In my Passat the electronic handbrake will come on every time you switch off the engine.

 

In the Superb I put the car in Park (DSG), turn off the ignition and sometimes the handbrake does not come on, other times it does.  I have not yet figured out what criteria have to be met for the handbrake to engage automatically, but I would like it to do so whenever the car is switched off, which it doesn't seem to be doing.

 

Can any advise if I am doing something in the wrong sequence, am I missing something?

I have 'Auto-Hold' on at all times and that switches the service brake (green symbol) to the parking brake (red symbol) whenever I kill the engine in 'P'.  You should hear the motor drive whine for a few seconds as the engine stops and the ignition is switched off.

1 hour ago, Steviedakota said:

In my Passat the electronic handbrake will come on every time you switch off the engine.

 

In the Superb I put the car in Park (DSG), turn off the ignition and sometimes the handbrake does not come on, other times it does.  I have not yet figured out what criteria have to be met for the handbrake to engage automatically, but I would like it to do so whenever the car is switched off, which it doesn't seem to be doing.

 

Can any advise if I am doing something in the wrong sequence, am I missing something?

As @FelisBengalensis says, you need Auto-Hold enabled before you turn off the engine. Mine is virtually permanently on and I only turn it off when inching forward/backward in tight spaces but immediately turn it back on before switching off the engine.

 

A brand new car will arrive with Auto-Hold disabled and you need to turn it on for the first few times. Once you've done this after about three separate occasions it will start to remember the last used on/off status.

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In my Passat the electronic handbrake will come on every time you switch off the engine.

 

There were scenarios on my Passat CC whereby the parking brake did not auto-engage after switching off the ignition because auto-hold had been overridden. One example I can think of is taking off your seat belt before you turn off the ignition which stops auto-hold engaging and therefore the electronic handbrake is not applied when you turn off the ignition.

 

Once had it do this and I hadn't noticed and I started to get out of the car and it started to roll backwards!

Thanks folk, I'll try the auto hold thing to make sure the handbrake comes on when parked.  I have noticed the auto hold applies quite a bit of resistance before releasing when pulling away, so you can get a bit of jerk, so was happy to leave it off. Will try it again.

Auto hold applies enough pressure according to your pressure on the brake pedal as you stop, ifmovemeng is detected more brake pressure is applied,  so gentle stop and less likely to feel much as you move off,  maybe try the difference.  And read the owners manual on when auto hold them goes to parking brake when you unbuckle,  open drivers door etc. 

23 hours ago, Steviedakota said:

In my Passat the electronic handbrake will come on every time you switch off the engine.

 

In the Superb I put the car in Park (DSG), turn off the ignition and sometimes the handbrake does not come on, other times it does.  I have not yet figured out what criteria have to be met for the handbrake to engage automatically, but I would like it to do so whenever the car is switched off, which it doesn't seem to be doing.

 

Can any advise if I am doing something in the wrong sequence, am I missing something?

I park my Superb in the garage, I never apply the electronic handbrake, just put the DSG in park, switch off the ignition and withdraw the key, handbrake remains off even when opening the driver door.

I have always done this with my previous Autos, no need to apply the handbrake in the garage on level ground, just my personal preference.