For those considering a U.S. model 2013 A6, there has been some discussion of the new "Start/Stop" engine feature that has been added this year. Some of our fellow non-US owners have already experienced this feature whereby, under certain parameters, the engine will shut down at a stop and restart when the brake is released and the accelerator is depressed saving some fuel and reducing emissions.

I've read mixed reviews; some say they have no issue with it and while it can be a bit weird when the engine shuts off, there is no noticeable delay and it does save some fuel. Others have expressed concerns with the potential extra wear on the starter motor over time and find it disconcerting as well as saying the real-world fuel savings is nominal. While there is a switch on the dash that allows the driver to disable the feature, it must be pressed each time the car is started to disable Stop/Start with no way to "permanently" deactivate.

Good news for U.S. 2013 A6/A7 owners who may not wish to use the new engine "Stop/Start" system. I just received some clarification on the feature and according to my source at AOA, the system will not only be defeatable via a button on the dash but the car will remember the last setting alleviating the need to turn it off each time you start the engine.

Apparently, customer feedback and the lack of federal government emission standards addressing start/stop has prompted Audi to revise need to constantly deactivate it.

 

That is great news. Thanks for sharing. That is the one feature I was slightly worried about getting in the 2013 vs the 2012. It was reminding me of the lane departure warning on an Infiniti I had. I had to dactivate it every turn of the ignition so it didn't beep in the cabin.....yes I am not a fan of using my signal when nobody is around me for a lane change.

 

Same here. Wasn't so much worried as having to deal with the annoyance of turning it off each time.
When did you order your C7? I ordered mine on 5/23 and it's due in to my dealer week of July 1.

 

HA. I take it you might have missed my thread asking this question of other my2013 customers. This is a sore subject at the moment, but will get better soon. I orderd mine 4/14 and mine is not planned yet for production. Spoke to the dealer Tuesday last week. They said my choice in paint although cool is causing a back up in the planning. They said next week they should have answers or else I am going to start shaking the tree with AOA to find out when my car will at least be planned for production.

 

Good to hear that it can be turned off with a button. I was considering a 12 528i and this start/stop feature was absolutely annoying. During the first part that I had the car (extended test drive) I was stuck in standstill traffic on the garden state parkway and the car would turn off.....it got really annoying and felt downright dangerous.

Unfortunately BMW does not even let you turn off this feature, you have to have it on 24/7.

 

Great to hear the car will remember the setting - I'm on the fence about the start/stop and figured I would see how it was when I get my 2013. If it turned out to be really annoying then it would've been into VAG-COM to try to get it cut out for good... Glad to hear I won't have to do that. Thanks for the intel!

 

Actually, I did see the thread but didn't make the connection that it was you. I was pretty lucky as my dealer reassigned one of their early stock allocations to me per my spec 2 days before it was scheduled to be built. If you call AOA, ask for your request to be escalated to a higher level. I've seen this work.
Good luck!

 

Thats great news! Now I can start making inquiries to either ordering a MY2013 or bargaining for a MY2012.

 

That is my move next week. I will give the dealer the chance to make things happen. However, come Tuesday if I don't have an answer I like, I am getting my contact at AOA I made a couple years ago a call. He already knows I placed an order and the dealer knows I know this guy (regional sales manager for Audi) so they have to know he is the next call.

 

FWIW, out of the box they let you turn it off with a button right below the start/stop button but you have to do every time you drive the car. You can also do it permanently by a code change similar to the VAG option on Audi/VW.