Depress Clutch to Start Engine

[Zorb]

2003 RS6 Automatic 91000 miles, mostly stock.

Battery ran down when car was parked for about 6 weeks. Upon recharging battery (out of car), DIC displays "Depress Clutch Pedal to Start Engine" or something to that effect. Car starts and runs fine. Solenoid (brake) shift interlock doesn't work and can shift from park or neutral to R or D without brake, unless key off and locked. Transmission operates in high gear (third or fourth I think) or reverse only, with hard engagement. Gear indicator absent from DIC panel.

:vhmmm:

Ideas anyone?

Have checked system voltage, tried disconnecting battery and bleeding down with resistor for 30 minutes.

[GreggPDX]

Sounds like a TCU issue. Do you have a VAGCOM cable to read the codes? I'd start with the codes, but I bet your TCU is messed up.

[lswing]

Parked outside? Water into TCU area is common. Check your passenger front footwell for moisture. You can also pull the carpet back to get a closer look at the TCU, it's right down there.

[Zorb]

Parked outside? Water into TCU area is common. Check your passenger front footwell for moisture. You can also pull the carpet back to get a closer look at the TCU, it's right down there.

I will check this. Didn't think to physically inspect it.

It was parked outside yes. I just replaced my second garage with a larger one. The township threatened to fine me if I didn't have the old one torn down, even before the new one was done. This is after saying I had 180 days and demolition of the old garage was a condition of final approval for the new one.

[Wide-66]

Instrument cluster...go into adaptation and change from 1024 it will prompt you with the correct softcoding. Could be this if you havent looked and makes sense if the car was really dead.