Generation 2 Start/Stop

[Nappa]

Hi, Just wondering if anyone else is experiencing issues with generation 2 start/stop?

We have a Q3 2017 with S-tronic and if the start/stop has kicked in at 3mph in traffic and you come to a stop and start to roll back, when you press the accelerator to restart the engine it fails to do so causing the gearbox to crunch and results in you rolling back a couple of feet. (Potentially into the car behind) The car has been into Audi with no fault found saying that it is the characteristics of generation 2 start/stop and we need to adjust our driving style. (Not sure how this is possible).

Anyone having the same issue?

 

 

 

 

[JQ5]

I’ve not had any problems as yet. 

Sounds like a nightmare!

[Nappa]

It is, my wife is frightened to drive the thing. 

[Royleblue]

Hi Phil

I’ve only had my A3 a month so I am still trying to adapt to the stop start after having a manual BMW (in which the stop start hardly ever worked). I haven’t noticed it cutting in before I stop, but if it does cut the engine if I take my foot off the brake immediately it restarts. It seems to be less keen to work in ‘Dynamic’ mode but I’m not sure if that is the case. I haven’t experienced the car rolling back but I have hill hold assist which may make the difference.

[Nappa]

We have hill hold assist which works fine when you come to a stop using the brakes. The issue arises when you come to a stop without braking I.e just moving along with traffic slowly and the start/stop kicks in <3mph. If this happens on a very slight incline as the car starts to roll back, (hill assist not engaged as we come to a natural stop). The gearbox crunches and the engine fails to start, if we then press the brakes to stop us hitting the car behind, the hill assists kicks in and the engines starts and we drive away. Feels like a design fault to me with gen2 start/stop. 

[Royleblue]

Could be the combination of the auto box and the diesel engine. Mine’s a petrol.

[Steve Q]

Hi Phil welcome to the forum :) 

You'll find the members on here are a friendly and helpful bunch :) 

For me something doesn't sound quite right. I'm questioning whether start stop should even kick in when the car is still in motion? And it failing to reengage is clearly an issue. 

Am i right in thinking that when you go to pull away and accelerate (try to) the hill hold disengages and the engine does not start? 

If so I would say there is something clearly wrong and the car should go back to Audi. I suspect they have only had the car a day? If so they may need it longer (5 days?) So that it can be road tested alot more by them. 

Keep us posted on how you get on. 

Cheers

Steve

[Nappa]

Hi Steve,

I'm not sure when gen2 start/stop came out but on my previous two audis it only kicked in when you came to a complete stop. With gen2 it cuts in if your travelling upto 3mph, the after sales manager called it predictive stop. Which takes some getting used to tbh, it can cut in and out loads when moving in slow traffic (rolling  with no brakes and power steering is stupid if you ask me). Anyway I'm getting used to it now but it just seems a daft system, for me start stop should only kick in when your stationary. On our car if we come to a stop using the brakes the hill assist kicks in but if we come to a stop naturally and start stop has kicked in hill assist is not engaged. If where we have come to a stop is on a slight incline the car will naturally start to roll back but when you press the accelerator to re engage the engine, I think because the cogs in the gearbox are moving backwards and the engine is trying to start it spits it's dummy out. So I'm rolling back pressing the accelerator and it can't restart forcing us to press the brake to engage hill assist. Which is crazy if this happens at the front of a roundabout with cars behind. (Accident waiting to happen)

Audi's resonse so far, no fault found, turn off start/stop feature everytime we get in the car.

Sorry for the long message, this has happened now 5/6 times in 4.5k miles. 

Sorry for the the long message but it's hard to explain and thanks for your comments so far. 

[Steve Q]

For me if the system is working normally then it clearly is daft! For Audi to tell you not to use start stop defeats the point of trying to be more eco friendly. 

If you use dash cams it might be worth you recording so that you have evidence of the issue. 

Dont worry about writing a long message, as it is clearly worrying you. I'm wondering though if your car were manual whether this issue would be there at all? At which point it could be the s tronic box not liking gen 2 start stop. If this is the case then potentially the issue may not just be related to the Q3. 

