[Darthblader]

Hi, not yet bought into the Tiguan world, still deep into my pre-purchase homework. Bought a house in deepest, darkest East Devon/Dorset (right on the border) and need something in the winter to cope with the very steep and rutted drive to our home, plus the usual winter conditions I'm likely to encounter - poor, narrow roads, ice, mud etc etc.

I'm homing in on a pre-owned, AWD diesel, manual gearbox, trim level undecided, but I think it will be on 18" wheels and all season tyres. Mk2 most likely but not discounted a low mileage Mk1.

One feature of the car that confuses me is Hill Start Assist. How does this differ from Auto Hold? I see that some cars are shown as having both. Is this right? Do I need Hill Assist? Is Hill assist on Mk2 only or was it an option on Mk1 as well? Could someone give me a "Hill Start Assist/Auto Hold for Dummies" tutorial, please.

Climbing up the very steep drive from the house, I have a blind right hand turn onto a small road. Without Hill Assist/Auto Hold there's a fair amount of clutch/throttle hill start juggling before pulling away. I'm assuming one or the other (or both!) would be desirable.

Help!!

And thanks.

 

[CNC]

The Tiguan is fitted with 'Auto Hold' which automatically applies all four brakes for a period of time, when that time is up it then puts the hand brake on instead. You can remove your foot from the foot brake at all times once you have come to a stop - just make sure you have pressed the 'Auto Hold' button first beside the driver to activate the function. Auto hold applies to the brakes on each wheel, the handbrake only to the rear wheels.

Go try it on Cobb Road if you get a Tiguan!

'Hill hold' is no longer fitted on VW's with an electronic hand brake but it is on VW models with a conventional manual hand brake. If you stop on a hill and do not apply the manual hand brake, when you remove your foot from the brake the pedal pressure is not released for about 3 further seconds which gives you time to pull away.

Hill start assist is often mistaken as another name for auto hold but they are different features on different models. You do not get auto hold and hill start assist on the same car, it is either one or the other.

It sounds like a 4Motion would be ideal for you, I have a 2wd as I have no need for AWD. Certainly consider a DSG as no accelerator/clutch juggling required.

This may help https://www.tiguanforums.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=5956

 

[Darthblader]

Thanks for that, very helpful.

 

[xtrailman]

I wouldn't waste my time with a manual version go Dsg and 4 motion, most dsg come with 7 speeds and hill starts couldn't be easier.

 

[Tubemonster]

I wouldn't waste my time with a manual version go Dsg and 4 motion, most dsg come with 7 speeds and hill starts couldn't be easier.

Totally agree PLUS you can use the "flappy paddles" when you fancy a bit of "manual" driving. (Also handy downhill when towing)

 

[Darthblader]

This is what confuses me, a used Tiguan at a VW dealer, and the spec states both Hill Hold Control and Electronic Parking Brake with Auto Hold, or is Hill Hold Control for when descending a hill? :?

 

[mrew42]

I've never seen any reference in any Tig brochure or on the VW Tig site of "Hill Hold Control" (happy to be corrected)
Auto Hold will do what you want though.
Hill descent? This from the VW site
https://www.volkswagen.co.uk/technology/transmissions-and-drivetrains/4motion

4MOTION on the Tiguan
Electronically controlled 4MOTION is an option on the Tiguan1. The off-road drive mode offers all-terrain capability at the push of a button. This instantly switches on a group of advanced off-road technologies which work together to give you safer control over rough ground.

• The hill descent assist lets you drive down steep slopes safely by actively braking all 4 wheels using the ESP hydraulics
  
  The Electronic Differential Lock is adjusted to counteract slip earlier
  
  The ABS is adjusted to give better braking on loose ground
  
  Gear pre-selection gives optimum engine braking (on automatic gearboxes)
  
  The accelerator pedal is adjusted for finer control of torque in low gears
  
  The parking brake auto-release helps to reduce clutch wear in hill starts.

 

[Rory]

Hill Hold and autohold both hold the brakes on but hillhold lets them go after a few seconds whereas autohold should hold them on until you start to release the clutch and press the accellerator at the same time.

I say "should" as you regularly see comments where people say it doesn't work as expected. You have to be pretty positive with it or it's easy to find it's released, you didn't go and the car starts rolling back. Or you start to go, then suddenly see a car coming and stamp on the brakes then the car won't move (as it's autoholding) unless you take positive action - you can't just roll back (maybe a good thing if there's someone behind you!). Is some situation it might be better to turn autohold off and use the electric handbrake manually - just hold the lever up to keep it on, then release when you want to go, exactly like a 'normal' handbrake.

I guess you get used to it but I'm very cautious driving daughter's Ateca - I've found she has no idea what's happening and she just lets the car do its own thing. She had a Golf before for 7 years with hillhold and she had no idea it had it (I only found out as it wouldn't roll down her drive then suddenly let go).

On our DSG Tiguan we have autohold turned off - it's a nonsense in a car with an auto gearbox, you just hold the car with your left foot on the footbrake. I felt it was slow to release so the car was starting from rest with a 'thunk' all the time, and it's supposed to be bad for the DSG clutches.

 

[Tricky]

Certainly with the mk1's Hill hold was there but over ridden by autohold. If I turn off autohold I still have hill hold. Maybe whoever wrote this assumed this was still the case.

 

[xtrailman]

Hill Hold and autohold both hold the brakes on but hillhold lets them go after a few seconds whereas autohold should hold them on until you start to release the clutch and press the accellerator at the same time.

I say "should" as you regularly see comments where people say it doesn't work as expected. You have to be pretty positive with it or it's easy to find it's released, you didn't go and the car starts rolling back. Or you start to go, then suddenly see a car coming and stamp on the brakes then the car won't move (as it's autoholding) unless you take positive action - you can't just roll back (maybe a good thing if there's someone behind you!). Is some situation it might be better to turn autohold off and use the electric handbrake manually - just hold the lever up to keep it on, then release when you want to go, exactly like a 'normal' handbrake.

I guess you get used to it but I'm very cautious driving daughter's Ateca - I've found she has no idea what's happening and she just lets the car do its own thing. She had a Golf before for 7 years with hillhold and she had no idea it had it (I only found out as it wouldn't roll down her drive then suddenly let go).

On our DSG Tiguan we have autohold turned off - it's a nonsense in a car with an auto gearbox, you just hold the car with your left foot on the footbrake. I felt it was slow to release so the car was starting from rest with a 'thunk' all the time, and it's supposed to be bad for the DSG clutches.

A DSG needs auto hold or the car will roll, its not like a TC auto which will hold on the box.

 

[teefster]

I'm still getting used to my first electronic handbrake and manual box. Encountered some stop-start traffic on steep hills at the weekend, and I missed having full control - to the amusement of my passengers. My left hand keeps reaching for something that's not there.

 

[Chris]

Wait until you are used to using no handbrake and drive a car with one!