A useful feature that safeguards drivers on both uphill and downhill roads is the Hill Start Assist. They are able to drive stress-free on steep roads without being concerned about the vehicle rolling backward.
The sensor is typically to blame if you notice that your hill start assist is not working. However, it might also be the result of other issues, so a proper diagnosis is advised. For instance, it might be because your vehicle’s low traction on icy or rocky roads has caused the traction control system to detect a fault. Typically, the hill start assist won’t be available in this situation.
The hill start assist feature and what it means when it’s unavailable are clarified in this article.
What Is Hill Start Assist, and How Does It Work?
Most drivers will come across an incline at some point during their driving careers. In these circumstances, drivers frequently stop their vehicles before starting them again. When driving aggressively to stop their car from rolling back, both experienced and novice drivers may hear some squealing from their vehicle. The role of hill-start assistance is now clear.
A novel technology called hill start assist has recently gained popularity in the automotive sector. It is a safety feature that is also known as hill control, and it was initially installed for inexperienced drivers on hills. It works by automatically activating and holding the brake pressure to stop your car from rolling back when you press and release the brakes on a hill.
This feature keeps pressure on the braking system even after you take your foot off the brake pedal to prevent your car from rolling back unintentionally. The brakes will release once you press the accelerator.
How to Fix Hill Start Assist When It’s Not Available in the Ford Escape
Drivers can climb steeply inclining roads safely and easily with the aid of the Hill Start Assist feature. The built-in sensors detect the inclination and give you the ability to safely cross the topography.
However, the feature might occasionally not be available for a variety of reasons, which is typically indicated by the Hill Start Assist OFF light. Driving up a hill is made significantly more difficult by this.
You can use a few tricks to try to reactivate the feature on your Ford Escape if you notice that it is disabled. However, they are not infallible and may not always be able to solve the problem.
Restart the car.
Restarting the car can work in some cases (if you’re lucky). It may be possible to resolve some minor and transient issues, including a broken hill start assist, by turning the engine off and on again.
Reboot the system.
Even after the car has been restarted, the issue might still exist. The system can then be rebooted if you so choose. To solve the issue, this is done in the service center.
Turn the Hill Start Assist Off
You can choose to disable the feature if all else fails. However, since you require the feature when driving uphill, this is not advised. If all else fails, your only option is to take the risk.
Why does Hill Start Assist become unavailable?
The hill start’s unavailability may be due to a number of factors. Although diagnosing the problem is typically challenging, one of the following possibilities exists:
Faulty Hill Start Assist Sensor
If one or more of the sensors for the hill start assist feature are broken, the feature might not work until the problem is fixed.
Broken Brake Light Fuse
If the brake lights’ fuse blows, that is another reason why the hill start assist won’t work. You’ll notice the brake lights are on because the brakes are pressurized when the feature is engaged. Defective brakes or a blown light fuse therefore increase the likelihood of a system failure.
Can Hill Start Assist Stop a Car on an Incline?
By keeping the brakes applied, the hill start assist works to prevent rollback on an incline. This enables you to quickly switch from the brakes to the accelerator pedal. For a brief period while you make the switch, your car will remain stopped. Some more recent iterations of the feature also stop the vehicle from rolling forward downhill.
How Do You Know Hill Start Assist Is Not Functional?
A pop-up notification letting you know that your hill start assist has been disabled will appear. Typically, this is present along with the Hill Start Assist OFF light. When one of the sensors exhibits a problem, this occurs. The non-functional module sets and stores a corresponding code.
FAQs
Do All New Cars Have Hill Start Assist Feature?
A large majority of recently produced cars have the feature. The Kia Seltos, Tata Nexon, Volkswagen Taigun, Skoda Kodiaq, and Mahindra Thar are just a few vehicles with this feature.
How Long Does the Hill Assist Feature Hold the Brake Pedal?
The driver will have a brief window of 3 seconds thanks to this feature to move their foot from the brakes to the accelerator. The vehicle will reluctantly descend once this period of time has passed.
Should the Emergency Brakes Be Engaged When Using Hill Start Assist?
When using hill start assist, the emergency brakes shouldn’t always be applied. Hold the brakes on while stopping while traveling down an incline. Change the pedals to continue moving when you want to. As you step on the accelerator to continue driving, the hill-start assist feature will continue to hold the brakes.
Final Thoughts
Prior to the development of the hill start assist, performing a successful hill start without your car rolling back required a very strong handbrake, flawless clutch control, and years of experience. Even this does not ensure complete safety. Fortunately, hill-start assist technology offers a safer alternative for all drivers and helps reduce human error.
