knh

My wife was driving our '99 1.8T QTS this morning and called me from the car. She said when she started accelerating, the car suddenly lurched. According to her, it felt as if she had been hit from behind. She wasn't.<p>My immediate thought was that this sounded like the old "acceleration problem" from the '80s, which I've always been skeptical of. Still, this is her testimony and she was very specific that she didn't punch the throttle. She's not even aware that Audi had this "problem" before, so I don't believe this is some sort of placebo effect.<p>I've thought I've noticed a similar, though less dramatically described effect myself when I've lightly tapped the gas. It sometimes feels like the throttle opens up just a tad extra (the peddle moves too) for about a half a second. Then everything goes back to normal.<p>Has anyone had a similar experience?<p>Thanks,<br>Kevin

Answer Guy

To comply with emissions the ecu holds th car in first gear longer so the car warms up faster thus buning more of the fuel. When an engine is cold it does not burn all of the fuel that enters it. heating the engine up faster helps avoid this problem and makes th car comply with EPA standards.

sick and tired of 20-20 Ralph Nader making up B.S

The whole unintended acceleration thing was a bunch of bogus overinflated media crap. Of course now they know that, but it seems like you never get much media about it "after the fact" so people only remember the "shark attack coverage" and the wrong info.<br>Sadly, people were harmed by the drivers panicking and stomping on the gas instead of the brakes but this actual acceleration thing was due to their own mistakes, not Audi's.<br>So basically, you have to build cars for worst case scenarios now, in this media frenzied, sue-happy society we live in here in the U.S. Hence no ability to heel and toe on newer Audis, you can't have the brake and gas that close to one another, God forbid. Someone might mistake them again.<p>

knh

Thanks for the useful response

Bob.1

Hey, Audi may have gotten a bad rap on the sudden acceleration syndrome but don't go knee jerk crapping on Ralph Nader and other consumer advocates. Most cars are a hell of a lot better and safer because of groups like these... not to mention the air we breather is a lot cleaner. I shudder to think what this world would be like if we relied solely on the good graces of profit motivated corporations. For every example you can cite like the Audi fiasco, there are probably 20 examples of legitimate and serious problems that consumer advocates have identified and forced industries to correct. I'd rather err on the side of safety. Ralph Nader has dedicated his career to improving th quality of life for a lot of ordinary consumers like me... I'm glad he's out there.

Jeff R.

making heel-toe a bitch to do. It now makes perfect sense, good-old sue-happy American's.<p>Jeff R.<p>

Drew S.

Turbo kicking in?

No fan of Nader (Corvair lover)

.<br>

sick and tired of the media

Maybe that WAS an over generalization but the truth is that people like Ralph Nader and the media that often take things too far.<br>I agree that much good has been done to make things safer, but when is it too much and to the point of excess?<br>Why don't these consumer advocates work on the problem of making the requirements for getting a license to drive more stringent and make people safer drivers. I see people on the road every day that should have their driving priveledges revoked because they are unsafe. You give them a fast or HUGE vehicle and THEY are the biggest danger factor out there,

Roger and Me

Exactly which "medium" are you referring too? Does this web site counts as "the media?" Specifically which consumer group do have a beef? Lumping all of these diverse groups into such a large basket only perpetuates these simple minded myths. If you have a specific complaint, I'm all ears but don't get into this over-generalization habit. In my humble opinion, the excesses of consumer advocacy pail next to the excesses of corporate greed yet I would be reluctant to paint all corporations as greedy and irresponsible. Who is enlightened by lumping "bad apples" with the good if I were to make blanket statements like: Corporations are evil and greedy, they don't give a damn?<p>As far as I know, Ralph Nader had nothing to do with the Audi situation so why are you intent on associating his name with "bad consumer advocacy?" Think about this: who has "trained" you to demonize this man and associate "consumer advocacy" with some kind of menacing evil?<p>It sounds like you're projecting a lot of personal greivances on this "media/Ralph Nader" boogey man.<p>Who really benefits from this attitude?<p><br>