Kneed key.

[EddieEagle]

Caught the key with my knee, managed to turn off the ignition and lost engine whilst driving along yesterday. Luckily in a 30 zone and I was able to pull over safely and restart. Not possible to start a DSG whilst rolling it would seem?
My training came into play enabling me to claim "it wasn't me" for the benefit of my passengers!!

 

[hirsty]

WTF?

I think DSG has to be in P / Park before it'll allow the engine to (re)start ... Sounds like you got off lightly!

 

[4NT5]

Dsg should start in neutral or park

Sent from my HTC U11 using Tapatalk

 

[GrannyJen]

Goodness, kneed to be careful

 

[Joker 1299]

Your knee should be nowhere near touching the ignition key. If it is, you are sitting far too close to the steering wheel and you may not be properly in control of your vehicle. The length of your thigh bone is generally what should determine the driving position and you need to be able to move your right leg around without obstruction so that you can, for example move it quickly from the accelerator to the brake pedal. Imagine if what happened to you in a 30 mph zone had been in the overtaking lane on a motorway! You've been very lucky by the sound of it and if I were you, I would think about it carefully. Best wishes. Steve

 

[Velma's Dad]

Your knee should be nowhere near touching the ignition key. If it is, you are sitting far too close to the steering wheel and you may not be properly in control of your vehicle. The length of your thigh bone is generally what should determine the driving position and you need to be able to move your right leg around without obstruction so that you can, for example move it quickly from the accelerator to the brake pedal. Imagine if what happened to you in a 30 mph zone had been in the overtaking lane on a motorway! You've been very lucky by the sound of it and if I were you, I would think about it carefully. Best wishes. Steve

Sorry, but WTF?

In my own T5, when in a 'good' driving position my knee is very close to the key. Like most people on this forum (I assume including the OP) I've been driving for many decades, in hundreds of different vehicles, and I reckon I know what a 'proper' driving position is.

It depends on the proportions of your body, but I bet a lot of people find the key position is a bit badly placed in the T5. If I have my seat further back, I have to raise my left arse-cheek (sorry!) slightly off the seat to fully depress the clutch, and I end up with a back ache on a long trip.

 

[EddieEagle]

Agreed am lucky. At 6'4" have posted previously about the poor driving position and seat. Have to come forward as the steering wheel is too far up for comfortable arm position.
I have got a 'surf key' cut which isn't chipped. A lot less key sticking out and I was hoping that the presence of the chipped VW folding key on the dash would enable me to use the surf key. Sadly the genuine key has to be right next to the steering column for it to start, possible but awkward.
I would liken it to a blowout or a seized engine, with calm and measured actions and no panic meant drama but no crisis. (had to briefly put the phone down, mind..............(not really)).

 

[Joker 1299]

Sorry, but WTF?

In my own T5, when in a 'good' driving position my knee is very close to the key. Like most people on this forum (I assume including the OP) I've been driving for many decades, in hundreds of different vehicles, and I reckon I know what a 'proper' driving position is.

It depends on the proportions of your body, but I bet a lot of people find the key position is a bit badly placed in the T5. If I have my seat further back, I have to raise my left arse-cheek (sorry!) slightly off the seat to fully depress the clutch, and I end up with a back ache on a long trip.

Yes it does come close if you have you seat that far forward but so close that it touches is too close. Are you saying that what happened to the OP was not dangerous? Or are you suggesting that if it was, it's just another VW design flaw?

 

[Joker 1299]

Agreed am lucky. At 6'4" have posted previously about the poor driving position and seat. Have to come forward as the steering wheel is too far up for comfortable arm position.
I have got a 'surf key' cut which isn't chipped. A lot less key sticking out and I was hoping that the presence of the chipped VW folding key on the dash would enable me to use the surf key. Sadly the genuine key has to be right next to the steering column for it to start, possible but awkward.
I would liken it to a blowout or a seized engine, with calm and measured actions and no panic meant drama but no crisis. (had to briefly put the phone down, mind..............(not really)).

