "Hold Assist" is the £90 option on all models, which gives the "A" button next to the handbrake.

I think all models have the 2 second "hill hold" thing tho as standard.


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## jryoung (Feb 8, 2015)

Correct - Hold Assist adds an additional button next to the electonic handbrake lever. It applies the brakes once you reach a standstill so you can take your foot off the brake pedal, without having to apply the handbrake. With deft use of your foot, you can achieve this without causing the start-stop to activate. In the STronic the result is the car can wait with the brakes on without creeping (I think it goes into neutral). Adding a little extra pressure to the brake pedal can trigger the startstop. 
However, different to the same function on our manual Tiguan, the brakelights remain on unless you pull the handbrake lever (although the handbrake does auto release when you accelerate off from a standstill). On our tiguan, the hold assist does not cause the brake lights to be lit (that only occurs when your foot is on the brake).


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## TheDriver (Nov 13, 2015)

I added the £90 Hold Assist option to my car and have to say it's the best option for the money they have IMO. I would spec it again on any future car I purchase, once you've driven a car with an electric handbrake, Hold Assist is just a no-brainer.

The option does not appear to be that common, I was recently searching for used Mk3's and across all sites I tried, only found 1 car with the option fitted!

In operation, essentially once you stop at traffic lights and come to a standstill, your handbrake is automatically applied, there is a green icon on the dash and the rear brake lights are lit. You can stay like that as long as you like, then press your accelerator and the brake is automagically disengaged, I use it daily and it's never let me down or have I rolled back/forward (which I can't say the same for a B-Class I drove a year ago which MB's "Hill Hold Assist", you never knew if it would come on or not!  )


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## Rev (Nov 17, 2015)

This is one of the few options I got on mine. No more messing around with the handbrake, makes things much more intuitive.


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## 35mphspeedlimit (Sep 25, 2010)

Hold assist, best £90 you could ever spend on a TT (just in view on rhs)!


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## SiHancox (Sep 12, 2011)

Was concerned about new electric handbrake in the Mk3 when first ordered but in actual every day use its been fantastic - took a bit to get my head around its function and trust it, but now use it like a traditional handbrake except when moving off, just let it auto release.

Saying that, have yet to park on a steep gradient so still to try a hill start in anger so to speak but assume all will function as above.

Just so I understand, the Hold Assist adds the auto function to when you *stop* similar to the standard systems auto function for moving away on both manual and automatic transmissions - on automatics it also puts them in neutral.


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## ZephyR2 (Feb 20, 2013)

I wonder how these new assist functions are being dealt with on the driving test when you have to do a hill start. :?


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## SiHancox (Sep 12, 2011)

Good point, with traditional handbrake you have to ensure you get the bite point on throttle prior to releasing the brake or you roll back - failure I believe, assume with what's fitted as standard on the TT you can just simply drive off, it's actually easier for first time users. Would think the test would insist you master the traditional version which would allow you to drive with anything fitted, bit like pass manual car test to drive automatics! Maybe someone can comment.


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## jryoung (Feb 8, 2015)

My son took his test this year. Technically an electronic hand brake is acceptable, but he did his in a conventional car
https://www.gov.uk/practical-driving-te ... ving-tests


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## SiHancox (Sep 12, 2011)

jryoung said:


> My son took his test this year. Technically an electronic hand brake is acceptable, but he did his in a conventional car
> https://www.gov.uk/practical-driving-te ... ving-tests


That's interesting, so if you learn and pass your test in car with electronic/hill assist handbrake we potentially have drivers out there that have never mastered a manual handbrake start - not sure I would wish to be behind them when they first try a manual handbraked car.


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