[mutande]

2 week old Q3 sometimes outputs the following message when the start-stop system is triggered:
"Start-stop system: deactivated! Restart engine manually."
This happens maybe 20% of the time. The car stops. The start-stop engages. The green icon comes up. Then a moment later this message appears. We then need to re-start the car manually.
Any ideas why this is happening?
Is the car faulty?
We contacted the Audi garage but they just said it sometimes happens (??) - but couldn't explain why.
Any help would be really appreciated because at the moment it seems like a fault.

 

[Samoanjoe]

I have no personal experience of this, but "this sometimes happens" doesn't sound like sufficient enough explanation to me!I hope one of the other members can shed some light on it, but if the forum's experience can't fix it I'd have it back to the dealer like a shot!

 

[reilsab]

Sound like a poor excuse from your dealer, I'm sure if it was common there would be a fair few people on here complaining about it.

Next time it happens take a picture on your phone, show the dealer and demand they look into it further. Post the photo in here too if you can?

I've never experienced it in the 9 months I've had my car.

 

[KEW]

I have never encountered this either and have had the car 10 months - doesn't sound right to me.

 

[Da2922]

Sounds odd. Between the time he car stop and he message appears do you turn on air con. I have noticed if it is set to low then start stop won't activate so I wondered if start stop is activated and you set aircon to low or a lower temp then it might not be able to start and you have to manual start the car.

 

[Exiledtaff]

I've never seen this message when stop/start initiated with footbrake on s-tronic in over a year now. You can get it sometimes if when activated, you select P and then either open a door (or perhaps undo a seatbelt) - this may be a safety measure I guess but is something I wouldn't do normally. Not sure if you have auto but hope this helps.

 

[californiadreamin]

On the instrument panel there is a button to switch on/off the Auto Start/Stop it`s the one on the far left with A inside an incomplete circle, just a thought, but could this either be playing up or malfunctioning in some way

 

[Whitey]

No never happened to me

 

[daytona]

2 week old Q3 sometimes outputs the following message when the start-stop system is triggered:
"Start-stop system: deactivated! Restart engine manually."
This happens maybe 20% of the time. The car stops. The start-stop engages. The green icon comes up. Then a moment later this message appears. We then need to re-start the car manually.
Any ideas why this is happening?
Is the car faulty?
We contacted the Audi garage but they just said it sometimes happens (??) - but couldn't explain why.
Any help would be really appreciated because at the moment it seems like a fault.

I have had this twice just after I had my car which was in November 2011I have never seen it since then I presumed it was due to cold weather as the engine had only been running for about 10 min s

 

[andrewk59]

I have had my car for just over one year, I have never had this happen.

 

[Gromit]

If you check the manual you'll find that it deactivates for several reasons, the most common being:-

A> The aircon is running and the inside temperature is not yet down to the set temp.

B> The same scenario but the aircon has to cut in while stationary to combat increasing temperature.

C> The charge in the battery is low to the point of being insufficient to support the systems with the engine off or restart the engine promptly when needed.

So, first thing to check is aircon - turn it off and see if it makes a difference. Second, check your battery state and charge it if necessary.

This happened to me the first day or two I owned the car - I suspect the battery had been run low either en route or by the PDI staff. It cured itself after a couple of days running/charging. It also happens in hot weather when the aircon is working to cool the vehicle.

 

[Jonny Five]

I'd say Gromit is right here. Insufficient battery charge to run all the systems is plausible, especially on a new vehicle. If you think about it, aircon, lights, audio etc all blaring away and the engine off, then the car is supposed to trigger the ignition again and keep all that running? You need a healthy battery for that.

 

[AfAX]

Mutande has no issues because of the start/stop not working because there isn't enough energy left on the battery, but

"Start-stop system: deactivated! Restart engine manually."

.When the engine triggers the stop engine and there isn't enough energy left to stay off, it justrestarts automatically. That is what it does in my car. And not turning off the engine and asking you to restart. If there isn't enough energy because of hi charge (airco-, ... ) the engine just doesn't stop but continues runing.

Edited by: AfAX

 

[Daniel TD5]

I agree had our one over 10 months any problem due to low battery or air con stops it from working and a a sign with a cross through it comes up

We have never had to start the car up it just does it on its own

 

[rontheman]

I agree with Daniel and Afax. If the charge is running low with the engine stopped, it restarts automatically. However, what mutande is saying is that the engine stops, and then almost immediately the error message comes up and you need to start the engine manually. Also this happens about 20% of the time. If the charge was low, then the system would not invite you to restart manually.It sounds like the engine isattempting to restart, but something is preventing it, which is triggering the error message onthe attempted auto restart. Audi must have built in this error message to cope with the situation that has arisen, so my thought would be to go back to your dealer and get them to ask Audi what situations they envisaged that would trigger this message, and take it from there. I think it's a fault and needs to be investigated.In the meantime, try switching off stop start for a while. Also, is your car manual or auto?

 

[Dodger1]

This has happened to me a few times but only on a specific occasion. It is when I have programmed the satnav for home and I have reached my destination and I wait with my foot on the brake whilst an electric gate opens. After 10 or so seconds the gate opens, I lift my foot off the brake and I get your warning message. Make of that what you will.

 

[Crem0]

I have had this when I, says shyly into hand, stall the car.

Not that I go I around stalling but the few times I have, if you have built enough into the start stop system, it will start automatically,

If too cold etc, that message appears.

 

[Dave9_3]

Had this happen whilst waiting in the petrol station queue this morning. Lifted the clutch expecting it to restart and the restart manually using the key message came up. started immediately on the key. Didn't think much of it, as my wife's Honda civic which also has stop start gives a similar message on occasion. difference is Honda have an explanation in the hand book as to why it happens.

 

[steadykev]

Some interesting comments here. My previous Q3 and my new one both did/do and although it seems to be random I suspect there is a common denominator, I just haven't got the time or inclination as yet as to eliminate most suspects. Also the system will occasionally deactivate the start/stop and prevent a shut down, which the manual does give reasons for. My thoughts at the moment are that when a shut down is activated i.e. coming to a stop and the electrical loading has not been removed, or increases, then the system is trying to force you to manually restart (although in theory - according to the manual it should trigger a restart automatically). You would think that the computer management system would be intelligent enough to recognise this but perhaps it is not yet progammed to predict an event after activating a shut down?

 

[kevindorekens]

I managed to get this message twice so far in the one year that I have had my car:

1. Waitedfor a long timein front of a bridge, so eventually the start stop deactivated and the car needed a manual restart. (Time-out)

2. Undid my setabelt whilewaiting atthe traffic lights to grab something form my pocket. When the lights went green the car showed this message and didn't start. (Safety feature)