mrcd

2018 S5 Hatchback.
This morning, put car in reverse to back out of garage. Started to pull out and noticed Dash says "P". Got video of it. Called dealer and reasonably surprised. Video sent to them and now awaiting response.

Richr

Yikes! A bit scary. Keep us posted on the response.

paradyne

Why would it be scary? They put it in reverse and it reversed. Now if it had gone forward after selecting reverse that would be scary.

My guess would be a random glitch stopped the instrument cluster getting the CAN bus message about that selection. I would only worry if it keeps doing it.

luder888

Imagine you stopped on a steep hill. You check and it says Park, but when you step out of the car it starts accelerating backward... A lot of things can go wrong. Also, the safety parking brake mechanism only engages if you open the door while the car is not in Park. So if the car thinks it's in Park when it's not, it's a big deal.

Nikon1

paradyne

Perhaps it's just my way of thinking then?, I'm looking at it from the point of view of a system of connected components. If the transmission indicator (by the lever) says one thing after you physically select it and yet does another, then yes absolutely that's a problem.

But if it's just the extra display on the instrument cluster that just once missed a CAN bus message and didn't update, that's just something I'd keep an eye on.

luder888

Yeah of course but systems nowadays need to be idiot proof. There was that actor who got crushed by a Jeep on his own driveway because of the confusing shifter. If the instrument cluster says P but the car is in R, it's a problem.
https://money.cnn.com/2016/06/20/aut...hin/index.html

luder888

Some people rely on the VC display exclusively so if it says P anywhere, it's a problem. If you provide critical information in multiple places, then each of them need to be accurate, especially with these newer shifters that don't show the actual position of the lever. Let's hope OP didn't program anything with OBDEleven for VC because the dealer could blame it on that.

paradyne

Fair point, I retract my original comment! (Is one allowed to not be argumentative online these days??)

mrcd

Spoke with service adviser. After communicating with foreman, he said to keep an eye on it. I'm comfortable with that, but surprised they didn't want to have the car checked out for at least liability purposes.