Auto Start / Stop button locks steering turns off power steering

Leebroath

Leebroath

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Hi guys, finally home and loving the car apart from a few things which Audi are going to look at

I was just this second travelling down to pick my partner up from work and when I got to a junction the car Auto Start Stop system kicked in and turned the engine off but I had no power steering. It completely shut it down, it never released until the engine switched back on when I pulled from the junction

I never had this with the A4, I’m sure the power steering was always on
 
Yup sounds about right - mine does the same and the steering wheel stiffens up
It's just about getting used to how much you hit the brake and for how long and you will soon figure out how to not have it kick in at a junction/roundabout vs when it should in traffic.

Or hit the button and switch it off :)
From memory the A4 loaner I had a few months back was a lot more forgiving
 
Good example mate

So when at a roundabout and you stop, the engine cuts out and the power steering goes off...so you pretty much crap it because you’ve lost all power

Not good at all
 
1st thing I did was code the car to remember the last setting of the start/stop, I'ts been off ever since.
 
Any coding software should do it, I used OBDeleven.
 
With some practice you can apply brakes without activating auto start/stop, allowing the engine to keep running at short stops.


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Hi Jay, it’s not so much the engine going off, it’s the steering going solid which worries me
 
Steering (power steering) goes off when the engine goes off in mine too.


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I've permanently swapped the start/stop with OBDeleven . If I ever need it I just press the button to reverse, but default is off now. I believe the newer A7/A6s are worse in that they cut out when still travelling at speed - sounds horrerndous to me and hope those reports were exaggerated.
 
Did you know, that when stop/start kicks in, you can move the steering wheel left or right to restart the engine?

Also, with some practice on the brake pedal, you can come to a halt and not trigger stop/start. Gentle pressure on brake and engine doesn’t stop, ideal for junctions :racer:
 
You shouldn’t really have to manage the way you drive though

The power steering should not stop as long as the ignition is in and on

I find this a pretty bad system if it’s intended
 
It's the same with other stop start cars as well, my Focus does the same, shuts off the PAS when the engine stops. That's a manual though so I just keep the clutch in at quick junctions...not sure I'd like stop start on an auto!
 
Slightly off topic. - An 18reg Golf I had had a neat little trick. When the car in front pulled off the engine started. So by the time I touched the accelerator the engine was already on and ready for action


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I always do one of two things regarding start/stop. They become second nature as you get used to it.

I always nudge the steering wheel to restart. I have hill hold, and if you use the accelerator to restart, it also disengages the handbrake, which you don’t always want if your in traffic.

If you drive with the auto gearbox in sport mode, start/stop is disabled.

Not sure why people are complaining about the PAS being off when stopped. On the C7/7.5 models it’s fully electric steering, so it’s off to save draining the battery when your stationary, and as soon as you move the steering wheel the car restarts, along with the PAS. Or am I missing something? :blink:
 
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Hi RAF

It’s just something I have noticed, which was never present in the A4 which I had previously

Just find it strange that it switches off when you are actually still sitting in the car in driving mode
 
It’s because the Start/Stop electronics are continually monitoring a number of factors when deciding whether to stop or start the engine, it’s not just about whether the car is stationary.

One of the factors is battery load, so if it senses the battery voltage is dropping under a specific voltage, it restart the engine, even if you haven’t asked it to restart. You get the same action if you’ve stopped in traffic for a while with the radio going, the radio drains the battery, so it restarts the engine, charges the battery, then if will stop again once sufficiently charged.

The Steering is fully fly by wire, which drains battery power, so the electronics switches it off to minimise battery drain and maximise engine stop time - hence fuel savings and less pollution

Any car with the start/stop technology does the same thing to the PAS. In non electric steering, the engine is stopped, so the mechanical PAS pump also stops, however the difference is it’s mecanical steering, so you can still turn the wheel, minus PAS assistance, something you can’t do in fly by wire steering :racer:
 
audi upgrades
I don't believe the Steering is fly by wire in Audis? Think the Infinity Q50 was one rare car that has that tech (unsure if I'd welcome that tech btw).

Steering needs the engine to run for power steering to work


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jay777 said:
I don't believe the Steering is fly by wire in Audis? Think the Infinity Q50 was one rare car that has that tech (unsure if I'd welcome that tech btw).

Steering needs the engine to run for power steering to work
Click to expand...

You are correct, it’s not fly by wire - wrong use of the term on my part, my bad.

It’s electromechanical, meaning the steering is controlled by an electric motor using electronics rather than the more conventional hydraulic assistance via a belt and pulley driven pump. The steering column is connected to the electronics, which works the electric motors.
 
Ok cheers guys for the advise once again :)

So it’s a normal thing to happen
 
jay777 said:
Slightly off topic. - An 18reg Golf I had had a neat little trick. When the car in front pulled off the engine started. So by the time I touched the accelerator the engine was already on and ready for action


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
yup, Mrs 67 plate Golf SE has adaptive cruise which i believe monitors the vehicle in front and fires the car up as soon as it moves off.
 
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