Auto Hold Not Releasing

[AviationNut]

I know this has been highlighted a number of times with various models on the forums but don’t seem to be able to find a fix other than ‘take it back to the dealer’ and 'no fault found'.

From new last April, my Auto Hold (not hill hold) has been temperamental, quite often it does not want to release. The last couple of days it’s been hopeless. At traffic lights this morning I went to move off and the car wouldn’t budge. An impatient  van behind, nearly went into the back of me! For now I’ve turned it off before there's an accident!

Anyone had issues with the Auto Hold on their Octavia Mk 4?

The niggling faults on this car are unbelievable. I have a list for the dealer!

All the best,

Chris

[TheUltraRunner]

I don't use it on mine. It's turned off since the day I got the car. Not just on this forum, also in the German FB group a few owners reported this issue. As far as I remember all took their cars to the dealer who was able to fix the issue.

[Skodamias]

I had a similar problem with my 2021 estate octavia. A software fix took care of the problem. The fix has been available from early summer i think. 

[AviationNut]

Thanks for the replies. Reading Skodamias's comment I'll ring the dealer tomorrow. Auto Hold was totally unusable driving home tonight. They can look at this and the spurious failed right-hand DRL warning I'm getting.

Thanks guys.

[awahwah]

When I had my mk4 it also had Auto Hold problems. The software (believe to the abs module) was carried out but alas did not fully fix mine. 
 

Auto hold was one of the reasons my mk4 went back. The auto hold in my replacement Superb works without fault. You’d of thought the systems would not be a million miles apart but…

[AviationNut]

Well, Auto Hold has not worked at all for two days now so I called the dealer to book it in (also for the poor paint job mentioned on a previous post).

 

Unbelievably it started to work again this morning!!!!. Should I not be surprised?

 

Oh the joys of motoring. 

[TheUltraRunner]

They have fixed it remotely without you even knowing. 

[Skodamias]

I had the problem come and go until they finally fixed it. So it can start functioning for a while and the come back.

[MCG1975]

Mine started to have issues about 3 weeks ago after being faultless before (had car since December 2020) with the brakes groaning quite loudly at times before releasing.  Wasn't 100% of the time.

 

Have been on holiday for a fortnight so car not used much, and now seems OK!  Typical, as have booked car in for a few issues, this amongst them...!

[sdolenec]

They will do FW update of brake component and problem regarding not releasing will be gone.. Had the same issue..

[AviationNut]

So, went to the dealer this afternoon for this issue and an issue with the paint (subject of another post). The Technician took the car for a run and.........couldn't fault it. I went out with him and same result, although the brakes did seem did seem to bind now and again when taking up drive. He mentioned that no fault codes came up so nothing to go on. Also they were not aware of any Software fix as mentioned earlier in this post. To cap it all the auto hold stuck on again twice within a few miles after leaving the dealer. Not impressed at all especially after they stated there was no Software fix. The Technician's method of clutch control etc. Was no different to  mine. I'll wait until it goes in for the paint fix and get them to look again. My last two Skodas with auto hold had no problems at all.

[Skodamias]

That is strange. I had an identical issue and i was told by the dealer that it is a known issue and that there would be a software fix for it. The fix came  eventually and was applied to my car and i haven't had the issue since.

[AviationNut]

Just returned from four nights away with the caravan in the Peak District. Car ran fine. Only issue was the blasted Auto Hold. Intermittent all the time. Peak District isn't the flattest part of the world so would be handy to have it serviceable. Turned it off and used the Park Brake (Hope the  EPB actuators are up to the job long term). I'll try speaking to another dealer and see what answers I get on Software updates etc.

Managed to get just over 40mpg on the info screen whilst towing the van (engine is a 2.0 TDI) so happy with that, never had more than 32 mpg out of any tow car in the 28 years we've been caravaning.

[Matt_130]

Any update on this topic? I have the same problem since a week or two and is quite frustrating. Engine can stall and brakes does this cracking noise and then it releases and car jumps forward. It randomly happens...

[BNB90]

I've had the same issue which the dealer can't diagnose...told I might not be using enough accelerator which clearly isn't the issue. The work around I've found is to put foot back on the brake and then it'll release (auto box). I've honestly lost interest in arguing with the dealership about the various issues now. 

