Electric handbrake
 

I have just test driven an XC70 and found it disorientating to have the handbrake switch on the righthand side of the dashboard. I've not driven a Volvo before and all other cars I've driven have had the handbrake switch in the centre near the gear lever. Any views on this please, is it just something you get used to?
Also does the electronic handbrake have an auto hold function whereby it goes on automatically when you stop thus meaning it isn't necessary to keep putting it on using the dashboard switch. Thanks for any feedback to help my understanding.

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The VW Passat has it in the same place too. You get used to it! I've never found it a problem, although I know some do.

No auto-hold on manual's, not sure about auto's.

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VW put them on the centre console eventually and the manual models had auto hold which I think is a must. volvo should follow suit too really.

TT

I think must tend to agree the position of the EPB is a bit daft but you get used to it over time. We have auto-release but auto hold seems like too much interference for me.

The position of the EPB is really annoying, and I have never got used to it in my XC70 - and now that I'm coming to replacement time, it's a great disappointment to hear that new model persists in this dysfunctional gimmick. . It might be less annoying if there were an auto-hold - you do have to keep putting it on every time you come to the lights. In my case, I have twice recently encountered a problem when the brake refused to release on pressing the accelerator - fortunately both times when I was off a road.

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It won't release if your not wearing the seat belt. As you were "...off a road.", it does suggest that this might have been your problem.

Yes it will if you hold the button long enough. electric handbrakes are the spawn of he devil.
Don't buy any car with an electric handbrake if it doesn't have a manual release override as it will get costly when it goes wrong.

Volvos get costly when anything goes wrong!!!

I do not use the drive through function preferring to manually release the EPB every time except when ensuring the drive through works occasionally.
I can see the safety reason for putting it where it is in that no one else can interfere with it but equally no one else can stop the car if the driver has a heart attack.
I have thought of installing a second switch in parallel with the original by the gear lever as having driven a VAG car with it there it was far more intuitive. Will have to research what effect that would have on the ECUs.

Paul.

As others say, the Geartronic (2013 V70, but I'd assume XC70's the same) does have auto-hold: you can put it on & it'll auto-release when you move forward (providing you're wearing your seat belt). There separately seems to be some foot-brake shenanigans going on: I can hold the car on the foot brake on a hill, & when I shift my foot to set off, it seems to hold the brakes on (at least for the time it takes to move forward; never actually tried not setting off).

I guess the switch is on the right to stop passengers grabbing it, or the driver doing so by mistake. I'd imagine applying the brake at speed would be 'interesting' (unlike with a manual PB, which you can drag slightly), unless they have some kind of protection in place?

That's auto-release, which the manual also has. Auto-hold is the parking brake turning on automatically - e.g. when stationary with your foot on the brake, or coming to a stop and parking (and the brake engages automatically).