on/off button while driving

[gudy]

Hi,

Yesterday while driving, instead of pressing the eco mode button, I pressed the on/off button which is right next to it. I was on the ramp, getting out of the freeway, but the car simply shut down. I could still stir and brake, but could not turn it back on, as you need to press the brake, and you need to be in P/N. I had to get on the side and completely stop, before I could turn the "engine" back on. pretty scary !

I thought that it was a really bad design, especially with the button being so close to other buttons.

Has anyone else seen this ?

 

[miimura]

Others have reported doing the same thing. Although, I thought it required two presses or a long press, not just one short press. One user reported that after doing it once, he did not try to complete the driving mode change with the hard button and instead presses it one time and makes the driving mode selection from the center screen, just in case he pressed the wrong button.

Personally, I don't use the driving modes. If I want to drive more efficiently, I just do it in normal mode.

 

[DasCC]

did you press it multiple times?

if not that's a horrible design. My other Kessy equipped VWs required multiple presses to turn the car off while driving.

 

[Slomove]

I experimented with that the other day in my new 2016SE model. When you are rolling and press the start-stop button, only a dash display comes up saying something like "to turn off while moving, push the button twice" (forgot the exact text). When I pushed the button another time, the car sure shut down like parked. Still with power brakes and steering, though.

Since I wanted to keep going, I pushed the button a third time and the car turned on again. However, the computer apparently did not expect to be still moving and engaging engine power came a bit rough like full engine brake for a second or so. Not a good idea.

Anyway, I don't know a good reason to turn the car off while moving (maybe except a cable fire?). But having to push twice with a display warning is safe enough for me.

 

[DasCC]

I experimented with that the other day in my new 2016SE model. When you are rolling and press the start-stop button, only a dash display comes up saying something like "to turn off while moving, push the button twice" (forgot the exact text). When I pushed the button another time, the car sure shut down like parked. Still with power brakes and steering, though.

Since I wanted to keep going, I pushed the button a third time and the car turned on again. However, the computer apparently did not expect to be still moving and engaging engine power came a bit rough like full engine brake for a second or so. Not a good idea.

Anyway, I don't know a good reason to turn the car off while moving (maybe except a cable fire?). But having to push twice with a display warning is safe enough for me.

It's nice to be able to turn the car off if you're in a runaway Toyota

 

[GadgetGav]

I've experimented with this and it takes two presses. The first brings up a warning and the second shuts down.
If your car doesn't do that, take it back in to the dealer.

 

[NeilBlanchard]

I will give this a try - my spouse turned it off by mistake while trying to change the driving mode. I don't know if she pressed it twice.

 

[JoulesThief]

It helps to RTFM... I mean the owners manual, cover to cover, before operating.

 

[sodakar]

I accidentally did this while trying 3-click from Normal to Eco+.

Even before driving it for the first time, I thought the button placement was not ideal, but even while thinking that in the back of my mind, I still accidentally pushed it.

I looked for a menu setting to have the car default to Eco+ upon starting, but it looks like that setting is fixed at Normal.

Now that I've learned what Eco and Eco+ driving encourages you to do, it's easy to replicate it in Normal mode, so that seems like the better option.

(Edit: fixed a typo)

 

[FoxBend]

Yes it has to be pushed twice, if you manage to do this you can put it in "N" and push start again - good to go w/out any sort of jump/engine braking.

 

[forbin404]

Maybe OP was trying to turbo press into Eco+ and pressed it twice?

 

[kirby]

I just did this today. I typically drive around city streets in Eco mode, so I usually hit "mode" twice after the car "boots up". This morning, I forgot to switch modes until I had pulled out of a parking lot and was on the road approaching a stoplight. This is the first time I did it without looking and of course I got it wrong. I hit "on/off" two times quickly (within maybe 1/4-1/2 second) which is what I do to get into Eco and the car shut off right away. I knew what I had done right when it happened, so I got things going again quickly without incident.

Really poor user interface. It's really too easy to do. Maybe there's a software fix? Requiring a 1sec delay between initial "off" press and second "off" press might solve the blind accidental push most of the time. Of course, I need to be more careful too.

 

[JoulesThief]

I just did this today. I typically drive around city streets in Eco mode, so I usually hit "mode" twice after the car "boots up". This morning, I forgot to switch modes until I had pulled out of a parking lot and was on the road approaching a stoplight. This is the first time I did it without looking and of course I got it wrong. I hit "on/off" two times quickly (within maybe 1/4-1/2 second) which is what I do to get into Eco and the car shut off right away. I knew what I had done right when it happened, so I got things going again quickly without incident.

Really poor user interface. It's really too easy to do. Maybe there's a software fix? Requiring a 1sec delay between initial "off" press and second "off" press might solve the blind accidental push most of the time. Of course, I need to be more careful too.

Maybe take the time and LOOK at what you are doing, before you press the button. You need to hold yourself accountable for your errors and actions. Make the mistake once, and you should learn, and never repeat it again.

Or maybe make it like a press, it requires two hands, pushing two seperate buttons, to make the press function, or to turn the car on or off?

