# Auto-Hold --- And the point is?



## PaulQ (Sep 10, 2007)

I know this has come up before with people commenting that the AUTO-HOLD feature affects take off from a stopped position.
My question is, why use it at all?
AUTO-HOLD keeps the car in place when your foot is off the brake pedal.
If I take my foot off the brake pedal, my brake lights go off which signals the car behind me that I am probably going to move. Or if someone is pulling up behind me, they may not know I am just sitting still. I like the fact that my brake lights are sending a message.
Other than maybe being in San Francisco, does anyone have a pro-AUTO-HOLD argument?
Maybe it does something while your foot IS on the brake pedal??


----------



## timbo727 (Mar 11, 2010)

I once got rear ended sitting with my auto hold, I agree, it would be better if the brake lights stayed on


----------



## ps23 (Feb 1, 2009)

*Re: Auto-Hold --- And the point is? (PaulQ)*

For many years, I drove manual cars and the CC is my 1st auto. When I drive a manual car, while waiting at an intersection, the car is normally in neutral and my foot off the brake pedal unless it is in an incline. So for me I use the auto hold in the city so the car doesn't creep and hit the car in front of me.*
Unfortunately or fortunately for many, most cars here in the US are automatic so a lot of people are conditioned to see a "brake light" whenever stopped or slowing down which to me is not normal.
Another reason why brakes wear out so much faster.
*I like the auto-hold feature
**Note: in Europe, 80% of cars are manual and drivers who received their driving license driving an auto are not permitted to drive manual unless they take an additional test - not here.










_Modified by ps23 at 3:35 PM 3-21-2010_


----------



## Sevarg (Sep 28, 2009)

*Re: Auto-Hold --- And the point is? (PaulQ)*

If someone hits you because they see your brake lights went off, but your car hasn't moved, they're a freaking idiot, and hopefully you have insurance. 
Auto-Hold is a great convenience item to have. I use it every day and I have yet to be rear-ended by some jackass who may think what you typed. 
I've been stopped at red lights on incline/declined streets, and the A/H feature is great because when it's activated, my car won't roll into another while I swap my foot from brake to gas. 
You're right, there are other threads made about this. So, if you don't like it, no one's making you use it. There's no point in coming on here making a retarded thread about the pro's and con's of the A/H button.


----------



## Punch Dub (Mar 1, 2010)

Two words: drive thru


----------



## PaulQ (Sep 10, 2007)

*Re: (Punch Dub)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Punch Dub* »_Two words: drive thru

Ah! Good point.
This would be one of the things I didn't think about. Maybe I'm retarded?
Thanks!


----------



## Ween2010 (Sep 12, 2009)

*Re: Auto-Hold --- And the point is? (PaulQ)*

Auto hold is awesome. Never used it at first but tried it one day and have been using ever since. Great feature.


----------



## crazywayne311 (Jan 29, 2006)

*FV-QR*

i've used it a couple times. i like the drive thru comment b/c i've done that. ive used it every now and then. i'm good at driving a manual. but it really irks me when i'm on an incline and some assbag gets RIGHT on my ass. so take keep from rolling back into them i use auto hold. i rather not roll into them b/c they're an idiot. 
speaking on how you might get hit b/c of no brake lights on...i normally keep my foot on the brake til a car pulls up behind me then i go in N and no brakes. especially after the bad accident i was in


----------



## bigmikeo (Jun 16, 2009)

*Re: FV-QR (crazywayne311)*

I use it when I"m dropping my girls off at school, the rotation is slow and I'm stopped a few times till it's our turn. I've also used it in rush hour traffic. But I had the same concern about the brake lights not being on so I don't use it in regular traffic.


----------



## cc3.6 (Jan 6, 2010)

*Re: FV-QR (crazywayne311)*

I use auto hold all the time when seriously stuck in traffic! Not an option I would have missed if I didn't have it, but it's a nice gadget.


