Car refuses to start in [P]ark

[ddyer79]

My Kessy equipped170 CR DSG will no longer let me start the car when it has been stationary for a while (> 12 hrs).

 

Moving the lever to [N]eutral solves the problem.

 

Accompanied by a rock hard brake pedal when initially getting into the car.

 

Anyone else experienced this.

 

I wait for glow plug lights to go out and my "needle sweep" to finish and then press the start key and it goes back

to the "Check Manual" message as if I had switched off the ignition,

 

Once car is warm, or has been moved, there is no problem.

 

Started yesterday, there again this morning.

[KenONeill]

Ok, due to the complete lack of fault codes I'm guessing a bit, but I suspect there's a problem with the starter inhibit switches.

 

Also there may be a slight vacumn leak in the servo or its supply pipes.

 

Further thought - What happens if you switch off, and then pump the brake pedal until it goes hard, and try to start again?

Edited 18 August, 2014 by KenONeill

[rwbaldwin]

What happens if you press on the brake pedal as you start?

[Phil-E]

Our brake pedal is very hard when you get in from cold.

 

If you hold your foot on the brake while starting as soon as the engine has started my foot sinks down on the pedal and brake feels normal.

 

It sounds like above there is a fault with the car recognising that the car is in Park.

 

What happens if you shift out of Park and then back to Park and try and start?

 

Phil

[ddyer79]

The car has been fine for the first 6 weeks, this just started over the weekend. 

 

You have to start with your foot on the brake, which is absolutely rock hard when this occurs. 

 

As soon as you get the car started the brake pedal "relaxes" into its usual position.

 

Tried moving it out of park and back again, re-locking and unlocking car, but the only way to resolve it is to start the car in neutral.

 

Once started, you can stop the car and start it in park.

 

Sounds like a trip to the dealer if it persists.

[Phil-E]

That's an odd one. Not heard of it happening before either.

 

I'm pretty sure the brake pedal is normal... I hope!

 

Yeah get it to the dealers as it's obviously not right!

 

Phil

[Ryeman]

Have you tried holding the starter on while rocking the shift lever back and forth?

[Phil-E]

Have you tried holding the starter on while rocking the shift lever back and forth?

 

Not sure that will work as the car has KESSY and therefore a push button start.

 

Phil

[Ryeman]

I meant hold the button in start position.

[ddyer79]

Tried that, it just immediately acts as if you have switched off the ignition.

 

As post #2 has suggested, I'll run a diagnostic check this evening see if there is a fault code and then as #3 suggests book it in.

 

Thanks for your thoughts .............

[g6zru]

What happens if you press on the brake pedal as you start?

As far as I understand it you cannot start a DSG UNLESS the brake pedal is depressed.

 

Fred

[Brijo]

As far as I understand it you cannot start a DSG UNLESS the brake pedal is depressed.

 

Fred

Mmmm...  You can start the engine in P or N, but the footbrake must be on and the shiftlock depressed before you can move to D or N (or S!).  Assuming the engine starts, of course. 

[Phil-E]

As far as I understand it you cannot start a DSG UNLESS the brake pedal is depressed.

 

Fred

 

That must be a new thing then as mine doesn't require the brake to be depressed.

 

A bit like how most new cars won't start unless you are pressing the clutch I guess.

 

Phil

[ddyer79]

This is my 3rd DSG equipped Skoda, and on all of them you have had to apply the footbrake to start it.

 

Following the posts above I tried a few things last night and came to the conclusion that the sensor in the brake pedal may either be on its' way out or not sensing correctly.

 

Applying the brake pedal much harder on trying to start the car, allows it to start in Park. This  is definitely different than it was a week ago.

 

Moving the selector to Neutral before starting seems to take the stiffness out of the pedal and allows starting with only mild pressure.

 

Not worth making a specfic dealer visit unless it gets any worse, but definitely something for the frst service