Dr. A8

Hi everyone. I just posted in the new member area. I have a D2 A8 with 200k on the clock. I got it last week and love it. I noticed though that when pulling into my driveway I have to get a running start at the steep curb in order to get over it. If I just approach it slowly the car gets stuck at the curb and the engine revs but the car doesn't move.

I'm not getting any MIL but was thinking this might be an early sign that the torque converter is starting to fail. This car is admittedly far more complex than anything I've ever owned/worked on and most of my cars have been standard.

I checked the fluid and it is full. Another thing that has me wondering is the fact that the car has 72 service records on carfax but not a single one related to transmission fluid or filter change. I know that the dealer says the fluid is "lifetime" and this vehicle was serviced at the dealer for most of its life.

I'm just trying to give everyone as much info as possible. Let me know if there's anything else I should consider.

silverd2

If you checked the ATF level "correctly" and it was full and the car still behaves as described, then get ready for a trans rebuild bill that will likely be well over what you paid for the car.

Changing the ATF will not cure any problem ... WAY too late for that.

Dr. A8

Thanks for the reply. This is what I feared. I wasn't saying a fluid change would fix it. I had read that if the filter becomes clogged it can result in decreased pressure which might cause this type of symptom since a torque converter is responsible for determining how much pressure passes through to the trans.

jfrahm

I've never heard of a filter getting clogged to the point of reduced pressure unless the trans was so worn out all the friction material was in the filter. In that case maybe changing the filter and adding Lucas goo might limp you along while you save up for a trans or a new car.

Low pressure IMO also causes freewheeling and slamming into gears, does it ever do that? The common presentation for that is if you are slowing of a light and it turns green, then you get back on the gas, it goes neutral and then slams into gear. Feels like you got rearended. Also breaks stuff in the trans.

-Joel.

Dr. A8

Oh and a rebuild is definitely not in the cards. More likely a used replacement will be put in.

Dr. A8

The only thing I noticed when I first bought is was a rough 3-2 downshift while slowing down. I've floored it from a stop and the car goes fine. This is why it is confusing to have the car get stopped by an angled curb.

Pushbutton_auto

Going over a straight edge kerb all the time will fudge your front end bits in no time.

Take a jack hammer to the kerb ...

Not that a kerb should stop the 4.2 anyhow whatever speed ...

Does the tranz operate differently when cold and hot ?

dreamhope

Yes, the fluid is "lifetime" but at that mileage Audi considers it time beyond life.

It's probably the clutch that's slipping. TC problem may have more symptoms.

Dr. A8

Thanks everybody for your replies. I realized that the problem only existed in while backing up. I determined through research that is likely a cracked reverse drum.

A couple days later I went to reverse out of the driveway and the reverse was completely gone. I will probably just drive it as long as I can as I can't afford a $3200 rebuild right now. I also have too much going on to deal with it.

Does anyone know if driving it like this will hurt the forward gears? I had a '64 Rambler with no reverse and was able to drive it indefinitely without any problems. As long as I'm careful about how I park, I can make it work until I can do the rebuild.

jfrahm

I have a great very low mile FUN code trans in the Denver area if you feel like swapping that in instead of a rebuild. With the TransGo valve swap it'd be bulletproof.