----------



## danyvw (Nov 29, 2009)

*Re: Auto-Hold --- And the point is? (PaulQ)*

As I said before really love AH but will be better if stop lights stay on when using it. BTW no Vag mod







for this?


----------



## RafaGolfBr (Dec 17, 2001)

*Re: Auto-Hold --- And the point is? (danyvw)*

this may go against some lazyness.... but you can hold your brakes till the car behind you has stopped, the let go. That is what I personally do. 
you can also turn the feature off if it bothers you. http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


----------



## Ween2010 (Sep 12, 2009)

*Re: Auto-Hold --- And the point is? (RafaGolfBr)*


_Quote, originally posted by *RafaGolfBr* »_this may go against some lazyness.... but you can hold your brakes till the car behind you has stopped, the let go. That is what I personally do. 


Same here.


----------



## Sparda29 (Mar 16, 2009)

I don't use it, but I have a manual and it pisses me off when I'm on an incline and someone decides to stop their car really close to my car. I usually like to let my car roll backwards a little bit.


----------



## RafaGolfBr (Dec 17, 2001)

*Re: (Sparda29)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Sparda29* »_I don't use it, but I have a manual and it pisses me off when I'm on an incline and someone decides to stop their car really close to my car. I usually like to let my car roll backwards a little bit and then proceed to peel-out. 








fixed it for you


----------



## crazywayne311 (Jan 29, 2006)

*FV-QR*

i think its funny we all do similar things


----------



## lasvegasjunkie (Jan 27, 2001)

*Re: Auto-Hold --- And the point is? (PaulQ)*

It helps keep the car from rolling back on a hill (or forward). I use it frequently. The auto hold probably adds life to the clutch as the clutch is no longer used to move the car forward going uphill after stopping on a hill. Since having my car with the auto hold, I stopped using the clutch's friction zone to stop the car from rolling back while starting again to go uphill. All common sense.


----------



## minnvw (Oct 16, 2006)

*Re: Auto-Hold --- And the point is? (lasvegasjunkie)*

I have the dsg and have never used auto hold
I agree with the gentleman in the fact I do like to have my brakes lights on while im at the stop light, to let people behind me know I am stopped.
I think it was just a after thought vw threw on there,? even with manual tranny , just slip it in neutral and keep the bake on. on a hill its not going to roll


----------



## Veedubin02 (Mar 26, 2002)

*Re: Auto-Hold --- And the point is? (minnvw)*

At least on a manual, it keeps you from rolling back on hills if you are starting from a stop. Not everyone is a fantastic manual driver. VW also isnt the only company you use a autohold on their cars, I know my moms old Lexus RX had it and so does her new Mercedes. There may be times when you are say waiting to pick up a friend sitting in their driveway and you dont want to keep your foot on the brake. Personally I dont use it but those are some scenarios I can think of.


----------



## torpeau (Aug 22, 2009)

*Re: Auto-Hold --- And the point is? (Sevarg)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Sevarg* »_If someone hits you because they see your brake lights went off, but your car hasn't moved, they're a freaking idiot, and hopefully you have insurance. 


The vast amount of my driving for decades has been with manual transmissions and I rarely leave my foot on the brake when stopped -- never had a problem.


----------



## Boosted2003! (Mar 10, 2009)

*Re: Auto-Hold --- And the point is? (Sevarg)*

Agreed on the idiot part!!!


----------



## lasvegasjunkie (Jan 27, 2001)

*Re: Auto-Hold --- And the point is? (Veedubin02)*

I use the autohold from the point of view of getting a bit longer life out of the clutch. Starting uphill and using the friction zone of the clutch to keep the car from rolling back will wear the clutch out a bit faster in a hilly area. Since my car has the autohold, I might as well take advantage of this feature. I think my 2007 Passat's clutch actually feels much tighter/like new after 3 years compared to the previous manual transmission cars I had without the autohold.


