A4 technic Stop Start problem

A4 technic Stop Start problem

Author
Discussion

Chippo1

Original Poster:

344 posts

122 months

Wednesday 15th January 2014
quotequote all
Having real problems with the stop start system, Audi have given up it seems , there best comment is "computer says no fault found" and that seems the best they can do after about 10 days

Car fails to restart intermittently when clutch depressed , occasionally also cranking and not firing up .

Any one here have any problems with the system ?

Dr G

15,159 posts

241 months

Thursday 16th January 2014
quotequote all
Strange that a mean dealer are not able to offer further help.

They have a guided diagnostic process and in the event that this fails are able to call upon further technical assistance from Audi UK.

Is the problem intermittent?

Chippo1

Original Poster:

344 posts

122 months

Thursday 16th January 2014
quotequote all
Dr G , They have spoken to Audi Technical and I am getting the slightly stupid response that if the Lap top says no , there cannot be a fault with the car , clearly there is , and clearly no diagnositic system can see every thing and possible I am finding a fault condition not previously experienced.

The fault is intermittent ( I am very aware of how tricky this can be )

No attempt has been made by either dealership to progress beyond driving the car, and plugging in !

I have asked Audi UK to start some old fashioned fault finding and speculative changes of components, they refuse to do this. I do suspect there may be a fault with the clutch sensor for the SS system.

The SS system works fine when it is required to start itself as a result of the many parameters that need to be in the correct mode for the SS to stop or start the engine.

The system only fails when it it has a request via clutch peddle operation to restart

I have now driven 3 other Audi's with the system with out fault.

Really brassed of with Audi's attitude its now almost like they disbelieve me. I have witnesses !

This is potentially a safety issue




Edited by Chippo1 on Thursday 16th January 10:25


Edited by Chippo1 on Thursday 16th January 10:28

Dr G

15,159 posts

241 months

Thursday 16th January 2014
quotequote all
Chippo1 said:
Dr G , They have spoken to Audi Technical and I am getting the slightly stupid response that if the Lap top says no , there cannot be a fault with the car
I struggle to believe that.

You need to speak with Audi UK customer service and factually explain the situation.

VAG have staff to deal with exactly these situations. I know of one case with a Skoda Yeti where after repeat attempts the dealer was unable to reproduce a problem but the customer continued to experience the issue. One of VAG's tech support specialists was then asked to drive the car for a few days whilst the customer was in a loan car to reproduce and diagnose the fault.

There is quite a lengthy process of elevation but raising the issue with Audi UK is step one.

Chippo1

Original Poster:

344 posts

122 months

Thursday 16th January 2014
quotequote all
Dr G , Believe me its true !

I am slowly being passed up a line of management in Customer Service with no sign of a resolve any real, in fact as said the response has been fairly negative, we don't see a fault so no problem. The other thing i cannot get any thing in writing from them either even to acknowledge that i have a problem.

Chippo1

Original Poster:

344 posts

122 months

Friday 17th January 2014
quotequote all
Well this fell on stony ground !

JollyGrnMonster

887 posts

196 months

Saturday 18th January 2014
quotequote all
Laptop plug in diagnoses wont work for clutch switch fault imho because it will assume it just never got a request to restart via clutch pedal therefore not see it as a fault.

Clutch switches arent expensive but you shouldnt have to fault find yourself

Chippo1

Original Poster:

344 posts

122 months

Sunday 19th January 2014
quotequote all
JGM, my sentiments entirely, I have explained this very thing to 3 people now at customer service as I get passed up the food chain! They have no technical expertise whatsoever.

I have asked to speak to some one who is technical which is met with quite a sharp refusal

They all, from the dealer ship upwards seems to think the lap top as a form of fault finding is it, no other option.

I have explained how it is only good as the information from the fitted sensors and the software designed to interpret said information .

They stubbornly refuse to change the clutch sensor saying they can't authorise speculative component changes! The logic of partial failure of this device and how the lap top would interpret this information flies over thief heads like an Exocet missile, I can't wait for it to land in their laps and explode!

It's also a bit annoying that I can't get any written confirmation of my problem.



myvision

1,931 posts

135 months

Sunday 19th January 2014
quotequote all
Are you dipping the clutch and the engine turns over but fails to start?
Or just nothing happens at all?

Chippo1

Original Poster:

344 posts

122 months

Sunday 19th January 2014
quotequote all
My vision

Strange you should say that , but very occasionally this happens, which is even more annoying it attracts a lot of unwanted attention!

Have you had this problem, or do you know what's happening?

myvision

1,931 posts

135 months

Wednesday 22nd January 2014
quotequote all
Chippo1 said:
My vision

Strange you should say that , but very occasionally this happens, which is even more annoying it attracts a lot of unwanted attention!

Have you had this problem, or do you know what's happening?
I have a 12 plate A4 2.0 TDIe and loads of times now after it has stopped I dip the clutch and it just turns over doesn't fire.
Remove the key and start as normal it's fine. I told Audi on it's first service at 18,000 and they said they could find no fault it's due it's 2nd service in 1000 miles so I will tell them again.
Lad here at work also has an A4 that does the same.

va1o

16,029 posts

206 months

Wednesday 22nd January 2014
quotequote all
The only way to solve this is going to be to keep persevering with Audi UK customer services until a satisfactory outcome is reached. If even after constant chasing and you still aren't getting anywhere then get the consumer panel of a magazine like WhatCar involved.