I sympathise. Do you not have the adjustable steering column? Sorry, I'm doing this on my mobile and can't see your profile and can't remember which model Cali you have.

 

[EddieEagle]

Steering column adjusts but nowhere near far enough for me. Was surprised it happened as always well aware how close the key is to my knee but the main point is could i have restarted the engine in N? I think not as brake pedal needs to be depressed? Luckily I didn't even consider P but in the event I didn't want to risk gearbox.
Does anyone else remember a runaway lorry going flat out down the M4 some years ago, driver claiming he couldn't turn the engine off as he would loose steering and brakes. You can turn the engine off and you will loose power steering and power brakes but not total loss.
Looking to get a smaller key coded.

 

[Velma's Dad]

Yes it does come close if you have you seat that far forward but so close that it touches is too close. Are you saying that what happened to the OP was not dangerous? Or are you suggesting that if it was, it's just another VW design flaw?

My personal perspective is that bodging those swivel seats into a T5 cab was a compromise and is bound not to suit everyone ergonomically. Most importantly in this context of getting a good driving position: no seat height or tilt adjustment possible (on a £50k+ vehicle!).

Being able, potentially, to knock the ignition off while driving is obviously not ideal... but then neither is having to let off the handbrake to turn the seat round!

So my opinion is that yes, the VW design team had probably been at the schnapps the afternoon they did the Cali front seating.

 

[Loz]

You don't have to have the swivels, you can get the electrically adjustable seats that might suit some better...
#just saying

 

[MattBW]

I also find my knees too close the trim in places, I have longish legs for my height. The key hasnt been a problem but keyrings do knock against my legs sometimes. With the wheel adjusted I find my knees clash with the trim on the let side but I would struggle to actually hit the key. That said I am not 6'4"

 

[Joker 1299]

I found that with key rings too so I generally just use the key on its own. While I would take my chances in a front end collision with my knees coming into contact with whatever padding the dashboard trim has to offer I'm not sure I would want the ignition key between me and it!

 

[Velma's Dad]

I found that with key rings too so I generally just use the key on its own. While I would take my chances in a front end collision with my knees coming into contact with whatever padding the dashboard trim has to offer I'm not sure I would want the ignition key between me and it!

When I was a MUCH younger man I totalled a Vauxhall Astra (I know, I know) which resulted in nothing much left of the body shell forward of the pedal box, and the engine/transmission assembly lightly burning 20 yards down the road. My only injury was a small cut on my knee... yes, from the ignition key.

 

[El Greco]

I cannot believe that VW have not moved over to a electric parking brake and a fob key for staring the engine on the T6, things that I enjoy on my 8 year old Passat

 

[hirsty]

Saab FTW

 

[DM]

The DSG will also start with the gear selector in the N position - but you have to have your foot firmly on the brake as well so that wouldn't have helped much in th situation you were in.

 

[Joker 1299]

The DSG will also start with the gear selector in the N position - but you have to have your foot firmly on the brake as well so that wouldn't have helped much in th situation you were in.

Yeah, @EddieEagle recognised that already 'I think not as brake pedal needs to be depressed?'

 

[GrannyJen]

I have never caught the key It is a very close adjustment for me to be sitting comfortably or my left knee catching the trim. I am not particularly deformed and do find the Cali to be a hugely comfortable vehicle on a long journey, just the sub-steering wheel trim and lock do seem to intrude.

 

[Erbster]

I cannot believe that VW have not moved over to a electric parking brake and a fob key for staring the engine on the T6, things that I enjoy on my 8 year old Passat

Electric parking brake would be a massive help for turning the seats. I hate that moment when I take the hand brake off my DSG and the vehicle lurches forward a few inches, hanging on the gearbox.

I'm 6'4" and can also tolerate no key ring on the key as it's too close to my leg. I also can't see the whole dash display (same on nearly every car I've driven). I find the Cali a comfortable drive on long journeys nonetheless.


Charles