Audi_Mike
07-01-2012, 10:15 AM
I picked up my new A7 last Monday and am generally well pleased with it (3.0TDI SE 245, with pretty much all extras fitted).
Anyway, I was driving home last night on a dark, poorly lit road, when I stopped at a traffic light. The "Auto Hold" brake was armed and on bringing the vehicle to a halt with my foot on the brake pedal, the green park brake symbol illuminated on the dash and the engine Start-Stop cut out the engine. All fine up to now, but then, looking down at the dash, I noticed that the red Seat Belt warning symbol was displayed. Both my wife and I had our seat belts correctly fastened, so I assumed that one of the switches in the belt buckles had not engaged.
She undid her seat belt first and re-fastened it, but the warning light remained. So then I did the same and that was when the "fun" started. As soon as I released my seat belt (and I know now that it says this in the manual, but didn't at the time) the Auto Hold cut out and the park brake symbol in the dash turned Red as the main park brake engaged. At the same time, the Auto Start-Stop disengaged leaving me with a stopped engine, selector lever still in Drive and the park brake on.
At this point I put the car into Neutral and tried to find the start switch. WHY is this IMPORTANT button the only one that is not illuminated at night??? Bear in mind that I have only had the car a couple of days, I knew roughly where it was, but in a dark car on a dark road with a traffic light that had now turned green and impatient traffic behind, this is not the time to find that the most important button in the car at that time is not illuminated!!!!
I felt to where I thought it should be and found it. The engine started, Phew!!! Then as soon as I selected Drive, it cut out again to more frustration from the drivers behind. I believe now, that this "may" have simply been the Auto Start-Stop cutting out the engine again, but I cannot remember looking at the dash to see if the symbol was illuminated. Anyway, I put the car into Neutral again and restarted the engine. This time it started and engaged Drive with no problems. The seat belt warning had gone out and did not come on again.
Morel of the story - Be careful with the automatic systems on this car!!! They all interract with each other and can leave you with a very confusing stopped vehicle if you don't fully understand how they work. Finally can Audi PLEASE ILLUMINATE THE START SWITCH during normal driving so that you can find it when you need it.
Regards,
Mike
Anyway, I was driving home last night on a dark, poorly lit road, when I stopped at a traffic light. The "Auto Hold" brake was armed and on bringing the vehicle to a halt with my foot on the brake pedal, the green park brake symbol illuminated on the dash and the engine Start-Stop cut out the engine. All fine up to now, but then, looking down at the dash, I noticed that the red Seat Belt warning symbol was displayed. Both my wife and I had our seat belts correctly fastened, so I assumed that one of the switches in the belt buckles had not engaged.
She undid her seat belt first and re-fastened it, but the warning light remained. So then I did the same and that was when the "fun" started. As soon as I released my seat belt (and I know now that it says this in the manual, but didn't at the time) the Auto Hold cut out and the park brake symbol in the dash turned Red as the main park brake engaged. At the same time, the Auto Start-Stop disengaged leaving me with a stopped engine, selector lever still in Drive and the park brake on.
At this point I put the car into Neutral and tried to find the start switch. WHY is this IMPORTANT button the only one that is not illuminated at night??? Bear in mind that I have only had the car a couple of days, I knew roughly where it was, but in a dark car on a dark road with a traffic light that had now turned green and impatient traffic behind, this is not the time to find that the most important button in the car at that time is not illuminated!!!!
I felt to where I thought it should be and found it. The engine started, Phew!!! Then as soon as I selected Drive, it cut out again to more frustration from the drivers behind. I believe now, that this "may" have simply been the Auto Start-Stop cutting out the engine again, but I cannot remember looking at the dash to see if the symbol was illuminated. Anyway, I put the car into Neutral again and restarted the engine. This time it started and engaged Drive with no problems. The seat belt warning had gone out and did not come on again.
Morel of the story - Be careful with the automatic systems on this car!!! They all interract with each other and can leave you with a very confusing stopped vehicle if you don't fully understand how they work. Finally can Audi PLEASE ILLUMINATE THE START SWITCH during normal driving so that you can find it when you need it.
Regards,
Mike