 

[kirby]

Maybe take the time and LOOK at what you are doing, before you press the button. You need to hold yourself accountable for your errors and actions. Make the mistake once, and you should learn, and never repeat it again.

Totally agree, this was my fault. I was in the driver's seat. I guess I'm not fully used to keyless entry/startup systems. My brain doesn't yet think hitting anything near the center console blindly is a way to shut the car off, so I just reach over there and press without looking.

Or maybe make it like a press, it requires two hands, pushing two seperate buttons, to make the press function, or to turn the car on or off?

Exactly, something to make it a bit harder to do compared to the other buttons you might press while normally operating the car.

 

[forbin404]

Maybe take the time and LOOK at what you are doing, before you press the button. You need to hold yourself accountable for your errors and actions. Make the mistake once, and you should learn, and never repeat it again.

Totally agree, this was my fault. I was in the driver's seat. I guess I'm not fully used to keyless entry/startup systems. My brain doesn't yet think hitting anything near the center console blindly is a way to shut the car off, so I just reach over there and press without looking.

Or maybe make it like a press, it requires two hands, pushing two seperate buttons, to make the press function, or to turn the car on or off?

Exactly, something to make it a bit harder to do compared to the other buttons you might press while normally operating the car.

I'm with Kirby, just because it is his fault you should NOT be looking down while driving. Joules answer is not correct.

That's why the key switch should not be next to other buttons that can be pressed while the car is running.
Sorry but that was stupid design and will probably get VW in trouble after someone plows through a crowd and it is proved by the logs that the car shut off right before.

 

[bizzle]

The correct answer is you are not supposed to be changing modes while driving.

The manual states not to change modes while moving and there may be reasons other than safety for that warning. If you actually change modes while driving and you are way over the speed limit of the mode you're changing into, the car doesn't even switch modes until you slow down. It doesn't slow you down, for example, you can continue accelerating at the rate of whatever mode you were in. That seems like a feature to protect the car's electrical/mechanical systems but that is only speculation on my part. Again, the manual does state not to change modes while moving.

 

[JoulesThief]

The correct answer is you are not supposed to be changing modes while driving.

The manual states not to change modes while moving and there may be reasons other than safety for that warning. If you actually change modes while driving and you are way over the speed limit of the mode you're changing into, the car doesn't even switch modes until you slow down. It doesn't slow you down, for example, you can continue accelerating at the rate of whatever mode you were in. That seems like a feature to protect the car's electrical/mechanical systems but that is only speculation on my part. Again, the manual does state not to change modes while moving.

Set your car up the way you want it, before you start rolling. Mirrors, seat position, etc. Traction control and ABS on other VW products also.

That Owner's Manual.... sure does get neglected a lot, instead of the attention it needs before you operate your new car.

 

[forbin404]

The correct answer is you are not supposed to be changing modes while driving.

The manual states not to change modes while moving and there may be reasons other than safety for that warning. If you actually change modes while driving and you are way over the speed limit of the mode you're changing into, the car doesn't even switch modes until you slow down. It doesn't slow you down, for example, you can continue accelerating at the rate of whatever mode you were in. That seems like a feature to protect the car's electrical/mechanical systems but that is only speculation on my part. Again, the manual does state not to change modes while moving.

Actually the manual says 'Warning - Changing a driving mode while the vehicle is moving can distract you from the road and cause accidents'.
You paraphrased that bizzle and somehow made it a 'DON'T IT.'

It probably also states that 'when backing up don't rely on the camera'.

It's a Warning, that's all. The car allows you to change modes while driving and that is intentional.

On the other hand, putting the OFF button next to the mode button is just plain stupid.

 

[JoulesThief]

The correct answer is you are not supposed to be changing modes while driving.

The manual states not to change modes while moving and there may be reasons other than safety for that warning. If you actually change modes while driving and you are way over the speed limit of the mode you're changing into, the car doesn't even switch modes until you slow down. It doesn't slow you down, for example, you can continue accelerating at the rate of whatever mode you were in. That seems like a feature to protect the car's electrical/mechanical systems but that is only speculation on my part. Again, the manual does state not to change modes while moving.

Actually the manual says 'Warning - Changing a driving mode while the vehicle is moving can distract you from the road and cause accidents'.
You paraphrased that bizzle and somehow made it a 'DON'T IT.'

It probably also states that 'when backing up don't rely on the camera'.

It's a Warning, that's all. The car allows you to change modes while driving and that is intentional.

On the other hand, putting the OFF button next to the mode button is just plain stupid.

No, stupid is not learning from your mistakes, and repeating them. The German engineers assume some level of intelligence on the part of the operators, and familiarizing themselves with the operation of all functions of the vehicle, something you should do with every new vehicle, read the owners manual while sitting in the vehicle and going over how things work. I do it with every new to me car I've ever bought.

The start stop button is standard location on all VW, Audi and Porsche product lines, in the console.

 

[bizzle]

The car allows you to change modes while driving and that is intentional.

I described to you what happens when you switch it while you're driving and, while it can't physically stop you from pressing the button, it certainly doesn't immediately shift modes when you shift from Normal into one of the Eco modes.