Parking on a very steep hill

[Tommylandy]

Hi, I have a 2015 Cali.

My question is a little odd and I'm probably being overly precious but my driveway is really steep - the fall is around 2 feet from the front wheel to back wheel, this might not sound much but believe me when you step out and look at it, it's quite an angle and I wanted to know if it's OK to leave it parked on such an angle?

I did think about getting some ramps to level it out a little as I was worried about it resting at such an angle and also the strain it might place on the handbrake/gearbox. What do you think? Overly precious or ramps a good idea?

Cheers

Julian
PS I'm not sure if this is a general question or technical one so please feel free to move to the Technical advice section if you think it would be better placed there.

 

[Kmann]

I would not be much concerned about the physics in the car. Its quite a strong build, and If all wheels are on the ground, it should be OK.

But it would be a good idea to get som bricks/stoppers to put under the lower wheels, so secure the car form moving, if you forget to put it into gear, and the brake fails. Its important that shape not can make to much preasure on the tyres (edges) like a square brick.

 

[Hotel California]

Like above , use a extra stopper on two wheels (same axle)
Pull up the handbreak (or P if DSG), place the stoppers.
Then release handbrake and pull it up again so not all the force is on the handbreak only but spread.
Would not worry to much

 

[Loz]

As Wim said, plus the handbrake may release slightly when the discs cool down. (My Neighbors Audi very gently rolled off his drive into the road one day because of this)

 

[snowy55]

Hi, I have a 2015 Cali.

My question is a little odd and I'm probably being overly precious but my driveway is really steep - the fall is around 2 feet from the front wheel to back wheel, this might not sound much but believe me when you step out and look at it, it's quite an angle and I wanted to know if it's OK to leave it parked on such an angle?

I did think about getting some ramps to level it out a little as I was worried about it resting at such an angle and also the strain it might place on the handbrake/gearbox. What do you think? Overly precious or ramps a good idea?

Cheers

Julian
PS I'm not sure if this is a general question or technical one so please feel free to move to the Technical advice section if you think it would be better placed there.

What did you do with your previous vehicles before you got the Cali?

 

[briwy]

Agree with the above.
Also leave it in gear. 1st gear if facing down, reverse if facing up. I seem to remember a post on here where a member's van had moved and it was in the wrong gear for the way it was facing and had casued a lot of engine damage.

 

[WelshGas]

Hi, I have a 2015 Cali.

My question is a little odd and I'm probably being overly precious but my driveway is really steep - the fall is around 2 feet from the front wheel to back wheel, this might not sound much but believe me when you step out and look at it, it's quite an angle and I wanted to know if it's OK to leave it parked on such an angle?

I did think about getting some ramps to level it out a little as I was worried about it resting at such an angle and also the strain it might place on the handbrake/gearbox. What do you think? Overly precious or ramps a good idea?

Cheers

Julian
PS I'm not sure if this is a general question or technical one so please feel free to move to the Technical advice section if you think it would be better placed there.

All the above information is helpful and of use, BUT, it does really depend on the orientation of the vehicle and the slope in relation to the road. Also chocks can be problematic if there is any vehicle creep, ie: can become jammed.
Drive sloping up from roadway, then I would reverse in, parking brake on. If DSG then into P or manual into 1st. Engine off. Chocks in front of front wheels. Check Parking Brake after 30 mins etc as discs cool down.
On start up, if you cannot remove chocks, then reverse up drive to remove pressure on chocks so you can remove them.
If the vehicle is going to be parked there for extended periods of time, can you not park on front garden?

 

[Meoncoast]

Our drive is very steep, has been parked on the drive facing the house in "P" & brake on when not out & about, has never rolled off into the house. (yet)

 

[Tommylandy]

Brilliant and thanks for all the replies, sorry for the delayed reply I was out of signal all day yesterday.

Our Cali is an auto so can't think it will ever slide into the garage, phew!

