A8wntr

Hi All,

I had a 08 3.2 CVT (front drive) that had serious jerking and surging issues when driven cold. It feels the same as when someone learns to drive a manual trans: jerking back and forth until they learn the best combination of throttle and clutch. It would last for about a minute or two (until the engine warmed up a bit), and just from about 0-15 mph. Audi tried for 2 months to fix the car, but couldn't. Believe it or not, they did a collateral exchange and put me in a brand new 09, same 3.2 (would have loved the 3.0T!) and same CVT transmission.

Nevertheless, as unbelievable as it may be, the new car is experiencing the same issue! It is so bad that friends and family who drive the car want to know what the hell is wrong with my new car!!! Has anyone else who has the CVT 3.2 experienced this? I find it very odd that the two cars I've owned have the same issue!!! Audi is still trying to fix the 08 at my local dealer, and is planning to apply the fix to my 09 when they figure it out.

Any comments or help would be greatly appreciated. I am in either of two boats now:

1. This is the way these cars are....

2. I'm stumbled onto a serious manufacturer defect.

Thanks guys for any thoughts/help.

kemer1

I've talked to my service advisor about the difference in the transmissions. I have the tip due to the quattro, but he said that the CVT trannies are just junk. Where the tips don't even need the fluid changed till 100K, the CVTs are usually due for replacement at around 50K. Not sure why yours is jerking, but the "Rubber Band" gearboxes as he calls them are just plain garbage.

A8wntr

To be honest, I agree. I've never liked CVT's. My wife's A4 has one, and it has run smoothly and we've never had any issues (knocking on wood). On the whole though, I think CVT's won't be "solid" for another ten years or so.

pierreb

quattro uber alles.

ACSGP

I've had my CVT for 4 years, and despite the good mpg figures it gets, it's pretty bad.

Your experience, though, sounds very unusual. The experience with the CVT is jerkiness when you change from D into R (the computer controlled clutch is trying to compensate), or when your throttle pressure changes rapidly.

All things being said, I prefer a tip any day now.

audium

Apparently, it's a common problem w/ CVTs in general (not only Audis).

After complaining about it for several months and being told there was nothing wrong, I found a TSB that covered the issue. It only covered 05-06 models, and you'd think that Audi would have fixed it for later models, so not sure if your problem has the same cause.

After the update, the problem has pretty much gone away. Every blue moon, I'll get a lurch after a dead stop, but not as bad and very infrequently (basically almost never).

My next car will definitely NOT be a CVT.