Because its something unusual and on a very new car its unlikely we can be much help here on the forum. None of us have seen this problem before and its what the warranty is there for at the end of the day.

Oh and at least you have a fairly simple workaround of just turning off the Stop/ Start system and not using it!

Chippo1

Original Poster:

344 posts

122 months

Wednesday 22nd January 2014
quotequote all
VA10,I am not switching it of , £28k car. And it doesn't work I should coco. The fuel economy is poor as it is , turning. It off will only make it worse.

My vision, very interesting , please make a fuss Audi say I am the only person in the world to have reported this problem!

Now today I have been told to basically go forth by Audi customer services , they even refuse to pass me up to senior management or do anything more , that it's finite, no fault on diagnostics , tough go away.

Reject the car and they will fight that all the way,there is no fault ! Their warranty will not provide for any other form of fault finding or changing of components

This is the most terrible customer service

Mediocre car at best ,poor economy, poor service , DO NOT BUY AN AUDI

Edited by Chippo1 on Wednesday 22 January 20:59

cptsideways

13,535 posts

251 months

Thursday 23rd January 2014
quotequote all
Are the techs that stupid that they cannot diagnose a faulty clutch switch! Of course the system wont log a fault if it hasn't seen a clutch switch operation if the switch is duff.

Muppets, I'd be shouting very loudly at the DP to send his staff to basic mechanics evening classes. And change the clutch switch/sensor himself.


Chippo1

Original Poster:

344 posts

122 months

Friday 7th February 2014
quotequote all
We'll I still have the problem , Audi are laughable , they still refuse to go any further , they are incapable of any fault finding full stop , They remind me of little Britain " Computer says no", so that's it, go away and enjoy our lovely car the best in the world , we'll any one who thinks that needs to see a doctor , the service is crap as is the warranty. Compare the warranty with other manufacturers very poor this says it all really they do not even have confidence in their own product .

Their latest offer is to pay half the cost of an AA or RAC engineer to find the fault , it seems they have admitted its beyond them to fault find on there own products , really beyond a joke

Never again will I darken the doors of a VAG product , more likely to return to a LR product , at least they sorted out problems. And my experiences of Japanese manufacturers is that they sort problems, but again maybe this is a result of the quality product that's well built and designed from day one to be defect free, hence the better warranty and the eagerness to resolve any problems.

Chippo1

Original Poster:

344 posts

122 months

Friday 14th March 2014
quotequote all
Oh Audi have asked to see the car again , I am booked into a dealer to go driving with a. Technician for an hour or 2 until the problem presents it's self , then they will do something about it !!!!!!

Watch this space , not to closely because I have no. Confidence in the ability of Audi to fix the problem once they get to see it .

mikiesb

89 posts

151 months

Friday 14th March 2014
quotequote all
Chippo1

I am not a mechanic but ...

1.) computers don't know everything and can't fault find everything
2.) why don't you just pay for the clutch sensor to be replaced somewhere and if that fixes it - bill
them? - don't know much this costs so if it's a under £100 go for it.. but knowing audi a clutch sensor is tucked away and is a mission to replace.

3.) take it to another audi dealership or better still an independent audi specialist

I have had "weird" problems in the past with cars - the internet plus independent experienced mechanics
are best - main dealers mechanics "don't think outside of the box imo" - not trying to insult
anyone - but they always tend to do straightforward work on cars/routine stuff and "do what the computer" says.

cptsideways

13,535 posts

251 months

Friday 14th March 2014
quotequote all
Googling forums is my latest method of finding the cure, especially if its a common fault or one that appears on new cars that is likely to be....


So lets have a test & see what we find.....

Chippo1

Original Poster:

344 posts

122 months

Saturday 15th March 2014
quotequote all
The problem is out there not common but there .

God am I going to enjoy it when they finally have to concede there is a problem

On another issue does any one find the starting procedure to be a bit of a lottery , I know it looks at any number of parameters before it allows the engine to start , most of them there for uninformed mechanically un sympathetic drivers, but to date I find the whole affair pretty inconsistent , some times I have to wait and get the nice little "engine starting". Message and others it starts immediately , this all on cold starts in the morning exterior temp low single figures , just seems like there are software issues or errors and it doesn't really know what it's doing . The doors shut seat belt on parameters seem to be lottery to , some times needed others not

mikiesb

89 posts

151 months

Monday 24th March 2014
quotequote all
Chippo

Not trying to nag but read my previous points and reply - you are obviously not happy - but I think i've made some valid points...

Also I know this probably completely irrelevant but have you tried a different keyfob (worth a try)? - or is the ignition all good with this fob?

These cars rely on the fob to start in the ignition - so i wonder if the fob maybe faulty/intermittent - long shot and maybe completely irrelevant and a stab in the dark - or a problem with the ignition firing everything else up - again long shot but worth a try - others will probably tell me I completely wrong but hey ho.

Edited by mikiesb on Monday 24th March 20:17