Hill Hold Assist - Is Yours Working?

[Dirt55]

Mine has always been consistent in the few spots where I park in the same spot on the same slope all the time. There have been places where I didn't know if it would work or not, and sometimes it did and sometimes it didn't, but those were borderline slope level and I figured some were enough and some weren't.

My thinking here is it is time to experiment; go find a really steep slope somewhere where rolling back won't hurt anything, and try it repeatedly. There's more to it than just slope, you have to come to a full stop and things like that... I don't really deal with it very often so I don't quite remember my conclusions about what those things were. Perhaps you are altering some other part of your behavior and so getting different results?

If not, it sounds like time for a service call... but I'd check everything I could to make sure it's a repeatable issue and not just you being an idiot (which is how they will make you feel if it was something you're doing)

yeah I already have been experimenting daily--my driveway. That is where I first noticed I had it. Sometimes it works on my driveway and sometimes it doesn't. I can actually try it a few times without rolling off my driveway into the street.

Plus I go the same route to work, there is one light that is on a slope, again it is 50/50 there too.

Now I did read somewhere for manuals, the clutch has to be engaged for the hill assist to work. So I tried that, I sat on a hill in neutral, clutch not engaged. let off brake and immediately rolled back. Tried it again with clutch engaged and it did stop me for a few seconds. So I think that part is true.

So for my next experiment, I am going to try something. I noticed that at times when I am stopped, I sit there in neutral without clutch engaged. When light turns green, I quickly push in clutch, engage gear then go. BUT sometimes I sit there in gear with clutch engaged.

So I will try and see it that makes a difference. Maybe you have to have clutch engaged for a bit to activate the hill assist?

Anyway worth a shot to try cause yeah, I don't want to look like an idiot and find out its just me.

 

[Swordsmith]

Yeah I'm pretty sure its going to turn out to be something like that, clutch in, brake in, full stop, and then brake out buys you two seconds or so of just enough brake to prevent rolling back.

 

[Dirt55]

yeah I already have been experimenting daily--my driveway. That is where I first noticed I had it. Sometimes it works on my driveway and sometimes it doesn't. I can actually try it a few times without rolling off my driveway into the street.

Plus I go the same route to work, there is one light that is on a slope, again it is 50/50 there too.

Now I did read somewhere for manuals, the clutch has to be engaged for the hill assist to work. So I tried that, I sat on a hill in neutral, clutch not engaged. let off brake and immediately rolled back. Tried it again with clutch engaged and it did stop me for a few seconds. So I think that part is true.

So for my next experiment, I am going to try something. I noticed that at times when I am stopped, I sit there in neutral without clutch engaged. When light turns green, I quickly push in clutch, engage gear then go. BUT sometimes I sit there in gear with clutch engaged.

So I will try and see it that makes a difference. Maybe you have to have clutch engaged for a bit to activate the hill assist?

Anyway worth a shot to try cause yeah, I don't want to look like an idiot and find out its just me.

Two things:
1. After trying my experiment, it didn't matter if I held the clutch in for a bit or did it quickly before I took off. Same story, sometimes it worked, and sometimes it didn't. This was all on the same hill. So back to square to one.

2. A little disappointed. Took it to the dealer today and they pretty much said that if there is no light on or code, then there is nothing they can do. they aren't even willing to check out the sensor that determines the angle of the car....really disappointed.

I think I am just going to have to live with it. Which really does suck that you buy a brand new car and already having problems. That is one reason I buy new instead of used. I don't have time to keep taking my car back in to have it checked out.

 

[TMac]

When I drop off and pick up my girlfriend at the train station the "Hill Hold" kicks in at the red light when I'm leaving. it kicks in when I'm backing up my cousin "weird" driveway.

 

[Swordsmith]

That is an unacceptable answer. The check engine light codes are not the only thing that can go wrong in a car, the diagnostic computer does not know everything and half the time when it does know something, it is wrong about what it knows anyway. If they can only work on problems that the computer sees, they are incompetent boobs.

Fortunately, that isn't Chevy policy, it's just what that one individual service center does; shop around. You can do this by phone or email, you don't have to actually go to the shops; simply ask them if they are willing to try diagnosing a problem which isn't showing up as a code or showing an engine light. The ones that have a "we never do that" policy you just write off as useless, I wouldn't even go to them for a problem that Does show a light, because as I said, half the time a light is wrong about what the actual problem is anyway. The codes are merely a helpful hint.

You have a bumper to bumper warranty, there's no need to live with a broken car just because this one dealership is too lazy or dumb to be willing to live up to their end of the bargain. Mostly, dumb, because they wouldn't be doing the work for free, GM would be paying them. That means they are happy cause they get paid and you are happy cause the problem gets fixed, so you probably use them for service again and you probably buy your next car from them.

Idiots.

 

[T-BONE]

It's basic clutch physics. Your clutch is only being worn when it is being ridden. When it is fully engaged or fully open, there is no wear on your clutch.


-Eric Smit

Indeed my saturn 5 sp with 195K on the original clutch exemplifies this true statement. (and when I donated her, the clutch was still good)

 

[OD3X1]

Read page 9-27 in your Owners Manual.

