[MPBQ3]

My wife was driving today on the highway at 70mph and all of a sudden noticed that the car had no power and all the lights on the dash were on.

Lucky for her she was able to pull over onto the shoulder and was confused on why the car just died. Then it hit her. While on the highway, she went to turnvoff or lower the heat and must have hit the start/stop button by accident and the car turned off.

I realize that like a key you could turn the car off while driving, but WTH was Audi thinking that hitting the button (by accident) would also turn the car off while it's moving. Remember the key is no where near any other buttons, but the start/stop button is near everything else.

I'm thinking what if there was no shoulder to pull over to as on the GSP in NJ with construction going on, there are some area with no spots to pull over.

IMO Audi has a problem here which could cause a serious accident.

 

[Quatto]

That's horrible, you guys should take it into the dealer to see what they would have to say/do about it, as it clearly was a situation that could have ended badly.

 

[hepmeplezjones]

I have accidentally done this a couple of times. Never while moving but yeah I have stopped the car when I was really trying to adjust the heat or heated seats. I figured that's what you were going to say when I saw your post..

If you have not made that mistake before then the car losing power all of a sudden would definitely cause some panic which could cause who knows what else.

Reminds me of back in the 80s I think when all these people were positive they were stomping on the brake but their cars would somehow be accelerating at crazy speeds and slamming in to things.. I don't remember if Audi changed anything about the car because of that?

I do not have any other Audis and have limited points of comparison. Is the button in the same place in pretty much every Audi? In other cars I have seen the button up higher on the dash and perhaps more out of harms way..

 

[deverelle]

That's scary. I remember when I was shopping for cars that I thought it would have been better on the upper dash or near the steering column.

 

[MPBQ3]

I have accidentally done this a couple of times. Never while moving but yeah I have stopped the car when I was really trying to adjust the heat or heated seats. I figured that's what you were going to say when I saw your post..

If you have not made that mistake before then the car losing power all of a sudden would definitely cause some panic which could cause who knows what else.

Reminds me of back in the 80s I think when all these people were positive they were stomping on the brake but their cars would somehow be accelerating at crazy speeds and slamming in to things.. I don't remember if Audi changed anything about the car because of that?

I do not have any other Audis and have limited points of comparison. Is the button in the same place in pretty much every Audi? In other cars I have seen the button up higher on the dash and perhaps more out of harms way..

If I recall correctly that's when the brake being held when starting the car started.

 

[nickjs1984]

Hmm. I'm not sure how I feel about this...the start/stop button is a very different shape and much lower than the seat heating button. It's also somewhat recessed in its cubby - much more so than, say, in the Q5 or the A8. It's unfortunate that some folks have accidentally pressed it but I'm not sure it's a design flaw of the Q3 so much as just a downside of having ignition switched over to a button vs. a key.

Anyway, I'm glad no one was hurt (human or young Q3) in these incidents!

 

[MPBQ3]

Hmm. I'm not sure how I feel about this...the start/stop button is a very different shape and much lower than the seat heating button. It's also somewhat recessed in its cubby - much more so than, say, in the Q5 or the A8. It's unfortunate that some folks have accidentally pressed it but I'm not sure it's a design flaw of the Q3 so much as just a downside of having ignition switched over to a button vs. a key.

Anyway, I'm glad no one was hurt (human or young Q3) in these incidents!

Not that much lower when reaching to hit it button and trying to keep your eyes on the road.

 

[rnlabas]

This button is pretty much in the same place as the one in my S5 and I have not had this happen to me, and it's the first I've heard of. I seem to recall somewhere though that while the car is in motion and everything normal, it's supposed to take like 3 seconds of a push to actuate not an instantaneous or single jab. I'll look into this a bit more and even give it a try to check.

I have to say I'd WANT to be able to shutdown if need be, as if a throttle (e.g. Toyota issue) or other runaway control were to occur, I'd want a shutdown option, even with the additional effort for steering and brakes...

