Having grown up in Boston and living now in Northeast Ohio, I have always been cautious about engaging a mechanical hand brake in the winter, particularly after driving in wet/slushy conditions, out of concern that the brake would freeze in place (which has happened on occasion with the Saabs I used to drive). Is there anything different in the way that the electric hand brake works that would make it immune or at least less likely to freeze up?

 

Normally handbrakes freeze due to the cables/wires and since this doesn't have them then I'd assume it would be fine.

 

Thanks -- makes sense. Seems consistent with this comment from the Audi Glossary (UK Edition):

The electromechanical parking brake has little in common with a conventional handbrake. It is resistant to wear, its braking effect is permanently constant and it cannot lock. The electromechanical parking brake is activated by pulling the small electric lever on the centre console, which replaces the conventional handbrake lever. The parking brake is released automatically when setting off. It does not have to be released manually even when performing a hill start. The integral starting assist function determines the selected gear, accelerator position, engine speed, torque, direction of travel and the vehicle's angle of inclination. This prevents the car from rolling back when the parking brake is released automatically.

The brake can only be released manually if the foot brake is depressed at the same time. In the event of an emergency braking manoeuvre via the parking brake, the vehicle can be braked considerably more effectively than with a conventional handbrake because in this case braking takes place via the normal service brake with the aid of the vehicle's electronic stabilization program (ESP) functions. All the benefits of the anti-lock braking system (ABS) and electronic brake-force distribution (EBD) are exploited.

 

Has anyone tried setting the parking brake while moving? Someone please go and do that and then report back here.

 

From a UK forum :

"Pull it and hold it for a couple of seconds, the brakes come on. Trust me. The skid marks are still there.!!

This was in my car. Scared the ... outta me."

"I dont think there is a speed limit as I was somewhere near 50. It was a scary but somwhat controlled stop.
It was also in the previous car (b8) after i knew i was getting a replacement. I wouldn't do it in my new car.
or rather.. "i aint doing that again unless constipated""

I pointed out what the manual said about it works at any speed (over 8 kmph) then :

"Well.... Thanks scotty. I guess I should of RTFM then I wouldn't of needed to have the discussion with my friend about whether or not pulling it while your going along does something.

Disclaimer: No body was injured during the process of this experiment but we certainly needed a pint and a poo afterwards."


hahahaha

 

Oh man that's funny!

 

The manual says that if you pull it at any speed over 8 kph, it puts the brakes in the "panic stop mode".

I tried to get it to release automatically in my drive way and it would not release, found out later by reading the manual that it would not release if you do not have your seat belt on !

 

errrm you did an "panic stop" without wearing your seatbelt????

<gulp>

 

I was not trying to do a "panic stop", I was trying to get the brake to release automatically when driving off !

 

Don't you get the message in the DIS telling you to press the foot brake in this situation?