[Seattle135is]

A work colleague just picked up a '12 535 and says he was playing around with all the features and just loved Auto Hold - I know I tried it as well (more than a year ago), then I started using it in stop/go traffic in Chicago for the last few days - it is so darn awesome.
Try it again if you don't use it regularly and post your opinion.

[The X Men]

I use it all the time in Boston traffic, its a great feature, integrated nicely with auto start and stop as well.

[half man half amazin]

I love it, one of my favorite features! Works so seamlessly.

[Jon D]

Excellent in stop-start traffic with the added bonus of saving drivers behind you being annoyed by your brake lights remaining on.

[arnsbrae]

Originally Posted by Jon D

Excellent in stop-start traffic with the added bonus of saving drivers behind you being annoyed by your brake lights remaining on.

Hi Jon,

I thought I read somewhere that the brake lights stayed on with auto hold - great news that they don't!

Does that vary by region?

Thanks

[Seattle135is]

Another thing I noticed is it automatically engages the e-brake when the car is completely turned off....

[Mobileum]

My car is an EU, and the brake lights stays on when auto hold is engaged.

[The X Men]

Originally Posted by Mobileum

My car is an EU, and the brake lights stays on when auto hold is engaged.

Does the US version do the same?

[Fantasm]

Yes, they stay on when its holding you. Its as if you were holding the brake, and I wouldn't expect it NOT to...

I use Auto-H every single day, I turn it on every time I get in the car. Wish it was On by default.

[gtron]

i was starting to think too much about this the other day. when you press the gas, is it timed well enough that it doesn't increase wear and tear on the breaks? then i started thinking about extra break dust. anyone have any facts about any of this to cure my curiosity?

ps- i'm in chicago too so it is a very nice feature.

[Alan l.]

Sorry what is this auto hold thing you guys are talking about? Can you turn it on and off?

I didn't take delivery of my F10 yet but would be nice to know more about it ahead of time.

[Douggie]

It depends. If you are the type of person that go easy on the brakes to ensure smooth braking till the car trickles to a dead stop, you will find the auto H grabbing the brakes a little more aggressive at the very last stage, causing an abrupt stop.

I normally leave it off, which is the default setting.

[The X Men]

Originally Posted by Alan l.

Sorry what is this auto hold thing you guys are talking about? Can you turn it on and off?

I didn't take delivery of my F10 yet but would be nice to know more about it ahead of time.

http://blogs.insideline.com/roadtest...auto-hold.html

[Jon D]

Originally Posted by gtron

i was starting to think too much about this the other day. when you press the gas, is it timed well enough that it doesn't increase wear and tear on the breaks? then i started thinking about extra break dust. anyone have any facts about any of this to cure my curiosity?

ps- i'm in chicago too so it is a very nice feature.

The auto-hold function is electro/mechanical and is applied independently of the hydraulic system once the car has come to a stop. Therefore, as there is minimal friction generated, brake dust will not be an issue.
Initially, from new, it would stop the car less smoothly than when using the foot brake alone, but now that it's fully bedded in I no longer feel it being applied; take-up on applying throttle is immediate and very smooth.

[Jon D]

Originally Posted by arnsbrae

Hi Jon,

I thought I read somewhere that the brake lights stayed on with auto hold - great news that they don't!

Does that vary by region?

Thanks

Originally Posted by Mobileum

My car is an EU, and the brake lights stays on when auto hold is engaged.

Originally Posted by Fantasm

Yes, they stay on when its holding you. Its as if you were holding the brake, and I wouldn't expect it NOT to...

I use Auto-H every single day, I turn it on every time I get in the car. Wish it was On by default.

I was wrong in stating that the brake lights are off when auto-hold is engaged.
It was something that concerned me as I don't like being behind another car which has its brake lights on whilst stationary. So, a while ago and with this in mind, I stopped the car in auto hold and physically got out of the car to double check and found that the lights were off.
However, whilst in traffic yesterday and with auto-hold engaged, from the reflection on the car behind, me I noticed that my brake lights remained on.
I can only think that when I previously checked by getting out of the car, the lights extinguished when I opened the door; the car was also in park and that might affect it too.
So there you go, it's not as good as I thought. You would expect that the brake lights should only be activated by the foot brake.

