I never hold the car on the clutch !! Can't say I've noticed the revs pulsing at any time, idle is sometimes a bit lumpy though.
S5 Revs Problem
Car is currently with Audi as revs are pulsing when held on the clutch.
Audi are telling me this is a feature of the car, can anyone else tell me if they have the same problem, or if this is really a feature?
Audi are telling me this is a feature of the car, can anyone else tell me if they have the same problem, or if this is really a feature?
1 - 20 of 27 Posts
What do you mean "held on the clutch"? That you have the clutch partially engaged (or disengaged) in order to keep the car from rolling back?revs are pulsing when held on the clutch.
That's exactly what I mean. In effect when you have engaged the clutch but not come off of it completely.What do you mean "held on the clutch"? That you have the clutch partially engaged (or disengaged) in order to keep the car from rolling back?
Audi dealer is claiming that this pulsing of the revs is an anti stall feature....this sounds like bullsh1t to me but I am no expert.
Apparently the software upgrade was only to do with the service indicator so I have no idea why prior to the upgrade the car was fine and now I have this problem. The dealer is also claiming that he has check 2 other s5's and they both do the same - any S5 owners want to confirm or deny that their cars do this ???
Any help appreciated as I need some ammo to argue with the dealer!
Ok I tried this this morning, yes my car does it too and as I understand it, it is an anti-stall function.
Maybe I'm a bit thick, but why on earth would you be holding (or "riding") the clutch? There are two places where there is no wear on your clutch - fully engaged or fully disengaged. Every other position is not one you want to be "holding" at any time.That's exactly what I mean. In effect when you have engaged the clutch but not come off of it completely.(
The S5 are supposed to have a built in antistall feature. How it actually reacts I have no idea but it sounds like that that is what you are seeing.
Tonny
Tonny
Even if you don't have hill hold assist you don't need to ride the clutch as if you put the handbrake on as soon as you accelerate and lift the clutch the handbrake auto-releases.
I accept that you get more wear on your clutch if you 'ride' it, however I am not talking about sitting on a hill for 5 minutes holding the car on the clutch. Let's say for instance you are stopped on a hill in traffic, you pull away as the traffic in front of you moves slightly, you actually never get fully off the clutch as you are in effect only crawling forward so you engage the clutch only slightly with very low revs , if you come fully off the clutch you end up in the boot (trunk) of the car in front, if you don't engage the clutch at all then you go nowhere.
This is a common occurance in the UK where the traffic is a nightmare and the roads are not always flat (especially in Scotland). Commonly referred to here as good clutch control (given a clutch is not simply a matter of on or off) or at least that what my driving instructor called it.
This is a common occurance in the UK where the traffic is a nightmare and the roads are not always flat (especially in Scotland). Commonly referred to here as good clutch control (given a clutch is not simply a matter of on or off) or at least that what my driving instructor called it.
Right then - I did raise the possibility that I was a bit thick! I drive in rush hour traffic every day here in Toronto, and I do hit a couple of quite steep inclines where I'm inching along. I have not had any issues with my rpm pulsing at all, but I'll test it today on the way home.Let's say for instance you are stopped on a hill in traffic, you pull away as the traffic in front of you moves slightly, you actually never get fully off the clutch as you are in effect only crawling forward so you engage the clutch only slightly with very low revs , if you come fully off the clutch you end up in the boot (trunk) of the car in front, if you don't engage the clutch at all then you go nowhere.
Blade - I do get a few "lumpy" moments while idling in traffic. Haven't had the car in for its first service yet though.
TonnyG - I don't know anything about anti-stall. You can definitely stall the S5. Just ask my girlfriend!
Booster - I agree. I like the automatic release of the parking brake - very nice feature. I haven't used it on a steep hill, but when I was learning to drive standard I used to use the hand brake as part of my "good god don't roll back" technique.
I have noticed this on my car too
It's the same old problem. Please see this ( and many other ) posts.
http://www.a5oc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1511
http://www.a5oc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1511
Everythings fine with mine... although I would agree, careful clutch control can be tricky... it's a lot easier to just 'go' !
