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Hill start assist problems

J. Hewitt

New Member
Messages
2
Likes
3
City
Lexington
State
KY
Country
United States
What I Drive
2013 Ford Fiesta
#1
I am having trouble with hill start assist on my 5-speed manual 2013 Fiesta - it comes on spontaneously while driving. I am hoping to learn how to disable this feature.
The dealership says they cannot fix it because nothing shows up in diagnostics and it occurs too infrequently for them to pinpoint, and they "cannot" disable it for "safety reasons". I pointed out that it is a huge safety hazard to have it come on spontaneously while traveling, but ... rules are rules.
 

Handy Andy

Well-Liked Member
Premium Account
Messages
1,838
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1,332
City
Grand Rapids
State
MI
Country
United States
What I Drive
2018 Ford Fiesta SE HB
#2
IF you use your Parking Brake often - Read this thread...

https://www.fordfiesta.org/threads/manual-transmission-clutch-problem.7865/post-18121

This began as a "hung-clutch" problem but also morphed into a larger discussion of brakes and clutch and sharing the same reservoir between both and the headaches and possible cross - contamination of the ABS/Trac Control braking system and the Clutch Master Slave lines from debris caught in the lines.

The last post in the thread might help shed light on your condition - as it may reveal a clearance issue more from the tolerances the brake shoe to drum and the Brakes Parking Brake cable used to apply the rear brakes - there may be a clearance condition that seems to be more for the Hill-Assist, but might reveal line contamination and potentially requires a purge and refill of fresh fluid to alleviate the two conditions, one being the "loss of clutch control (Master Slave)" and the Hill-Assist condition causing dragging brakes on a subsystem as well as an adjustment to place more slack in the parking brake cable.

The Rear Brake piston and its adjuster might not have enough slack to release the shoe properly - it may be the main culprit.
 

MartinMH

New Member
Messages
1
Likes
0
City
Darlington
State
Non-US
Country
United Kingdom
What I Drive
Ford Fiesta 1.25 Zetec 2016
#4
Recently my HSA has kicked in on two occasions when not needed. On the last occasion I had stopped just before a pedestrian crossing with my front wheels on a speed hump. This fooled my car into thinking it was on a hill. Cue being unable to move off immediately.
Easy to disable, with ignition on press the Menu button, scroll down to Vehicle Settings then scroll down to Hill Start Assist and untick the box. Done.
 

scotman

Well-Liked Member
Messages
1,899
Likes
1,612
City
Grass Lake
State
MI
Country
United States
What I Drive
2011 Fiesta SE hbk Blue
#5
Check your rear brake shoe condition (thickness of friction material).
 

Handy Andy

Well-Liked Member
Premium Account
Messages
1,838
Likes
1,332
City
Grand Rapids
State
MI
Country
United States
What I Drive
2018 Ford Fiesta SE HB
#6
As long as you're ok with it "resetting" back to Enabled on the next startup and drive cycle, then by all means you know what to do!

But if this gets annoying and even to the point of being dangerous as in; stalling and or possibly being overtaken by traffic behind you, you might want to look into those suggestions in that thread before you get rear-ended and have to settle for that.
 


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