Handbrake

Chat about your 2018+ AW/BZ model Polos here!
Adam_013
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Re: Handbrake

Post by Adam_013 »

Possible... Can't say I checked before I had the seatbelt done

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Adam_013
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Re: Handbrake

Post by Adam_013 »

I suppose they use the same handbrake lever and this same cable locking mechanism in both setups - would seem silly not too. Therefore I assume it covers all Polos.

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blackertracker
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Re: Handbrake

Post by blackertracker »

Adam_013 wrote: Thu Feb 14, 2019 6:45 pm My car comes up OK on the VW recall bit on the website.

Its on rear drums.

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Your car is showing an outstanding recall on the DVSA database.

The first link I provided shows the VIN range affected, so you can check manually if your car is affected too.
Adam_013
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Re: Handbrake

Post by Adam_013 »

blackertracker wrote:
Adam_013 wrote: Thu Feb 14, 2019 6:45 pm My car comes up OK on the VW recall bit on the website.

Its on rear drums.

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Your car is showing an outstanding recall on the DVSA database.

The first link I provided shows the VIN range affected, so you can check manually if your car is affected too.
Yeah, I checked and thought I posted, must've got cancelled by my other one... Oh well.

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andyxxx
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Re: Handbrake

Post by andyxxx »

Update:

My Polo went to a different VW main dealer who adjusted the handbrake again and cleaned the breaks (drums?) It has made it slightly better, but not as good as it should be – My daughter can now get it to hold on most hills - but often needing both hands to pull it on!!!

VW Customer services are pretty useless.

We have decided to keep the car but will not purchase a VW - ever again.
Andy Beats
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Re: Handbrake

Post by Andy Beats »

andyxxx wrote: Wed Feb 27, 2019 10:23 am Update:

My Polo went to a different VW main dealer who adjusted the handbrake again and cleaned the breaks (drums?) It has made it slightly better, but not as good as it should be – My daughter can now get it to hold on most hills - but often needing both hands to pull it on!!!

VW Customer services are pretty useless.

We have decided to keep the car but will not purchase a VW - ever again.
I still think your complaint is unfair when the car has hill-hold....
If your complaint was the handbrake didn't hold the car when parked, fair enough.
But complaining it needs two hands to pull it on during driving, when there's no need to touch it at all during driving, is unfair IMO
blackertracker
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Re: Handbrake

Post by blackertracker »

andyxxx wrote: Wed Feb 27, 2019 10:23 am Update:

My Polo went to a different VW main dealer who adjusted the handbrake again and cleaned the breaks (drums?) It has made it slightly better, but not as good as it should be – My daughter can now get it to hold on most hills - but often needing both hands to pull it on!!!

VW Customer services are pretty useless.

We have decided to keep the car but will not purchase a VW - ever again.
But did they perform the recall work?

https://www.dft.gov.uk/vosa/apps/recall ... =Blank&tx=
andyxxx
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Re: Handbrake

Post by andyxxx »

Andy Beats wrote: Wed Feb 27, 2019 10:30 am
andyxxx wrote: Wed Feb 27, 2019 10:23 am Update:

My Polo went to a different VW main dealer who adjusted the handbrake again and cleaned the breaks (drums?) It has made it slightly better, but not as good as it should be – My daughter can now get it to hold on most hills - but often needing both hands to pull it on!!!

VW Customer services are pretty useless.

We have decided to keep the car but will not purchase a VW - ever again.
I still think your complaint is unfair when the car has hill-hold....
If your complaint was the handbrake didn't hold the car when parked, fair enough.
But complaining it needs two hands to pull it on during driving, when there's no need to touch it at all during driving, is unfair IMO
My complaint is indeed that the car will not hold on all hills when parked or being driven.
MilgeS
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Re: Handbrake

Post by MilgeS »

Andy Beats wrote: Wed Feb 27, 2019 10:30 am
andyxxx wrote: Wed Feb 27, 2019 10:23 am Update:

My Polo went to a different VW main dealer who adjusted the handbrake again and cleaned the breaks (drums?) It has made it slightly better, but not as good as it should be – My daughter can now get it to hold on most hills - but often needing both hands to pull it on!!!

VW Customer services are pretty useless.

We have decided to keep the car but will not purchase a VW - ever again.
I still think your complaint is unfair when the car has hill-hold....
If your complaint was the handbrake didn't hold the car when parked, fair enough.
But complaining it needs two hands to pull it on during driving, when there's no need to touch it at all during driving, is unfair IMO
I still say the hill hold is there only to assist you, same as auto lights and wipers, not a replacement for these controls/functions. You still have to put headlights on manually sometimes and still have to use wipers manually if you find the auto doesn't wipe to your satisfaction, no different to using the handbrake when you feel you need it. Light's wipers and handbrake are all possible fails at MOT, hill hold or auto lights/wipers (probably) aren't, so the handbrake should hold your car still when on a hill.
Andy Beats
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Re: Handbrake

Post by Andy Beats »

