2020 Audi Q3: start-stop system problems

Filed Mar 27, 2021 · Engine, Fuel system · 4,500 miles · FL

We stopped at an all way stop intersection and the car's stop-start system had turned off the engine. When the engine restarted the engine hesitated, warning lights lit up on the dash, and the car went into its "limp home" mode. We were in the process of making a left hand turn and the car would not accelerate above a very slow speed. Luckily it was on a city street with a 25 MPH limit and traffic was light. We were able to make it through the intersection and pull to the side of the road. We turned the car off and waited a few seconds and restarted it. The car worked normally after restarting and the problem has not happened again. I have received a notice for a recall that seems to address the issue (oem id: 96h5. Recall name: engine control unit (ecu) software) and have scheduled an appointment with my dealer to have it installed asap.

Filed Mar 12, 2021 · Engine, Fuel system · 10,000 miles · CT

On four occasions, the engine stopped working and the steering wheel was not able to be turned. This prevented the driver from moving the vehicle forward and steering off to the side of the road. This is an extremely dangerous situation. If the car is turned off and restarted, the problem resolves with this reset. The intervals between these episodes have been several months. There are no specifically common variables, other than a lower speed - start/stop as in waiting to cross a line of traffic or proceeding through a stop sign. I have taken the q3 to the dealer 3 times now and have been told that a software update is the fix. Recently the car has been making a vibrating noise when coasting, and it lost power in an intersection on the way to the dealer for service. The car completely shut down and even activated the parking brake. We always disable the car's auto start-stop feature, as we suspected that to be involved, but that is not the issue. We feel this car is unsafe and the audi dealer seems unable to diagnose and resolve the problem. Our first audi purchase, we had one of the first 2020 q3 to arrive in the us and four shut-off incidents since we purchased the car in oct 2019. The car was driven less than anticipated due to covid, remote school/work and no travel. Perhaps more frequent driving would have accelerated the claim process for us. Ironically, we chose the car for its safety features primarily for our teen/young adult drivers. The car has shut down for three drivers, twice for our teen and once for each of the parents, so we are confident that the problem exists as described and persists despite attempts to fix it. Each time we felt it was resolved due to a long interval between incidents, but today was more frightening than others due to the intersection where it occurred. This could cause a critical accident.

Filed Jan 18, 2021 · Acceleration, Driver assistance · 1,545 miles · TX

On january 16, 2020, I was driving on a local street and started slowing down for a stop sign. I had forgotten to turn off the auto start/stop switch as is my usual practice, so I deactivated it before stopping. When I hit the switch, I got an error message telling me the cruise control was no longer available, the engine warning light came on, and the motor started shuddering. As I tried to pull away from the stop sign, the car wouldn't accelerate more than 7 MPH. Towed to dealer. They are trying to track the fault. I have also had problems with the lane keeping detection system since I bought the car in august, 2020. The system is supposed to come on automatically when the vehicle is started. Half the time it doesn't come on when started; other times, when making multiple stops during a day's driving, it comes on at random times. Some days it never comes on. Other days it comes on each time. Dealer can't find fault. Turning it on manually doesn't guarantee that it'll turn on the next time you start the vehicle.

Filed Mar 12, 2020 · Steering · 350 miles · CA

There is a 3-4 second delay in the steering assist after engine restarts from a start/stop event. (auto start/stop feature) I almost got into an accident because I expected the power steering to be active while the car is on. I attempted to make a right hand turn on a traffic light, when I let go of the brake, the engine started and car started moving forward. I was unable to turn my steering wheel so the car went forward and I almost hit the car in the next lane over. After taking it to the dealership, they said that audi knew about this and stated that this is within specification. (attached their internal technical service bulletin about this particular issue) meanwhile my car was in the shop for a week, I had a loaner audi sq5 that did not have this problem. Nor any of the cars I've ever driven before. I even showed this issue to a few of my friends and even they agreed that this was not safe. What's even more upsetting is that audi's response was "audi technical assistance recommends turning off start/stop system to avoid steering concern" so why would I pay for a feature that I am not able to use and if I do use the feature, I'm endangering myself as well as others on the road? (this is also included in my attachments.) I do home someone can help me because audi will not.

