RED HORSE

Count me in the crowd that has had near misses because I wasn't in Park when I thought I was and should have been by the actions I had taken. However, I think a lawsuit over something such as this is way over the top. We are already in a world of hurt in our country today because people refuse to take responsibility for their own actions.

the_duke

Just because something operates slightly different than we are used to isn't a reason to hate it. If nothing ever changed we would live in a much different world. I sometimes forget to slow down with my cruise on when I drive one of my other vehicles. Only the A8 has adaptive cruise. It's not Audi's fault it's my fault for being an idiot. Never actually hit anybody but I've had to brake pretty hard.

MP4.2+6.0

Yes, but again, if you think you put it in park and you are in the car with motor running--like finishing a phone call, shutting other things off, pushing garage door button to later walk in house, or 10 other things (including getting ready to apply the parking brake the normal switch/handle way), neither the auto parking brake nor the auto shift into park feature yet apply in use sequence. Then if it is actually in R, or in N on a slope, it starts to roll.

It's actually the single biggest poorly thought out "feature" to me that me leery of having my wife drive it even for the first time. Not a capital case, but not at all a plus to me either. Not appealing to the "spousal unit" is a good way not to sell cars to the original demographic too. Shifter as a hand/wrist rest sure, but that's different. It does not seem intuitive, does seem touchy on whether it does a single step change or multiple steps, t's not the way our similar era Q5 works or feels (also electric parking brake, as was D3), and seems like a recipe for someone not familiar with car to have an issue.

For the pet peeve while piling on, the 10 cent button with the zero lubricant they used for it could use a little better assembly and QC too...on a low miles 2015. That will be on the service punch list; not a quality feel for a tactile part. Not the first Audi I have seen that on either. Most of them were older plastic laden ones.

MP4.2+6.0

Bad comparison. Manuals lock into a gear and you can feel it do so mechanically. Plus you shut down motor before releasing clutch assuming it's in gear, in which case auto parking brake applies here. If it were a manual, you would also apply parking brake before even releasing brake pedal and thus pre shut down. My C3 was a manual I drove for 10 years, as was the recent Mini S. Apples and oranges to me.

MP4.2+6.0

How to win friends and influence people...? (I included the whole quote) Again, see reference to my wife or other drivers from another reply I expect to use the car. Then what do you say if they screw up? They're a blithering idiot? Or, I always ride along for pointers like in driving school? Yep, that will all sell well. Not.

On the other hand, yes I'm troubled sometimes on the gotta recall everything and nanny sticker the heck out of it. On the boards, sometimes I wonder too when I see posts nagging on something where a sequence of posters are seemingly newcomers to the board. This one doesn't fit that pattern very well and got some traction. Cross section of those with issues (or who think its fine) is pretty varied. On this one, if I were Audi I would be careful. The 60 Minutes story--hatchet job or not--when mom pushed her child through the garage door with the 5000 almost took them out of the US market. Same basic function--shifter, (then lack of) shift lock etc. There the steering wheels and pedal were badly offset to seat and from my own experience there actually was an issue with an engine control that could cause it to rev up--actually happened on my stick in driveway when I was tuning it. That never surfaced actually even after years of investigation and litigation. It probably was (mostly) "operator error" as Audi tried to claim early on. But that claim almost cost them the entire market, and some dealers folded. Or, try telling that to the grieving relative driver in some horrendous scenario that plays out. Same play BTW Toyota made with their "run away" issues (driver error). Til the pursuit trained CHP officer couldn't shut it down in the Lexus with family on board and four of them burned up on the LA freeways after the high speed crash with the cell phone audio tape. Underneath, arguably lack of familiarity with start stop (needed to hold button for a couple of seconds). User error? Really screwed up Toyota and its reputation for a couple of years too, let alone a few $ billion.

Net, not one I would take chances on as a manufacturer given some of the legacy exemplars and the Chrysler decision. But as an owner, don't really need more stickers, a lawyer class action pay off, or a manual insert either.

SYMAWD

I wasn't referring to the parking thing with the manual. I was referring to "The mere fact that the shifter requires someone "to figure it out" is in itself confirmation that it is dangerous and of a bad design."

Jack88

If I'm being overly harsh, it's because I don't like seeing people try to blame equipment for their failing, it can delay solving the real problem, and the delay can have consequences. When it's safety related, I tend to get very blunt. I'm used to straightening out kids straight from bootcamp with weapons and gear they barely can name, so I apologize for bringing that attitude out on you guys.

For Audi, I don't see how the shifter would create a safety issue. To change gear, your foot needs to be on the brake. Even if you missed your gear, it would be apparent as you take your foot off the brake and you would reapply it immediately and take corrective action. That kind of mishap I could understand. Messing it up so badly that it results in a serious crash or injury indicates either panic or a driver who has grossly misappropriated their attention. In either case, I view this as a driver's responsibility issue.

Does anyone know if Chrysler uses the same interlocks as Audi(Automatic parking brake upon opening the door in gear, putting it in park upon shutdown if it's not already?) If they are missing these interlocks, I could see it as a very serious issue and agree that Chrysler is liable. As you say, on relatively level ground with distractions, it would be easy to miss park and not notice, and get out.

superswiss

I'm still trying to figure out what the electronic shifter is supposed to solve. I find it a solution in search of a problem. At one point I felt like my car was behind the times for having a mechanical shifter, but then I drove a new 2017 A4 and started to wonder what's the point? It makes me having to pay attention to something that used to be routine. I kept constantly putting the car in R when I meant to put it in P. Blame muscle memory, but still what was so bad about the mechanical shifter that was worth having people retrain their muscles and brain? After being back in my car, I didn't miss the electronic shifter at all. I'm all for progress, but again what is this thing supposed to solve? Recall or not.

SYMAWD

The reason is that they wanted to make the shifter a wrist rest for the MMI and that is accomplished by having it always return to the same position. Working at a dealer, I can say that going from an A4 or Q7 to an A8 is confusing as reverse is up on the A4 and Q7, but down on the A8. Working at BMW for a little didn't help either where R was up.

superswiss

Yes, I know that is the idea in the A4 and Q7, until you put the transmission in manual mode and then the wrist rest is awkwardly tilted to the right. I personally find the MMI controls in front of the shifter questionable as well. I actually prefer them behind the shifter.