No handbrake on S4?!????

are you kidding me?

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do you start going whithout rolling back when sitting uphill?(Think san francisco)

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There's a handbrake. It's a button (electronic rather than mechanical). Have driven in San Francisco and never used my hand brake on a hill.

Dave RS6

Reply to
D. LaCourse

I have a 2010 A4 with the button. I know that if you flip it on when only doing 5mph, you come to a very rapid stop indeed. Anyone know what happens when you flip it on at 50mph? No, I'm not going to try it!

Steve

Reply to
Steve Thompson

It probably locks up the rear wheels (as most vehicles do, with exception of old Saabs {don't know about the new ones}). Lock up the rear wheels at 50mph and you will rotate. And it ain't gonna be fun! You will also flat bottom your tires, and they will go thump, thump, thump. d;o( Pulling the handbrake is a wonderful way to help you make turns while ice racing.

However, I imagine it is idiot proof; push the button above a certain speed and nothing happens.

I am not endorsing this, so please, no flame posts: Next time you rent a car, drive it into a fairly empty parking lot at 20mph, pull the hand brake, and see if you can stear out of it. I've done it with an old junker and it is a lot of fun (for a few moments).

Dave RS6

Reply to
D. LaCourse

There's an incline sensor in the car that holds the brakes on until it thinks there's enough torque to move forwards. It's a bit sketchy in my

2007 A3 3.2, though. Sometimes the DSG and incline sensor are both running like crap so I need the handbrake to prevent rolling.
Reply to
Kevin McMurtrie

On Fri, 04 Mar 2011 19:06:41 -0800, against all advice, something compelled Kevin McMurtrie , to say:

I just stay on the foot brake until I know I'll move forward when I release it. Just treat it like a standard shift, only with less clutch pedal.

Reply to
Steve Daniels

Yep. Audi probably thinks that most folks use the handbrake in only two positions: fully on and fully off. It wasn't until I got the A4 with the button (where fully on and fully off are indeed the only two possible positions) that I realized how many intermediate positions I use, especially in the snow. Not a big fan of the button; for me it represents the removal of a very useful car positioning feature and hence reduction in control.

Steve

Reply to
Steve Thompson

Same on our A6 a real PITA .. form over function I reckon;(...

Reply to
tony sayer

Just took over my 2011 A6 Avant (not the new style).

The dealer say it is an emergency braking function as well for the passenger. Have yet to read back in the manual in detail if that is true, but I I think I read something like that.

I.e. as long as you keep the button pulled up it will brake all 4 wheels!

At any speed. And the braking is supposedly spectacular, ahemm.

In addition the ABS sensors and the ESP will try to keep the car straight and in line until it comes to a full stop.

Regards

W.

Reply to
Wolfgang Pawlinetz

Even on cars equipped with manual trans??

Pete

Reply to
Pete

I do not like the idea of having an mechatronical button for handbrake. I prefer the classical mechanical handbrake because, you can use it to get your car to a stop even when energy is turned off. I do not think that these new cars have that capacity.

Secondly, in wintery or wet conditions, you can improve car performance and handling using the handbrake wisely.

In the past, safety rules were asking for a completely mechanical mean for stopping your car overidding everything else since mechatronical systems do not show enough reliability to be considered sufficiently safe. Lexus knows very well the problems with too much mechatronics around the car which have led to many casualties.

Well, well, I do not know how this one went through the certification process in the EU or USA ?

LHR

Reply to
laurentien

Amen. The mechanical-pull-a-lever handbrake allowed some "feeling" to the process. I am assuming, however, that by pushing the button you are applying the handbrake at its maximum effort. While I have used the handbrake while ice racing my 93 S4, I think I would shy away from it on public roads especially in traffic. Remember, rolling friction is better than static friction.

Dave RS6

Reply to
D. LaCourse

Yes, even with manual transmission. My A4 is manual; you can apply the brakes on a hill with the button, and then pull away without further reference to the button; it turns itself off.

Steve

Reply to
Steve Thompson

On Mon, 7 Mar 2011 09:35:45 -0500, against all advice, something compelled Steve Thompson , to say:

That is so cool.

Reply to
Steve Daniels

Until you want to swat the tail around on ice that is. Say BMW-any-day if you are in sunbelt states. Alas, I'm in the snow and there's a freaky diesel popping out of every hole while I, envisioning the repair bill for diesel, want a 2.4L 6 pot manual A6 quattro. Sigh.

Speaking of which, are you folk in the states able to order any beemer/ audi from germany or only the engine/transmission combinations that went past the EPA hounds?

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AD

You are still able to roll backwards down the hill with the clutch in should you choose to do that, is that right? (handbrake off)

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AD

You can order an Audi or BMW from Germany, even go over there and accept delivery. However, it will be a car built for USA specs.

Dave (who stands)

d;o)

Reply to
D. LaCourse

Yes.

Reply to
Steve Thompson

Crap. That negates the advantage of buying a euro spec A6 quattro with

2.4 liter normally aspirated engine with a 5/6 speed manual. Drove a V8 A6 (in the states), 2.5TDi A6 (locally) and 1.8T A4 (us). All nice cars, but I just could not get myself over driving an automatic and the prices for euro spec used cars are skyrocketing here now.
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AD

Ok, they could just as well have duped the function with a lever braking just the rear wheels. Could've been purely mechanical cable or hydraulic thing too. Button+electircs for the lazy bums and emergency stops, lever going the purely mechanical route for fun. To save costs they could've just retained the lever on the cars with manual transmissions.

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