Just got my car couple of weeks ago, dealer told me putting car in Park would automatically apply handbrake, in the dealership it did, but found it hitty missy out and about, is there a setting I need to activate to allow this or was the dealer incorrect.

Yes Putting it in park does also put the handbrake on, but don't get confused with "Hill hold" which only cuts in when

you come to a stop (if it is switched on, switch just at the back of the handbrake).

  

No there is no setting for the handbrake to come on.

 

And also don't forget you don't have to take the handbrake off when you set off, as soon as you start to move off it

comes off on its own 

Whilst my car is a manual I’ve driven a couple of DSG mk4 Octavias over just shy of 9000miles. In both of those, turning off the engine automatically put the ‘box in P and applied the parking brake.

 

I didn’t have to change any settings but I think there is one in there somewhere.

Putting to Park never applied parking brake in my car. Only switching ignition off puts both in Park and on parking brake. If the button below parking brake is activated, car holds brakes whenever it is stopped, but I think it is not parking brake though.

I'm adamant that putting the car in P does NOT put the handbrake on, it just puts the gearbox into PARK, the only times that the handbrake applies is when you operate the switch or turn the ignition off.

 

I'm pretty certain that doesn't it release when you you try and pull away with it still applied.

In P the drive wheels are locked anyway.

Turn off the car or open the drivers door and the e-brake applies.

 

It is not a Hand Brake, the Parking Brake is an e-Brake.

(Also an emergency brake, but really you do not want to finger it on by mistake, or have a passenger do it. Well unless you are dead anyway at the wheel or fall asleep.)

 

'Autohold'  is not Hill hold'.       Little things matter.  

Edited 9 August, 20232 yr by toot

Turn off the car with your foot on the brake and car automatically selects Park and activates the Handbrake.

 

Really useful, just need to remember other vehicles you drive don't work the same... 🤦‍♂️

Mine selects park but not e brake if I have reversed parked 

iirc it also depends if your seatbelt is off or not.

I somehow think the ebrake will apply automatically once the gearbox is in park if the car is parked on a slope. Maybe a sensor in the gearbox?

 

At home the car is parked on the level & the ebrake is not activated when I pull away in the morning.

 

At work on a slight slope it is.

On 11/08/2023 at 02:58, mday said:

I somehow think the ebrake will apply automatically once the gearbox is in park if the car is parked on a slope. Maybe a sensor in the gearbox?

 

At home the car is parked on the level & the ebrake is not activated when I pull away in the morning.

 

At work on a slight slope it is.

I think you're right. My ebrake definitely doesn't activate automatically when shifting to Park, or turning the ignition off, or opening the door on level ground. I only leave the car in Park in the garage without the ebrake on. I have noticed it self-activate on the odd occasion though, which may well have been when parking on slopes, I'll take more notice next time when doing so.

Ah for the days of a good old manual handbrake and gearbox eh. Bloody cars these day are too complicated for their own good and this just highlights that, a whole thread about how to put the handbrake on😂

22 minutes ago, Dillers said:

Ah for the days of a good old manual handbrake and gearbox eh. Bloody cars these day are too complicated for their own good and this just highlights that, a whole thread about how to put the handbrake on😂

Yep, that's progress alright. Modern 'advancements' that create more problems than convenience!

10 hours ago, SouthernComfort said:

I think you're right. My ebrake definitely doesn't activate automatically when shifting to Park, or turning the ignition off, or opening the door on level ground. I only leave the car in Park in the garage without the ebrake on. I have noticed it self-activate on the odd occasion though, which may well have been when parking on slopes, I'll take more notice next time when doing so.

It will activate the parking brake and P automatically if you leave the shifter alone before turning the ignition off, i.e. coming to a complete stop and turning off ignition without touching anything else.

Yep noticed that too. Car will nag but ignore, open door & lock, & it'll end up automatically in park, & ebrake if required.

Sounds to me that under those circumstances, the car is taking over a shut-down sequence that the driver is failing to do i.e. secure the car before switching off. It is more instinctive to me to Stop, Hit Park, Switch Off, in that sequence.