S60 - Electronic Handbrake

stlmcgovern

Morning all

I'm thinking about going for a Volvo S60. I'm fairly happy with the spec but have one main concern: the electronic handbrake. I've always had a manual one and my preference would be to stick with that, but if I do have to go for an electronic one I have two main queries:

1. How well does it work for hillstarts? Is it much more difficult than with a manual brake? I understand that some cars with electronic brakes have hillstart assist but I don't think this one (2010 S60 SE) does.

2. In the case of a flat battery, I'm assuming that the brake stays engaged? Also, is it possible to manually disengage this brake if the battery dies (for instance, for a push-start)?

Thanks,
S

R.O.R

stlmcgovern wrote: »

Morning all

I'm thinking about going for a Volvo S60. I'm fairly happy with the spec but have one main concern: the electronic handbrake. I've always had a manual one and my preference would be to stick with that, but if I do have to go for an electronic one I have two main queries:

1. How well does it work for hillstarts? Is it much more difficult than with a manual brake? I understand that some cars with electronic brakes have hillstart assist but I don't think this one (2010 S60 SE) does.

2. In the case of a flat battery, I'm assuming that the brake stays engaged? Also, is it possible to manually disengage this brake if the battery dies (for instance, for a push-start)?

Thanks,
S

I can answer question 1 - easier for hill starts with the electronic handbrake. As long as you have the door closed and your seatbelt on, you can just drive off without touching anything, and the handbrake will automatically release.

Point 2 is a harder one to answer - not sure on a Volvo, but I know it's been a pain in the asre with Passat's in the past when the battery dies. Had to get them lifted on to a breakdown truck with skids under the rear wheels to get them up on the deck.

Volvo's don't break down anyway :pac:

stlmcgovern

Thanks for the quick reply R.O.R . That's good news for Q1, but not good news at all for Q2! I had a feeling that might be the answer though...

Cheers,
S

declan123

Regarding question 2, in some opels there was an auxiliary battery for the electronic handbrake different to the main battery.

stlmcgovern

Thanks declan123, that's certainly worth checking out.

alias no.9

Electronic handbrakes for the most part are an.answer to a question that I don't think anyone was asking

declan123

alias no.9 wrote: »

Electronic handbrakes for the most part are an.answer to a question that I don't think anyone was asking

Agree, I hate them, only advantage is a little bit more storage room around the center console

stlmcgovern

I agree too, definitely would prefer to have the manual one

Stallingrad

I like them. The hill hold assist is invaluable, you really get used to it. There is a short learning curve while you adjust but I would hate to go back to a manual handbrake, in the same way I don't want wind up windows. Don't worry about flat batteries, every Insurance policy now has some sort of rescue in the unlikely event of problem.

stlmcgovern

well, it's looking likely that I'm going for that S60, so I'm glad to hear a positive account of these brakes

stlmcgovern

think i found the answer to my 2nd query:

"If the battery is dead, the electric parking brake cannot be applied or released. Connect an auxiliary battery if the battery voltage is too low"

(from car manual online)

R.O.R

2010's would be very few and far between. If it's an original Irish car, it's likely it was one of dealer demo launch models, and most of those had higher than standard specification.

D3 is a cracking engine, they handle brilliantly, and a bit different than all the A4's / 3 Series around.

Great choice.

stlmcgovern

I think it's a D2 - any thoughts on that?

R.O.R

stlmcgovern wrote: »

I think it's a D2 - any thoughts on that?

D2 is disappointing if you've driven the D3.

D2 wasn't released until MY12 in the S60. First time it appeared on the price list was April 2011, so if you are looking at a 2010, it's either a D3 or a D5, and the D5's are very rare in Ireland. It's even better than the fantastic D3, but early ones were a bit more to tax.

stlmcgovern

Thanks R.O.R - you know your Volvos! You are correct, I was crossing my own wires there. It's a '12 D2 that I have driven in the past but the one I'm looking at is a '10 D3. Are you an S60 owner yourself - sounds like you would recommend?

S

R.O.R

stlmcgovern wrote: »

Thanks R.O.R - you know your Volvos! You are correct, I was crossing my own wires there. It's a '12 D2 that I have driven in the past but the one I'm looking at is a '10 D3. Are you an S60 owner yourself - sounds like you would recommend?

S

I'm not an owner, but I've driven a good few and would highly recommend them. If you've driven a D2 and were happy with it, you should be blown away by the D3 - completely different driving experience. D2 is nippy enough around town, but at higher speeds it struggles. D3 is very nippy around town, and no struggles at all from higher speed - 5 cylinder engine gives it a massive amount of torque, you just need to remember to change gear before 3,500rpm otherwise the engine just gets noisier without any increase in speed.

Very underrated car in my opinion, but most people who drive one (with a decent engine) come away with a big smile on their face. New D4 is even better, but I'd be happy enough with a 163ps D3 model.

Presume it's the Silver one in Spirit you are looking at, as that's the only 2010 S60 on Carzone. Would have been a launch vehicle, so either dealer or Volvo Ireland demo to begin with. Doesn't seem to have any additional extra's over the standard specification, but as it's an SE LUX, it's a very high standard specification anyway.