 

[hepmeplezjones]

You kind of also build up a habit of reaching for that start stop button when you reach for anything down there.. Being somewhere that has winter and cold weather I have the heated seats on all the time but I don't reach down there and push the heated seat button nearly as much as start stop.. So its a habit thing. When you reach down there you are habitually reaching for the start stop even if you intend to hit the heated seat. Just how the mind and muscle memory kind of work..

Its like when the power goes out in my house but for some reason I still try to turn the lights on when I walk into the bathroom.. (am I the only one that does this?) Because I always turn the lights on when I go into the bathroom.. its a habit.. or why basketball players have been seen high fiving no one after they shoot a free throw...

habits are hard to break..

 

[nickjs1984]

Maybe it's just that I drive about four different cars each week with work rentals, but nothing is too habitual about my car routines as it all changes day to day. *shrugs*

 

[boxbrownie]

Hmm not how my mind and muscles work 0

Anywhoo, I just hope that shutting down the engine doesn't also lock the steering, I assume Audi would not make such a basic mistake, I can see how it might be useful to be able to turn the Ign off while moving in an emergency etc

I cannot say I have noticed the start button being too close to other controls though, and it is a completely different tactile button to others.

You'll have to train that brain :laugh:

 

[Herby]

I have hit the Start/Stop button by accident on my Q3 while driving. It did not shut the car down. Maybe there is something wrong with your car (or mine). How do we find out what should happen?

Herby

 

[BobInPa]

Is there no information in the owner's manual regarding this possibility?

Both of my cars are 2003s, but every page in the owner's manuals has warning messages. I can't imagine that the number of legal disclaimers would have gone down in the last 13 years.

 

[rnlabas]

See these posts (including mine a few years ago down the 1st one) - jury seems to be that above 6 mph, NOTHING happens if you push the Start/Stop button...

http://www.a5oc.com/forums/a5-general-q/9365-what-happens-if-you.html

http://www.audiworld.com/forums/a6-c7-platform-discussion-194/pressing-engine-start-stop-button-while-driving-2870283/

At or below 6 mph in a car with a stick and the clutch in, it will shutdown...

See observation below !

 

[MPBQ3]

Guess when the Mrs. brings the Q3 in for the first free oil change she'll mention it to the service dept.

 

[hepmeplezjones]

I just went out. You can shut the car off going over 20 mph at least.. I just did it multiple times cruising around the neighborhood..

It won't shut off with a really quick push of the button but if you push and hold for a little bit it does shut down.. The time you have to hold the button down before it shuts off might be a little quick all things considered but it is definitely longer than when you push it to start or stop when you aren't moving..

 

[rnlabas]

I just went out. You can shut the car off going over 20 mph at least.. I just did it multiple times cruising around the neighborhood..

It won't shut off with a really quick push of the button but if you push and hold for a little bit it does shut down.. The time you have to hold the button down before it shuts off might be a little quick all things considered but it is definitely longer than when you push it to start or stop when you aren't moving..

Thanks for the real-world test - I just didn't have the chance to check/confirm. I'd like to know how long the "press" needs to be - just for clarification. Do you think it could be 3 seconds? Maybe I can try it tomorrow for reference.
@MPBQ3 : I think you should have it checked and perhaps confirm with the bride if she could've held it for a few seconds if that's what it takes ...

 

[CocoPops]

I was driving my Q3 and I turned the key whilst driving... shock horror, it turned off

Where's Mohamed, I've got a molehill to climb.

 

[hepmeplezjones]

I think it might have been right around 3 seconds maybe even a little under.. But I didn't time it... I've seen some claim it could be around 2 seconds... I didnt really think through the restart while moving but suppose you pop it into neutral and itll restart then?

 

[Miyata]

flip it into neutral and it'll fire right back up... I remember my dad used to do this all the time because the blender motor on his heater would get stuck, the only way to alter the temp of heat coming out was to turn off and on the car... so on the highway regularily he would neutral, key off, key on, drive, presto chango...