quote:

Originally posted by MRMATT:
I thought it read GORT also.

Puts the car in voice mode - say "Klaatu barada nikto" and see what happens.

We have it on our Explorer ST and our Focus ST.

It seems silly and potentially dangerous on the automatic transmission Explorer. For example, I’m at a light and it holds the brake for me until I hit the gas, but my right foot has no place to rest which feels awkward.

On the manual transmission Focus, it’s an Ok feature. When you are stopped on a hill, it prevents the car from rolling as you move your right foot from the brake pedal to the accelerator pedal. It would have been useful the first few days I was learning to drive stick.

quote:

Originally posted by trapper189:

It seems silly and potentially dangerous on the automatic transmission Explorer. For example, I’m at a light and it holds the brake for me until I hit the gas, but my right foot has no place to rest which feels awkward.

I don't understand. Why wouldn't you use the brake pedal like normal?

quote:

On the manual transmission Focus, it’s an Ok feature. When you are stopped on a hill, it prevents the car from rolling as you move your right foot from the brake pedal to the accelerator pedal.

Yeah, and no matter how steep the hill, I still prefer going without the hill assist. I haven't been on a hill where I found it necessary. All it does for me is take away the feel or touch i have with my jeep.

"hill assist"

Needs some help with that buggy, champ?

You want to put useful gadgets in a car? Give me an ejector seat that knows when I'm under an overpass.

I had a Toyota RAV4 for a little more than a year. Fuck what a headache that dealership was. Not pertinent to this thread, but it had a automatic brake function as described. Different symbol though, think it actually said brake hold or something. I tried it a few times, meh. I could with or without it pretty easy.

In the old days we called it a hand brake. That’s what the button looked like to me.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
You want to put useful gadgets in a car? Give me an ejector seat....

I was going to say that's what the button was, but decided to let some helpful replies happen first.

quote:

Originally posted by M-11:
In the old days we called it a hand brake. That’s what the button looked like to me.

Honestly, that was my first thought, too... though the switch with the P on it right ahead of it ruled that out.

I suspect that the purpose of this feature is to act as a Parking brake, something that is missing from many new cars. Last summer I ended up being stuck driving a rental because the local dealer has a transmission tech with "health issues" who take a lot of days off. Three freaking weeks to replace the clutch slave cylinder in my FiST. So I got stuck with a Nissan Kicks, a severely under powered POS that was only capable of passing gas stations. Ended up on the side of the road on the WV Turnpike at the Beckley exit mounting the spare tire, with no visible parking brake. After I got home from the Family reunion in Charlotte I did some checking online and the button I couldn't figure out it's use turned out to be an electronic parking brake. BTW, on the Nissan you could not activate this feature with the car in gear. Good news is that it does lock all 4 tires so it will hold better than a traditional parking brake. BTW, Bad news is the spare tire changing kit was designed that you would not be capable of actually changing a tire unless you carry some leverage enhancers with you. The "lug" wrench has a handle that is about 10 inches long. Try removing a lug nut torqued to 100 ft.lbs. with a 10 inch long lever. Thank heavens I had my road tool kit with me, used a 22mm combination wrench to provide some real leverage.

Note, it took 3 1/2 freaking hours to get the road tire patched. I don't care what new vehicle you are considering for purchase, if it doesn't carry a full sized spare DO NOT BUY IT. Getting flats fixed today absolutely SUCKS.

I have one of these buttons on my Toyota Highlander Hybrid. I used it once.

quote:

Originally posted by AITG:

quote:

Originally posted by Watergoat:
The older Subarus had a hill holder standard, on manual trans of course. I seem to recall some of the cars back in the 30's had it too. Was supposed to make driving simpler for the distaff side.......Bet they wouldn't run that ad today!

My daughter had a Subaru with hill holder. I have driven manual transmissions on everything from VW beetles to Mack trucks. I could NOT keep that "feature" from stalling the engine at random times. I got so frustrated by it I quit driving the damn car. It was just one of many reasons that neither one of us will ever own another Zuberscrew.

