FYI APR - security mode safety issue.

[RyWi028]

First of all let me say that I absolutely love APR. I just cant stop driving my car now! I did however encounter a safety issued that I felt I needed to share. About a week after getting my APR stage 1, I was driving home from work when the check engine light began to flash. I though "that's weird I must have not screwed the gas cap on tight enough." The car had 75k miles and I had never had a check engine light before. I went home to scan......after turning the car off and then starting it a few minutes later to pull it into the garage, I first notice the check engine light was off. Then I noticed that as I let off on the clutch and gave it gas the engine speed would not increase from idle. The computer was in security mode. I confirmed this by turning the car off, then key to on and entered my code. That cured it! I double checked and I was still in program 1 (93 oct). I waited until 9am (8am central) for APR to open. I called and talk to tech support and explained what had happened. She told me that was impossible and that I either had a faulty computer or short in my cruise control stalk. I had never experienced a problem with either. Fast forward a couple of months and 3k miles and I am on my home from work this morning and my check engine light begins to blink. I didn't even think of the security mode. I just assumed it was an O2 sensor because I recently added a test pipe with 90deg O2 spacer. I had been holding my breath and praying that it didn't cause a CEL. I got off the highway and headed for home to scan her again. This time as I made the turn, from a stop sign, onto my road I stalled (I know I know...in my defense it is a decent hill). I had to turn the key off to restart and when I did my computer enter security lockout (thank god was still at the stop line and not out in the middle of the road). When I went to pull out the second time, as I let off the clutch I couldn't give it gas and I stalled again rolled back a foot or two and almost hit the car behind me. At this point I turned the key off and then back on, entered my code, restarted and finished driving home. I waited for APR to open and then called. This time the gentleman that I talked to was in sales because he said Tech support was not in yet. As I told him what was going on he interrupted and said "I know whats going on." He proceeded to tel me that The computer entered into security mode while I was on the highway because I hit "set" "set" "resume" "resume" "set" "set" "resume" "resume" on my cruise stalk. At this point I told him that my cruise was on and I did hit "set" when I initially got up to speed. I never touched the cruise again until the CEL began to flash about 25 miles later. He said "impossible, you touched it more than that and just do not remember." First of all, I begin my commute home at 7am. I hardly ever have to slow down because there isn't anyone on the highway heading north at that time. Secondly, when I use my cruise I first get up to speed and hit "set" once (because cruise is already on). Then if I do have to slow down I just tap my brake. When I want cruise back on I hit resume. So it would "set" "resume" "resume" "resume".......and so on. I mainly wanted to share this so that any one who has APR's security feature can watch for this. If you get a blinking CEL, the next time you start the vehicle it may be in security mode.

[ijbroussard]

Welcome to the club. I wrote a detailed email to APR about the issue to which I did not recieve a reply. But, I had to call their tech support for another issue and discovered the lock ECU feature. Once you set your programming lock the ECU so you don't encounter this issue again.

[RyWi028]

I guess that would solve it wouldn't it? Thank you for the tip. It would have been great if the manufacturer of a product that I paid several hundred dollars for suggested that......They will probably get around to fixing it right after someone gets killed! Thanks again.

[TFSI]

apr is so complicated

[Operator]

apr is so complicated

Isolated incidents.... I'd say using the stalk is easier, than an SPS switch.

[TFSI]

I guess it's fine once you understand and get used to it

[AudiTFSI3o3]

