RS4 start switch issue

Post by **byron13** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 11:25 am

Ok simple but annoying to me. Does anyone know how to simply disable the switch that stops me starting the engine without the clutch being pushed in?
Sounds silly but I mostly start the car and then let it idle for a few minutes whilst I lock the garage etc and it seems so stupid to have to actually get in the car to do this. Happy with the switch as I can just lean in to do this but seems overkill to have to engage the clutch. Any thoughts? I know it’s a safety thing but have been in the habit of checking the car is in neutral for 20+ years now.

Would rather it was done by software rather than pulling the dash apart and hardwiring the switch.

Post by **tartan_rob** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 11:50 am

I suspect the switch is also used by the ECU for Cruise control.

Post by **Lancia** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 12:43 pm

Know what you mean, I dont think any stupid people have actually bought RS4's to date......have they.

Post by **Mr.Sushi** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 2:27 pm

Cruise control? I didnt know our cars had cruise control. How does that work on a manual?

Post by **alex_123_fra** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 2:57 pm

Mr.Sushi wrote:Cruise control? I didnt know our cars had cruise control. How does that work on a manual?

You can stick it to a set speed on any gear and accel/decel with flicks of the cruise lever under the left indicator stalk. Can't say I've ever used it...the whole thing makes me nervous

Post by **mrdeli** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 4:20 pm

I use the cruise lots - not quite as easy as in my previous merc, but soon get used to it. It gets me 27mpg on my way into work - but when I'm coming home I only get around 17mpg :@)

Post by **PetrolDave** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 5:36 pm

mrdeli wrote:I use the cruise lots

Me too - when you're covering several hundred miles in a day on the autoroute/autobahn/autostrada it saves getting a very sore right ankle.

Retrofitted it to my last S4, and ordered my previous A4, S4 and S3 with it (plus a Mercedes motorhome I used to have) and retrofitted it to at least 50% of my previous vehicles.

I wouldn't be without it - but my wife is too scared to use it!

Post by **s4woody** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 6:15 pm

try removing the under tray by the pedals and see if there's a switch on the clutch pedal..it mite look like a brake light switch..if its there un plug it and see what happens..
its normally the brake switch thats used for cruise..when ya wanna take back control you just touch the brake and it switches off...maybe...

Post by **byron13** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 6:35 pm

Ta Woody - I will have a look but would expect it makes a circuit rather than breaks one.

Post by **Virdee Autos** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 7:44 pm

I would have thought by disconnecting the clutch switch you will get fault codes appear and maybe even warning lamps.

I would advise you have VAG-COM or equivalent before you attempt this

Post by **audijohn** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 10:35 pm

byron13 wrote:Ok simple but annoying to me. Does anyone know how to simply disable the switch that stops me starting the engine without the clutch being pushed in?
Sounds silly but I mostly start the car and then let it idle for a few minutes whilst I lock the garage etc and it seems so stupid to have to actually get in the car to do this. Happy with the switch as I can just lean in to do this but seems overkill to have to engage the clutch. Any thoughts? I know it’s a safety thing but have been in the habit of checking the car is in neutral for 20+ years now.

Would rather it was done by software rather than pulling the dash apart and hardwiring the switch.

Well the switch is part of the software star sequence I would think, best left alone. If you want to start it then get out and leave it for a while, thats NOT what is recommended. Start and drive is what you should do, this reduces the chance of flooding/ rich running.

Post by **byron13** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 10:13 am

audijohn wrote:
byron13 wrote:Ok simple but annoying to me. Does anyone know how to simply disable the switch that stops me starting the engine without the clutch being pushed in?
Sounds silly but I mostly start the car and then let it idle for a few minutes whilst I lock the garage etc and it seems so stupid to have to actually get in the car to do this. Happy with the switch as I can just lean in to do this but seems overkill to have to engage the clutch. Any thoughts? I know it’s a safety thing but have been in the habit of checking the car is in neutral for 20+ years now.

Would rather it was done by software rather than pulling the dash apart and hardwiring the switch.
Well the switch is part of the software star sequence I would think, best left alone. If you want to start it then get out and leave it for a while, thats NOT what is recommended. Start and drive is what you should do, this reduces the chance of flooding/ rich running.

I would have thought with the importance of getting up to temp in the RS4 running for a few minutes first would be good for it?? Most of my journeys are short stop start so the engine barely gets a chance to get warm and the 7000rpm max message to disappear.

Post by **Dom81** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 12:17 pm

I'm with John - better to run straight from startup than allow the car to idle first. Obviously keep within warmup limits, and if the 7k sign is still on at the end of the journey then go the long way round. Not good for the plugs to switch off before a reasonable temperature has been reached, but equally not good for the engine to warm up very slowly with <1k revs

Post by **tartan_rob** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 1:00 pm

Cuise also uses the clutch pedal to stop it overrevving if you change gear. Try engaging cruise and without using the clutch, slip the car out of gear, she'll over rev a little and cruise will disengage, then try setting cruise and press the clutch. It immediately disengages.

Post by **byron13** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 10:16 am

byron13 wrote:
audijohn wrote:
byron13 wrote:Ok simple but annoying to me. Does anyone know how to simply disable the switch that stops me starting the engine without the clutch being pushed in?
Sounds silly but I mostly start the car and then let it idle for a few minutes whilst I lock the garage etc and it seems so stupid to have to actually get in the car to do this. Happy with the switch as I can just lean in to do this but seems overkill to have to engage the clutch. Any thoughts? I know it’s a safety thing but have been in the habit of checking the car is in neutral for 20+ years now.

Would rather it was done by software rather than pulling the dash apart and hardwiring the switch.
Well the switch is part of the software star sequence I would think, best left alone. If you want to start it then get out and leave it for a while, thats NOT what is recommended. Start and drive is what you should do, this reduces the chance of flooding/ rich running.
I would have thought with the importance of getting up to temp in the RS4 running for a few minutes first would be good for it?? Most of my journeys are short stop start so the engine barely gets a chance to get warm and the 7000rpm max message to disappear.

Thanks folks - must admit I have done this for years letting the engine idle to warm so will try to stop this, had no idea it was not good

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