V70 R Design.......Electric Handbrake problems...

[amr2]

I have an 09 plate 2.0D V70 R Design (manual) and thoroughly enjoy it....except for one thing.

The bloody handbrake!

Does anyone else have any experience of this stupid idea or is there a fault with mine?

Setting the brake is no problem....just press the under-dash button and the servo's take over and set the handbrake. All well and good.

However, moving off is a different matter.

If you want to reach under the dash again and pull the button back and at the same time press the brake pedal and let the clutch up and at the same time accelerate smoothly away, that is fine, but a little tricky if you haven't mastered heel and toeing...

I was told when I bought the car new from the Volvo dealership that it should automatically sense the car moving forward and unset without any driver input, but mine certainly does not.

I have had it back in the dealers now 3 times, the software has been up-dated but they will not accept that there is a problem...

By the way, I have been driving for 40 years,am a class 1 advanced driver, am reasonably mechanically minded and believe that I have a fair ability at driving.

Are they all like this?

I have read the handbook from cover to cover and do not see that I am doing anything wrong!

Anyone with any ideas?

PLEASE.................

Edited by amr2 on Saturday 1st May 17:29

[F i F]

No, they are a bh, I hate them, and resort to heel and toe. Drive new model V70 as little as possible, which isn't hard as they are being phased out on our fleet.

For ages the flappy paddle / button / doobry wossname (technical term) seemed to operate the wrong way round to me, or maybe it was me just being confused. I was pushing when I should have been pulling. I don't recall any of them doing this alleged automatic disengage malarkey either. Sounds a bit dangerous to me.

Also I had trouble with starting it from time to time. Again maybe it was me being a numpty, but I'd get a "press the clutch" message, then when I'd thought that I'd figured out what it wanted then I'd get a "Put handbrake on" and even a "Push the brake pedal" message.

What the frick is wrong with a normal handbrake lever?

[amr2]

F I F

Thanks......I feel better now!

I can't believe that this system has been passed as adequate and safe!

Surely it must be a fault?

I think I will simply hound the Dealer until he gets someone in from Volvo for me to scream at...

I've got this for another 3 years.......................

[ad551]

Ask to see the technician and take him out for a drive, demonstrating the problem you are having. It may be the case that you're doing things slightly differently to the way Volvo has programmed the car to respond to and so it doesn't release the handbrake when you expect it to.

[Clin]

We have just bought 67 plate xc60 and are experiencing the same problem.

Auto park brake failing to hold the car before pulling away! While on a hill it realise the brake before it finds the biting point. causing roll back.

Heal and toe is not good for the clutch.

Plus I thought the auto brake was there so you don't have to heal and toe to gain control.

Also this does not install trust doing this on a steep gradient while at a busy junction. It's all to clear in this situation the hand brake is not adequate and an accident waiting to happen.

One point worth mentioning if this happened on you a driving test it would be marked as a minor for failing to move off under control.

Awaiting inspection to see if this is a design fault or something that need servicing. Will up date on their verdict!

Edited by Clin on Sunday 16th September 19:19