Hold Button? What's it for?

[Mrs Miggins]

Hi all

When driving off to work the other night I noticed a lit up "HOLD" light on the dashboard. Took me a while to figure out what it was and why it was there as I hadn't previously noticed it but I eventually found out that it was related to the lower button being pressed on and off on the gear stick.

Question is.......... What is it and what is it supposed to do?

Had a play around, as you do, and thought maybe it was something to do with a cruise control whereby it "Holds" the engine in top gear or some such thing but whenever I put it on I noticed the engine revs leapt up to around 3000rpm regardless of whether I was going up hill, down hill or on the flat. Didn't matter if my foot was on or off the accelerator, the revs still went up.

Completely puzzled as to what it is for but I don't care to use it if it's going to use more fuel!

Answers on a postcard please!

Mrs M

[g8dhe]

Postcard format;
http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... 82#p444982

[splitpin]

With the gear lever in D and the hold button pressed the gearbox will change between 2nd and 3rd depending on your speed, if the gear lever is in S with hold on the gearbox is held in 2nd and with the gearlever in L and hold on the gearbox will be held in 1st. Is useful when going up or down very steep hills or driving in slippery conditions.

[A1tony]

Handy for downhill and maintaining some control in the bends. It is similar to the engine braking effect on a manual gearbox.

I would suggest you get used to it and try it in different situations. It is definitely your friend rather than your enemy !

[mister munkey]

Its pretty much as it says on the tin. Think of it as a manual override to use the gearbox as a semi automatic when needs be. It will keep the gearbox in 1st, 2nd or 3rd depending on where you select the gear lever. Useful for hilly roads or to aid braking if on a fuel economy run.

[Mrs Miggins]

Thanks very much for the replies! I see things much more clearly now!

[sdsk]

I was warned off using the Hold button by a certain importer, on the grounds that if it gets stuck, the gearbox/engine has to come out to sort it.

That's a bit like saying don't use the brakes, you'll wear them out..... it's put me off a bit.

But having read the thread quoted above I feel much more like experimenting!

[PisceanJoy]

I was told taht the Hold button was to hold it in 4WD mode
it sounds from prev mails that that is untrue
so how do I gt it into 4WD on muddy fields?

[mikeWalsall]

if it is a four wheel drive then it is always in (permanent) four wheel drive ..

[Bored Lizard]

Agree with the above, very useful on slippery or icy decsents meant Igot my daughter to an appointment last winter in the ice. Also seems to help if you put a notch or 2 on the hand brake. Any body else found that or disagree ? 2 Wheel drive 2.5TD Freda.

[Velocette]

Agree with the above, very useful on slippery or icy decsents meant Igot my daughter to an appointment last winter in the ice. Also seems to help if you put a notch or 2 on the hand brake. Any body else found that or disagree ? 2 Wheel drive 2.5TD Freda.

That sounds like the motorbike technique of dragging a bit of back brake prevent the back wheel spinning up if it lets go.

As an advanced technique, I've had a niggling doubt about it as you have to overcome that friction by feeding in more power, which could very well overcome the brake anyway, so why not just use a bit less throttle in the first place and not spin up? I still haven't convinced myself, but I have thought of it a lot and am open to ideas.