MilgeS wrote: Wed Feb 27, 2019 7:57 pm I still say the hill hold is there only to assist you, same as auto lights and wipers, not a replacement for these controls/functions. You still have to put headlights on manually sometimes and still have to use wipers manually if you find the auto doesn't wipe to your satisfaction, no different to using the handbrake when you feel you need it. Light's wipers and handbrake are all possible fails at MOT, hill hold or auto lights/wipers (probably) aren't, so the handbrake should hold your car still when on a hill.
The difference with auto lights and auto wipers is that they can be 'caught out' by certain scenarios.
Like fog, for instance.
Hill hold can't be 'caught out' by scenarios, it works as it should all the time.
I agree the handbrake should work well as a parking brake though, no argument there.
Just don't understand why anyone would give themselves the hassle of using a handbrake they clearly have issues with in normal driving.
If people find the stop/start a pain, they switch it off.
So if you find the handbrake a pain, use the hill-start..... :?:
Last edited by Andy Beats on Thu Feb 28, 2019 10:23 am, edited 1 time in total.
roywolfey
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Re: Handbrake

Post by roywolfey »

My Car is in for it's first oil service today. I mentioned the 'graunchy' handbrake operation, and they are replacing the handbrake cables under warranty.
Adam_013
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Re: Handbrake

Post by Adam_013 »

roywolfey wrote:My Car is in for it's first oil service today. I mentioned the 'graunchy' handbrake operation, and they are replacing the handbrake cables under warranty.
They did the same for me.

However it's since come back [emoji107]

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MilgeS
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Re: Handbrake

Post by MilgeS »

So if you find the handbrake a pain, use the hill-start..... :?:
[/quote]
Ky word there is "if", nobody is complaining they find the handbrake a pain because they don't need it, they're saying they want it to work!! :-)
Gridgway
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Re: Handbrake

Post by Gridgway »

Hi, new round here having just picked up my 2019 drum braked Polo from a VW dealer. Having the same issue with the handbrake, doesn't hold and very crunchy to apply. Booked back in to review. If I get anything other than "new cables fitted". I'll be rejecting it.

I also have an ancillary problem. When I come to a stop on the level at lights, put the handbrake on and take my foot off the brake, the revs rise, the front of the car comes up and the car strains to pull away. With the dodgy handbrake it succeeds. Hopefully with the handbrake fixed, it won't be able to pull away, but will still be straining to get going as it were.

I have tested this with stop/start disabled. With stop start enabled. Come to a stop, car stops, take foot off brake, car starts and strains to pull away at the higher revs. Now the revs are not massive. Ticks over at 1000, revs rise to 1200, but it's enough to make it want to go.

Now I can work round it as I left foot brake, but my wife can't as easily work round it as she stops, puts the handbrake on and takes her foot off the foot brake.

Does anyone else recognise the revs rising and the car pulling away trait? Is it a part of hill hold in some way?

If we can get the handbrake fixed, then probably we can work around it as has been debated earlier in the thread - just don't use the handbrake in normal driving, just when it's parked but I'd rather it just worked a bit better!
SRGTD
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Re: Handbrake

Post by SRGTD »

Gridgway wrote: Wed Jan 25, 2023 12:04 pm Hi, new round here having just picked up my 2019 drum braked Polo from a VW dealer. Having the same issue with the handbrake, doesn't hold and very crunchy to apply. Booked back in to review. If I get anything other than "new cables fitted". I'll be rejecting it.

I also have an ancillary problem. When I come to a stop on the level at lights, put the handbrake on and take my foot off the brake, the revs rise, the front of the car comes up and the car strains to pull away. With the dodgy handbrake it succeeds. Hopefully with the handbrake fixed, it won't be able to pull away, but will still be straining to get going as it were.

I have tested this with stop/start disabled. With stop start enabled. Come to a stop, car stops, take foot off brake, car starts and strains to pull away at the higher revs. Now the revs are not massive. Ticks over at 1000, revs rise to 1200, but it's enough to make it want to go.

Now I can work round it as I left foot brake, but my wife can't as easily work round it as she stops, puts the handbrake on and takes her foot off the foot brake.

Does anyone else recognise the revs rising and the car pulling away trait? Is it a part of hill hold in some way?

If we can get the handbrake fixed, then probably we can work around it as has been debated earlier in the thread - just don't use the handbrake in normal driving, just when it's parked but I'd rather it just worked a bit better!
I see from your signature details that your car’s got DSG transmission. Maybe a silly question (and apologies for asking it) but when you’ve come to a stop, applied the handbrake and taken your foot off the brake pedal, do you still have the DSG selector lever in ‘D’? If yes, then the car will naturally try to pull away against the resistance of the handbrake being applied.

My car has DSG and when I come to a stop while driving, I don’t apply the handbrake - I just keep my foot on the brake pedal which disengages the clutches in the DSG (I only apply the handbrake when parking). If your preference is to use the handbrake when coming to a stop, then ensure the DSG selector is also moved to ‘N’ (neutral) to stop the car trying to move forward against the handbrake.
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