zeab

I drive my car pretty hard I will admit but really enjoy it. The one thing I am not real happy about is how it shifts. It doesn't do it all the time but I can readily re-produce it. It's most noticeable when shifting from 2-3 but will do it in other gears and have seen it at 3-4 and 4-5 as well. While I am accelerating and slowly pushing the gas pedal down, it feels like it loses power, stutters like the clutch plate are bouncing rapidly, then power returns and on I go. I can even see it in the tach as the needle flutters during this. It is really quick, takes about 500ms for the whole process to complete.

The first time I took it to the dealer and shown them, they pulled it in, took a sample of the trans oil, ran it through a ton of tests which took a couple of hours. They then reset the transmission and told me that would fix it.

The second time I took it back, went for a test drive again and while it was very well behaved that day, at the end of the drive it did the pulse thing again strongly. Tech said that was normal as the transmissions are designed to pulse the clutch plates between shifting.

Now I have an open case with the dealer and they are looking to see if anything is out there that they may be able to do for me. While I am able to demonstrate the issue, there are no codes being generated so they really don't want to do anything.

So, all that being said, do I have anything to worry about? Have others felt this as well? I am about out of warranty and would like to have this fixed before it goes out of warranty if needed.

I am also thinking about APR stage2 and if the transmission isn't up to the task, I don't want to push it past the breaking point.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Acuransx

zeab, I run a /15 3.0T -- almost 2 years old but only 17,500 miles. I have never experienced anything like you are describing. I don't drive the car hard but there have been times when I have needed to use much of the available power and no issues when doing that. This does not sound normal to me. However, if I recall correctly, a few people on this board (Sportstick comes immediately to mind) have complained that there seems to be a slight power delivery delay when moving from a standing start after car get rolling -- possibly a very early shift from 1-2 and then some hesitation -- Sportstick can better explain if he weighs in to this thread.


Best,
Jeff

Sportstick

Thought I heard my name. This trans seems happiest once under way and with WOT. But, around town, starting from a stop in reasonable city driving style, I've come to the conclusion that the throttle strategy is to upshift to the highest gear which will move the car ASAP to maximize fuel economy (gotta love those CAFE regulations). That may be the strategy, but the execution is poor. At first, the car felt as if it was repeatedly missing or hesitating. Eventually, I found a safe place to keep my eyes on the tach, and sure enough, the repeating and quick sequence of droop/surge sensations was exactly on each upshift. 1-2, 2-3,3-4. I am more sensitive to it than is my wife, and it's her car. My car has a proper set of three pedals, so no similar problems.

We're not going to start the dealer visit merry-go-round, but like the sometimes radio volume, sometimes door handle unlocking/locking, overwrought ACC braking, this is just another place where Audi decided the customer is the final vehicle development engineer. Waiting to see how the gas engine class action develops.

CalAudiSix

The first three gears of my transmission stutters too under moderate acceleration. I took it to the dealer twice and each time they held on to the vehicle for 3 to 4 days to consult with AoA but each time I've picked up the car nothing was done. The invoice would say that it could not replicate the condition and car is running smooth. I think I saw a TSB that the TCU in our model may be faulty. Next time I take it in, I'm taking the tech manager for a test drive.

Cuba

There is a TSB for it, I had it but lost it somewhere. Some people got it done and saw an improvement apparently.

Cuba

Found it:
http://www.revbase.com/BBBMotor/TSb/...dPdf?id=196461

Was associated with my thread here: https://www.audiworld.com/forums/a6-...tions-2914473/

I never made it to the dealer, too busy with work still need to reschedule.

CalAudiSix

Thanks Cuba

The TSB link in your reply gives me a server error message when I try opening it. Does this TSB update the software or does it replace the TCU? I have the software update but my transmission still stutters.

zeab

Thanks for all the quick replies. Would really be interested in the TSB but just get a server error. Nice thing is I have demonstrated this a couple of times. The last communications with the dealer is he has an Audi rep coming on Monday and will discuss with him then. Time will tell.

For what it's worth, when the trans behaves, it is an engineering marvel and a crazy joy to drive. Really hope they find a solution.

Update: found the TSB in question and think my issue is more related to TSB 196460

snagitseven

I occasionally get what's being described here since I picked up the car in 2012. It happens so infrequently that I never bothered to even mention it to the dealer. Some things just aren't worth the "operates as designed" hassle. The TSB TCU update three years ago had no effect on this particular issue.

zeab

Yeah, I have things that are infrequent and all but impossible to replicate if you take it to a dealer. This one is reproducible and was a bit surprised by the fact the first time the dealer seemed concerned with the issue and did a lot of investigation. They wanted me to either leave the car or let them go through it right then so I gave them the green light to look at it while I was there. Second time there they were underwhelmed by the issue and blew it off as normal.

It does go through periods of well behaved shifting but more often than not, I feel this during normal acceleration. I hate to take others for a ride in the car anymore as it is noticeable and I do get questioned over if the car is OK or not. Very embarrassing for such a nice car.