Auto Park Brake

vmaxkiddy

Active Member
Jan 16, 2023
21
2
On a Formentor with DSG box the park brake is automatically applied when locking the car. Is it possible to code that function out ?
The pads stick to the discs when parked up for a few days, I leave my other vehicles without the park brake applied but they have a manual system.
 

CupForm

Active Member
Aug 26, 2023
78
40
Bucharest, RO
On mine, if I don't want the parking brake to apply by itself when switching off the car, I just disable the Auto-hold before stopping the car.
In most cases, if Auto-hold is OFF the parking brake wil not auto-engage. That's if are on a flat surface.
 

Hampa1

Active Member
Mar 23, 2021
96
55
I often have this issue. This morning, I didn’t drive yesterday, I had to give it quite some gas just for the brakes to release and the brake pads leave marks on the rear discs.
Surely this can be adjusted by the garage, don’t you think?
Personally I like the Auto-hold and don’t want to inactivate it. It’s enough to inactivate start/stop everytime I start the car 😀
 

Hampa1

Active Member
Mar 23, 2021
96
55
After the auto handbrake comes on when I switch the engine off, I just press down on the park button and put it off before I exit the car.
Yes, I do that sometimes too. When I remember to do it. The car reminds me the next day if I forgot it 😀
 

CupForm

Active Member
Aug 26, 2023
78
40
Bucharest, RO
After the auto handbrake comes on when I switch the engine off, I just press down on the park button and put it off before I exit the car.
Wow, that's new info for me!
I had no idea that if you press again on the park button it will release the parking brake. Are you referring to the "P" button of the DSG, or the parking brake button?

In my case, once I switch OFF the engine there's no more power supplied to accessories, so I cannot manually disengage the parking brake simply by pressing down the "P" (parking brake) button. If the car applies the parking brakes automatically when I press the "START/STOP" button, if for some reason I want to disengage it, I follow this sequence:
- press "START/STOP" without pressing the brake pedal - this will provide power supply to accesories;
- press the brake pedal AND then press the "P" (parking brake) button - this disengages the parking brake;
- press again the "START/STOP" without pressing the brake pedal - car OFF.
 

Seastormer

Cupra Leon VZ2 300/CBF1000
Apr 25, 2014
5,034
709
68
Edinburgh (Scotland)
Wow, that's new info for me!
I had no idea that if you press again on the park button it will release the parking brake. Are you referring to the "P" button of the DSG, or the parking brake button?

In my case, once I switch OFF the engine there's no more power supplied to accessories, so I cannot manually disengage the parking brake simply by pressing down the "P" (parking brake) button. If the car applies the parking brakes automatically when I press the "START/STOP" button, if for some reason I want to disengage it, I follow this sequence:
- press "START/STOP" without pressing the brake pedal - this will provide power supply to accesories;
- press the brake pedal AND then press the "P" (parking brake) button - this disengages the parking brake;
- press again the "START/STOP" without pressing the brake pedal - car OFF.
Thinking back I think as soon as I press the P (DSG park button) that's when the handbrake go's on, and I then put it off by pressing the parking brake button, and then turn engine off and exit.
 

dashnine

Active Member
Oct 31, 2012
413
155
Warwick, UK
I had a louder 'ping' than normal when I moved off at the rear pads released from the disc the other morning (it was particulary wet the previous evening and through the night) and then a knocking noise at wheel speed which I assumed as some loose pad material knocking when the actual brakes activated at low speed to slow the car (it's a hybrid so was using regen to slow the car at speed).

The car was in the dealer the next day anyway for the SOS and Travel Assist pinging issue, they said there was a new part number for the rear pads (i.e. a new pad material that won't stick to the discs) which are being fitted with new discs when the new steering wheel for the Assist pinging is being fitted next week.

How a modern car still has this issue (sticking brake pads) in this day and age I don't know. The next thing they'll be telling me is that they can't test it as it doesn't rain on the plain much in Spain...
 

the_lorne_ranger

Active Member
Nov 20, 2023
56
15
Aberdeen, Scotland
After the auto handbrake comes on when I switch the engine off, I just press down on the park button and put it off before I exit the car.
Regardless of buttons pressed the electronic parking brake will still come back on as soon as you turn off the ignition and / or exit the vehicle, It's programmed to do so, It's a separate system, electric winder motors engage the rear brakes.

That's why when you are changing the rear brake pads and discs it requires ODB coding to put the brakes in a service mode and that turns off the Electronic Parking Brake by retracting the winder motors, otherwise when the disc and pads are off, the winder motors would push the rear pistons all the way out and they get stuck.
 
Last edited:

the_lorne_ranger

Active Member
Nov 20, 2023
56
15
Aberdeen, Scotland
Wow, that's new info for me!
I had no idea that if you press again on the park button it will release the parking brake. Are you referring to the "P" button of the DSG, or the parking brake button?

In my case, once I switch OFF the engine there's no more power supplied to accessories, so I cannot manually disengage the parking brake simply by pressing down the "P" (parking brake) button. If the car applies the parking brakes automatically when I press the "START/STOP" button, if for some reason I want to disengage it, I follow this sequence:
- press "START/STOP" without pressing the brake pedal - this will provide power supply to accesories;
- press the brake pedal AND then press the "P" (parking brake) button - this disengages the parking brake;
- press again the "START/STOP" without pressing the brake pedal - car OFF.
Does this work? I think the parking brake would still re-engage when you exit the vehicle.

If it did work then you would then be able to change the rear brakes without any OBD coding the brakes into service mode.

I know in my Mk7.5 Golf R this wouldn't work as I tried to change the rear brakes myself one time, and no matter what I did the parking brake would always re-engage.
 

Wyld Stallyn

Be Excellent To Each Other and... Party On Dudes!
Mar 10, 2022
356
211
Even if you released the brake and then disconnected the battery? *

* Probably not a recommended procedure.
 

the_lorne_ranger

Active Member
Nov 20, 2023
56
15
Aberdeen, Scotland
Even if you released the brake and then disconnected the battery? *

* Probably not a recommended procedure.
I think it would re-engage as soon as you turn ignition off.

If you look up any rear brake pad or disc replacement procedures for cars with EPB, they will state you need some sort of electronic equipment to put the brake in service mode.

There's one on here for a Leon:
 

CupForm

Active Member
Aug 26, 2023
78
40
Bucharest, RO
Does this work? I think the parking brake would still re-engage when you exit the vehicle.
Yes, it does.
I do this very often when I return home; there's an underground parking with a flat floor (practically no slope). I turn off the Auto-Hold on purpose before I switch the car Off, and the EPB doesn't engage when I switch off or when I open the driver's door.
However, I noticed that if I try that in a sloped parking, the EPB will engage. Not sure about that, but I suspect there's a leveling sensor telling the car if it's "safe" to leave the EPB off or not.

So my conclusion is that the EPB will engage automatically if:
- you stopped the car with the Auto-Hold function enabled;
- the car is parked on a sloped surface.

If it did work then you would then be able to change the rear brakes without any OBD coding the brakes into service mode.
Indeed, I know there's a "Service Mode" for the EPB - such that it remains disabled for the rear brake-pads replacement. That procedure is probably necessary for safety reasons, since in the event that the EPB would engage by itself for some reason during the pads replacement - some freak accidents might occur.
 
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