Audi A6 C6: How to Replace Start/Stop Button
Push to start is cool, but if the button stops working, you aren't going anywhere. Plus, it can just get worn and tired looking over time. Replacing it is easy once you know how.
This article applies to the Audi A6 C6 (2004-2011).
Advanced key is an amazing feature in the Audi A6 that allows you to unlock and start your car without ever having to take the keys out of your pocket. By simply pressing the engine start button on your center console, while your foot is on the brakes, you can start your engine with ease. But, the engine start button can, after some time, start to peel and look worn, or even stop working altogether. The stop button next to it suffers the same sort of wear and tear, too. Luckily, both buttons are inexpensive to replace if you purchase the replacement part and install it yourself.
Materials Needed
- Replacement button
- Plastic trim tool or similar item
Step 1 – Remove the old start/stop button
For this project, the only tool you need is a plastic trim tool or a similar soft tool for prying. Start by prying out the leather boot around the gear shifter. There are four tabs, one at each corner inside the boot, so be careful as you pry it up and around the gear shifter. Next, you'll need to pry up the gear shift indicator. This is just a plastic panel that can be easily pried off.
You will now have access to the bottom of the engine start/stop button. Take your finger and push up on the button assembly (they are both together as one part) from underneath. There is nothing holding it down, so it should pop up fairly easily. After that, all you need to do is unplug the electrical connector.
Figure 1. Pull up the gear shifter boot. 
Figure 2. Pry up the gear shifter indicator panel. 
Figure 3. Push up the engine start/stop button from underneath.
Step 2 – Install new button
Plug in your new engine start/stop button to the electrical connector and press it into place. Return the gear shift indicator panel. It just snaps back into place. Then, finally, pull the leather boot back down around the gear shifter and it, too, should snap back into place. There is no reprogramming or anything else that's necessary to make the new engine start/stop button work, so give it quick test after you've plugged it in.
Figure 4. The new style button is a direct replacement for the older style. 
Figure 5. The electrical connector plugs right in. 
Figure 6. New style button installed.
Pro Tip
A different style engine start/stop button was introduced into later C6 models that improved the old button in both style and quality. The new button is compatible with older models, so if you're looking for a neat little mod for your early model C6, you should try installing the redesigned engine start/stop buttons.
Related Discussions
- Replacing Start and Stop Buttons? - AudiWorld
- Push Start Ignition??? - AudiWorld
