Start/Stop

[dzTT]

I've got a 2010 A3 2.0Tdi BE (140) I've had the car since the start of September now and the start/stop thing took a while to get used to but it ws great when I got the hang of it, but now it appears not to be working at all. Since probably the start of December anytime I come to a stop the symbol appears saying it is unavailable. The first few times I put it down to the car maybe needing to have warmed up properly before it would kick in but at the weekend I went for along run and still it wouldnt work. Cant seem to see much in the manual regarding it and I made sure that the conditions set in the manual were all met when trying it out again. Anyone else have this sort of problem or am I just doing something stupid?

cheers
Dazz

 

[jungleman]

Not sure what the Audi system is like, but if it's anything like the mini system it deactivated itself if the air temperature was below a certain level, could be that?

 

[cloughy]

I now on my BMW it stopped working below 3 degrees or similar

 

[h5djr]

My wife's new A1 has the Audi Stop/Start system and it checks all sorts of things before it works. I will have a look in the Owner's Manual to see if it gives any further details.

 

[Helifella]

On mine I find the A/C will stop it activating, or if you press the A/C to 'on' the engine fires up, also low voltage on the battery will stop it working. I sometimes wonder if it knows when it gets home because apart from the first time I arrived home it has never wanted to cut the engine. It will trigger with the foot brake as well as handbrake. Also hand if you stall too - just dip the clutch and away you go. I think if it was faulty you'd get an amber caption, rather than the usual white one you stated.

 

[Adam.]

If start stop had errors then it would flash up "start/stop error please visit dealership".

 

[XXXCorps]

If the outside temperature is below 4 degrees it will stop working, if you have automatic air conditioning and you have that set to very low or very high temperature; the start/stop system will disengage whilst the temperature in the car is attained...
If you have all the electrics on; i.e. heated rear window, lights, a/c etc. this will affect the start/stop system too...

 

[dzTT]

Thanks for the info folks, I did remember switching the AC off back when i got the car and that stopped the Start/Stop working but its always on now. Ill put it down to cold temperatures for now but ill keep an eye on it for when the temperature gets a bit warmer.

Cheers
Dazz

 

[h5djr]

Out of interest and further to my earlier post these are some of the items checked by the Stop/Start system on my wife's A1.

Basic conditions:
The driver's door must be closed
The driver's seat belt must be buckled
The bonnet must be closed
The vehicle must have been moving at over 4km/h since the last stop

Engine does not switch off if:
The engine has not yet reached the minimum temperature required for stop/stop mode
The interior temperature selected on the air conditioner has not been reached
The exterior temperature is very high or very low
The windscreen is being defrosted
The parking aid is switched on
The battery charge is too low
The steering wheel is close to full lock or the vehicle is being steered
Reverse gear has been selected
The vehicle is on a steep gradient

So it quite a clever system and I'm quite looking forward to getting it on my next A3 which is due for delivery in March.

On my new A3, which will have the s-tronic gearbox, the system will work when you stop the vehicle and keep your foot on the brake. The engine will start again automatically when you take your foot off the brake. You can also control whether or not the engine is switched off by varying the amount of pressure on the brake pedal. If you brake gently in stop and go traffic or before turning off at a junction, the engine will remain running while the vehicle is at a standstill. As soon as you press the brake pedal harder, the engine will be switched off. I can see some controlled use of the brake pedal being necessary.

 

[dzTT]

Thanks for the list, im sure all of those requirements are met. the only thing I can think of would be the external temperature although it has been up around 8C some days. I'll keep an eye on it and if it is still not working after the temperature picks up and stays a bit warmer...maybe july

 

[dzTT]

Well since the temperature is back up ive noticed that it still dosnt work haha, im going to do some final checks tonight/this weekend before i give audi a phone

 

[lumpy_a3_140]

I noticed myself that it does seem really picky!

Generally on my daily commute to work the first bit is motorway and the car is normally nice and warmed up by the time I get off at my junction. There's normally a wait at the lights there and the start/stop normally kicks in. But every now and then it doesn't, whether it was slightly colder or there was slightly more drain on the car I don't know.
For the most part though it works really well so if yours is not coming on at all I suspect there's a fault of some description there. Its certainly not cold enough now to stop it coming on I would think.

Good luck!

 

[audigex]

Mine seems oddly choosy - sometimes turning off when the temperature is only 1/4 of the way up, others not.

It could just be that your temperature setting hasn't been reached yet - I find mine works best if I set it to the same on passenger and drivers side (presumably they both make the other think they're not quite the right temperature) or if I have the temperature slightly higher than normal. One of the conditions, even if the AC is off, is that the climate control temperature has been reached.

Mine also sometimes doesn't turn off if my iPod is plugged in and charging, presumably that tips some current draw meter over the edge.

That said, I can't be the only one who still doesn't trust it to turn back on when I'm sat at the lights? Although it does have the handy side effect that if you stall, it re-starts if you drop the clutch again quick enough.... that's a nice little feature.

 

[dzTT]

Well on Sunday after being at the Crieff Audi meet it started to work again no idea why, nothing has changed all the settings are the same as before but now it just works.

So I'll keep a check on it, maybe all it needed was some nice sunshine for once haha

 

[Graeme Lockwood]

Just to bump this thread - I had the same problem with my A3 1.4TFSi Cylinder-on-demand over the last few days. I was on the verge of visiting Audi...until I read this thread! Seems like there are an awful lot of parameters that affect the stop/start with most of them being due to the additional draw on the power supply. I initially thought it was due to the temperature drop over the last few days (I'm currently in Germany) but it seems that if you have any services on that cause above average draw on the electrical supply the stop/start function disables. Mine re-enabled as soon as switched the A/C from blowing on the front window - a (bad) habit I have had on all my previous cars

 

[9secondlegend]

another bump......had mine a couple of weeks and cant the thing to work....when i stop i just get the A with a line through meaning its unavaillable.
when i test drove it worked and i didnt even like the idea of it but now it doesnt work its irritating me due to my ocd lol

 

[BlackDiamond]

Another bump.

Also getting this on my 2011 Audi A3 2.0TDi Manual.

Get the same "A" with a cross through it. Have read through the manual but still can't get it to work.

Strange.

 

[9secondlegend]

mines still not worked since i got it

 

[fouryoghurts]

Hi guys,

Re your start stop issues:

1. check battery capacity (if below spec this must be sorted) - ideally need a decent agm-enabled battery tester
2. check correct capacity is programmed in ecu (requires VCDS or equivalent)
3. charge sensor (fitted to -ve post) may be defective

Before checking the above, this assumes the normal requirements (some noted above) are satisfied.

 

[9secondlegend]

its been working more since the outside temperature has dropped

 

[Carefree69]

2010 TDI 140 here and works perfectly.

Strange

 

[craigedmonds]

I have an Audi A3 late 2009.

Can I install aftermarket start stop system?