[Matt_130]

14 hours ago, BNB90 said:

I've had the same issue which the dealer can't diagnose...told I might not be using enough accelerator which clearly isn't the issue. The work around I've found is to put foot back on the brake and then it'll release (auto box). I've honestly lost interest in arguing with the dealership about the various issues now. 

Yeah I get you. Mine is a company car so not hit directly by all these annoying problems. One thing is for sure: this series of Octavia cannot repeat the success of the older models. There are so many minor bugs which completely kills the user experience.

Back to the topic it seems if I press hard on the brake pedal it kind of solves the issue.

[mr44]

Or just simply don’t buy a car from 2020-2021 where ppl were allowed to “work” from home and manufacturers accepted “plastic as an alternative of steel”. 🤷🏻‍♂️

 

These aren’t unique “Octavia” problems here. If you know what I mean.

[SkOmk4]

2 hours ago, Matt_130 said:

it seems if I press hard on the brake pedal it kind of solves the issue

Did you contact the dealership?
According to @Skodamias there was a software fix for this problem. His car is a 2021, yours being a 2020 I'm guessing it has an older software.

[Skodamias]

Hello, 

 

i had a similar problem and i was initially told that this was due to a faulty glutch pedal sensor (no idea what the official term would be). It was replaced but that did not help. Then in June (or april) a software fix was installed to my car and it sorted the problem. Haven't had any issues since. 

[jjm_vrs]

I had this issue, with the auto-hold assist and epb not releasing.  This was immediately after my car had the clutch replaced (manual) and I was told the problem was the ABS control unit, which was replaced.  This was also they reason they gave for the initial clutch issue, although I am at a loss as to how an ABS control unit can cause clutch errors.  No mention of a software update, although I did get one a couple of month ago which included a handbrake update (Campaign 69BN).

[AviationNut]

Don't want to tempt fate but since last October (a month after I took the car into the dealer) the Auto Hold has been working OK. Also the park brake has been auto releasing as I would expect it to, which has never happened since I took delivery in April 2021.

Very strange. 

 

 

 

[xerces8]

On 10/08/2021 at 21:55, awahwah said:

Auto hold was one of the reasons my mk4 went back. The auto hold in my replacement Superb works without fault. You’d of thought the systems would not be a million miles apart but…

What other reasons did you have? Did you get your money back or took a Superb (I guess you had to pay the price difference) ?

 

 

On 05/01/2022 at 20:14, BNB90 said:

I've had the same issue which the dealer can't diagnose...told I might not be using enough accelerator which clearly isn't the issue. 

Ha, they told me the same. But they fixed it (can't be sure, since I barely drive it since then).  It should (and does so, before the issues started and later when fixed) release the brake when you release the clutch, even if you are not even touching the gas pedal.

 

This started happening after 6 months. Then they repaired it.

 

If you have this problem, try to record it on video. I do that for every problem, since they happen every now and then, so they usually don't happen when they test the car.

Edited 10 January, 2022 by xerces8

[Cezar Anghel]

does this video fits the issue discussed here ?

 

 

[xerces8]

On 11/01/2022 at 13:48, Cezar Anghel said:

does this video fits the issue discussed here ?

 

 

Hard to say.

For me it was the parking brake not releasing at all. Like if you had a manual brake and forgot to release it. You can not start, or you can, but you will drag the rear wheels blocked.

 

Note, if not mentioned earlier: the same thing happens (at least with my car) with the automatic stop brake (it holds the brakes when you stop at intersections and similar; the same symbol light turns on as for the parking brake, but green; the parking brake symbol is red). That is: it will engage when I stop at intersection, and will not release when trying to move on.

 

The workaround is to stop, press the brake, put gear into neutral, and then try again. (for the parking brake, I guess it can also be released manually with the parking brake button/lever).

 

Also: this does not happen every time, but like every fifth time or so. Randomly.

[Ed_UK]

I had the same problem on my Audi A6 - auto-release was unreliable. After it was totalled, I bought the Octavia because it was one of the few cars available which did not have the cursed electric brake. Now, I'm saddened to see that the newest incarnation boasts the EPB.

On my previous cars, a traditional mech handbrake had saved me a couple of times. On a steep & slippery downhill, the footbrake only locked up all the wheels. Only gentle use of the handbrake got me down safely, while retaining the steering. The on/off EPB could not have done this, and my car would have been wrecked, along with several others.

Electric parking brake? No thanks.