If your Late Model Audi’s Battery Died or Fuse Blown…

If your late model Audi’s battery just went dead or the main fuse to the control blown, you are in for a very rude surprise that the key will be locked and can not be removed!

Our 2008 Audi Q7 all of sudden was not able to start. Since we just drove the car a few times that day and the interior lights, radio, electronics door locks etc still works, I doubt it was a battery problem. Instead, I thought it could be a fuse got blown as the center instrument cluster would not light up and the “Driver Information Display” is totally dark and the starter did not even attempt to start.

When I reach to the fuse panel and indentified the main fuse for the control, it looks ok. Just to try, I plug in the key and turn. Nothing happen. But then I did not expect it to. But what happens next was a big surprise as I was trying to pull out the ignition key. The key seems got stuck and I was not able to pull it out. I first thought may be I did not turn it to the right position but after tried it several times, I have concluded somehow the key was locked inside due to lack of electric power. Sure enough, after I put the fuse back and restore the power, I can remove the key as easy as before. When the car was towed to the dealer, the tow truck driver confirmed that he has seen the Audi key locked when the car looses electric power.

It seems this “problem” I just experienced is really Audi engineers’ design “feature”! It also seems to me that Audi’s engineers have a very odd sense of logic that I can not understand. With this “feature”, if the car is immobilized due to any electrical failure, and the key was already been inserted into the ignition switch, the key will be locked by the car and the driver will not be able to take the key. If the driver has to leave the car behind to find assistance, the key will stay with car. It is very easy for some one else to come along and fix or tow the car away along with the key during owner or driver’s absent.

Whatever design logic those Audi engineers might have, to me this design is totally absurd! This Q7 is my first and likely the last Audi if they choose to stick with this absurd design.