NEED HELP ASAP! Car won't shift out of park like brake pedal isn't pushed

[blparker]

For some reason the car wont go into any other gear. The depress pedal symbol isn't lit on the shifter bezel and the dash says depress brake pedal before putting into gear. So, is there something stupid I have to program so I can put it in gear, it was fine last night. Its an 04 A4 with triptronic.

[Charles.waite]

Sounds like your brake pedal switch is toast. Try pumping the brakes, sometimes it triggers finally after a bit of pumping.

[blparker]

Its weird because it worked after starting it and turning it back off a few times, then goes back to its broken self. If that switch was bad, wouldn't the depress pedal symbol on the center console stay lit and not be off?

[blparker]

Also where is that switch

[Greedo]

Also where is that switch

Located under the lower dash behind the brake pedal. It's easiest to access by removing the lower dash; there are three screws that I can recall. One is located behind the fuse panel, the other two are on the bottom corners. You'll also need to remove the tab that holds the dash to the dead pedal.

People have done it with the lower dash on, I have no clue how. Removing the lower dash is easy.

[blparker]

Well just got it to shift out of park and it would shift thru any gear without the break pedal being depressed. Shut the car off and back to where we started. This is a pain in the butt.

[charkey]

Doesn't that switch activate the brake lights as well. If you brake lights work and the "depress brake" light is turning off, then I would suggest it might be a solenoid used to disengage a mechanical stop that prevents the gear lever from moving. My car is manual so I'm not sure how the Audi gear selectors work, but I know in my old civic and lots of other cars I've driven, when you press the brakes you can hear a click coming from the gear selector area. That click is the solenoid disengaging the mechanical stop. Do you hear a click in your car? Other owners with automatics, do you guys hear a click when you press your brakes?

[blparker]

So sorry for all the posts but I literally search on here and run out to try different things, so, pulled fuse number 31. Reverse lights and shift gate. Problem solved, now, I wonder what needs to be looked at so I can put this fuse back in.

[blparker]

Doesn't that switch activate the brake lights as well. If you brake lights work and the "depress brake" light is turning off, then I would suggest it might be a solenoid used to disengage a mechanical stop that prevents the gear lever from moving. My car is manual so I'm not sure how the Audi gear selectors work, but I know in my old civic and lots of other cars I've driven, when you press the brakes you can hear a click coming from the gear selector area. That click is the solenoid disengaging the mechanical stop. Do you hear a click in your car? Other owners with automatics, do you guys hear a click when you press your brakes?

I have noticed that click before and it doesn't do it now. But that still doesn't explain why the light on the shifter trim that tells you to push the break isn't lit. Unless that solenoid controls that bulb.

[charkey]

Oh, I misread. So the "depress pedal" light is not turning on ever? That may disprove my theory. Like i said though, I don't really know anything about Audi gear selectors specifically.

When you pulled fuse 31, you could shift the gears? but when you put it back in you can't?

[Charles.waite]

Dude, its the Brake switch. They start to fail intermittently at first.

Just replace it, its LITERALLY a $10 part: http://www.ecstuning.com/Audi-B6_A4-...tch/ES1077363/

[blparker]

I don't think it's that because I went out and drove in once I got it out of park and triptronic is messing up pretty badly and now im getting and oil pressure sensor light. I need a vag-com bad.

[Charles.waite]

Does your cruise control work?

[blparker]

Yes it does.

Does your cruise control work?

[Charles.waite]

Yes it does.

Hmm. Thats usually a dead giveaway for the brake pedal switch.

If you can get scanned with a Vag-Com or possibly even a generic OBD2 scanner at like pep-boys or whatever that might provide some clues.

[blparker]

Ran to Advanced and came up with nothing. Friend of mine has a lot better scanner that does everything but wipe your ass, I am going to head that way to see if I can't come up with something. Keep thinkin

Hmm. Thats usually a dead giveaway for the brake pedal switch.

If you can get scanned with a Vag-Com or possibly even a generic OBD2 scanner at like pep-boys or whatever that might provide some clues.

[Tech/Sales@JHM]

For some reason the car wont go into any other gear. The depress pedal symbol isn't lit on the shifter bezel and the dash says depress brake pedal before putting into gear. So, is there something stupid I have to program so I can put it in gear, it was fine last night. Its an 04 A4 with triptronic.

blparker-

In most cases there is a solenoid that is actuated by the brake light switch witch would typically control a pin that keeps the shifting mechanism in park until the brake has been depressed (the gas cap door is a good example, when it is locked the pin goes through and locks the door). Also, try looking into the Neutral Safety Switch. It's difficult to do an online diagnosis, but I would recommend that you look into those two things and if it turns out you need either of those parts, let us know! We would be more than happy to provide you with the parts you need!

[genlink]

Revival! Did you fix the problem? I am having the same issue. I replaced the brake switch, no change. I pulled the 31 fuse and can shift out of park.

[reed930]

Double revival! I'm having the exact same issue: Difficulty shifting into gear, clicking coming from the gearshift area and an oil sensor warning in the display. I'm at a total loss.

Does anyone have an answer for this? I'd hate to have to take it to the dealer because it's never a simple fix there--even when it is. Please help.

[SlickFix]

I doubt that the oil sensor warning is related to the shifting, but the other symptoms certainly are. I'm punting this up to the top in the hopes that someone else may know more about this. Isn't there a magnet in the tiptronic shifter that goes bad in some way? I'm sorry that I'm being so vague but I can't remember exactly what the deal was.

[greenxk]

Please check my thread. It pertains to a similar problem but in my case i was able to solve the gear lock issue by replacing a bad Oil Level Thermal Sensor. Now i have more problems, Maybe still related to what your going through?

http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...1#post11422291