 

[sonic13rs]

More info is on ==>> Chevy Vehicle Manuals and Videos | Owners Manuals | Chevrolet <<

Download the PDF ==>> Get to know your vehicle <<== under Sonic

Bottom of page 12 talks about Hill Start Assist

When stopped on a steep hill, the Hill Start Assist feature prevents the vehicle from rolling before driving off, whether facing uphill or downhill. During the transition between when the driver releases the brake pedal and starts to accelerate, Hill Start Assist holds the brake pressure (for up to two seconds) to ensure the vehicle doesn’t roll.
Note: Hill Start Assist will not operate if StabiliTrak is disabled.

 

[Dirt55]

Yeah I get what that manuals say. Plus I found out you have to be at a 5% slope. But when I pull up to a, let's say 6%, some times it works, sometimes it doesn't. At this point only thing I can think of it what ever is used to determine that you are on a slope is not working quite right. It's sad that when I brought that up to the dealer service, they cramed their brain and had no idea what determines the slope. I thought this was in a lot of cars, but when they don't even know, kinda pathetic. That's when they told me that if a light isn't coming on, they can't do anything.

So if anyone knows what device or whatever it is that determines the slope, please let me know.

 

[rcmn0022]

It only works for me when I press the brake pedal past a certain point. I have a manual transmission in my RS

 

[Dirt55]

It only works for me when I press the brake pedal past a certain point. I have a manual transmission in my RS

maybe that could be it. I will give it a try. Haven't been able to figure it out yet.

 

[OD3X1]

Yeah I get what that manuals say. Plus I found out you have to be at a 5% slope. But when I pull up to a, let's say 6%, some times it works, sometimes it doesn't. At this point only thing I can think of it what ever is used to determine that you are on a slope is not working quite right. It's sad that when I brought that up to the dealer service, they cramed their brain and had no idea what determines the slope. I thought this was in a lot of cars, but when they don't even know, kinda pathetic. That's when they told me that if a light isn't coming on, they can't do anything.

So if anyone knows what device or whatever it is that determines the slope, please let me know.

My question for you is: How do you know the inclination of a slope? Do you have an accurate inclinometer mounted in your car? I'm betting that the sensor used to determine slope is only visible to engineers.

I have not had any issues with it. When I'm on an uphill slope with trans in 1st gear it holds. When I'm on a downhill slope with trans in reverse it holds. If I'm in neutral it won't hold regardless because the ECM does not know which direction I want to go in.

 

[Dirt55]

My question for you is: How do you know the inclination of a slope? Do you have an accurate inclinometer mounted in your car? I'm betting that the sensor used to determine slope is only visible to engineers.

I have not had any issues with it. When I'm on an uphill slope with trans in 1st gear it holds. When I'm on a downhill slope with trans in reverse it holds. If I'm in neutral it won't hold regardless because the ECM does not know which direction I want to go in.

Ok but read what I have been posting. I am on the same incline, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I highly doubt the incline is constantly changing.

Plus again, read what I have already posted. I already addressed the issue of having it in gear or not.

 

[OD3X1]

Sounds like the incline is right at the threshold of the HSA trigger point. Something as simple as the cars weight at the time might be the reason it works or not.

 

[Dirt55]

I guess I don't get why people on here are trying to disprove me? Like you don't believe there is something wrong with my car.My wife has a Sonic, and hers works just fine. Worked everytime with her car--on the same inclines. Plus I purposely went to a very steep hill. Had same issues.

Now granted I have not had a chance yet to try how far you have to push the brake pedal yet. But even with that, when I was on the steep hill, I had it pushed in pretty good. But I will try it next time I am out with my car (we drove the wife's today).

I have been trying to find out where it is that tells the car what angle it is so I can take a look at it. I think that might be the cause--maybe not reading right or something.

After that I think I will give up--putting too much energy into it-got better things to do.

(maybe should move this over to butt hurt thread )

 

[OD3X1]

Have your dealer call the Tech line and get an engineer involved. Also make a service tech go for a ride with you so they can verify your issue.

 

[rcmn0022]

When I get it to work for me, I need to push farther than any normal stop. Think about how far you hit the brakes when a car pulls out when you are about to hit something at highway speeds

I'm pretty sure it has to be almost half way down but no idea why.

I'm also fairly certain that pulsing the brakes right before you let the brake go.

 

[Insanika]

I have a sloped driveway too, fairly steep. I back down it every day, never any hill start involvement.

I have noticed hill start just once, but I use the traditional hill start method my daddy taught me 16 years ago.

I understand you wanting your assist to work, it is a new car. You should try a different dealership. They aren't all like that. I can walk into mine and steal my tech and go for a spin to try to find a silly noise, just to ease my mind.

 

[pighair47]

does any one know if the abs fuse as any effect on if it works or not,i don't think it works with the abs fuse pulled, or at least seems to not work with mine pulled.

 

[River_Rat]

does any one know if the abs fuse as any effect on if it works or not,i don't think it works with the abs fuse pulled, or at least seems to not work with mine pulled.

That's correct. It will not work with the ABS fuse pulled or stabilitrack otherwise disabled.