Do you use the clutch as a starter button?

[wetstuff]

Clutch first - then turn key? ...or key then clutch?

The question is actually a ruse as I'm wanting to look into fusing my clutch lock-out switch closed. Twice my wife has had a 'no start' problem. Once at home where instinct said to me: replace 4yr old battery. Two days later, 1.5hrs from home, and equidistant from the dealer, required a rollback ride for service.

In neither case, did anyone else attempt to start the car right after her, nor could the dealer find anything wrong - the suspicion is she simply didn't mash the clutch all the way. She's driven stick BMW's and VW in the old days...more recently a newer VW with the lockout, but as the problem is not reproducable - she remains the suspect.

I'm assuming (..and you kow what that always means!) the car cannot be started in gear, therefore a redundant clutch switch is something a lawyer watching the AUDI trials forced them to do....AND since your (mine anyway..) instinct is to always have some clutch in and the release bearing will ease the pressure plate at about 2/3's depression - why not superglue the switch?

Thoughts?

Jim

[Brucelee]

The obvious question is, can she learn to do this correctly?

Seems like a lot of effort to avoid relearning.

Alas, I don't want to start a war at home!

[wvicary]

I seem to remember some post about the ignition switch that caused aan intermittent no start. Might want to do a search on that 'cause I believe the switch used is an Audi part that has had several upgrades over the years. Tool pants would know for sure. Good luck.

[Subanez]

I guess the answer to a question I couldn't quite understand is this:

No matter if the car is in gear or not, the clutch must be fully depressed to start the engine.

[larez2]

Clutch first then Key. That's how I do it.

The superglue thing... I don't quite get it, I can start my car in gear so long as the clutch is pushed in. One thing I haven't tried is to put it in neutral, and then trying to start the car without pushing in the clutch. Dunno if that would work. If it does, that could be the thing to tell your wife to do to start it, put it in neutral first start it, then push in the clutch and put it into gear....

The previous owner of my 99' Boxster told me about a similar thing she went through. The dealer told her she just wasn't pushing the clutch all the way in, and her floor mat had slid forward and they said it was preventing the clutch from going all the way.

HTH, good luck,
Larez2

[Brucelee]

You have to have the clutch pressed in all the way down, in gear or not.

[wetstuff]

Damn - they didn't put a 'lock out' in the gear selector. I finally tried it myself this afternoon and you can start it in 6th, but you have to press the clutch in first. Frankly, I prefer the 'only in neutral' method my 1957, Furgeson-40 tractor uses.

I also had a '36 Ford Sedan, and if I remember correctly; the starter button was under the clutch pedal. Maybe that's where Ferry P. got the idea..

Ya, the dealer mentioned the 'scrunched rug', but these are quite stable. Since I've never had a 'no start', I suspect it was perhaps a 90% effort that was the root of the problem. I mentioned the switch, but the dealer said that most of the time the key became hard to turn - as in mechanical problem - well before an electrical one arose.

Thanks all. At least there's now an acute awareness of the clutch in our household.

Jim