We've never parked anything on the drive before, too steep. However you're replies give me faith that it will be fine.

Thanks again.

J

 

[Tommylandy]

What did you do with your previous vehicles before you got the Cali?

Nothing.

 

[Tommylandy]

All the above information is helpful and of use, BUT, it does really depend on the orientation of the vehicle and the slope in relation to the road. Also chocks can be problematic if there is any vehicle creep, ie: can become jammed.
Drive sloping up from roadway, then I would reverse in, parking brake on. If DSG then into P or manual into 1st. Engine off. Chocks in front of front wheels. Check Parking Brake after 30 mins etc as discs cool down.
On start up, if you cannot remove chocks, then reverse up drive to remove pressure on chocks so you can remove them.
If the vehicle is going to be parked there for extended periods of time, can you not park on front garden?

Sadly not the front garden is even steeper! I live in the Lakes which does have some very hilly places.

 

[snowy55]

Nothing.

I would do the same with the Cali then

 

[Tommylandy]

I would do the same with the Cali then

Hahah very funny, alternative is the road and I don't mind parking my Defender on the road but the Cali is too nice.

 

[Loz]

Chocks away! http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-37154123

 

[vmaxkiddy]

Probably the new, convenient, VW electric handbrake at work.

 

[Tommylandy]

This is what I've done and why I can't park it on the front garden. The welder reassures me the ramps are strong enough. I did have the Cali right at the back of the ramps but it scared me, it being so high. If the right ramp ever collapsed the Cali would roll into the front garden, what a nightmare that would be. It's now up about 25cm. At the back it would be 45cm!

 

[Traveller]

Let me share my recent experience parking my 2010 180 DSG on avery steep hill in Devon. We were on a non-camping holiday last week, staying in a lovely cottage in Dartmouth. If you know Dartmouth you'll know parking is scarce, especially with the Regatta on that week. On the fateful day, I found a spot on Jawbones Hill, a narrow lane with a 33%+ slope. I parallel parked, nose uphill. Getting in was easy as I had reversed into the spot. When it came to leave, I couldn't get the van moving! Even with TC off, manual gear selection, emptied everything removable I could, the van wouldn't engage gear and move forward. In fact, each attempt resulted in the van slipping backwards a few inches - I had to stop once I got too close to the car behind. I now had to call-in the cavalry. The RAC wouldn’t help – their pickups couldn’t access the narrow lane and they didn’t think their standard vans could do much, so they passed the buck to a local garage. They sent out a man in a T5-type van with a winch. He managed to pull me out of the space just enough for me to get started at an angle to the slope and reverse down the hill.

Lesson learnt – avoid very steep hills!

 

[WelshGas]

Let me share my recent experience parking my 2010 180 DSG on avery steep hill in Devon. We were on a non-camping holiday last week, staying in a lovely cottage in Dartmouth. If you know Dartmouth you'll know parking is scarce, especially with the Regatta on that week. On the fateful day, I found a spot on Jawbones Hill, a narrow lane with a 33%+ slope. I parallel parked, nose uphill. Getting in was easy as I had reversed into the spot. When it came to leave, I couldn't get the van moving! Even with TC off, manual gear selection, emptied everything removable I could, the van wouldn't engage gear and move forward. In fact, each attempt resulted in the van slipping backwards a few inches - I had to stop once I got too close to the car behind. I now had to call-in the cavalry. The RAC wouldn’t help – their pickups couldn’t access the narrow lane and they didn’t think their standard vans could do much, so they passed the buck to a local garage. They sent out a man in a T5-type van with a winch. He managed to pull me out of the space just enough for me to get started at an angle to the slope and reverse down the hill.

Lesson learnt – avoid very steep hills!

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Maybe thats why the other cars were all parked nose down the hill?

Did you try Chocks behind the rear wheels?

 

[Velma's Dad]

Lesson learnt – avoid very steep hills!

