97 A8 Transmission Failure
02-04-2002, 07:12 PM
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97 A8 Transmission Failure
Our '97 A8 with 75k miles experienced transmission failure. Initially, it would make noise upon startup as if the oil pump in AT was cavitating. It got progresivelly worse and was making noise in all gears except 5th. I live in the Seattle area, and just heard from an owner of a '98 A8 with an AT problem similar to mine. Is there a PROBLEM with these transmissions, i.e., torque converter seal failures? Please let me know. If it is a problem with the torque converter seal that is premature, I'd like to get all info about it.
r,
Jack
r,
Jack
02-04-2002, 09:04 PM
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Re: 97 A8 Transmission Failure
I had called AoA a while back about these torque converter seal failures. I brought up the fact that these seals are not covered in Audi's maintenance guidelines, and lot of owners were losing transmissions because of torque converter seal failures. AoA said that they would put this down in my records, and if the seal failed they would work with me to rectify the situation. You should give them a call and see if you can get any assistance (may be a transmission at cost!). My 2 cents. Good luck!
02-05-2002, 06:26 AM
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Is there anything I can do to prevent this failure? Change it prophylactically?
Has anyone changed the torque converter seal for higher mileage just to prevent the case of leakage and failure? Is this hard to do? expensive? Does it leak outside where I can see it? Is this related to the leak some people mentioned in the past about the final propeller shaft seal leak that would drip onto the catalytic converter and cause a smell? If it's not too expensive to change this seal, I think I just might go ahead and change mine before it all falls apart. thanks!
02-05-2002, 06:40 AM
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I was searching on the internet for torque converter seal leak, and found...
This passsage, which I'm not sure relates to what I can possibly do to prevent this. What do you think?
"The Type 3 automatic is a very solid transmission. They are known to go for over 100k miles with no problems. The worst problem can be the torque converter seal leaking, and there is a trick to fixing that: Put 2 seals in it. They did not like being run low on fluid. The transmission is actually made by Borg Warner, and the same basic guts are still used to this day by VW and Audi. Auto-Sticks were good too if properly maintained, and adjusted. Just a little harder to work on. The auto-stick was just a manual trans that had been modified with a vacuum clutch and torque converter.
Russ Wolfe
Factory trained VW mechanic since 1965
http://wolfenet.net"
"The Type 3 automatic is a very solid transmission. They are known to go for over 100k miles with no problems. The worst problem can be the torque converter seal leaking, and there is a trick to fixing that: Put 2 seals in it. They did not like being run low on fluid. The transmission is actually made by Borg Warner, and the same basic guts are still used to this day by VW and Audi. Auto-Sticks were good too if properly maintained, and adjusted. Just a little harder to work on. The auto-stick was just a manual trans that had been modified with a vacuum clutch and torque converter.
Russ Wolfe
Factory trained VW mechanic since 1965
http://wolfenet.net"
02-05-2002, 09:23 AM
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Re: 97 A8 Transmission Failure
My car was put up on a rack only yesterday, and I do have a leak that I noticed dripping onto the catalytic converter. I printed off an older posting that I was involved in going back a ways as possible assistance for my mechanic.
I'm bringing my car in tomorrow to get the seal and an unrealted axle boot replaced. My car now has 111K miles on it and the transmission seems to be fine with the exception of some unusual shifting in traffic situations when I'm speeding up and slowing down rapidly. According to the mechanic I talked to, once the fluid is filled to the proper level, my car should start shifting as well as those transmissions are supposed to shift. He feels that I have caught mine in time.