Bluetooth, Rain Sensors, Rear Park sensors, High Performance Sound system, Leather, Power drivers seat with memory and Active Bending Xenon lights all standard.

stlmcgovern

Many thanks for the info. Yes, that's the one all right. Stretching the budget a bit here but as you say it is a nice spec car and I'd be hoping to get a good length of time out of it.

R.O.R

stlmcgovern wrote: »

Many thanks for the info. Yes, that's the one all right. Stretching the budget a bit here but as you say it is a nice spec car and I'd be hoping to get a good length of time out of it.

We've had D3 Volvo's go to 245,000km, and mainly don't have issues. A V60 did start to randomly drop all it's coolant out when it passed 230,000km, an I think an A/C unit went in an S60 when that hit around 200k, but the stuff up to 200k is generally OK.

Guy:Incognito

alias no.9 wrote: »

Electronic handbrakes for the most part are an.answer to a question that I don't think anyone was asking

I like them. In my case its the missus car that has it ( 05 Scenic). Turn the car off, handbrake engages. Start the car and just drive off, handbrake disengages. Also allows for a lovely big sliding centre console.

As for disengaging in the event of a flat battery, you would have thought they'd have a release. In the Scenic theres an emergency release handle under a cover between the two rearmost seats.

stlmcgovern

Not sure about the emergency release, there's no mention of it in the online user's manual (but perhaps it might be there). It would definitely be a very good idea to have it!!

Roen

Hope you don't mind me asking a S60 related question stlmcgovern. Hopefully it may help you too.

I have kind of settled on an S60 myself and I am wondering is there much to be said for getting the D5 over the D4?
They seem rare as hens teeth here so I think it would have to be a trip to the UK for one.

Leonard Hofstadter

With the Toyota Avensis Mk3 you can manually release the (standard fit) electronic parking brake as they give you some special tool so you can undo it in the boot. It takes about 20 minutes but at least it can be released if it fails or the battery goes flat.

Surely Volvo have some sort of similar facility in the boot?

I totally agree with the posters that say the electronic handbrake is the answer to a question nobody asked. Even on the best systems, such as the one fitted to say a VW Passat B7 (which admittedly works quite well) is nowhere near as nice as having a proper old fashioned hand brake. It's much easier to pull away smoothly with a traditional parking brake. I suspect electronic ones work very well with an automatic gearbox, though, but for anything with a manual box, you need the superior control you get with the old fashioned device.

R.O.R

Roen wrote: »

Hope you don't mind me asking a S60 related question stlmcgovern. Hopefully it may help you too.

I have kind of settled on an S60 myself and I am wondering is there much to be said for getting the D5 over the D4?
They seem rare as hens teeth here so I think it would have to be a trip to the UK for one.

In reality, no - and it depends on which version of the D4 you are looking at. D3 (which the OP is looking at) was renamed D4, when a lower power D3 was introduced. Original D3 that became the D4 is the 163ps 5 cylinder - it's the same block as the D5, but 2.0 litres rather than 2.4. The New D4 engine is now a 4 cylinder 2.0 litre engine with 181ps.

0-60 times between the 163ps engine and the D5 (205 or 215 ps depending on year) have always been very similar. Currently exactly the same between the D4 and D5. I've never driven a D5 S60/V60 (but been a passenger in a V60 with the Polestar upgrade - that was nice!), but herself has a D5 XC60 which I have driven.

The D5 XC60 isn't quick, despite 205ps and 4wd. It feels strangled by the gearbox, but it's a very flexible engine. Can pootle around town in 5th / 6th gear - will pull from 55km/h in 6th with no real grumbles - not especially quick acceleration, but will do it. Where it beats the smaller engines is mid / high range acceleration - from 100km/h upwards, there's very few other cars I've driven that take off like the D5 does. D3/D4 is pretty good at this too, but the D5 is something else.

If you can find a D5 for the same price as the 163ps version, go for it as long as the Co2's are roughly similar. Generally were, but autobox can push the Co2 up quite a bit, especially on the early ones. I wouldn't be willing to pay a premium to get a D5 over a D4, especially with the new 181ps engine - that put a big enough smile on my face when ever I've driven one.

Roen

Cheers R.O.R.

Much appreciated. Hope it helps the OP too.

stlmcgovern

No problem Roen - I was going to say that 'R.O.R's your man' here but I see he's already shown that

Captainspeed, you would think so but I'm not finding any reference to that at all in the owner's manual for the S60 (online)

PurvesGrundy

S60 D5 Bi-Turbo is a weapon of a thing. I've driven one and would highly recommend.

secman

I bought a 2011 S6o D3 last March, very happy with it. Had a 3 series 320 d before it. With 163 bhp it has plenty of go in it, it's more comfortable than the beemer. Cloth seats though, had just missed out on a leather spec. Have 65 k km on the clock at the moment. Getting approx 850 km for the tank, mixed driving, city driving Mon to Fri, motorway Friday night, country driving sat , sun and then motorway to Dublin sun night.

P's love the electronic hand brake, the manual one is so window winder.

stixoasis

Recently purchased a Volvo S60 D2 2012 and was wondering if it has Bluetooth, in the the manual days yes, but cannot seem to find a phone symbol on the center console, thanks in advance

User1998

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119429502#Comment_119429502

This thread is 7 years old. Try Youtube perhaps