Starting on a Hill???

[rishy]

Sorry for this possibly dumb post (I'm female so I am allowed at least one!!). Our other car is a Kia Sorrento Automatic and if the car is facing downhill and we then put it in reverse it will still hold without having to put your foot straight onto the accelerator but when we do the same with the CLK Automatic it rolls forward. The same problem applies if its facing uphill and you put it in drive mode, it doesnt hold unless you put your foot on the gas. Hubby suggests putting left foot on the brake and finding biting point with the right and hitting gas but is this right? Weve only had these 2 automatics so I dont know which is the most common?? i thought finding biting points went out with manual cars???

 

[219]

You do have a handbrake/parking brake for use in just these circumstances .

It is not good practice to rely only on the parking pawl (P on the autobox) alone when leaving the car on a slope , as all the weight of the car is being held by a small metal pin which can , and does on many makes of car , easily break .

Just as with a manual car , you can then engage drive or reverse and release the parking brake when you feel the car wanting to move .

Although I always use my left foot for braking and , as per the handbook , hold on the footbrake when engagi g drive or reverse from P or neutral , newer models such as yours inhibit use of accelerator and brake at the same time - so handbrake/parking brake is the only option for you .

Incidentally , it is only more recent model Mercs which don't hold on slopes , I imagine because of slower/weaker idling to reduce fuel consumption figures .

 

[iscaboy]

I would also say engage the parking brake when parking on the flat, everywhere except perhaps your own driveway.

The car behind or in front "nudging" you can easily break the transmission pawl.

 

[rishy]

Yes we always engage the parking brake when parked. It was the issue of it rolling and not staying stationery when we engage Drive or Reverse on the hill. I assumed that all automatics were like our Kia but maybe I have been spoilt and will have to revert back to using the parking brake AND the gear when starting on a hill.

Thanks for your replies.

 

[crockers]

Using the parking brake on a hill start is a faff in an auto...I would do as your husband advices use my left foot on the brake.

 

[rishy]

I've just spotted a previous thread about the Brake Hold Function and this is probably what I was trying to get at. Does anyone know if this will be on my 2006 CLK280 automatic? I havent had chance to read the manual yet but will try it out when I next drive it.

 

[Rory]

...newer models such as yours inhibit use of accelerator and brake at the same time -

Do they? I''ve had mine 5 years and I never use the "hand"brake and I've never noticed that the brake inhibits the gas. It does on a manual VW we have in the family, but never noticed it in my Mercedes - it would make the car extremely difficult to manoeuvre on slopes if that was the case.

I don't left foot brake, but it is normal practice to swop feet while stopped and hold the car using your left foot - after all, that's why the brake pedal is so wide.

 

[seymansey]

My C240 rolls in reverse or D, EXCEPT when in W mode when i can feel the car holding - feels almost like theres a mechanism holding the car.

Certainly with other make cars i've been able to hillhold in D but not in mine...

 

[Grahamcol]

My C240 rolls in reverse or D, EXCEPT when in W mode when i can feel the car holding - feels almost like theres a mechanism holding the car.

Certainly with other make cars i've been able to hillhold in D but not in mine...

I don't fully understand it all but my C280 when hot will roll slightly on hills in S mode but not in W mode. I believe it's something to do with a sprag clutch operating on the 2nd gear start which you get when engaging W mode

 

[MercFanUk]

my last 202 (1998 model) used to hold perfectly on an uphill slope - feet off everything, it'd just sit there, even when quite steep. Never tried in reverse/downhill though to be fair.

 

[Benzowner]

It may be what mode select you have. On my S class, if I select S mode, summer, the car will try to roll back down a hill when in drive. If I select W, winter, mode it will hold. There are a number of derevations on S & W, maybe E & S which I think was economy and sport and a few others.

 

[Toodeep]

I've just spotted a previous thread about the Brake Hold Function and this is probably what I was trying to get at. Does anyone know if this will be on my 2006 CLK280 automatic? I havent had chance to read the manual yet but will try it out when I next drive it.

Don't believe so. It's a fairly recent thing for those manufacturers that have it and Mercedes make a big deal about the feature on their most recent models suggesting it is an innovation for them. Incidentally, Hill Start Assist and the Hold function are slightly different in that the former holds the car for a second or two and only when necessary (ie uphill in D or R) while the latter is driver activated and holds the car on the flat, uphill or downhill and until the accelerator is pressed or the function is deactivated by pressing the brake again.

Since Hill Start Assist requires no driver input, you would already know if you had it and, since the two functions seem closely related in terms of technology, I'd guess Hold won't be there either. I believe SBC (Sensotronic Brake Control) equipped cars incorporated a hold function but I don't think CLKs ever had it, which I promise you should be relieved about.

The majority of non-current automatics would roll as you describe to a greater or lesser extent but I have to say I've never found it to be an insurmountable problem even with Mercs convoluted parking brake arrangement. A bit of quick and deft footwork normally does the trick. I can usually get off the footbrake and to just the right point on the accelerator to prevent roll with practice although I appreciate that having to alternate between the Kia and Merc systems won't help. As for using my left foot; it's the first thing in the car and last thing out and never gets used otherwise.

 

[Aoraki]

newer models such as yours inhibit use of accelerator and brake at the same time.

My W212 isn't like that?

 

[raymont]

When stopped facing either up or downhill my car (GL) will hold the car for about a second or so once the brakes are released. This is ample time to apply a bit of throttle and move off in a controlled fashion.

Can tell when this feature has activated as the brake peddle becomes absolutely immovable, it's like pushing on a lump ton of iron, not even a mm of movement.

Sounds like 'Hill Start Assist' as described above.

 

[renault12ts]

My old car will hold forward or in reverse with no problem. In fact I hold my foot on the brake to prevent it creeping up hill. I believe (as has been said) that it will hold in S but not in W, but I don't use W.

By the way Rishy welcome to the forum. We will not patronise you on here if you don't patronise yourself.

 

[MercFanUk]

I used to leave mine in W most of the time, seemed fine on hills