Eureka moment

[mr tickle]

After driving my recently purchased auto, I accidently found out you can use the gear selector to manually change gears

It will be very useful when I start towing my boat this summer especially for engine braking on the steep hills near me.

After 4000 miles I thought I knew what all the bells and whistles were on this car, I think I need to take the hand-book on holiday with me this weekend and have a properly good read.

[Semnoz]

I 'discovered' the parking brake auto-release by accident (I presume it's in the manual somewhere !). I find it very useful. Is guess auto gearbox models have this too ?

[ShadeTek]

Originally Posted by Semnoz

I 'discovered' the parking brake auto-release by accident (I presume it's in the manual somewhere !). I find it very useful. Is guess auto gearbox models have this too ?

Found that recently too. Very handy and saves reaching down for the switch. What would be good is to have the brake come on if stopping on a hill to save rolling backwards. I think some models do have that, manuals maybe?

[Ant B]

Originally Posted by ShadeTek

What would be good is to have the brake come on if stopping on a hill to save rolling backwards. I think some models do have that, manuals maybe?

Nope, sadly a manual V70 will keep on rolling backwards while you jab away under the dash trying to find the strangely-placed electric handbrake switch!

[Tatsfield]

Remember that the EPB only releases if you are wearing your seatbelt! Nanny Volvo won't let you drive of without wearing it regardless if you are reversing, when there is no legal obligation to wear the belt! But Nanny knows best.

[PEGE63]

Originally Posted by Tatsfield

Remember that the EPB only releases if you are wearing your seatbelt! Nanny Volvo won't let you drive of without wearing it regardless if you are reversing, when there is no legal obligation to wear the belt! But Nanny knows best.

Just put the foot on the brake and relase manually to allow you to move the car without a seat belt, often do it when moving the car in my street.

[Tatsfield]

Yes I know you can manually release the parking brake. If you could not the car would be permanently parked!

I was just advising the OP that if he didn't realise that the seat belt had to be worn to allow the car to automatically release the brake, he might think that the automatic release only operating on an intermittant random basis! That's what I thought before I learned that you have to be wearing the belt to allow the car to carry out the brake release automatically.

[volvocat]

Originally Posted by Tatsfield

Yes I know you can manually release the parking brake. If you could not the car would be permanently parked!

I was just advising the OP that if he didn't realise that the seat belt had to be worn to allow the car to automatically release the brake, he might think that the automatic release only operating on an intermittant random basis! That's what I thought before I learned that you have to be wearing the belt to allow the car to carry out the brake release automatically.

Took me a while grasp this, too.
Easy when you know how!

[Semnoz]

Originally Posted by Tatsfield

I was just advising the OP that if he didn't realise that the seat belt had to be worn to allow the car to automatically release the brake, he might think that the automatic release only operating on an intermittant random basis! That's what I thought before I learned that you have to be wearing the belt to allow the car to carry out the brake release automatically.

That would explain the 'kangarooing' I sometimes do when trying to leave the house in a hurry without first putting my belt on !

[ShadeTek]

Originally Posted by Tatsfield

Remember that the EPB only releases if you are wearing your seatbelt! Nanny Volvo won't let you drive of without wearing it regardless if you are reversing, when there is no legal obligation to wear the belt! But Nanny knows best.

As with the others, that explains why the EPB doesn't release sometimes. At work I have to move out of my parking bay, stop the car, get out and put the bay post behind me up and I don't put my seatbelt on as I only have to roll forwars 10 yards, which explains the auto-release not working. 20 years ago I paid the same amount of money I have just paid for my new V70, but there is a massive increase in complexity and what you get for your money. Still missing is a buzzer for leaving your sidelights on which I used to do too often. The "auto" function for the lights on the new V70 pretty much takes care of most situations by switching between driving lights and dipped beam. It must know to switch to dipped lights when it rains by knowing that I have switched on the wipers?