moloveshisaudi1254

Today after 6 months I went to see if my A4 would start so I can scan for codes and start to do the mountain of work it needs. Interestingly, after driving an automatic for so long, I forgot to press the clutch pedal while the car was in gear and it lurched forward when I attempted to start it. I thought there was a cut of switch that is suppose to prevent that from happening, am I right? Isn't the rev. cutoff switch in the clutch used by cruise control also used to prevent the car from starting if it is in gear and the clutch isn't pressed? If it is one switch doing those two functions then does that mean the cruise control won't work now because the switch might be bad? Surprisingly when the car was drivable the cruise control actually worked even though other things were going bad. Any thoughts/solutions?

Allroady DungBeetle

IIRC the older ones didn't have the clutch safety - but i may be wrong. What year?

moloveshisaudi1254

1996 A4 Quattro, 12v, 2.8L V6.

600whpA4

That year does not come with the clutch starter switch. It did come with the cruise control clutch switch though. The switches are not the same and the ones with the starter switch actually have 2 switches. This is most likely why your cluster screen doesn't say to push the clutch pedal to start the car.

Allroady DungBeetle

Thanks, beat me to it. I think it started in late '97?

moloveshisaudi1254

My cluster is the crappy looking, but apparently more reliable one without the LCD display. So it does not tell me to press the clutch. I was going to upgrade cluster but knowledgeable people here recommended against that. Do you know where the clutch switch hooks up, in case I wanted to add one? I ask because once I fix this car everybody will want to use it and probably destroy it and the car in front of it.

Nate (ETKA+Scumbag)

Seems like an upgrade that is hardly worth the effort IMO.

moloveshisaudi1254

Are you referring to the cluster or the clutch switch? The cluster is a waste of time. The clutch safety switch (or whatever technical term is used to refer to it) may be worth the effort depending on how much effort is actually required to install it. The switch will prevent stupid friends and family members from destroying the car and car parked in for of it. And it will make it easy to install a remote start if I decide to go that route. I will look into using the pre-existing (cruise control switch) as both.

Nate (ETKA+Scumbag)

Both. The best way to keep them from destroying your car is by not letting them drive it in the first place.