Vauxhall Insignia - how do you do a hill start?

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kittykarate
kittykarate Posts: 198 Forumite
in Motoring
My company has issued me with a Vauxhall Insignia hire car, the weird thing about it is that it has a 'parking brake' switch, rather than a handbrake.

To release the parking brake, you have to depress the brake pedal at the same time as pushing the swith, which means it's really difficult to shift my foot across to the accelerator before the car rolls backwards..

Am I missing something? The car doesn't have manuals so maybe I'm missing a trick.
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  • hc25036
    hc25036 Posts: 387 Forumite
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    If it's the same as my Passat, ignore the switch and just try to pull away and the brake releases automatically. Except... sometimes it doesn't and you have to press the switch as well whilst trying not to swear in front of the family!
  • Flying-High_2
    Flying-High_2 Posts: 761 Forumite
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    Do they not have Hill start assist as standard?... It'll detect a certain angle and hold brake pressure for a moment as I understood it... So pedal and switch off then gas....Maybe way off the mark here though not had the delights of an Insignia yet.
  • kittykarate
    kittykarate Posts: 198 Forumite
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    It definitely doesn't release automatically - when I first got in it, the parking brake was engaged, tried driving away and it just bonged at me lots and told me off.
  • nsimpson123
    nsimpson123 Posts: 1,078 Forumite
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    My Vauxhall Astra has this button also, you need to touch the footbrake and press your handbrake button, but it should still hold until you actually press on the accelerator, I've not had a problem rolling back but I still feel really nervous every time, I'd prefer a conventional handbrake anytime :eek:
  • kittykarate
    kittykarate Posts: 198 Forumite
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    Flying-High wrote: »
    Do they not have Hill start assist as standard?... It'll detect a certain angle and hold brake pressure for a moment as I understood it... So pedal and switch off then gas....Maybe way off the mark here though not had the delights of an Insignia yet.

    Sounds sensible, definitely not what I experienced at some lights last night, had the "oooh heck rolling back" moment, had to jump back on the footbrake *cue embarassment and a near rear ending by the bloke behind me*
  • kittykarate
    kittykarate Posts: 198 Forumite
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    nsimpson123 wrote: »
    I've not had a problem rolling back but I still feel really nervous every time, I'd prefer a conventional handbrake anytime :eek:

    To be honest, this bloody button would put me off buying one of these!:mad:

    If you're someone who adapts well to change I can see it working for you, but at the minute I'm still flailing around in the cabin and am having far too many mistakes ...
  • YorkshireBoy
    YorkshireBoy Posts: 31,541 Forumite
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    kittykarate wrote: »
    The car doesn't have manuals so maybe I'm missing a trick.
    Download it from the Vauxhall site...

    http://www.vauxhall.co.uk/manuals
  • oldagetraveller
    oldagetraveller Posts: 3,653 Forumite
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    I test drove a "New" Meriva with this silly switch, one of the reasons I didn't buy, and it was just a matter of driving off normally and the brake released automatically. I would expect the Insignia has a similar system?
  • kittykarate
    kittykarate Posts: 198 Forumite
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    oldagetraveller wrote: »
    I would expect the Insignia has a similar system?

    It doesn't seem to - if I try to drive off with the parking brake on it bongs loudly and flashes up that I should depress the footbrake to release. Unless there's some different modes of operation for it, and mine's been set on 'super secure drive you insane' setting.
  • LandyAndy
    LandyAndy Posts: 26,377 Forumite
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    kittykarate wrote: »
    To be honest, this bloody button would put me off buying one of these!:mad:

    If you're someone who adapts well to change I can see it working for you, but at the minute I'm still flailing around in the cabin and am having far too many mistakes ...

    I borrowed a Passat a little while ago. This 'feature' was a complete pain. What was actually wrong with a hand operated parking brake? Is this another example of 'We can do it so we will'?
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