----------



## Romeo Chi (Jun 23, 2005)

*Re: Auto-Hold --- And the point is? (lasvegasjunkie)*

I use my auto hold for all the reasons mentioned above. Drive thru, stop lights, but the place that it is most beneficial is in crowded parking garages. When you are stopped on an incline and your car behaves just like a manual where it creeps backward as soon as you let off the brake. Orlando has a lot of tourist places that auto hold works great in. 
I like it the most when I am at a stop light and the light turns green. The person behind you is least likely to tail gate you when they cannot judge your timing by your brake lights.


----------



## Pelican18TQA4 (Dec 13, 2000)

*Re: Auto-Hold --- And the point is? (Romeo Chi)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Romeo Chi* »_I like it the most when I am at a stop light and the light turns green. The person behind you is least likely to tail gate you when they cannot judge your timing by your brake lights. 

Amen to that! Here in the northeast, every stop light is a race and as soon as you take your foot off the brake, the person behind is up your a$$ like a hemorrhoid. Heck, I swear I've been almost rear-ended countless times on the 1-2 shift! I loved the autohold on my mom's former B6 Passat. Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't auto hold apply the parking brake after a certain amount of time?


----------



## PaulQ (Sep 10, 2007)

*Re: Auto-Hold --- And the point is? (PaulQ)*

Whoa! When I originally posted this question, I should have pointed out that I have the DSG transmission.
I appreciate all the answers...
However, I am noticing for the first time in my 2 weeks of ownership that the car rolls backwards when in DRIVE ?? Is this just my imagination? I thought an automatic doesn't allow that.


----------



## Romeo Chi (Jun 23, 2005)

*Re: Auto-Hold --- And the point is? (PaulQ)*


_Quote, originally posted by *PaulQ* »_
However, I am noticing for the first time in my 2 weeks of ownership that the car rolls backwards when in DRIVE ?? Is this just my imagination? I thought an automatic doesn't allow that.

Yeah, that's the whole reason for the auto-hold system in the first place.








DSG acts essentially like a manual tranny, without a clutch pedal.


----------



## PaulQ (Sep 10, 2007)

*Re: Auto-Hold --- And the point is? (Romeo Chi)*

I thought it was aimed at manual transmissions. Now I wonder why you would ever turn it OFF. It seems to help in that momentary period when you take your foot off the brake and move it to the gas.
I am still not a fan of taking your foot off the brake to sit at a light with auto-hold holding the car. I know there have been dissenting opinions here in this thread though.


----------



## angelico (Jul 12, 2008)

*Re: FV-QR (crazywayne311)*


_Quote, originally posted by *crazywayne311* »_
speaking on how you might get hit b/c of no brake lights on...i normally keep my foot on the brake til a car pulls up behind me then i go in N and no brakes. especially after the bad accident i was in

^^^^Strongly agree http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif other people are idiots so you need to protect yourself. Part of why I also think Scandanavian DRL are good idea.


----------



## PaulQ (Sep 10, 2007)

*Re: FV-QR (angelico)*


_Quote, originally posted by *angelico* »_
^^^^Strongly agree http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif other people are idiots so you need to protect yourself. Part of why I also think Scandanavian DRL are good idea.


Scandanavian DRLs?


----------



## chapin04 (Apr 5, 2010)

*Re: Auto-Hold --- And the point is? (PaulQ)*

i use it so i can reach back and smack my kids when theryre acting up


----------



## jpbran (May 18, 2008)

*Re: Auto-Hold --- And the point is? (chapin04)*

I have a VERY short and steep driveway... If I'm parked there and have decided not to go anywhere and just want to put it in the garage for the night, I'll get in and engage the autohold before accelerating up the rest of the driveway into the garage. Every other car (non auto hold) I've done it with rolls backwards then lurches forward... With the DGS and auto hold, it senses the gas pedal, disengages, and I move the last 15 feet or so without a glitch.


----------

