A6 Avant Tiptronic gearbox issue

[tartanpaint]

I have a 2001 A6 Avant 2.7T Quattro Sport. It's run like a dream for most of the many years i've had it. One or two wee issues before but nothing major. Many of those were fixed here with the help of members such as Peter D (v. helpful member), Last week I tried to put it into reverse and it wouldn't engage. If you touched the accelerator the engine just revved and the car sat still. No warning lights, no warning, no clunks, whines or anything. The car's never missed a beat with it's gearbox. This lasted for about a day and a half and then one morning I put it into reverse with out thinking...and surprise...it worked fine!?!? and hasn't missed a beat since. Anyone had anything like this before? Does it spell impending doom. Just don't know what to look at/or who to take it to 'cause it doesn't have a problem right now. Anyone, any thoughts? I'm in Glasgow and wondered about Gibson & Wilson, Mackie Transmisions or Caledonian trans' Any thoughts?

[mikeybutch]

As you have had no responses yet I wondered what mileage on yours .I have an A4 2.5tdi tiptronic and its just had the fluid changed at 115k although its supposed to be sealed for life.Some research says that the suppliers of these boxes recommend a change every 100k and I think mine has benefited although there were no probs like yours before.I hope yours doesnt return cos its a nice drive

[tartanpaint]

Ahh - good point there...forgot to say that the old girl has 138k on the clock, she runs like a dream and I do look after her but I've been told that although these units are meant to be sealed for life, i believe it's a bit of a myth. I wondered if the gearbox has ever been serviced, it's not something I'm aware of. A tick in a service log maybe doesn't mean that the extra service items have actually been looked at....I just don't know. Is that even something I could do myself? I'm not too bad around the car. Like I say it's just that the problem has disappeared so i don't know where to start. could it be any kind of sensor or what?!?! I just don't know....

[yaman]

"Why do we say that changing the Vw automatic transmission fluid (ATF) extends the life of your transmission? We've witnessed in our own service facility what regular transmission fluid maintenance can do. The biggest difference we've seen is the elimination of shift problems in Vw tiptronic transmissions due to old transmission fluid and filter. Remember, you should always change the Vw automatic transmission filter every time you do a fluid change. Why contaminate clean fluid with the sediment that is stored in an old automatic transmission filter"

Read on.......http://www.blauparts.com/vw/vw_fluid...on_fluid.shtml

Also get a code read done.

Regards
Jim

[tartanpaint]

Hey Jim, thanks for that. V interesting site. Looks like that could be a job well worth doing...

[mikeybutch]

Dont think its DIY on the Audi cos everything I was told says it must be temp controlled so mine went to the local Audi .Cost about£155 but I feel happier that its done .I saw the old fluid cos the plug was accidently removed by a helper when we were trying to change the oil!but turned out alright in the endcos the AA did a free recovery

[tartanpaint]

Cheers all, appreciate the feedback so far. Thanks for takin' the time.

[leosayer]

I'm not expert, but to me it sounds like a problem with the gear lever selecting neutral instead of reverse.

When you had the problem, did the computer say you were in reverse?

[tartanpaint]

Do you mean the gear select indicator on the dash? if so, then yeh it was indicating that the gear should have been selected but I understand your thinking, Could it be that the car/gearlever hadn't actually selected reverse and so it was sitting in neutral? Interesting! I think a trip to a specialist to have the codes read and maybe a good old service/fluid change. Cheers for that;-)