Hill Hold - Is It Worth It?

[Bristle Hound]

I'm popping into my Audi dealer tomorrow.

Just wondering whether getting the option of hill hold is actually worth the £45?

Any opinions gratefully recieved.

:beerchug:

[Jop]

can it be retrofitted??

[onemanparty]

I'm popping into my Audi dealer tomorrow.

Just wondering whether getting the option of hill hold is actually worth the £45?

Any opinions gratefully recieved.

:beerchug:

When I have my A4 (B8) I did not have it but had it on a demo and missed it from there on.

I would say go for it and yes I believe it is worth £45

[Red 2]

In Audiland where options are usually bankbreakers and you have to seriously debate whether a tick in the order box is really worth it, this is exceptionally good value.

Once you've had it, you miss it badly when you drive a 'normal' car.

Go for it!:)

[rd1]

took me a while to remember to turn it on at first but now I have got used to it I really like it and would not be without it. Cheap at the price as well which makes a real change for an audi option!!
Roger

[ScottyUK]

The function is very useful but if you assume if did nothing at all then £45 is still not too expensive to get rid of a blanking plate. ;)

If you don't go for it, you will kick yourself.

If you don't want to pay for it then negotiate the money off. Either way, just get it! :D

[HighwayTG]

If it was 5x the price, I would still tick the option ... I'm serious, hill hold is a must and when you don't have it you miss it big time.

[k6rff]

Well I can say that life without it is a pain. The idea of an electromechanical is attractive but the delay in it activating compared with the 'feel' of a handbrake is less attractive in reality - and that mechanical whirring noise is not good - so the hill hold becomes a neccessity. I have to enter my work multi storey cark park queueing on a steep ramp. The non hill hold basic configuration is plain bloody dangerous!

I've now retrofitted the switch which is £17ish but you need it configured through VAG COM or similar.

The parking brake and the key were both focal points for me in buying but now are just 'improvements' that work less well than the preceding configurations. The marketing is ahead of the technology.

[drmartin]

In my opinion yes it is worth it. Drive, back to back, B8s with and without it, then decide.

It also gives of a nice red glow at night when turned on! more importantly, it puts the breaks on when ever you stop, makes getting away a breeze.

M

[melliott]

YES. I didn't order HHA...then wished I had.
Lo and behold, it came fitted to my 143 TDi S-Line which was delivered at the end Jan 09. So maybe it's now standard? Check with your dealer...but get it.
Without it, it must be a 'right game' flicking the handbrake switch every time you stop. Also you can show how considerate Audi drivers are (sic) as it stops people 'sitting' on the brake pedal in queues and blinding the person behind with high intensity brake lights.

[robtt09]

Presumably it is not worth it with an auto?

[2.7 S-line]

i have it on my multitronic - used it a few times but its pretty pointless as the gearbox holds you stationary on a hill - even the steepest hill starts don't need the handbrake

[interbear]

Absolutely worth it - one of the cheapest, simplest yet most convenient features I've ever had in a car. I think it's great.

[Bristle Hound]

Thanks folks for all your input.

Went and added hill hold to my order today!
:beerchug:

[jakerade]

K6rff - Any chance of a retro fit write up? The area around the switch on an MMI car looks complex!

My dealer talked me out of it but i'm kicking myself now! Retro-fitting parking sensors this weekend!

Thanks

Jake

[RickT]

I drive a Passat at work which has Auto Hold on it and really do like it, as the hand brake on a "button" is a pain on a hill.... as its on or off...

However my driving style is always foot on brake then switch.. not borthering with the hand brake... REASON - in my A4 the armrest is too long and covers the hand brake making it as hard to put it on!

Rick

[k6rff]

Yes, I'll write up the full retrofit in a couple of days with pics. The only bit I havn't yet solved is the recoding but I've given in and bought a fully licenced VCDS cable that will run the new version 8.05 and coding should no longer be a problem. There are so many uses for bits and bobs (Gendan - authorised distributors £269). That should arrive on Monday 2nd. They were cheapest by far and despatched same day with free 24hr FedEx.

The actual fitting of the switch is easy

1. Prise out the gear stick gaiter with a small plastic wedge or screwdriver
2. Lift the black plastic switch panel upwards - 4 or 5 spring clips
3. Raise posterior aspect to 'unlip' the front
4. Disconnect the electrics
5. Remove the handbrake switch upwards (held bt 4 clips that need to be lifted slightly.
6. New switch is straight replacement - its all one unit.
7. Refit is reverse of dismantle.

Coding is changed from 0000011 to 0000012 but I've yet to reach that!

I'll get it all finished before I write it up. The parts guy at East Kent Audi is now getting used to ordering bits that were never originally fitted.

Next project : fitting the external aerial for the retrofitted audi bluetooth - a real task but got to be done.

[jakerade]

Thanks - good luck with the hole in the roof. I watched someone drill through the headlining on a mk2 golf once so be careful!

Retrofitted the parking sensors at the weekend which was somewhat un-nerving especially as audi don't deem it necessary to include any instructions at all with there kit. Luckily i saw the marks on the back of the bumper you mentioned which helped a lot so thanks for that.

Jake

[ru55]

This is very interesting as the dealer managed to order my car without hill hold despite it being on my request. Long story but I kept the car and would love a retro fit - dealer advised retrofit could not be done at the time, but what do they know as I have found from this forum. Please let us all know if the recoding makes it full functional.

Cheers
RU55

[tlionhart]

ru55, i just ordered a new A3. Saw it parked up ready for the PDI. Decided to have a look. Noticed that there was no hill hold function also, and it was one of my options. I know the handbrake system is different with the A4 and A3. But I currently get bored with braking all the time or holding my foot on the break whilst in traffic on a hill. I guess its not the end of the world as hill hold is a fairly new feature compared to cars that never use to have them.

Then again, i just looked at the A3 manual and says to hold the brake for several seconds and will automatically kick in. I was expecting a button like the a4/5 has...

[sabingli]

Yes, I'll write up the full retrofit in a couple of days with pics. The only bit I havn't yet solved is the recoding but I've given in and bought a fully licenced VCDS cable that will run the new version 8.05 and coding should no longer be a problem. There are so many uses for bits and bobs (Gendan - authorised distributors £269). That should arrive on Monday 2nd. They were cheapest by far and despatched same day with free 24hr FedEx.

The actual fitting of the switch is easy

1. Prise out the gear stick gaiter with a small plastic wedge or screwdriver
2. Lift the black plastic switch panel upwards - 4 or 5 spring clips
3. Raise posterior aspect to 'unlip' the front
4. Disconnect the electrics
5. Remove the handbrake switch upwards (held bt 4 clips that need to be lifted slightly.
6. New switch is straight replacement - its all one unit.
7. Refit is reverse of dismantle.

Coding is changed from 0000011 to 0000012 but I've yet to reach that!

I'll get it all finished before I write it up. The parts guy at East Kent Audi is now getting used to ordering bits that were never originally fitted.

Next project : fitting the external aerial for the retrofitted audi bluetooth - a real task but got to be done.

Can't wait for the full retrofit specs from you. I will do that also after you publish the guide, so please put it here. Is not necessary to replace the control unit?Thank you.