UK-POLOS.NET - THE VW Polo Forum

My 14 plate polo has an annoying problem, my drive is on a slight incline so when I back off the drive I just release the handbrake and roll on to the road, I apply the footbrake to slow up and the brakes stick on after ive released the pedal, its only a couple of seconds but there is definitely something wrong.
I drive up the road to the junction and the brakes stick again, then everythings fine. Can someone with a bit of knowhow tell me whats wrong, the car is still under warranty but when I eventually drive to the dealers it wont be showing any signs of a fault

has it always done it? as it sounds like hill hold

As above, pretty certain it is the hill hold system kicking in. It holds the car for the second it takes for you reaching the bite point of the clutch in a hill start situation after releasing the handbrake.

Check the owners manual for more detailed info.

Out of interest, as my wife will be getting one of these car soon, can you switch off the "hill assist" or "hill hold" as Audi calls it? My B8 S4 has it as part of its horrible electric handbrake, but I have left it switched off, at least with this model of Polo, you can control the handbrake as before.

Just read the owners manual myself and it appears not but a certain criteria must be met for it to activate.

Taken from the owners manual.

Conditions 1 to 3 must be met at the same time

1. On an incline, the stationary vehicle must be held in position with the footbrake until the vehicle starts moving. (Eh?)

2. The engine is running smoothly.

3. Fully depress the clutch pedal and engage 1st gear if you want to move forward up a hill or reverse if you want to reverse up a hill. In order to start moving, remove your foot from the brake pedal, then release the clutch pedal (clutch engages) and press the accelerator simultaneously. The brake will gradually be released as the clutch is engaged. If the accelerator is not immediately depressed, the brake disengages autonomously after a few seconds.

It wont activate if:

The drivers door is opened.
If the engine is not running smoothly or there is an engine fault.
If the engine is switched off or has stalled.

Thanks for all the replies, I wasn't aware that hill hold was standard across the range, with mine just the basic S trim, will check my paperwork!

gti-joe, your quote from the Polo owners handbook, sounds typically VW (as it is)! I'm sure that it works perfectly well after a week or two of intensive training.

I had a, at the time, new Passat (with electric parking brake) as a loan car when my B5 Passat was in for a new bumper cover etc. I dreaded needing to stop on a hill. A few weeks later, while visiting, Cragside, I was sitting in my old B5 Passat when my attention was drawn to the noise and movements of a brand new Passat parked on a slope facing a wooden fence, lots of reving and stalling interspersed with crashing noises as it ran forward and hit the wooden fence, I thought "weird" - then remembered that it was a new Passat with electric parking brake and at that early stage, no "hill start" option - that changed my mind and I thought "poor woman" - seem to remember she did get away after a while!

Oh, just to add, I seem to remember the original version of the electric parking brake would only release if you had your foot on the brake while you flicked the brake switch, none of the later drive away and it releases as the clutch pedal is raised, so really a job for a well coordinated three legged person - not too many of them around! (probably okay for auto trans cars)

Hill hold