Member Since: 27 Mar 2009
Location: Sydney, AUS
Posts: 26
Parking on very steep hill
I had to park repeatedly on a very steep hill for a few days. After a few days the car started rolling back about a foot, after applying the handbrake and releasing the footbrake. The handbrake still appears to work, and no horrible noises or anything, but the rollback can be a bit disconcerting because for the first second or so you instinctively think it's going to hit what's behind you.
Another issue on the steep hill I noticed was that I was unable to put on the seat belt whilst parked on the hill. The seat belt would not extend from where it sits beside the door... as soon as I was on level ground I could pull the seatbelt out ok. What's that about?
27th Aug 2009 1:37 pm
Ken
Member Since: 20 Feb 2006
Location: Here
Posts: 10865
Seat Belt will always do that nothing wrong at all
Parking and a steep incline chock the car is the recomended way
27th Aug 2009 1:40 pm
richyrich
Member Since: 27 Mar 2009
Location: Sydney, AUS
Posts: 26
thanks Ken.
" chock the car is the recomended way"
- sorry, I have no idea what that means
27th Aug 2009 1:46 pm
bobic
Member Since: 02 Mar 2008
Location: Cork
Posts: 133
I had to park on a very steep hill the other night at a friends house. The brake held fine but it made the most horrendous noise for a few seconds. His neighbour gave out to me, thought I had one of those comedy horns or something. Cranky old fu er
Hey try doing this when your EPB is broken - then the fun really kicks in
27th Aug 2009 1:48 pm
J@mes
Member Since: 10 Nov 2008
Location: Bomber County
Posts: 4547
richyrich wrote:
thanks Ken.
" chock the car is the recomended way"
- sorry, I have no idea what that means
take your pick!2014 D4 XS
2005 D3 SE - Gone
27th Aug 2009 1:54 pm
Discofever
Member Since: 18 Dec 2008
Location: Norwich, Norfolk
Posts: 86
I had this problem too, brake would let the car slip - Its NOT meant to do this! Took it back to the dealers for a strip down and reset... Recently in the Lake District I put it to the test, the car was as near vertical as I would dare - rock solid, pointing up the road and down. According to the dealer that's how it should be, I have since tried it with 2.5 tons hanging off the tow hitch, not a movement. 2006 Discovery 3 TDV6 SE auto, Cairns Blue, Lamp Guards, LR Roof Bars - Just love it!
Club AT2
27th Aug 2009 3:05 pm
JR
Member Since: 23 Jul 2009
Location: Cape Town
Posts: 76
Re: Parking on very steep hill
richyrich wrote:
I had to park repeatedly on a very steep hill for a few days. After a few days the car started rolling back about a foot, after applying the handbrake and releasing the footbrake. The handbrake still appears to work, and no horrible noises or anything, but the rollback can be a bit disconcerting because for the first second or so you instinctively think it's going to hit what's behind you.?
When faced with a similar situation (in any car), I've learned to turn the front wheel into the curb and allow the car to roll either forward or backwards into the curb. That way no matter what happens, your car's not going anywhere without you - and there's no pressure on anything except maybe a tyre.
richyrich wrote:
Another issue on the steep hill I noticed was that I was unable to put on the seat belt whilst parked on the hill. The seat belt would not extend from where it sits beside the door... as soon as I was on level ground I could pull the seatbelt out ok. What's that about?
Inertia seatbelts (designed by Mercedes Benz) rely on a simple ball bearing in a housing for movement. As soon as the ball bearing is not in the centre of the housing, the movement is restricted and the belt locks. An enthusiastic yank, or even parking on a steep hill will cause this to happen.
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to me, thought I had one of those comedy horns or something. Cranky old fu 