I had a VW diesel manual with hill hold assistant, It caused me to stall too. I was able to finally disable it by using a computer to program the car and tell it the module was not installed.

My Maverick has that same button. I know what it means but don't use it. I also have "automatic" dimming high beams. They're so stupid that if your headlights hit a white road sign and reflect back, they think it's an oncoming vehicle and dim. I quickly figured out how to disable the "feature" and have normal high beams again.

quote:

Originally posted by kkina:

It's actually G.O.A.T. mode and stands for "Goes Over Any Terrain" (yeah, not really the greatest of all time acronyms ever )

Pushing the GOAT switch will get you words of inspiration from Tom Brady.

quote:

Originally posted by smschulz:

quote:

Originally posted by kkina:

It's actually G.O.A.T. mode and stands for "Goes Over Any Terrain" (yeah, not really the greatest of all time acronyms ever )

Pushing the GOAT switch will get you words of inspiration from Tom Brady.

Unless you do something dumb. Then he yells at you and your phone gets ejected out the window.

quote:

Originally posted by smschulz:
Pushing the GOAT switch will get you words of inspiration from Tom Brady.

Will it?
Or will it make the engine stall, then start again. Then stall again and start again, saying "nah, I'm not really going to quit. This time."

quote:

Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:

quote:

Originally posted by AITG:

My daughter had a Subaru with hill holder. I have driven manual transmissions on everything from VW beetles to Mack trucks. I could NOT keep that "feature" from stalling the engine at random times. I got so frustrated by it I quit driving the damn car. It was just one of many reasons that neither one of us will ever own another Zuberscrew.

Certainly there must be the ability to disable it, no?

My 911 has it I hate it because it makes it easy to stall unless you give it more power and that can bring all kinds of other issues in a 911. I can't disable it, but it only happens if I put it in 1st while sitting on the hill with the break applied so I leave it in neutral while I have the break on. Then immediately as I release the break, I shift into first. I will roll a smidge back, but no hill assist and much smoother acceloration.

quote:

Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:

quote:

Originally posted by trapper189:

It seems silly and potentially dangerous on the automatic transmission Explorer. For example, I’m at a light and it holds the brake for me until I hit the gas, but my right foot has no place to rest which feels awkward.

I don't understand. Why wouldn't you use the brake pedal like normal?

I hate to answer a question with a question, but: What is the purpose of the feature if not to take your foot off the brake pedal? What other purpose does it serve? If you keep your foot on the brake pedal, why in the world is there a feature that holds the brake pedal for you? That’s why I called it silly.

If you don’t keep your foot on the brake pedal and let the feature hold the pedal for you, then your right foot has to go somewhere. One natural place would be the accelerator pedal, but hitting that releases the brake pedal. Accidentally hitting does the same, hence the potential danger.

I came up with a use for it! If you have RWD only, are retrieving your boat at low tide such that your rear tires are on the slime, and if your boat and trailer start pulling you backwards as you try to leave the ramp, this feature would keep the front brakes locked up and hopefully prevent you from sliding backwards into the water while you flagged down someone to help you.

There’s a bunch of YouTube videos showing the situation I’m talking about. I think you can find them by searching Miami boat ramps.

I'll admit to using the brake hold in my loaner Explorer. I also use the adaptive cruise & other techie features.
My Mercedes had brake hold too, but it wasn't automatic once stopped like the Ford. You had to come to a stop, then add additional pedal pressure to engage the hold.
IMO, they're not bad features as long as they don't lead to complacency behind the wheel.

We went back & forth from Houston to San Antonio & the adaptive cruise makes the drive easier in long highway stretches, brake hold helps in a drive through, don't have to put it in park to retrieve my wallet.

YMMV, but when used properly, they're pretty good systems, just not a replacement for being present behind the wheel.