03-29-2011, 06:07 AM
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Member
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: US
Posts: 15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by spyderdoc
I love the auto hold here in SF Bay area (south bay), the land of the eternal red lights. However, I did notice that it is VERY sensitive to the lightest touch of the gas pedal. THe slightest of pressure will release the auto hold, and you may not realize you have released and started rolling
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It is very sensitive. But in normal, intended use, it's critical that the brakes release as soon as possible. This is so that people behind you don't think you're asleep at the wheel due to your brake lights being on for any discernable period of time. I don't know what the driving climate is like in SF, but I've driven in cities, NYC being the worst, where people are very trigger happy and will honk at the slightest indication of hesitation.  Although I have to admit, I am pretty impatient myself. I just tend to restrain myself from hitting the horn. Anyway, I've driven vehicles with Auto Hold for extended periods (weeks on end), been very happy with the responsiveness, and not had problems with unintentionally releasing the hold.
Quote:
Originally Posted by spyderdoc
......Also, the first time I reached into the back seat, and the parking brake set, it took me a whole light cycle to figure it out while people behind me were honking for me to get going.....
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Until someone mentioned it earlier in this thread I was not aware of this safety mechanism, but I guess it makes sense since people are prone to using the feature improperly. Auto Hold should not be used if you are doing anything where your feet might not be able to get to the brake quickly. There is a very narrow window for Auto Hold use versus putting the transmission in Park.
Oh, and not to get too off topic, but since annoying/disconcerting safety mechanisms came up, I hate that my X5 won’t let me move the vehicle with the driver’s door open. Sometimes in very tight spaces or when you need to precisely place your wheels, like in an auto repair shop, a boat ramp, etc you need a more direct view of where your wheels are. I used to frequently swear at this safety nanny on my X5 until I learned to live with it. I still don’t think I should have to live with what is essentially a crippled vehicle compared to many others that allow me to easily handle the situations I mention, but alas, I don’t see BMW removing this safety feature. Maybe if I get an X5 with the top-view cameras this will be less of an issue, but I don’t see it being a total solution. Sometimes I just want to look directly at the wheels while making fine adjustments.
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I'm out here in Amishville also. 
No, I live in a civilized part of town..........
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