slowpoke

Took my '02 in to the indy shop to have a MIL code scanned. Turns out to be the torque converter. Indy quoted approx $3k to fix but does not know if it is worth it given the age of the transmission (91k miles) and the likelihood of something else going wrong in the near future.

I do not notice any real decrease in "drivability" but I assume it has just gradually degraded over time. A few questions for the experts here:

- What is the risk in not replacing the TC right away?
- What is a reasonable price for this repair?
- What else would be wise to do while completing this work?

Thanks.

uber_ar

It will get worse - you will start to notice the mileage falling then it will start to slip and then reverse will clunk then reverse will fail. After that a replacement trans will be REQUIRED.

If you do the converter now you could get another 100k from the trans.

Price wise the TqC itself lists for $900+ but deals can be found. By the book it's 13.3 hours to R&R the converter - so calculate your own labor cost against shop rates. You will also need some misc items like filter, fluid ($$$), some misc little parts.

With all of my good discounts, labor at $100 - all in all about $2300 to do mine.

xtreetoes

your tranny. Stop driving until you get the TQ replaced. You've been forewarned. Search the archives for explanations.. Much has been written about TQ failures.

mjposner

I paid 1500 for my tc repair.

autosolutions

the trans. I don't care what people & xtreetoes are saying. I have years of experience with this code. How many of you have or have had this code & driven on it?

xtreetoes

if he has 17125's then he shouldn't drive the car. I ignored the warning of our local expert tranny shop and was sorry I did. Within a week I not only had to replace my TC, I had to replace the tranny since reverse went. IIRC once the seal goes, the tranny controller over comps for the lock up clutch not engaging. This pressure increase affects reverse. Many here have been bitten like myself.

jeffco50

I think that's where they're stickin' it to alot of people.

Mine was done under warranty @ 42k. I took it to the dealer at 7am, I didn't get out with my loaner until 7:30 and my car hadn't moved.

Got the call at 2:45 saying bad TQ seal and since they had a converter in stock they replaced it and my car was ready as soon as they could get it aligned.

autosolutions

to this ZF transmission. As hard as that may be for you to believe. The transmission does not "up" the pressure when this code appears is simply aborts the lock up of the converter all together. I agree many of these transmission have experienced reverse failures as well as torque converter failures. But the two are not related and one does not lead to the other. Though you may have both fail at some point as you did. If you have taken these transmissions apart and seen the failure of reverse clutch as I have you would see that the rubber sealing lip of the piston is falling apart & not due to blowing apart due to the breakdown of the rubber itself. ZF has admitted there was a problem. I explained the problem a couple of weeks ago. ZF produced a batch of reverse clutch pistons with a rubber compound that came apart prematurely. I have many customers who have been driving for years with the torque converter code. It is also possible that your code & others torque converter codes that came just prior to a failure of reverse were set due to the slipping of the reverse clutch. the TCM may see this slipping as a torque converter problem & not a clutch slip problem. The torque converter code is set by a comparison of input shaft to output shaft speed. a bad torque converter or slipping clutch would both result in a shaft speed differential.

I'm sure many of you have had the failure of one without the other. I have seen many reverse failures in 2.7t Audi's and BMW 740's NONE of which had torque converter codes or problems! I bought a 2000 bmw 740I with no reverse and replaced the "F" (reverse) clutch myself. I had no torque converter code or problems with the transmission. (the sale of that car bought my allroad) The car is still a customer and has had no problems .

autosolutions

just pulling the down pipes is a major pain in the A. Then we have front axles, drive shaft, starter, cooler lines, bell housing bolts, torque converter bolts, shifter cable, electrical connections, reinstall all, refill lost fluids and give you a call. Thats a busy morning!! I would seriously be wondering what they really did!

jeffco50

on the alignment, and I'd pick-up the next day.

Looking at my invoice it shows: trans r/r-11.50h, ATF strainer r/r-1.90h,TQ r/r-0.10h, TQ seal r/r-0.10h (r/r= remove + reinstall)

I remember the advisor saying Audi makes them confirm that the seal is bad.