[arnsbrae]

Originally Posted by Jon D

I was wrong in stating that the brake lights are off when auto-hold is engaged.
It was something that concerned me as I don't like being behind another car which has its brake lights on whilst stationary. So, a while ago and with this in mind, I stopped the car in auto hold and physically got out of the car to double check and found that the lights were off.
However, whilst in traffic yesterday and with auto-hold engaged, from the reflection on the car behind, me I noticed that my brake lights remained on.
I can only think that when I previously checked by getting out of the car, the lights extinguished when I opened the door; the car was also in park and that might affect it too.
So there you go, it's not as good as I thought. You would expect that the brake lights should only be activated by the foot brake.

Yes, it is a pity - I don't like blinding the driver behind me in traffic either. Who said BMW drivers were all gits?!

[BMWrules7]

Originally Posted by Douggie

It depends. If you are the type of person that go easy on the brakes to ensure smooth braking till the car trickles to a dead stop, you will find the auto H grabbing the brakes a little more aggressive at the very last stage, causing an abrupt stop.

I normally leave it off, which is the default setting.

Actually, after lots of use it will stop grabbing and work more fluidly.

I had four BMW's with this technology and use it all the time.

[Russkey]

Originally Posted by Douggie

It depends. If you are the type of person that go easy on the brakes to ensure smooth braking till the car trickles to a dead stop, you will find the auto H grabbing the brakes a little more aggressive at the very last stage, causing an abrupt stop.

I normally leave it off, which is the default setting.

Agree!

[martin mustang]

what I like about it is how it only triggers at the very last moment before stand still, so never interferes with your driving.

[BigKutta]

Originally Posted by Jon D

I was wrong in stating that the brake lights are off when auto-hold is engaged.
It was something that concerned me as I don't like being behind another car which has its brake lights on whilst stationary. So, a while ago and with this in mind, I stopped the car in auto hold and physically got out of the car to double check and found that the lights were off.
However, whilst in traffic yesterday and with auto-hold engaged, from the reflection on the car behind, me I noticed that my brake lights remained on.
I can only think that when I previously checked by getting out of the car, the lights extinguished when I opened the door; the car was also in park and that might affect it too.
So there you go, it's not as good as I thought. You would expect that the brake lights should only be activated by the foot brake.

I hope you aren't being serious.

Just because Auto H allows you to take your foot off the pedal while maintaining the brake pressure, does not mean that the brakes are not active. Therefore, when the brakes are "pressed" under Active H, the brake lights should be on, just like when you use your foot to press the brake. How is the guy behind you meant to know how you have stopped. Auto H works exactly like it should.

[gspannu]

Originally Posted by BigKutta

I hope you aren't being serious.

Just because Auto H allows you to take your foot off the pedal while maintaining the brake pressure, does not mean that the brakes are not active. Therefore, when the brakes are "pressed" under Active H, the brake lights should be on, just like when you use your foot to press the brake. How is the guy behind you meant to know how you have stopped. Auto H works exactly like it should.

Auto Hold is supposedly an 'automatic hand brake mechanism' replacement. Going by that logic; the brake lights can be turned off. (I do agree it may be safer to keep brake lights on)… but I also know that in countries like UK; it is considered rude to stop at red lights with your brake lights on.

The official recommended practice (in UK) is to stop at red-light, shift to Neutral; pull handbrake; release brake pedal… and this how most manual cars are driven by UK drivers.

Since Auto-Hold does all of this on its own; to have the option of turning off brake lights on Auto-Hold is not that surprising….

[BigKutta]

Originally Posted by gspannu

Auto Hold is supposedly an 'automatic hand brake mechanism' replacement. Going by that logic; the brake lights can be turned off. (I do agree it may be safer to keep brake lights on)… but I also know that in countries like UK; it is considered rude to stop at red lights with your brake lights on.

The official recommended practice (in UK) is to stop at red-light, shift to Neutral; pull handbrake; release brake pedal… and this how most manual cars are driven by UK drivers.

Since Auto-Hold does all of this on its own; to have the option of turning off brake lights on Auto-Hold is not that surprising….

And how are automatics driven in the UK? Do you do the same at traffic lights? What about stop-and-go traffic?