Electromagnetic parking brake - standard on SE models and above? What is it like?

[wj209980]

Hi

Looking through the Audi website, it looks as if ALL varitaions of the A4 (assuming SE trim or above) have the electromagnetic parking brake as standard. Is this correct?

So (noobie question I know!) how does this actually work e.g. how do you apply it (is it a button, is it a lever?). What is the process for diengaging it (on a hill start for example).

And is it any good?

(please assume that Hill Hold Assit is NOT being purchased)

Thanks

[Mr Sheen]

Hi there,

To apply, put your foot on brake and pull switch up.

To release, put your foot and brake and press switch down.

I have not tried it on a hill yet too see how it works, although I do have hill assist as well, and I havent tried this either - its fairly flat in Suffolk!!

Hope this helps a little with regards to the working.

[wj209980]

Hi

This is helpful info, thanks.

I'd be interested to see how you're meant to use it for hill starts. I'm sure I read somewhere that to pull away you simply put it in gear and drive off, and then it disengages automatically.

But there's very little information around about it so what I read could be false.

[Mr Sheen]

This morning I put it in reverse and tried to reverse off the drive - it wouldn't let me until I took it off.

I have not tried it in 1st, incase it does do that for forward gears.

[2.7 S-line]

hill start with electromegnetic brake consists of foot on clutch put into gear - drive off :Blush2:

that simple on a hill or on the flat - disengages itself as you drive off (as long asyou have your seat belt on .... did you have your seat belt on when reversing? )

[Mr Sheen]

Guilty as charged - no seatbelt was on!! :(

[wj209980]

Okay so is the "correct" way to use it when pulling away (whether this is in reverse or going forward) to just put the clutch down, put it in gear, and then just gently pull away i.e. there is no need to manually take the handbrake off?

[Plife]

Okay so is the "correct" way to use it when pulling away (whether this is in reverse or going forward) to just put the clutch down, put it in gear, and then just gently pull away i.e. there is no need to manually take the handbrake off?
Correct. No need to manually take the handbrake off. Sometimes it does not work (not very often) and if you depress the clutch again it then works.

[wj209980]

Okay thanks for the help - much appreciated!

[Kojak]

+1 for Pilfes reply.

Also just to clarify:-
when not wearing a seat belt forward or reverse, means you have to over ride the park brake by applying foot brake and then push (release) the lever.

One other thing.....
At a set of traffic lights once I pulled the lever up (on) twice and had to dis engage the park brake by applying the foot brake and pushing the lever down. Don't quote me on this one I need to check I wasn't having a funny 5 seconds :aargh4:.

[Mr Sheen]

First thing I done when getting in the car last night was to put my seatbelt on and as a result the brake came off automatically when put in 1st gear and drove off.

Seatbelts - wonderful technology!

[certacito]

You can override the requirement to have a seatbelt on to release the brake using VCDS if like me you always wear a belt but sometimes just not as soon as you jump in the car.

You can also disable the requirement to press the foot brake to release but I'm not so sure this would be safe or as useful.

[markp306]

+1 for Pilfes reply.


One other thing.....
At a set of traffic lights once I pulled the lever up (on) twice and had to dis engage the park brake by applying the foot brake and pushing the lever down. Don't quote me on this one I need to check I wasn't having a funny 5 seconds :aargh4:.

I thought you had to touch the foot brake first anyway, before just pulling away? Now I need to go and check too...!

[markp306]

I thought you had to touch the foot brake first anyway, before just pulling away? Now I need to go and check too...!

I just found this online. Looks like the "seat belt on" requirement should normally be enough.

The electromechanical parking brake comprises the parking brake, starting-off aid and emergency braking functions. It is activated by pulling a lever on the centre console, which replaces the conventional handbrake lever. When you drive off – provided the driver's seat belt is fastened – the parking brake is released automatically. The control unit for the electromechanical parking brake determines the selected gear, accelerator position, engine speed, torque, direction of travel and the vehicle’s angle of inclination. It uses this information to prevent the vehicle from rolling back when starting on an incline. The brake can only be released manually if the foot brake is depressed at the same time. In the event of an emergency braking manoeuvre with the parking brake, the vehicle can be braked considerably more effectively than with a conventional handbrake because the system communicates with the anti-lock braking system (ABS) and electronic brake force distribution (EBD) via the electronic stabilisation programme (ESP).

[Zafi]

Sorry to drag up an old thread.......

With snow on the road I usually handbrake the car to square it up, then reverse up the drive.

No chance with the electric handbrake :(

Firstly there is a lag, so my timing is messy, then it bleeps and turns itself off again...

So it looks like my days of handbrake turns are over :(

[ScottyUK]

yup - I played with mine in the snow early this year and the ebrake is on all our wheels. Does spoil the fun.

[Cardy01]

I find it very unpredictable ..... and very difficult to use when parallel parking on a hill ..... not an innovative feature for me .... what was wrong with a handbrake??

[ScottyUK]

Moving parts etc = $$$$

I.e. they found a way of doing it cheaper :(

[Hippogriff]

Listen to all you luddites, wanting big frikkin' levers back in your car. The electro-mechanical handbrake is one of the most joyous things about the B8 A4, bringing, at least, some of the car peeking out of the dark ages.

I bet you all are hankering after chokes and those wind-up things at the front... a crank, was it?

For me, it'll be perfect when they get rid of the wheel, that big one, right slap-bang in front of me... always getting in the way. And those sodding pedals, what an anachronism it all is.

P.S. - try to remember - when technology doesn't work as we'd expect it to, it's not the fault of the technology, it's our fault for not being bright enough to work it.

[wj209980]

Listen to all you luddites, wanting big frikkin' levers back in your car. The electro-mechanical handbrake is one of the most joyous things about the B8 A4, bringing, at least, some of the car peeking out of the dark ages.

I bet you all are hankering after chokes and those wind-up things at the front... a crank, was it?

For me, it'll be perfect when they get rid of the wheel, that big one, right slap-bang in front of me... always getting in the way. And those sodding pedals, what an anachronism it all is.

P.S. - try to remember - when technology doesn't work as we'd expect it to, it's not the fault of the technology, it's our fault for not being bright enough to work it.

Although I was scpetical before getting my B8, I must say I love the new parking brake! Defo a step forward for me :-)

[ScottyUK]

I'm far from being a technophobe and where I live it's fairly flat so I have no issues with the brake....and wish I still have Hill Hold Assist (not possible on Start/Stop cars), however the pure on/off nature does remove an ability that was previously available when driving a car with a "big lever".

Edging forward looking for a gap in traffic on a hilly junction is simply not as easy with a digital brake than an anologue one.

Aside from that I really lie it.

[Zafi]

Drove off in the Shogun with the handbrake still on today........