audi_craig

***Disclaimer: I'm not a car guy. Bear with my not-a-car-guy description ***

I have a 2004 A4 (3.0 liter automatic, AWD) with 165K miles. 2-3 times a week I drive about an hour and a half on the highway, followed by about 30 minutes of stop and go. Then I'm home. Been doing that for years.

What has started happening is that during the stop and go, if I'm at a spot where I'm coasting at say 5 mph (stop and go traffic, the transmission is probably in 1st or 2nd gear), when I put my foot on the gas, the transmission makes a very loud, severe bang as the gear is engaging, the car lurches and then continues to drive. This behavior happens for the remainder of the trip. Luckily it happens when I'm just about home and by pressing on the gas gingerly I can sometimes prevent the banging. Regardless, I get home, I park and the next day it's fine until the tail end of the next long trip. Same behavior.

Twice it stranded me, as the banging got worse, and no matter how gingerly I pressed the accelerator it wouldn't shift at all, Check Engine came on and I had to be towed.

At the local Audi dealer, they observed:

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON DUE TO FAULT IN TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE. TRANSMISSION STORES FAULT (P0730) INCORRECT GEAR RATIO. STATIC.

The did the following:

BROUGHT TRANSMISSION TEMP. UP TO 35F. REMOVED INSPECTION PLUG. FOUND TRANSMISSION FLUID IN POOR CONDITION. LEVEL IS OK. FAULT (P0730) FOR INCORRECT GEAR RATIO, POSSIBLE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. CLEARED FAULTS AND TEST DROVE VEHICLE AT THIS TIME OF SERVICE, TRANSMISSION IS SHIFTING. RECHECKED FAULT MEMORY. NONE STORED.

They recommend replacing the transmission which seems pretty extreme. Is that the only option?

Thanks for any help!

Kris Hansen

The dealer's first course of action is always to replace things, that's the standard thing for a dealer. What I'd do is find the best independent Euro car specialist in your area, and have them take a look. It might be worth replacing the fluid, though with that kind of fault, it might be time for a transmission. Either way, your euro specialist might be able to get it done cheaper than the dealer. Almost certainly actually.

AudiA4TCM

I have Audi4 2005 with CVT. Before I have heard that these cars have problems with TCM but it was not my problem. But a couple days ago it happened with my car. The PRND indicator blings on the dashboard . Trouble code is 1793. It means that TCM is at fault. My mechanic told that the dealer usually asks 1200 plus labor for the replacement . I am preatty sure you guys know something about repair for reasonable price.

AudiA4TCM

If somebody interested , my story was short. I have found a great repair service next door to me- Module Repair Pro Inc. (5911 Lemona ave. Van Nuys CA 91411 phone (818)235-1095) I just called and described the problem. They were extremely helpful and answered all questions. I came there for a repair, and picked up my fixed car a couple hours later. They saved my time and money.
Module Repair Pro INC

Prospeeder

Wrong transmission, this is a traditional 5 speed auto not the CVT. And you sound sort of like a spammer with your only 2 posts here advertising a business.



Unfortunately, 165k miles and never a fluid change is usually all these poor transmissions can handle. You can try replacing the fluid and filter. But if your getting the gear monitoring codes and problems, with normal fluid level, the transmission is toast. Service the next one you put in every 30k-40k miles it will live nearly forever. Do not buy into any of the "Lifetime fluid" BS the dealer says. This is exactly what happens.

amkmeco90

I've an A4 b6 3.0 and I supposedly had only one time the transmission fluid changed when I went for the 80k miles service( the dealer claims that ) and now I'm a 158,xxx. I have been thinking of doing it again at my mechanic but he advised me not to do it as the new fluid will be harsh on the old transmission. I tried to find a clear answer for this but most of the threads I've seen, there is a debate between changing and not changing the transmission fluid.

Prospeeder

Thats a myth, new fluid is not harsh on a transmission. Harsh would be running it with the spent junk fluid with too many miles, not nice new fluid. I have yet to ever have a transmission that was working fine have a problem after changing fluid. And have done at least a hundred O1V ZF transmissions. Just change the fluid its only going to do good.

lyleswk

x2. I have a Mercedes with 265K and "lifetime" fluid and changed the fluid at 100K and 200K. If she makes it to 300K, she will get another one. I also changed the fluid on my current A4 immediately after we got it at 105K miles. 20K miles later, and all is normal.