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Hill Start Assist?

22K views 74 replies 33 participants last post by  Jedi9 
#1 ·
Has anyone disabled the hill start assist and noticed that the Jeep gets moving faster from a stop?

The reason I ask is I disabled it on mine a couple of days ago and it does not feel "tight" when I take off. I use to randomly check my e-break when taking off because it felt the break was on for a moment or I was dragging something under the car, but now that I disabled the HSA it feels better taking off from a stop. I don't know if this all in my head, break in, or just me getting use to the way it drives.
 
#2 ·
I turned mine off one day. And noticed right away that with driving stick, it felt waaayyy better turned off. Like how it should be to drive the jeep. With it on, I would stall out here and there from releasing my foot off the clutch too early or soon, and it would try to kick in the HSA. I thought I was just being sloppy shifting and I need to learn my new jeep. I've been driving stick for 15 years in several cars. I like the feel of driving my vehicles and with the HSA off, I get a better feel of the jeep itself. Like how it's supposed to be.
 
#8 ·
No one has popped if with this yet, so allow me:

"Hill Start Assist is genius, I love it, I use it all the time, I never have a problem with it. Unless you're a Sasquatch footed idiot, you should use it and love it too."

Yeah, so, it still sucks. It's nice that they made the effort..sad that the current HSA is the best they could do.
 
#9 ·
I couldn't be happier that the Premium EVIC allows this to be shutoff with ease, driving without this nanny device is full of enjoyment now. Thank you Jeep!!
 
#15 ·
The only time I notice the HSA is if I'm on a steep incline. At first I didn't like it. Made it tough to find the "sweet spot"'without over revving while on inclines.

I turned it off. I didn't really notice any difference on flat land but starting on inclines was now traditional with the slight roll back.

I ended up turning it back on after it was suggested on these forums that it can be a useful feature to have while off road and is worth the effort to learn to drive with it on.

Maybe I'll turn it off again to see if I notice any difference while on flat starts.
 
#17 ·
Am I the only one that holds the car with the clutch? I can take off from a hill without rolling backwards all day every day, without the hill assist. That's the way I was always taught to do it back in the day.

Foot on the brake
Let out clutch till the vehicle damn near stalls.
Let go of brake, vehicle will inch forward.
Push in clutch and let off brake until your foot is totally of the brake and the vehicle isn't moving forward or backward anymore.
Put about 3k on the tach and let the clutch out and give it gas.
 
#20 ·
Am I the only one that holds the car with the clutch? I can take off from a hill without rolling backwards all day every day, without the hill assist. That's the way I was always taught to do it back in the day.

Foot on the brake
Let out clutch till the vehicle damn near stalls.
Let go of brake, vehicle will inch forward.
Push in clutch and let off brake until your foot is totally of the brake and the vehicle isn't moving forward or backward anymore.
Put about 3k on the tach and let the clutch out and give it gas.
Yeah, this is only my 2nd auto and the first thing I learned when driving a stick (I was in 6th grade) was how to start off on an incline, it is not that hard.
 
#23 ·
I've tried it on and off. I don't NEED it, but it doesn't hurt a thing, and could be a huge help for less experienced drivers. If someone is having issues with HSA they are doing something wrong. It works perfectly and if you are using the clutch right will never know it is there.
 
#24 ·
I'm quicker than the ABS release, so that statement is false. Unless you expect me to wait before leaving, which I see no reason to do so, its a nanny device for those who never learned to drive a stick properly.
 
#25 ·
I hate it it's been off since about day 3 of my jeep I don't like the feel of it and the noise it makes when you start going sounds bad I've been driving a stick for enough years that I don't worry about rolling on hills, I will say for someone just stating to learn to drive a stick in heavy traffic it's a smart thing to keep on
 
#30 ·
I think bent jeeps comment was taken a little to literal. Those of us who learned to drive on a stick don't have a problem with hills but sheltered drivers like my wife who does not know how to drive one would benefit but then she would come to rely on it and never learn how to do it. HSA is for lazy driving and bad habits. I always referred to riding the clutch as when you are cruising and are resting your foot on the clutch. And the whole point of the clutch is to slip, with in limits.
 
#31 ·
I think riding the clutch is anytime you only partially disengage the clutch. Whether that be by holding it steady on a hill or resting your foot on the clutch while driving. This causes premature wear and generates heat.

A good way to learn starting on a hill is to ride the clutch but once you get the feel for it it's better to use the brake (foot off the clutch) while waiting at hill and then use the clutch when ready to move.

When you're more experienced you can pull out on a steep hill with minimal or no roll back and not need to ride the clutch to do so.
 
#33 · (Edited)
I still have the HSA on. It doesn't cause me any problems at all. I started driving stick about 25yrs ago. I'm not using it as a crutch. I'm very capable of getting going and minimizing rolling back but I'm not looking to spend money on repairs prematurely. I know it's going to hold for about 2secs and I plan for it. I come off the brake a couple seconds early...too easy.
 
#36 ·
My problem with Jeep's HSA is that I have driven other vehicles with HSA. HSA is supposed to be transparent to the driver - and on almost any other vehicle it is. HSA where you need to regulate the pressure you use when you stop to make it engage properly and then need to plan around it when taking off from a stop is - well, a woefully underwhelming effort. It's just one of those things that reminds me of how poorly done it is every time I use it...so, I don't use it, generally.
 
#37 ·
Shut mine off soon as I figured it out, been driving manual's for over 30 years without HSA so no need to have it now. I like the feel of the jeep moving soon as my foot comes off the brake, it was really strange sitting on a hill and then pulling out and having that feel of something sticking.
 
#39 ·
Big difference between "riding the clutch," and "feathering the clutch." Seems to me that you're going to kill the engine every time if you don't apply a little gas and feather the clutch when starting from a dead stop, especially on a hill.

When throttle is applied, HSA is supposed to immediately disengage. How is HSA interfering with getting started? I don't get it, but I have an auto now, so can't experience what manual drivers are experiencing.
 
#40 ·
When throttle is applied, HSA is supposed to immediately disengage. How is HSA interfering with getting started? I don't get it, but I have an auto now, so can't experience what manual drivers are experiencing.
False. The brakes are held for whatever time is set in the system, 2 seconds I believe. But most people who know how to drive a stick, are usually quicker then the release, thus are irritated by it holding the brakes too long. Either way, I am just glad the EVIC allowed me to disable it, I couldn't be happier now. Actually I could be happier, I wish they would fix the delay in the horn beep.
 
#41 ·
Not to burst anyone bubble but every time you use the clutch, especially from a stop, it is slipping, which means it is generating heat and wearing. That is what it is meant to do. If the clutch did not slip you would stall every time. It is when you constantly slip the clutch for a long period that it becomes 'bad'. The bigger difference between the transmission and engine speed the faster the excessive wear occurs (more RPMs).
 
#42 ·
Yes, we do realize this. It is a wear item. The rate at which it wears can be reduced by not slipping the clutch more than necessary. :)
 
#46 ·
HSA sucks imo. It holds for a set time from my experience and I fight it trying to get the Jeep going and rev up and the Jeep jerks forward after it releases making me feel like an idiot. I turned it off the first week I got the Jeep. Been driving manuals only since my first vehicle in 87.

I don't even think I would use it off road as the Jeep lurches forward after the brakes release. Doesn't seem safe. Maybe I just needed to play with it longer to get the feel but I don't like it and haven't used it in the year and half I've had the Jeep. Turned t off on my 2013 via the EVIC.
 
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