Isn't it crazy that, with all of the wonderful electronics on this car related to listening to sound systems and computer reads telling you about fuel consumption etc, that there are no indicators what so ever if your car is low on these very precious and important fluids? Needless to say, being low on one of those precious fluids can have you eventually junking the car. I'd much rather have warning about that then when my next oil change is due. The problem is, it's not an easy thing to just simply check a dip stick and fill up your transmission fluid, this is a sealed system. That being said, your fluid level is always going to be a mystery. Be sure to look out for unusual smells and get under your car and look to see if there seems to be any leaking on your catalytic converter. You have to get under the vehicle because some times the leaks are very slow and what does drip out never hits the ground because it gets burned up by the catalytic converter. Bottom line being; you can have a leak and never know it by looking at the ground.
You should read posting number 13 by Hisport. Doing that will take you to the thread directly related to your problem.
Go to search and put in the name: "hisport"
All of his postings will come up. On my screen #13 was listed as; A8 4.2 Final Drive Seal Replacement. Read through that thread, it is the most comprehensive information I found relating to the subject at hand. If for any reason you have any difficulty finding it, please let me know, I'll dig it up for you.
By the way, this above mentioned information is what I brought to my mechanic, which he thought, can be very useful information. You may find it useful too.
Good Luck!
Dommi3/Tiburon, California
1997 A8 Silver/Gray
17" Audi A8 Wheels
All Possible Options
Previous Audi
1990 V8 Quattro
I'm bringing my car in tomorrow to get the seal and an unrealted axle boot replaced. My car now has 111K miles on it and the transmission seems to be fine with the exception of some unusual shifting in traffic situations when I'm speeding up and slowing down rapidly. According to the mechanic I talked to, once the fluid is filled to the proper level, my car should start shifting as well as those transmissions are supposed to shift. He feels that I have caught mine in time.
Isn't it crazy that, with all of the wonderful electronics on this car related to listening to sound systems and computer reads telling you about fuel consumption etc, that there are no indicators what so ever if your car is low on these very precious and important fluids? Needless to say, being low on one of those precious fluids can have you eventually junking the car. I'd much rather have warning about that then when my next oil change is due. The problem is, it's not an easy thing to just simply check a dip stick and fill up your transmission fluid, this is a sealed system. That being said, your fluid level is always going to be a mystery. Be sure to look out for unusual smells and get under your car and look to see if there seems to be any leaking on your catalytic converter. You have to get under the vehicle because some times the leaks are very slow and what does drip out never hits the ground because it gets burned up by the catalytic converter. Bottom line being; you can have a leak and never know it by looking at the ground.
You should read posting number 13 by Hisport. Doing that will take you to the thread directly related to your problem.
Go to search and put in the name: "hisport"
All of his postings will come up. On my screen #13 was listed as; A8 4.2 Final Drive Seal Replacement. Read through that thread, it is the most comprehensive information I found relating to the subject at hand. If for any reason you have any difficulty finding it, please let me know, I'll dig it up for you.
By the way, this above mentioned information is what I brought to my mechanic, which he thought, can be very useful information. You may find it useful too.
Good Luck!
Dommi3/Tiburon, California
1997 A8 Silver/Gray
17" Audi A8 Wheels
All Possible Options
Previous Audi
1990 V8 Quattro
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02-06-2002, 07:47 AM
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Re: 97 A8 Transmission Failure
When I research my car I found out that this was somewhat of an issue with 97's and not other years. Another question is regarding the tip and non tip transmission. I have heard the Tip was standard in europe and the part number on the US transmission (non TIP) is the same as the euro transmission with the tip feature? while the euro tranmissions have not hat the torque converter seal failure. It appears AoA knows of this issue and treats it like many other issues. I have not had an issue of this type but, I have other little issues. This car is truely a love hate relationship. I love the way it drives, responds, it feels as though it is the size of an A4. Yet, the cup holders, the lack of forward visability or poor, sun screen having a mind of its own (works when it wants to), poor cell service due to the warm weather package, analog phone, rear door switch that has a mind of its own, and the dealer attitude. I'll go for a number of months loving the car and the a couple of weeks hateing it. I bought it about a year ago for $23,000 I've put about $1,000 and 12K mile and figure I'll sell it after the winter.