starting procedure
- Thread starter Starry
- Start date
Assuming you have a keyless system and a manual gearbox(second point a no brainer obviously 
), then no.
I have always pressed the clutch fully down before starting any of my cars since I started driving 34 years ago.......it puts slightly less strain on the starter motor and is a safeguard if the vehicle has been left in gear and you either haven't noticed or have forgotten. It's a very good habit to have.
With the S tronic you need to press the brake to start the car.
I'm curious why you would want to start your car without pressing the clutch?
), then no.I have always pressed the clutch fully down before starting any of my cars since I started driving 34 years ago.......it puts slightly less strain on the starter motor and is a safeguard if the vehicle has been left in gear and you either haven't noticed or have forgotten. It's a very good habit to have.
With the S tronic you need to press the brake to start the car.
I'm curious why you would want to start your car without pressing the clutch?
RichardT
Registered User
Yes - strange question. I have always pressed the clutch to start on manuals.
I’m manual with a key start, the reason I ask is because when I finish my shift I walk passed my car to get changed into clean clothes and change my dirty boots. There’s no way I could sit in it to start it with my dirty gear on. The cars in a secure yard and it would be nice to start it up, and in the few minutes it takes to get changed it would warm up a little. This would be especially helpful in the winter.
I'm confused....if your car is manual with a key start why does it need the clutch pressed to start it?
Every manual car with a key start I've ever driven has not required the clutch to be pressed to enable starting.
Is this an Audi specific thing?
Every manual car with a key start I've ever driven has not required the clutch to be pressed to enable starting.
Is this an Audi specific thing?
My 13 plate polo needed clutch pressed in to start the engine. As does my mums A1... Can't speak for none vag cars.
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I usually just put my foot on the clutch from outside if I’m not getting straight in, it’s a little lunge but it works.
RichardT
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I thought it was quite common these days with modern cars. I’ve certainly come across it (and not only vag cars)
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The 4 cars i owned prior to this one have all been keyless start.....so I didn't know.
My wife’s C-Max is keyless start and you need to press the brake (it’s an auto) and the parents Kadjar is keyless start and they have to press the clutch (manual)
Trouble is that my boots will be plastered in oil and other nasties..
You can't disable start/stop until after the engine is started.
Unless you mean going through the rigmarole of permanently disabling it using the dedicated equipment.
Unless you mean going through the rigmarole of permanently disabling it using the dedicated equipment.
Yes that's the correct method for keyless systems.....it was traditional key start systems I was surprised about.My wife’s C-Max is keyless start and you need to press the brake (it’s an auto) and the parents Kadjar is keyless start and they have to press the clutch (manual)
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Me too. In Jap cars from 2000's ish you had to press the clutch to start too.
Also stops the car lurching forward if left in gear and you forgot!
TX.
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I had a 2008 Honda but it was keyless start, so again wouldn't know.
Now that I think about it my last 5 cars have been keyless start.
I’ve had keyless start in other cars and all still required either clutch or brake presses depending on auto or manual.I had a 2008 Honda but it was keyless start, so again wouldn't know.
Now that I think about it my last 5 cars have been keyless start.
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Clearly dependant on the manufacturer then.
Ford and Volvo did not require clutch to be pressed to enable key starting in their manual cars.
I cannot say when or if this changed, but can definitely say it did not apply prior to keyless systems being introduced.
EDIT.
I misread your post and you misunderstood mine.
My whole point is concerning cars WITHOUT keyless start but still require the clutch to be pressed.
This is completely alien to me but apparently it is a thing.
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Never tried it in neutral. Doesn’t make sense.
When you park you have to move lever into P to remove key. So when you start it should still be in P not N. I see no situation why you would be in N to start a car unless you switched it off in traffic but we have stop/start for that.
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Yeah I’ve tried it once and it worked, only because I saw it appear on the dash once ‘please select P or N’ and I was curious. I can see why you’d have to press the brake though as the handbrake releases if you select Neutral.
But like you say I can’t think of a reason why you’d want to start the car in neural instead of P anyway!
Because you can start it in Neutral as well and without the brake on it would start to roll
Flying Scotsman
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I have one situation. When washing my car with keyless start, I leave the car in N with the parking brake on. Otherwise, the car will start beeping and locking and unlocking every time a stream of water hits the sensors or I touch them whilst cleaning and the FOB is in my pocket.
Never had that problem with my old A6 with keyless and I clean my car all the time.
I just unlock car and got in with it, usually open and close a door then it won’t go off.
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Many an old car owners have knackered the crank thrust washers by repeatedly spinning a dry engine with the clutch pressed before the oil circulates. Much the same as knackering gearboxes by changing down and using engine braking when the gearboxes weren't designed to take the forces driving in that direction.
Nope...I'm afraid you've lost me there.
It seems like you are saying it's potentially bad for an engine to depress the clutch pedal before starting?
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Not on modern engines but pre 80s stuff was different.
The crank rubs against thrust bearings which keep it in place, controlling the end float. These bearings are mounted vertically with oil supplied from one of the main bearings, the oil easily drains away. Depressing the clutch when cranking pushes the crank forwards with some considerable force and the thrust bearing rubs against the crank with little lubrication and wears. Not unusual on some engines for the thrust bearing to be worn so badly that it completely drops out! BL cars were particularly bad for this, but those with the old BW slush box never suffer with thrust bearing wear.
The crank rubs against thrust bearings which keep it in place, controlling the end float. These bearings are mounted vertically with oil supplied from one of the main bearings, the oil easily drains away. Depressing the clutch when cranking pushes the crank forwards with some considerable force and the thrust bearing rubs against the crank with little lubrication and wears. Not unusual on some engines for the thrust bearing to be worn so badly that it completely drops out! BL cars were particularly bad for this, but those with the old BW slush box never suffer with thrust bearing wear.
Good information, but probably not something any of us here need to be concerned about.
I passed my test in 1984 and regularly drove my dads owned since new 1966 Mk.1 Cortina for a year, then moved onto a 1985 Rover 213VP.
Both those 2 then every manual car since I have started in the same way by pressing the clutch before turning the key.
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No, but you did ask.Good information, but probably not something any of us here need to be concerned about.
Protecting the mechanical longevity of their cars is something few people care about these days. How little people can get away with spending on servicing during their brief ownership is more the order of the day.
I would see it as not even lifting the bonnet and making cyclical checks then blaming the manufacturer when things go wrong.
Flying Scotsman
Registered User
They are waiting for idiot lights to go on and then complain to the dealer about???or ever better vent their spleen on a website forum about 
I had the push clutch to start bypass switch fitted when I had the S3 8p as I had upgraded to the racing clutch and didn't want to wear the thrust washer any more than I had to.
I am not sure if one of the bypass switches are available for the 8v model, but I don't think it worked on start stop cars anyway.
I am not sure if one of the bypass switches are available for the 8v model, but I don't think it worked on start stop cars anyway.
Would it genuinely have put enough wear on it to be detrimental to the clutch?
If so I would say it was not fit for purpose.
Depressing the clutch before starting is generally a good thing for an engine.
My A3 8v PFL sprortback has to have clutch depressed to start.
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