# How does a hill climber clutch work? **URL:** \ **Category:** Shift518 Automotive\ **Created:** [November 13, 2012, 4:15am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/how-does-a-hill-climber-clutch-work/265484 "2012-11-13T04:15:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aero93](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a4c791/32.png) [@aero93](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/aero93)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 4:15am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/how-does-a-hill-climber-clutch-work/265484/1 "2012-11-13T04:15:26Z")
So I never really thought about it until the other day, how does a hill climber clutch work? And what I mean by hill climber clutch I mean its when you come to a stop on a hill and take your foot off the brake and the car sits in place for a few seconds and then starts to roll back. I know Subaru foresters have it and some bmws aswell, I’m just curious about the engineering of how it works if anyone knows feel free to chime in. ---
**Author:** ![Cossey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Cossey](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Cossey)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 4:45am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/how-does-a-hill-climber-clutch-work/265484/2 "2012-11-13T04:45:47Z")
To the best of my knowledge, it just keeps the brake applied slightly until it feel forward momentum then it releases. Probably an accelerometer of sorts. ---
**Author:** ![20wrx09](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/20wrx09/32/6532_2.png) [@20wrx09](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/20wrx09)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 5:02am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/how-does-a-hill-climber-clutch-work/265484/3 "2012-11-13T05:02:49Z")
Yea it’s the brake system. It’s on my wrx. It holds the brake for about 5 seconds then it releases. It has to sense that you are on an incline though. ---
**Author:** ![KrazyKid](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/krazykid/32/6371_2.png) [@KrazyKid](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/KrazyKid)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 6:29am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/how-does-a-hill-climber-clutch-work/265484/4 "2012-11-13T06:29:00Z")
does it sense tq or something if you dont drive like a sally and it doesnt take you all 5 seconds to hit the gas and release the clutch so you arent fighting the locked up brakes? PS people need to learn how to use their right heel more. ---
**Author:** ![offroadzj](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/offroadzj/32/6428_2.png) [@offroadzj](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/offroadzj)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 6:53am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/how-does-a-hill-climber-clutch-work/265484/5 "2012-11-13T06:53:27Z")
Ok… really dumb question, my 04 STi wouldn’t have this would it??? The reason I ask is that every once in a while when starting up, it feels like the brake is hanging up. It’s probably just the ebrake cable sticking, but you never know… lol. ---
**Author:** ![MGs4me](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@MGs4me](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/MGs4me)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 7:22am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/how-does-a-hill-climber-clutch-work/265484/6 "2012-11-13T07:22:30Z")
Not that I was around them but “Hill holders” as they were called by Studebaker have been around since the 1930’s. While I don’t know how exactly they did it. I know they were electric and helped apply the brake until there was friction on the clutch. Never really thought of how they worked? ---
**Author:** ![aero93](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a4c791/32.png) [@aero93](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/aero93)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 7:57am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/how-does-a-hill-climber-clutch-work/265484/7 "2012-11-13T07:57:11Z")
Okay good to know, a lot simpler then I thought although the system does have its faults for instance you cannot feather the throttle on a hill if you have this because it interrupts the system somehow I’m not sure, but as if you were on a hill in a normal manual trans gearbox you would typically feather it but this system is built against it ( at least it seems to be in my BMW ) Thanks for the response everyone ---
**Author:** ![KillerBlackbird](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/killerblackbird/32/6525_2.png) [@KillerBlackbird](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/KillerBlackbird)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 11:43am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/how-does-a-hill-climber-clutch-work/265484/8 "2012-11-13T11:43:06Z")
Google is your friend: [http://blog.truecar.com/2012/01/31/spotlight-on-technology-hill-hold-or-hill-start-assist-technology-makes-steep-road-starts-safer-for-drivers/](http://blog.truecar.com/2012/01/31/spotlight-on-technology-hill-hold-or-hill-start-assist-technology-makes-steep-road-starts-safer-for-drivers/) I had it on my 08 STI. Worked well. First time I felt it work was weird, I was ready for the car to roll back. ---
**Author:** ![aero93](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a4c791/32.png) [@aero93](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/aero93)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 12:17pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/how-does-a-hill-climber-clutch-work/265484/9 "2012-11-13T12:17:54Z")
fuck google when we have shift! lol thanks guys ---
**Author:** ![crazybrew609](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/crazybrew609/32/6319_2.png) [@crazybrew609](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/crazybrew609)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2012, 4:29am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/how-does-a-hill-climber-clutch-work/265484/10 "2012-11-14T04:29:29Z")
> [@FS: 2006 DSG GTI, $20,000. APR Tuned!](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/fs-2006-dsg-gti-20-000-apr-tuned/50980/29): > > Okay good to know, a lot simpler then I thought although the system does have its faults for instance you cannot feather the throttle on a hill if you have this because it interrupts the system somehow I’m not sure, but as if you were on a hill in a normal manual trans gearbox you would typically feather it but this system is built against it ( at least it seems to be in my BMW ) > > Thanks for the response everyone you don’t need to really feather the clutch as you can just jump off the clutch and go right into your gas pedal as needed. once the computer releases the brake, it won’t reactivate it until you have your foot on the brake and the car comes to a complete stop again ---
**Author:** ![Wayne64SS](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/wayne64ss/32/6365_2.png) [@Wayne64SS](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Wayne64SS)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2012, 6:53am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/how-does-a-hill-climber-clutch-work/265484/11 "2012-11-14T06:53:15Z")
these things make me rage. pussies should learn to drive a stick or get their license taken away. ---
**Author:** ![KrazyKid](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/krazykid/32/6371_2.png) [@KrazyKid](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/KrazyKid)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2012, 7:11am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/how-does-a-hill-climber-clutch-work/265484/12 "2012-11-14T07:11:03Z")
I learned when i was 16, on Market Hill in amsterdam, at the light next to the police station, with trafic behind me, in an 86 F250 302 using 2nd gear not the granny gear. wayne said I am not a pussy ---
**Author:** ![ReDevil](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/redevil/32/6385_2.png) [@ReDevil](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/ReDevil)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2012, 9:36am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/how-does-a-hill-climber-clutch-work/265484/13 "2012-11-14T09:36:39Z")
Pfft, I start in 2nd everytime. RACECAR BECAUSE ---
**Author:** ![AMD\_IS\_THE\_BEST](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/amd_is_the_best/32/6342_2.png) [@AMD\_IS\_THE\_BEST](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/AMD_IS_THE_BEST)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 10:48pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/how-does-a-hill-climber-clutch-work/265484/14 "2012-11-16T22:48:37Z")
My Jetta has this and it’s a DSG.