First of all let me say that I absolutely love APR. I just cant stop driving my car now! I did however encounter a safety issued that I felt I needed to share. About a week after getting my APR stage 1, I was driving home from work when the check engine light began to flash. I though "that's weird I must have not screwed the gas cap on tight enough." The car had 75k miles and I had never had a check engine light before. I went home to scan......after turning the car off and then starting it a few minutes later to pull it into the garage, I first notice the check engine light was off. Then I noticed that as I let off on the clutch and gave it gas the engine speed would not increase from idle. The computer was in security mode. I confirmed this by turning the car off, then key to on and entered my code. That cured it! I double checked and I was still in program 1 (93 oct). I waited until 9am (8am central) for APR to open. I called and talk to tech support and explained what had happened. She told me that was impossible and that I either had a faulty computer or short in my cruise control stalk. I had never experienced a problem with either. Fast forward a couple of months and 3k miles and I am on my home from work this morning and my check engine light begins to blink. I didn't even think of the security mode. I just assumed it was an O2 sensor because I recently added a test pipe with 90deg O2 spacer. I had been holding my breath and praying that it didn't cause a CEL. I got off the highway and headed for home to scan her again. This time as I made the turn, from a stop sign, onto my road I stalled (I know I know...in my defense it is a decent hill). I had to turn the key off to restart and when I did my computer enter security lockout (thank god was still at the stop line and not out in the middle of the road). When I went to pull out the second time, as I let off the clutch I couldn't give it gas and I stalled again rolled back a foot or two and almost hit the car behind me. At this point I turned the key off and then back on, entered my code, restarted and finished driving home. I waited for APR to open and then called. This time the gentleman that I talked to was in sales because he said Tech support was not in yet. As I told him what was going on he interrupted and said "I know whats going on." He proceeded to tel me that The computer entered into security mode while I was on the highway because I hit "set" "set" "resume" "resume" "set" "set" "resume" "resume" on my cruise stalk. At this point I told him that my cruise was on and I did hit "set" when I initially got up to speed. I never touched the cruise again until the CEL began to flash about 25 miles later. He said "impossible, you touched it more than that and just do not remember." First of all, I begin my commute home at 7am. I hardly ever have to slow down because there isn't anyone on the highway heading north at that time. Secondly, when I use my cruise I first get up to speed and hit "set" once (because cruise is already on). Then if I do have to slow down I just tap my brake. When I want cruise back on I hit resume. So it would "set" "resume" "resume" "resume".......and so on. I mainly wanted to share this so that any one who has APR's security feature can watch for this. If you get a blinking CEL, the next time you start the vehicle it may be in security mode.

i read the first 3 sentences and gave up

[mec]

needs more of this:

[RyWi028]

I'm a cop not an English/Lit major so sorry for that. I posted Something for the first time because I thought it was important. Someone could be killed because of this if they didn't know. If you notice I put the topic in the title. If it's something that doesn't interest you then don't read it...no need to be an A-hole. Take care

[funky_snowman]

its hard to read. fix it, or don't. either way, lighten up.

[mec]

I'm a cop not an English/Lit major so sorry for that. I posted Something for the first time because I thought it was important. Someone could be killed because of this if they didn't know. If you notice I put the topic in the title. If it's something that doesn't interest you then don't read it...no need to be an A-hole. Take care

I am not an English major either, I just know that most people are willing to read as long as you give it structure and hit the return key a few times(that's how the newspaper does it), not trying to be a dick just giving you some advice.

[mr shickadance]

as a cop you should know that being angry and uptight really gets you nowhere (as im sure people who are dicks to you get fucked by the long dick of the law)

so be nicer

[fordyoz]

but really you have had your car for 75k miles and never had a check engine light before?

[RyWi028]

Yup. Not once! Is that abnormal?

[Charles.waite]

Yup. Not once! Is that abnormal?

Hardly. My B7 has a faulty Torque Converter. No CEL, no codes even. My B6 had a number of faulty parts on it. According to my Vag-Com it was peachy but after removal and replacement of various PCV and Vacuum related check valves and other crap its running much better. I even have a boost leak (down to 15 psi from 18) and no codes. Sometimes I wonder why there are all these sensors if the ECU is just ignoring the data they're reporting...

Codes and CELs only tell half the story is my point.


Hmm....not sure why I even posted this, borderline irrelevant. But I'll be damned if I'm deleting it!

[jl87]

OP, this has also happened to me. I was on my way home and tapped cruise control down to slow speed and the blinking CEL came on. Pulled over and shut car off since I figured it was a bad sign. Of course, after starting back up car would only go about 2mph and I was sitting on the shoulder of a highway...

Two minutes after Audi Roadside Assist called out the flatbed I found a post on here about the exact same issue. Put in the code and magically everything was better. Since then I have made a habit of pushing the cruise control stalk to the "off" position after each use and haven't had a problem since.