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Author Topic: Electric handbrake problem - Audi A3  (Read 1475 times)

Offline Juliand

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Electric handbrake problem - Audi A3
« on: October 21, 2016, 01:53:14 pm »
Apologies, if this is not in the right place....
My elderly neighbor has just told me he is having problems with the electric handbrake on his new Audi A3. Seems to be an intermittent fault / problem, with the the handbrake coming off prematurely on a slope, before the car is moving, causing it to roll back. Apparently it's supposed to hold it, until the car is moving. He told me he was on a slope with a car parked a foot behind, so not much room for error - he nearly called the AA out, to be able to get out of the predicament. Audi are looking into it, but anyone come across it elsewhere, please?

The guy has a terminal illness, and they only bought this car so that his wife could drive it after he's gone, but now she's terrified of it! Oh, it's manual. The garage have so far said that there is a hillstart option, but can't be retrofitted.

Offline AJP

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Re: Electric handbrake problem - Audi A3
« Reply #1 on: October 21, 2016, 04:03:42 pm »
Apologies, if this is not in the right place....
My elderly neighbor has just told me he is having problems with the electric handbrake on his new Audi A3. Seems to be an intermittent fault / problem, with the the handbrake coming off prematurely on a slope, before the car is moving, causing it to roll back. Apparently it's supposed to hold it, until the car is moving. He told me he was on a slope with a car parked a foot behind, so not much room for error - he nearly called the AA out, to be able to get out of the predicament. Audi are looking into it, but anyone come across it elsewhere, please?

The guy has a terminal illness, and they only bought this car so that his wife could drive it after he's gone, but now she's terrified of it! Oh, it's manual. The garage have so far said that there is a hillstart option, but can't be retrofitted.
Maybe suggest to him he goes direct to Audi for some guidance? I personally wouldn't be too comfortable sending him away with 2nd hand info off a forum (however accurate it might be) given his age. If anything was to happen I'd feel a bit dodgy about it.

Edit... I didn't read your post properly; he's already dealing with Audi. As it happens my old man had an A6 with it. I'll see what he says and post anything useful.
« Last Edit: October 21, 2016, 04:05:34 pm by AJP »

Offline leebes

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Re: Electric handbrake problem - Audi A3
« Reply #2 on: October 21, 2016, 05:51:09 pm »
Haven't got any direct help for that problem, but I have a 10 plate Tiguan with a leccy handbrake.

It has an 'autohold' option which when the handbrake is on doesn't let it off until the clutch bites. Also it doesn't automatically let it off until the car is in gear and the seat belt has been connected! German safetype for you!

If you want to take the handbrake off manually you have to put your foot on the brakes and then press the handbrake button