Ian, you like me learnt to drive around this problem to some extent. I can now crawl in traffic at whatever speed I want, something I could never do in the S5. As some of you know I don't have the car anymore and it does prove to me that Audi should do something about this stupid feature. Why don't you all petition Audi UK about it?Everythings fine with mine... although I would agree, careful clutch control can be tricky... it's a lot easier to just 'go' !
I finally understand
1. Car in neutral with clutch fully disengaged (parking brake on!) and light pressure on gas. Smooth, easy revs that you can hold at 900 or 1000 rpm quite easily.
2. Car in any gear (or in neutral for that matter) with clutch fully engaged (parking brake on again) and light pressure on gas. MUCH more sensitive, unable to hold at lower rpms, car jumps from idle (500 rpm) to approx 1400 or so.
I had never tried revving the engine without the clutch engaged and just thought the car was very sensitive to gas pedal inputs. Interesting. I guess I just adapted to the different style of driving (and was happy that the clutch was so damn light compared to my 2004 G35). Should make for some interesting downshifting on the track.
My guess is that this is not as much an "anti-stall" as it is an "anti-lug" given that the rpms drop so dramatically the second you engage the clutch. If you short shift and / or are really slow finding the next gear you could find yourself shifting from 3rd to 4th but having the rpms fall below 1000, therefore lugging the engine and falling well out of the power band.
This is causing people to get rid of their cars??
Thanks Graham. I read that thread and "tested" it last night.It's the same old problem. Please see this ( and many other ) posts.
http://www.a5oc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1511
1. Car in neutral with clutch fully disengaged (parking brake on!) and light pressure on gas. Smooth, easy revs that you can hold at 900 or 1000 rpm quite easily.
2. Car in any gear (or in neutral for that matter) with clutch fully engaged (parking brake on again) and light pressure on gas. MUCH more sensitive, unable to hold at lower rpms, car jumps from idle (500 rpm) to approx 1400 or so.
I had never tried revving the engine without the clutch engaged and just thought the car was very sensitive to gas pedal inputs. Interesting. I guess I just adapted to the different style of driving (and was happy that the clutch was so damn light compared to my 2004 G35). Should make for some interesting downshifting on the track.
My guess is that this is not as much an "anti-stall" as it is an "anti-lug" given that the rpms drop so dramatically the second you engage the clutch. If you short shift and / or are really slow finding the next gear you could find yourself shifting from 3rd to 4th but having the rpms fall below 1000, therefore lugging the engine and falling well out of the power band.
This is causing people to get rid of their cars??
The thing to remember here guys is that this engine despite being 4.2 has been made as light as possible, including the flywheel. You simply can't pull away at 900 revs or it will likely bog down or stall - you have to do this at 1,200 plus... This is a characteristic of the sporty V8 with relatively high bhp. Audi have therefore used the electronic throttle to ensure the revs are over this as the clutch is engaged (although you can manoeuvre the car on tick-over). If this 'feature' didn't exist, you'd still have to rev that high to avoid the risk of bogging down / stalling so where's the issue?
As stated a long time ago on this topic, my previous car had a racing flywheel fitted, and that's exactly how I had to start or crawl; with a little more revs than when it was stock. I certainly do not consider this to be 'driving round a problem' and have always been happy to give it some revs when moving off.
...Regarding crawling along: if the traffic is moving more slowly than the car in first gear at tick-over then I either stop and wait for the gap to open up a bit and then move off or once moving, dip the clutch and coast every so often. In these conditions, I often use no throttle at all when moving off. TBH this is only really a problem when crawling up a gradient.
...If the traffic is stop/start crawing, then I tend to let the gap open up and then slowly crawl to reduce the number of starts and save on clutch wear. This is the only type of situation where I'd say the characteristics of the car and engine can get frustrating, so I just enjoy revving the car and listening!
...Personally, I'd rather have this behaviour and the car that comes with it than a sluggish, low revving, un-responsive V8 guzzler.
As stated a long time ago on this topic, my previous car had a racing flywheel fitted, and that's exactly how I had to start or crawl; with a little more revs than when it was stock. I certainly do not consider this to be 'driving round a problem' and have always been happy to give it some revs when moving off.
