Thanks for all the help so far. Now I have found that it was a worn out battery. So new battery goes in and my 2008 A4 2.0 computer tells me in order to start the car I need to " depress the clutch pedal to start the car." I have researched and know there is a “clutch pedal switch” somewhere but why should I have to do anything to start my car after replacing the battery? As it is the car does not turn over whatsoever…that is the message I get. Purchased a new battery today. Any help is greatly appreciated.
I suppose you have an automatic? The other thread didn’t say what transmission you have. If you have a manual, I guess you pushed the clutch in and tried to start it. Is that correct?
Thanks. Yeah, that’s the thing…its an automatic. I dont get it.
Disconnect the battery for about an hour to reset the computer again. It couldn’t hurt.
Battery was out for 5 hours…all previous messages have reset. This “depress clutch pedal” is a confuser…still no action (6hours later) on car turning over…It does not even click at all. All is as is its ready to start but turn the key and…“depress clutch pedal to start engine”…dont get it
The depress clutch message means you car’s computer is messed up. The computer is sending a message for a manual trans car, when you have an automatic transmission. I think you may need to see an Audi dealer, or an Audi specialty (German car, independent mechanic) to reprogram the computer.
I don’t have an Audi and no experience working on current models, but in this case I’d try this. Turn the car “on” with the ignition key. Move the shifter from park, to neutral, and into drive, then back into park. Perhaps the computer will sense the changes and realize the car has an auto transmission. Next, if that doesn’t work, move the ignition key to “start” position and then move the shifter with your other hand and see if you can get the starter motor to energize.
Is there any way you can manually jump the starter from the battery with the key in the run position and see if it starts…make sure it’s in park and parking brake on…if it starts go through all the gears going backwards and forward…Maybe the ecu will see the automatic tranny…
Double thread got me messed up and I put my comment in the first by mistake. Some of us old geezers get confused easily.
Were the battery connections cleaned when the new battery went in?
What does your instrument panel voltmeter read with the key in RUN position?
Not sure about a 2008, but try this:
-
Turn the key to ON position, then OFF and immediately back to ON. With it still in ON position:
-
Step on brake pedal, and move shift lever from PARK through all the gears and back to PARK.
3 Turn to Start and see if it cranks.
If not, you’re probably going to need to bring it to a shop that has the proper equipment to have a conversation with your ECU.
Probably worth mentioning with respect to your first post, that if you get a LOW OIL PRESSURE warning and the engine quits, best to not attempt a restart without FIRST checking the dipstick.
Ok I’m not an Audi owner or dealer or have really any experience with them I do plan on it being hopefully my next vehicle but had a Pontiac with a similar issue it didn’t tell me to depress clutch but It would get nothing when I try to start it after tinkerin with it for hours and hours finally figured it was just actually a little broken piece of plastic next to the neutral safety switch which was not allowing it to go fully into Park try to start the car from neutral and see what it does. Probably not going to fix the problem or even be the problem repeat last year talk about going through the gears he’s on the something they’re going to have something to do with that I don’t think you’re not engaging all the way into park so it’s thinking it’s just in between a gear like a manual would sit in a way I guess hopefully that made sense at all and helps you out
I think they got it working in the 6 years since the last posting
1 Like