Had a similar last week. Tried to get up a way-too steep gravelled slope at a campsite and as front tyres scrabbled and hopped for grip the back end crabbed sideways off the hard-standing and onto soft grass with a ditch. Fortunately managed to edge it back down, praying the Cali-arse wouldn't dig itself in.

I used to drive HGVs so you'd think I'd know better. Lesson (re)learnt: gravity will always get you in the end.

Yeah I know, should have bought a 4-Motion...

 

[snowy55]

Let me share my recent experience parking my 2010 180 DSG on avery steep hill in Devon. We were on a non-camping holiday last week, staying in a lovely cottage in Dartmouth. If you know Dartmouth you'll know parking is scarce, especially with the Regatta on that week. On the fateful day, I found a spot on Jawbones Hill, a narrow lane with a 33%+ slope. I parallel parked, nose uphill. Getting in was easy as I had reversed into the spot. When it came to leave, I couldn't get the van moving! Even with TC off, manual gear selection, emptied everything removable I could, the van wouldn't engage gear and move forward. In fact, each attempt resulted in the van slipping backwards a few inches - I had to stop once I got too close to the car behind. I now had to call-in the cavalry. The RAC wouldn’t help – their pickups couldn’t access the narrow lane and they didn’t think their standard vans could do much, so they passed the buck to a local garage. They sent out a man in a T5-type van with a winch. He managed to pull me out of the space just enough for me to get started at an angle to the slope and reverse down the hill.

Lesson learnt – avoid very steep hills!

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I don't understand why you couldn't go forwards, was it because of wheel spin from the front tyres or would the DSG not engage and then drive?. Confused

 

[Hotel California]

Must admid that i experienced sortlike thing once on a campsite .
Was looking for a place to pitch-up on a steep concrete track that was running thru the campsite. Stopped but wanted to head on again....did not move.
Had to lower myself in rear to where it was a bit flatter and headed up with more speed.
Seems from standing still the DSG has troblle getting away on steep hills.

Is there a trick to overcome this ? Part from the fact not stopping on steep hills

 

[kave]

No problem on the T6 to start so steep my 4motion spins one front and one rear wheel.

 

[WelshGas]

https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/dsg-reversing-uphill.4579/

From what I have read regarding other DSG vehicles, you can use the Handbrake to hold the vehicle because until the Footbrake is fully OFF then the DSG clutch is not engaged.
So treat it like a Manual. Start - Footbrake Off - Gas ON and then release the Handbrake as you feel it pulling. In fact you may not need any additional accelerator as the vehicle is quite capable of pulling up a very steep slope on idle ONCE the clutch is fully engaged and that can only happen when the Footbrake is Fully Off.

 

[kave]

On the T6 it starts creeping as soon as brake is released, I guess it should be the same on a 2015 T5?

 

[Traveller]

"From what I have read regarding other DSG vehicles, you can use the Handbrake to hold the vehicle because until the Footbrake is fully OFF then the DSG clutch is not engaged.
So treat it like a Manual. Start - Footbrake Off - Gas ON and then release the Handbrake as you feel it pulling. In fact you may not need any additional accelerator as the vehicle is quite capable of pulling up a very steep slope on idle ONCE the clutch is fully engaged and that can only happen when the Footbrake is Fully Off."

When attempting to get started, I released the foot brake, applied revs up to about 1,500 and slowly released the hand-brake until the van started rolling backwards and I quickly had hit the foot brake - each attempt left me a few inches further down hill. The recovery guy claimed to be familiar with DSGs but had the same problem. When hooked up to his winch and with the rope under tension, I could release the parking and foot brakes and I tried again (Gear to Drive) - the DSG simply wouldn't engage, as if in Neutral and rev'ed up. Then moved the gear to Neutral and got winched out. It acted as if there's a attitude sensor cutout - can't imagine there is one? Perhaps I should have it looked at?