Auto handbrake or not - Leon Cupra

Seriously?

Active Member
Apr 20, 2018
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Sorry folks, this is (IMO) getting to be a boring argument now. Way to fix it is put in a handbrake lever and 'hill assist' (not hill hold) - or bring back drum brakes :roflmao:
Mrs Seriously? would vote for reinstating the traditional handbrake lever as she hates her electronic handbrake - she's had to find somewhere else to park her hairbands..........:runaway:
 

BoomerBoom

Active Member
Jun 1, 2018
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It's quite easy to differentiate between the brake/hill hold and when the auto parking brake applies - just open the window and listen or look at the dash.

When you apply the foot brake while stationary the green P appears, this is brake/hill hold and only matches the pedal pressure you've applied. If you then turn the engine off, open a door or flick the switch you will hear the rear caliper motors wind in and the P turns red - to apply the pads at full pressure no matter what you've got on the pedal.

No need to thank me!
 

Damo H

Remind me, what's an indicator?
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Oct 3, 2012
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It's quite easy to differentiate between the brake/hill hold and when the auto parking brake applies - just open the window and listen or look at the dash.

When you apply the foot brake while stationary the green P appears, this is brake/hill hold and only matches the pedal pressure you've applied. If you then turn the engine off, open a door or flick the switch you will hear the rear caliper motors wind in and the P turns red - to apply the pads at full pressure no matter what you've got on the pedal.

No need to thank me!
Think people have figured that out already, plus hill holds the brakes on all 4 wheels using the ABS brake fluid system, the handbrake only the rear wheels using the electronic motors..

However I’m yet to be 100% convinced either way, however from my experience, the electronic handbrake only applies the pressure needed.
 
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RUM4MO

Active Member
Jun 4, 2008
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Think people have figured that out already, plus hill holds the brakes on all 4 wheels using the ABS brake fluid system, the handbrake only the rear wheels using the electronic motors..

However I’m yet to be 100% convinced either way, however from my experience, the electronic handbrake only applies the pressure needed.

I thought that was the way things used to be configured to work, but with later/latest cars HHA and handbrake are the same thing, in as much as the braking comes from the rear callipers only and by the action of the motors mounted on the callipers.

As for "enough" or "maximum" rear wheel braking effort from the motors mounted on the callipers, I'd expect that there is only one way to get the rear wheel handbrake on and that is "full on " or "maximum" effort at each and every application, in reality, I'd expect the handbrake motors to drive the pads in and then these motors stall and when that happens, the motors are held in that position using current sensing, no "enough" or "maximum" option, just "ON" or "OFF".
 

Damo H

Remind me, what's an indicator?
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Oct 3, 2012
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I thought that was the way things used to be configured to work, but with later/latest cars HHA and handbrake are the same thing, in as much as the braking comes from the rear callipers only and by the action of the motors mounted on the callipers.

On the later cars (well mine with DSG anyway), when you stop with the brake pedal and the green (P) light comes on the virtual cockpit, you can take your foot off the brake and nothing happens. Its not for a few seconds, its until you either turn the engine off or press the accelerator.

If you wind the window down and turn the handbrake on, (or turn the engine off) you will hear the electric motors apply the rear handbrake.
 

Mr Pig

Active Member
Jun 17, 2015
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I'd expect the handbrake motors to drive the pads in and then these motors stall and when that happens, the motors are held in that position using current sensing, no "enough" or "maximum" option, just "ON" or "OFF".

I can't see how it could work any other way. It would need an extremely complicated system for the car to make a judgment on how hard the brake should be applied. I can't even envisage how such a system might work. It has to be an 'on' 'off' system.
 

martin j.

Active Member
Feb 11, 2007
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Fife
Just home from a quick trip into town, parked the car and passed a couple looking at the rear of their car, cuddling into it was a new Cupra, it had run from the space rear right into their car, handbrake not held on a hill? rear discs cooled and allowed the car to creep forward?
They were still standing 1/2 hour later when heading back to the car, a younger woman was assisting them ( their daughter as it turned out) still wondering what to do, call the cops was my advice, they’d tried to move their car away but the Cupra moved too.
 

Damo H

Remind me, what's an indicator?
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Oct 3, 2012
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Just home from a quick trip into town, parked the car and passed a couple looking at the rear of their car, cuddling into it was a new Cupra, it had run from the space rear right into their car, handbrake not held on a hill? rear discs cooled and allowed the car to creep forward?
They were still standing 1/2 hour later when heading back to the car, a younger woman was assisting them ( their daughter as it turned out) still wondering what to do, call the cops was my advice, they’d tried to move their car away but the Cupra moved too.
Was it a copper Cupra by any chance?
ThinkingEmoji.png
 

BoomerBoom

Active Member
Jun 1, 2018
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Or was it the same problem as the OP to this thread had, where the switch wasn't manually pulled and the auto function was switched off?
 

Glosphil

Active Member
Nov 10, 2004
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176
Gloucestershire
A lot of the disagreement on this thread can be settled by simply noticing whether the green or red P symbol is lit on the dash - this shows whether the Auto Hold or the Handbrake is operating. Manual and Seat website both state that AH operates on all 4 wheels via ABS pump and Handbrake uses electric motors operating rear brakes only. If engine is running then only AH operates; when engine switched off then EHB is applied & AH releases brake pressure.
I simily leave both systems alone & car sorts itself out. Worked for me for the last 14 months.
 

Mr Pig

Active Member
Jun 17, 2015
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..cuddling into it was a new Cupra, it had run from the space rear right into their car..

I've sen that happen a few times. Some cars were quite bad for it, the disks cooling and letting the brake slide. It's a pretty good argument for always leaving your car in gear.
 

Damo H

Remind me, what's an indicator?
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Oct 3, 2012
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I've sen that happen a few times. Some cars were quite bad for it, the disks cooling and letting the brake slide. It's a pretty good argument for always leaving your car in gear.
Another advantage of the DSG, can't remove the key unless its in Park.
 

queen

~Nassia~
Nov 29, 2010
701
62
Athens, Greece
I thought, and it is only a thought, that in an emergency, you hold the handbrake switch up and it will apply the handbrake even if the car is moving at greater than Zmph/kph - I can't see me offering to put that to the test though, I'm just mentioning what I think that I read somewhere and anyway, there MUST be an emergency brake function available in every car, it is a basic legal requirement without that a car is not considered roadworthy, ie fit for use on the public highway.
You're right. I can't seem to find that youtube video but after watching several others I found that if you pull the electric handbrake switch once it does nothing just a warning message but if you keep pulling it the car will stop.
I was in a critical situation where the (manual) handbrake helped me, I was experiencing brake fade and the car wasn't stopping at a normal pace so at the final 30 meters I pulled the handbrake and I stopped literally a hair away from the car in front.
 
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