...Regarding crawling along: if the traffic is moving more slowly than the car in first gear at tick-over then I either stop and wait for the gap to open up a bit and then move off or once moving, dip the clutch and coast every so often. In these conditions, I often use no throttle at all when moving off. TBH this is only really a problem when crawling up a gradient.
...If the traffic is stop/start crawing, then I tend to let the gap open up and then slowly crawl to reduce the number of starts and save on clutch wear. This is the only type of situation where I'd say the characteristics of the car and engine can get frustrating, so I just enjoy revving the car and listening!
...Personally, I'd rather have this behaviour and the car that comes with it than a sluggish, low revving, un-responsive V8 guzzler.
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This is causing people to get rid of their cars??[/QUOTE]
Yes, it's only really a nuisance if you drive in slow moving traffic, or need to reverse up a ramp frequently etc.
I really like the S5, but I drive through busy cities quite frequently and could not put up with this "feature" (or the fuel consumption that results from it )so I switched to a Tip S5.
Ian, on the other hand, lives away from the cities ( lucky devil ) and dosen't drive many miles in his S5 ( poor devil! ) so it's less of an issue for him.
Test drive a tip properly ( not in covienience slush mode ) and I bet you prefer it for these reasons:
1) It does not have the irritating anti stall feature
2) It locks the TC at revs above about 1,800 and changes gear faster than you can in a manual.
3) The gearing is much higher ( tip 5th = Man 6th )
4) The MPG is very much better.
This is causing people to get rid of their cars??[/QUOTE]
Yes, it's only really a nuisance if you drive in slow moving traffic, or need to reverse up a ramp frequently etc.
I really like the S5, but I drive through busy cities quite frequently and could not put up with this "feature" (or the fuel consumption that results from it )so I switched to a Tip S5.
Ian, on the other hand, lives away from the cities ( lucky devil ) and dosen't drive many miles in his S5 ( poor devil! ) so it's less of an issue for him.
Test drive a tip properly ( not in covienience slush mode ) and I bet you prefer it for these reasons:
1) It does not have the irritating anti stall feature
2) It locks the TC at revs above about 1,800 and changes gear faster than you can in a manual.
3) The gearing is much higher ( tip 5th = Man 6th )
4) The MPG is very much better.
Graham,
You're quite right. It was definitely a factor in me changing and the dealer's attitude to it- well of course the Tip is a better choice with the V8 - when it wasn't out when I bought mine and why didn't they say so when I ordered it.
Of course the horrible depreciation that is impacting all 2nd hand cars but V8s especially, was the major factor for me.
As Ian says its something you can drive around, but I still think it sounds pretty stupid parking - have you just passed your test or are you just a cr.. driver?
You did well to get it replaced, for sure they wouldn't do that now.
Chris
You're quite right. It was definitely a factor in me changing and the dealer's attitude to it- well of course the Tip is a better choice with the V8 - when it wasn't out when I bought mine and why didn't they say so when I ordered it.
Of course the horrible depreciation that is impacting all 2nd hand cars but V8s especially, was the major factor for me.
As Ian says its something you can drive around, but I still think it sounds pretty stupid parking - have you just passed your test or are you just a cr.. driver?
You did well to get it replaced, for sure they wouldn't do that now.
Chris
I have noticed the same thing. Before the ECU update I had the well documented surge of revs as you pull away. Following the update the straight forward surge has gone and has been replaced with the pulsing of the revs as you pull off - exactly as if you were blipping the throttle with your right foot just as the clutch bites.
Sounds like it is a direct result of the ECU update and is likely to scare folk on zebra crossings.
Sounds like it is a direct result of the ECU update and is likely to scare folk on zebra crossings.
Software upgrade
My car went in for a replacement tyre as it was puched and Audi said a copy of recalls free upgrades were due, one a software upgrade. Since I have had it the car now revs in a plusing way as I go to move off and I have to say it is very annoying. I will go back to see if they can undo it.
Garry
My car went in for a replacement tyre as it was puched and Audi said a copy of recalls free upgrades were due, one a software upgrade. Since I have had it the car now revs in a plusing way as I go to move off and I have to say it is very annoying. I will go back to see if they can undo it.
Garry
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