Parking Brake no longer releases automatically?

[sunil1234]

Sorry title should read Longer - darn wireless keyboard!

Hi All

Wonder if anyone else can help/ had a similar issue.

Dor some strange reason my A4 b8 08 2.0tdi -sline parking brake wont release automatically since the last 2 days. Before i swear that if you touched the brake before applying throttle it would release. Not anymore ???

S

[ScottyUK]

I'm confused by your comment of touching the brake before the throttle. It should release by just pressing the throttle. It only does this if your door is closed and your seat belt is on. If they're met then perhaps you've a dodgy sensor in one of them. I've heard of this issue before on a seat belt sensor.

[Bratty]

I assumed that after starting the car that you had to press on the footbrake pedal and similtaneously press the handbrake to release the brakes, BUT only the first time! Thereafter the "Drive-Away Function kicks in allowing the car to release its own hanbrake when it senses the drive being taken-up by the clutch.
I have had the experience of the brake not releasing when "driving away" but Very Rarely! and only on fairly steep inclines.

And before anyone pounces on me "NO I HAVE NOT READ THE F****** Manual";);).

Dunk

[ScottyUK]

Well ******* read it then ! :p

:biglaugh:

[Bratty]

Touche.

Dunk

[sunil1234]

thanks guys

i figured my issue was i wasnt wearing my seatbelt!;)

rep added for all of you!

[markp306]

... my A4 b8 08 2.0tdi -sline parking brake wont release automatically since the last 2 days. Before i swear that if you touched the brake before applying throttle it would release. Not anymore ???

S

I suddenly have the same problem on my Avant and this also appears to have affected the parking sensors. They no longer "mute" when the handbrake is applied.

I've booked the car in next month (it's the first available slot with collection service) for a warranty repair. I assume a sensor has failed somewhere? It's not a door/seatbelt combination issue.

[RickT]

Sorry title should read Longer - darn wireless keyboard!

Typo Changed - ;)

Rick

[21stCentury]

I think this has something to do with the level of the ground - the first time the parking brake is released (after start-up) the footbrake method must be used if the car is on level ground, but it will release on take-up of drive if the car is on a slope (I think). Perhaps there is a level sensor at work somewhere.

I parked very close to my mates garage door (facing forward) the other day. His drive is very uneven and the front wheels were just over the edge of a sudden drop towards the garage - not over far enough for the car to be pointing down at the front but enough for the car to want to roll forward into the garage doors on releasing the brakes. I tried to reverse away (expecting the parking brake to release automatically) but the brake wouldn't release and I got the message about applying the footbrake first. Trouble was I couldn't do that either because I needed to apply reverse drive to avoid rolling forward into the garage door. A bit of a design over-sight by Audi here I think!

[mhurer]

I tried to reverse away (expecting the parking brake to release automatically) but the brake wouldn't release and I got the message about applying the footbrake first. Trouble was I couldn't do that either because I needed to apply reverse drive to avoid rolling forward into the garage door. A bit of a design over-sight by Audi here I think!

My wife now has this problem with her sline. Our driveway has a slight slope and releasing the handbrake using the normal method (throttle + clutch) has never been a problem until a few days ago. Not sure if it is like this on level ground. Booked in next week for dealer to look at.

[divelandy]

I tried to reverse away (expecting the parking brake to release automatically) but the brake wouldn't release and I got the message about applying the footbrake first. Trouble was I couldn't do that either because I needed to apply reverse drive to avoid rolling forward into the garage door. A bit of a design over-sight by Audi here I think!

Did you:
1. depess the clutch,
2. enguage reverse (as your hand will be occupied in a sec),
3. depress the brake peddle,
4. lift the break switch 'up' and hold,
5. let the clutch up to 'bite',
6. let go of the break switch
6. reverse
- essentially the same process as with a hand brake?

[markp306]

My wife now has this problem with her sline. Our driveway has a slight slope and releasing the handbrake using the normal method (throttle + clutch) has never been a problem until a few days ago. Not sure if it is like this on level ground. Booked in next week for dealer to look at.

I'd be interested to know how this turns out for you (ahead of my dealer booking), and if the parts are in stock! ;)

[21stCentury]

Did you:
1. depess the clutch,
2. enguage reverse (as your hand will be occupied in a sec),
3. depress the brake peddle,
4. lift the break switch 'up' and hold,
5. let the clutch up to 'bite',
6. let go of the break switch
6. reverse
- essentially the same process as with a hand brake?

No I hadn't tried that but, I have since, and it doesn't work. I have however now read the manual and discovered that the parking brake will release using the button by simultaneously pressing EITHER the footbrake OR the accelerator. Thus, the correct method is as follows;

1. depress the clutch
2. engage reverse
3. apply pressure to the accelerator pedal AND let the clutch up to 'bite'
4. press the parking brake button down
5. reverse

My driveway at home is on an upward slope and I normally park my car facing up-hill towards the house. Thus when I leave home I begin my journey by reversing downhill. If I attempt to reverse without releasing the parking brake first, the parking brake does not release automatically - I get the message 'Please release parking brake' displayed on the DIS. If I press the parking brake button down without applying the footbrake I then get the message 'Press footbrake to release the parking brake'.

However it is also possible to reverse away from this situation by following the steps described above - perhaps the DIS message should read 'Press footbrake OR ACCELERATOR PEDAL to release the parking brake'

Conversely, my regular parking spot at work is on a downward slope and I also reverse from this position. In this situation the parking brake does release automatically. My point relating to the original post is that the automatic release of the parking brake is level dependent and a situation where the automatic release appears to work sometimes and not others may not actually be a fault with the car.

[mhurer]

My wife got her car back yesterday from the dealer and it needed two parts, both of which had to be ordered. The paper work refers to one part - clutch switch replaced. This seems to have cured the problem.

[golfgt140]

My handbrake stopped working properly on the way home from the purchase. Had rac out twice and they couldn't find a problem (sods law- the bl**dy thing worked when they were there). I spoke to my local dealer who treated me like an idiot until I produced photos of dashboard warning lights. They replaced a faulty control unit for the handbrake under warranty. Have since learned from a VW franchise director that this is a reasonably commmon fault in B8's and newer passatts.

Handbrake is working now, and it is a great bit of kit. Things were much simpler with the old style lever tho!

[markp306]

To fix my two issues (auto-handbrake release and parking sensor mute when handbrake applied) required a parking brake ECU changed, which is in the boot apparently.

Also the clutch position sender got some attention, as it logged a G476 fault or something (paperwork isn't clear as to if anything was changed there).