It might be worth you researching these issues in similar models. Or check what recalls Audi have had this yeat. 

Please keep us posted :) 

Cheers

Steve 

[Royleblue]

This is what Audi say on their website 

The start-stop system automatically switches off the engine when the car is moving at a low speed or is stopped, for example at traffic lights, and starts it automatically when the speed increases or the journey continues

As the car is braking to a standstill, the system switches off the engine and signals this via a symbol on the dashboard. When you release the brake pedal to continue on your journey, the engine starts and the symbol on the dashboard is removed.

[Nappa]

13 minutes ago, Royleblue said:

This is what Audi say on their website 

The start-stop system automatically switches off the engine when the car is moving at a low speed or is stopped, for example at traffic lights, and starts it automatically when the speed increases or the journey continues

As the car is braking to a standstill, the system switches off the engine and signals this via a symbol on the dashboard. When you release the brake pedal to continue on your journey, the engine starts and the symbol on the dashboard is removed.

The system cuts out the engine regardless if your braking or not at low speed. If your just rolling in traffic the engine cuts out, my issue arises when it cuts on the engine and your on a slight incline. The car will start to roll back, so you press the accelerator to restart and because the wheels are moving backwards the gearbox crunches and fails to start. (I can only describe the sound as if your trying to change gear in a manual car without pressing the clutch in)

 

Steve your idea of a dash cam inside is perfect, I'll set that up and post the video. I have a feeling this issue will be across the board with other models.

 

thanks for the comments.

[Steve Q]

Your welcome, glad o could help :) 

From what Phil has said from info on the Audi website, it sounds like to me your car is failing to reengage the engine when the brake pedal is released. It sounds to me Audi have over complicated the system. Oh I'd also look at what recalls other vag cars have had as it could be a similar story with Volkswagen, seat and skoda too. 

Cheers

Steve 

[Nappa]

11 minutes ago, Steve Q said:

Your welcome, glad o could help :) 

From what Phil has said from info on the Audi website, it sounds like to me your car is failing to reengage the engine when the brake pedal is released. It sounds to me Audi have over complicated the system. Oh I'd also look at what recalls other vag cars have had as it could be a similar story with Volkswagen, seat and skoda too. 

Cheers

Steve 

Steve you talk a lot of sense and I feel your right.

My last four cars have been auto Audi's (I'm bit of a fan) the last two being Gen1 start/stop models, they have never missed a beat.

I have logged an official complaint with Audi UK today and lets see were that gets us. £38k spent on a car my wife is frightened to drive and Audi's response is no fault found because the computer has logged an error. LOL

[Steve Q]

Thanks :) 

Just to add i.did work.in a Volkswagen service department but can't say I had ant experience with gen 2 start stop as it's been a while! 

I would suspect as with an awfull lot of car related issues these days, all.that may be required is a computer update on the software that's affected. However who.knows when this could be. 

As I say I think if Audi were to have and is your car for a week.yhey would be able to see the fault. I found d when I was at Volkswagen this often helped find intermittent faults. Especially if the cars ecu hasn't picked up.on it!.

Keep.us posted :) 

Cheers

Steve 

[Nappa]

Update - So Audi have had the car since yesterday morning, by 11am yesterday the master technician rang to say to "no fault found" but would continue to investigate.

This morning there response has been the issue is caused by driver error and they can't get it to fault on a test drive. I explained that the fault has happened 6/7 time in 4.5k miles so by driving it around the block I doubt you will experience the issue.

The master technician went on to say that I hadn't bought an automatic car (S-tronic) because it hasn't got a torque converter so the car is free to roll back. So basically he wants me to engage the handbrake every time the car stop/starts and with this stupid predictive stop can be 3 or 4 times every 20 yards in traffic. 

So i'm at a round about just about to pull out, stop/start kicks in and the advice is to engage the handbrake before I press the accerator to restart the engine.

What pile of s*** that is, I have got to say this is my 4th and last Audi if this is how you get treated.