Filed Mar 2, 2020 · Transmission · 523 miles · MD

Auto stop/start system lags, causing steering wheel to lock up, preventing a turn through an intersection, or into a shopping area! This occurred as I was attempting a turn, from a complete stop, into a strip shopping center, in the baltimore area.

Filed Feb 18, 2020 · Fuel system · 1,964 miles · NY

While driving my 2 month old audi q3 this morning the car completely stalled while going approximately 40 MPH. I received an error message, drive line malfunction. The car would not respond at all after applying the accelerator. I was almost hit by 2 trucks!!! I then put the car in park and it was able to start it up. I brought it to the dealer, they just called me and told me they found an error code p060c00 indicating an internal control module problem. They said that there is no known fix at this time but they said that there is a known service bulletin on this issue. They said that I need to disable the auto start stop feature on this car each time I start it up. What do I do now? My wife will not drive this car anymore and does not want me to drive it either! This is not a safe car to drive. Please help!

Filed Feb 3, 2020 · Acceleration, Engine · 310 miles · MD

I purchased my 2020 q3 on dec 31 2019. Within 2 weeks my car stopped at the signal light with a malfunction of auto stop/start issue and would not move forward. I had taken to the dealer and they mentioned that this is a known issue with 2020 q3 and the software to fix the auto stop/start function will not be available untill end of 1st quarter. Now I am seeing the gas consumption high and the vehicle does not drive as before.

Filed Jan 21, 2020 · Steering · 150 miles · CA

I bought my audi q3 on december 21 and on december 22 I started noticing issues with the steering, specifically related to the auto stop/start function. Now, as detailed below, I did not have a positive experience with my purchase of the vehicle, so when I started to notice the slow belabored turning, I thought that I was making more out of it because I had such a negative experience at the dealership. And, I wish that's what it was. As I continued to drive the vehicle more, the problem with the steering wheel locking up not only became more frequent, but also more aggressive, where it went from a short split-second delay to a delays that lasted many seconds. This is highly dangerous and terrifying. The last time it happened was in the middle of an intersection where I was trying to turn left, and the vehicle was moving forward but the steering wheel wasn't engaging - this occurred as traffic was coming towards me, one of which had to swerve to miss slamming into me in the intersection. Obviously, my next step was to bring the car into the dealership to fix the clear defect. So you can imagine my surprise, horror, and dismay, when days later I received a call from the service department telling me that not only did audi know about the defect, but that to them it wasn't a defect at all but an adequately performing 'slight delay.' of all the responses that I could have imagined, that was the one that never crossed my mind because that would me that audi was willfully ignoring the safety of their customers. The service representative did his best to show me work arounds for the problem, but as I said to him, steering your car while driving is not something that should have to be 'worked around.' there shouldn't need to be a work around where safety is concerned. The unsafe delay has continued to occur.

Filed Dec 3, 2019 · Fuel system, Steering · 200 miles · WA

Vehicle misfires/ stutters resulting in the vehicle shutting off. Driver has to manually restart car. This can be hazardous when driving in traffic as the vehicle will shut off. Not sure if this is a fuel injection issue. I've had this happen twice while ascending a hill. I picked up my new car on 10/22/2019, since 11/02/2019, I've experienced this issue 5 times. My vehicle has been in the repair shop twice for this issue and continuously since 11/25/2019. The car is not storing any faults. Vehicle also recognizes road repair sealant as a traffic lane and will take control of the steering. You have to wrestle with the steering wheel to command control of the steering. Lastly, when using these auto start/stop function, after releasing the brake the steering locks and you have to wrestle for control of the wheel.

Filed Nov 3, 2019 · Electrical, Steering · 100 miles · TX

When the auto start-stop function activates (turning the engine off), the steering wheel locks. The car can continue to roll when you let your foot off the brake to start moving again, but the steering wheel remains locked not allowing you to steer the car when necessary. I almost got hit because of this and it is very scary not to be able to steer out of the way when necessary!!! This is horrible function of the car which can cause a lot of accidents!!