Down Hill Assist / Hill Decent Control

[Kind of Blue]

I intended to mention it. My Mrs took our 2019 199 Caravel Exec 4Motion Diff Lock, down to Poole the other day and had Hill Decent Control added to our vehicle while she visited family.

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My wife felt that the company appeared very professional and informative. She took the vehicle in the evening before fitment, her choice and they contacted her later in the day of appointment to collect. They took her out in it as a test and demonstration. As well as the fitment of Hill Decent Control the executed the large numerical speed display not asked for, as well as needle sweep not asked for, as part of the demonstration. They did offer to remove the two items not asked for now or latter if we did not want them so that was OK. AS well as doing the task they also provided a Dongle just in case a service requirement wiped out their modification. I am very pleased with that.

On reading the Handbook a little while ago I had the idea that it was very basic and may cancel if applying pressure to brakes or throttle. Well I found it a little better than that. If I applied the device a little in advance it would go down our very bumpy off road trackway vet slow and collected. The numerical speed display I think was about 4 to 5mph or less. If applied late the decent appeared a little faster 8mph. So far I have not experimented but it appears that some adaptability may be allowed but I shall need to experiment. On flatter locations along the track it just crept along on zero throttle or idle, even slightly up hill. Then on the next down hill section it did its stuff again without fuss until I reached the road when I cancelled it.

The reason why I had it fitted was because I believe that the sensors might be more sensitive than myself when really needing a finer touch. Off road and in competition in true off road machinery one can normally rely on a very low set of gears provided by the engagement of the transfer box and that Landrovers and vehicles of that ilk have engines that provide great deal of engine braking. One learns that it is usually enough for controlled decent even in slippery conditions. In the event of a slip which can be absolutely disastrous if not corrected one just applies mild pressure to the accelerator until traction is observed or felt and then the throttle released. That may be counter intuitive to those unfamiliar with off road driving but it does become instinctive if one drives regularly off road. In extreme conditions wet grass ect even abs has its limits but on modern over assisted brakes it becomes difficult to feather brakes with sensitive feel The T6 at least in DSG presentation despite diesel engine fails to have decent engine retardation! Of course one does not rely on technology alone and I expect one may have to revert to some counter intuitive experience at some stage but hopefully it would be generally better than human touch alone most of the time no matter who might be driving it.

I chose the company in question primarily because of location in the first instance but also because they where honest and appeared professional not on price. Their appears no business near by where we live and I felt uncomfortable asking for help. We could have chosen other similar companies that where cheaper on first question but sometimes prices where applied to the T6.1 and that the T6 might be slightly more expensive possibly. Overall though It would have been longer trips and hanging around or possibly needing to stay over. That would have rased the over all price significantly and so on Ballance we chose to have it executed in Poole. Could have asked a company on hear possibly. I know that this is all within the reach of many capable of doing them selves at zero cost except for parts. I am equally sure that some might be horrified that I do not have VCDS or what ever it is called but I have yet to dip my toe in that direction, the vast majority of vehicles in my life where mechanical and when they ceased being so I often wondered surely a diagnoses can be done without a computer but that is life today. I very rarely even use a mobile phone for instance only on arrangement or emergency what a prehistoric creature I must appear

I may one day I may acquire a VCDS hope that I have used the correct initials in the correct order Haa Then I may become an irritant asking for assistance more frequently. I am sure many, especially the experts and Extreme Professionals on here might be wondering what period of the stone age I was actually created in perhaps my being was morphed from ancient DNA......

 

[drinfinity]

The HDC also does clever stuff individually with each wheel, which you can’t do with your foot. So far I’ve only tried it on tarmac where all the wheels are gripping, so I’d be interested to hear how you get on with it.

I didn’t spec HDC on the van originally as I thought engine braking on my 4motion would be enough. However it turns out the Haldex doesn’t really engage in an engine braking scenario, so I retrofitted the HDC.

 

[Kind of Blue]

The HDC also does clever stuff individually with each wheel, which you can’t do with your foot. So far I’ve only tried it on tarmac where all the wheels are gripping, so I’d be interested to hear how you get on with it.

I didn’t spec HDC on the van originally as I thought engine braking on my 4motion would be enough. However it turns out the Haldex doesn’t really engage in an engine braking scenario, so I retrofitted the HDC.

I will use it frequently in order to familiarise my self with its functionality and just acclimatise my self to which switch to push in the dark so that I am not reading it it just comes automatically. I am doing something like that in 20mph zones to fix my speed with cruise control I never use it ordinarily but older vehicles certainly ones that I have owned where quite good at staying at set speed to a degree, perhaps in particular lower gears. Tried that in the Caravelle just holding it down to first or second gear but really it need cruise because it just goes away down hill. at higher speeds at least their is air or wind resistance, but 20 only selecting a ridiculous low gear can it stay at 20 and I believe that is not good driving or safe driving constantly watching ones speedometer just to stay legal. Safety is about vision too and being alert to ones environment and to others. I digress as I usually do but I also hope that HDC will also give a rest from holding the brake particularly over rocky surfaces and of course in winter wet grass or ice and snow. I also like to creep out of our premises unobserved from afar and the brakes constantly on its a bit like a Christmas tree. cant do very much about the front with daylight running lights. All of the observation thing is not letting the hunting crowd, that is nearly all farmers here and people in local villages that I am on the move because hunting and badger baiting and all that sort of thing is so popular here , it is like the dark ages except now of course they use technology. The Police here never have done anything to stop it, in fact it is known some are or have been involved in it! Any way I want to master the tech.

My Caravelle was a later 2019 vehicle and fortunately for me is a 199 version so a predecessor and engine related to the T6.1. It was a cancelled order and did not have HDC but had most other important things to us. After I purchased it or just close to that I could see other Caravelle better specced with HDC but also with the additional heaters. I felt I have made a deal so stick with it. Only after purchase was finalise the dealer told me to forget trying to fit HDC as it cannot be done unless VW authorise it. I was a little mad at the time because I had told the dealer my plans and why I wanted it. Still that up to his conscience. So any way that is in the past and now I can enjoy it as I originally wanted and will see how useful it is or is not. I have to say while its no true off road car it does very well day in day out. With appropriate tyres so long as one does not forget its limitations to approach, depart and ramp over angles and heights. Suspension modification will help there of course and generally on the road also, extra lift and good damping!

Not been out today took in a new radio for the Hifi. Should have come a day or so ago but deliverers did not find the dump place so they say, even though they had our phone number. Anyway listening to it now.