Handbrake Failure?

[concam]

Originally Posted by Badger61

Why would you not leave a vehicle in gear if you parked on a hill???? Sounds like another failure of the operator to me.

Badger 61 & A8 Tech, your defensive of the Audi brand is admirable, before I proceed further allow me to list the cars I run at the minute which are as follows; A Land Rover Discovery 3 54 plate owned from new, a Porsche Cayman s 07 plate and an Audi A3 07 plate.

I would expect niggles with all cars with the possible exception of Porsche and a handful of Japanese, however what I would not expect is a main safety component part to fail so catastrophically as it did on the Audi A3.

Allow me to remind you both the car was not even three weeks old, it had been parked and held on the handbrake for at least 30mins before deciding to release itself.

Yes we can go on forever about the fact the driver didn't leave the car in gear but you are missing the fundamental point!! Any handbrake should always remain capable of supporting the weight of the car otherwise what is it's use?? Would it's failure to do so actually not lead to it failing an MOT?? or are you suggesting that if when driving any manual car if it is required to come to a halt on a gradient we all just sit there on the clutch and throttle??? Surely not??

The fact is an A3 Audi handbrake failed and it is not the 1st, check out this forum and to boot the same quality product ships water into the drivers footwell when it rains heavy.....

Sorry Badger and Tech there is no defense and attempting to blame the drivers of these Audi's involved in these instances or claiming never to have encountered a handbrake failure is definitely no defense...

[a8 tech]

German_Army_Surrender.jpgOK I GET THE POINT BUT STILL NOT HAD ANY COMPLAINTS.Regards Jon (i hope no one takes any offense at the photo as this is not its intention)

[Badger61]

The Cayman Club - lemon help

"I bought my car from manhattan motorcars. It was a leftover 06 CS.. 13 miles on the odometer. On the way home about 20 miles into my drive to delaware the check engine light went on. I've had it at the dealership twice and it keeps coming back on. The highbeams were also flickering when turned on.. My car makes a funny noise when I make a left hand turn..

I took it to brandwine porsche. They put me in an enterprise POS rental car. I'm pretty frustrated.. I absolutely love my car..I've owned primarily Audi's in the past and never had a problem like this. At least when something was wrong with the car they didn't put me in a ford focus."

[concam]

Badger, the Cayman s like almost every other new model launch from any manufacturer has had it issues (hence I didn't purchase one for 18 months)....the discovery 3 54 plate I drive has been back to the dealer some 14 times suspension failure x3, numerous electrical faults, excessive tyre wear etc etc... as annoying as this fact is I took a chance like everyone does (perhaps some unknowingly) when keen to own a new model and anyone doing this should expect issues..... However what is not acceptable and is completely inexcusable is when an established and proven model, as the A3 undoubtedly is, that has been around for donkeys years suddenly develops problems that are difficult to align with new technology.

Handbrakes failing and water coming into the drivers footwell are problems associated with old models not new models or facelifts of models that are established.

Like I commented in an earlier posting as demand for the Audi brand continues (Audi currently have the fastest growing brand name in the world) the pressure on production will increase, if standards are dropped in meeting with this demand it will return to haunt Audi.

[Investigative Journalist]

I am an investigative journalist with RTE, the Irish national TV and Radio broadcaster.

I am researching the problems some individuals have been having with the handbrakes on a range of Audi models.

I would be grateful if any of the contributors to this thread would relate their experiences to me.

My e-mail is pbh@rte.ie or you can call me directly in Dublin on 00 353 1 2082353

Thank you

Philip Boucher-Hayes
Reporter
RTE Radio Investigative Unit

[Badger61]

The problem arises when people do not pull the lever up fully or fail to follow the guidelines in the handbook regarding parking on an incline.

[concam]

1 click, 2 clicks, 3 clicks on the handbrake regardless the car held for 30mins + before the handbrake failed.

Cut and Dry, sorry and all that but on this ocassion no pilot error my friend

[Badger61]

Try 4 clicks 5 clicks or even 6 clicks and in acordance with the highway code and the handbook turn the steering into the kerb to stop the vehicle rolling away "my friend" 3 is certainly not enough , praps you need to join a gym to be able pull the handle higher. As this thread has been silent for over a month it looks like isolated cases of pilot error using only 3 clicks "concam boy"

[a8 tech]

QMZBPCANLNFHACAY39NC0CAJB2UC6CA6RUNYKCA4NMG0TCAW5MDQJCA8VZL9LCA2OYGE5CA1MHZSSCAO5GNW6CAPD7U7VCAOYKH8Still no signs at my work and we now see 90 jobs a day 22 bays.I agree with badger 3 clicks isnt much and if this vehicle was mot tested the tester would be getting on for about 6 to 10 to fully apply the handbrake.

[concam]

Originally Posted by Badger61

Try 4 clicks 5 clicks or even 6 clicks and in acordance with the highway code and the handbook turn the steering into the kerb to stop the vehicle rolling away "my friend" 3 is certainly not enough , praps you need to join a gym to be able pull the handle higher. As this thread has been silent for over a month it looks like isolated cases of pilot error using only 3 clicks "concam boy"

I'm off home to build 2no kerbs up the length of my open plan drive so I can park safely, whilst I'm at it I'll get myself some bricks to chock behind the wheels!!

HANDBRAKE FULLY APPLIED, HANDBRAKE HOLDS CAR FOR AT LEAST 30 MINS, HANDBRAKE DECIDES IT NO LONGER WANTS TO HOLD CAR AND RELEASES ITSELF, 4 CLICKS, 5 CLICKS 6 CLICKS CANT QUITE RECALL HOW MANY CLICKS WERE ENGAGED, WHAT I CAN RECALL IS THAT REGARDLESS OF THE CLICKS THE HANDBRAKE HELD THE CAR THEN GAVE UP THE GHOST!!

BEWARE !!!!!