I have a mate running a VRS with a DSG box who has an unusual problem. He parks in a 'stacker' car park which requires the car to be left in neutral, this allows the trolley to drag the car into its lift and then auto park it. In order to leave the car in neutral he needs to leave the keys in the ignition, which is causing his battery to go flat after almost every visit.

Can anyone suggest a way of stopping the battery going flat (without pulling the battery terminals every time or a way he can leave the gears in neutral and take the key out.

Any suggestions??

I have a mate running a VRS with a DSG box who has an unusual problem. He parks in a 'stacker' car park which requires the car to be left in neutral, this allows the trolley to drag the car into its lift and then auto park it. In order to leave the car in neutral he needs to leave the keys in the ignition, which is causing his battery to go flat after almost every visit.

Can anyone suggest a way of stopping the battery going flat (without pulling the battery terminals every time or a way he can leave the gears in neutral and take the key out.

Any suggestions??

Hi and what a problem !

Sorry I am not a expert with the dsg box, but I do have a car that is a (old fashioned) Auto box, ans as you say you can only remove the keys in Park, but there is a button at the side of the gear leaver which allows me to select Neutral after the key is out.

Is there any way of selecting neutral once the key is out ? (ie just select it with the lever)

Sorry I have no definitive answer, but I will follow this thread, and not just for the gearbox, but the Parking sounds interesting !

Radiotwo

I agree with the above answer. I have a DSG Yeti and as far as I can remember when I have taken the key out of the ignition you can still move the lever to wherever you want including Neutral. You just can't start the car.

I agree with the above answer. I have a DSG Yeti and as far as I can remember when I have taken the key out of the ignition you can still move the lever to wherever you want including Neutral. You just can't start the car.

I haven't checked but not sure that you can do that.

There is an emergency procedure that allows the lever to be shifted out of P when all the power is off. It is detailed in the manual and involves removing the gear lever surround and pushing a release button.

See page 121 (= page 122 of the pdf) of the manual downloaded from here

https://mediaportal.skoda-auto.com/resource/documentation/manuals/en/Octavia/06-2010/Manual/A5_Octavia_OwnersManual.pdf

It takes quite a while to download!

Edited 14 March, 201115 yr by eccleshill

Well I moved the lever out of P just yesterday and selected R before starting the car......... It of course did not want to start. And I've done the same to N without starting the car........

Now I'm not sure how that works and how safe that is if you leave a car parked with children in it? Maybe you can still only move it when you have the brake pedal pressed? I'd sure hope that is still the case. I will check next time I'm in the car.

Well I moved the lever out of P just yesterday and selected R before starting the car......... It of course did not want to start. And I've done the same to N without starting the car........

Now I'm not sure how that works and how safe that is if you leave a car parked with children in it? Maybe you can still only move it when you have the brake pedal pressed? I'd sure hope that is still the case. I will check next time I'm in the car.

You may have moved the lever but has it shifted the box? Is there a mechanical linkage from lever to box or is it an elaborate switch sending messages to the mechatronic unit?

Once I am parked with the key out then I cannot move the selector without putting the key in and turning the ignition on again.

Once I am parked with the key out then I cannot move the selector without putting the key in and turning the ignition on again.

Yep! I just drove home and found the same. With the key out the lever will not move out of P

Yep! I just drove home and found the same. With the key out the lever will not move out of P

+1 - No way of moving the selector without the ignition in position I.

Could do the emergency procedure and see if the 'lock' can be permanently disengaged or removed altogether. The car park may have to change their system soon as more and more cars will become DSG (or equivilent) over the coming years!

Not just DSG - wifes BMW and my old Jazz were both autos from which the keys cannot be removed unless in "P".

And I'd have thought parking the car with the keys left in it would invalidate the insurance.

Car parks technical requirements sound very iffy to me - I'd not be happy to leave mine there.

Would love to know where the stacking car park is, if only to go and have a look at it.

Strangely the key CAN be removed in any position in the Fabia vRS

Would love to know where the stacking car park is, if only to go and have a look at it.

There is one in Leeds. It fascinated me watching it!

Yep! I just drove home and found the same. With the key out the lever will not move out of P

Same here. I realise now I had moved the gearlever with the key in the ignition but the engine not running. Doh. So children on their own in the car are fine!