Tranny behavior in '99 A8 with 63K

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Nov 23, 2004 | 04:43 PM

ohbw

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Tranny behavior in '99 A8 with 63K

Hi folks -- I'm shopping A8s, found a very nice one today, price is good, but no warranty at all. I made a very hard stop to test brakes and ABS. Immediately tried to accelerate again, but no forward movement for an instant, and then hard BANG into gear and away (I never took it out of Drive).

Anybody qualified to answer this: was the tranny just freaked by the intensity of the deceleration? Or does this suggest something awry with this particular tranny? It behaved well otherwise. I'm nervous about these transmissions after what I've read hear and elsewhere.

Nov 23, 2004 | 05:29 PM

fast1

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Re: Tranny behavior in '99 A8 with 63K

Buyer beware. It sounds like you may have encountered a Audi meltdown and unless you can buy it at a good price figure on do a transmission flush and filter replacement or the very worst rebuild the tranny. When I bought mine I did'nt even make it 35 miles before I experienced problems. Thankfully PaulW and Skiracer gave me some good advice and I changed the fluids and filter myself twice and it seems to be running fine. They're great cars but you do have to maintain them.I would also highly recommend buying the Ross-Tech Vagcom software.
good luck.

Nov 23, 2004 | 06:44 PM

Jkay

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someone else asked about this today or perhaps yesterday.

there's a software (glitch?) feature in the A8 drive-by-wire setup that causes this behaviour. After a panic stop, you may experience this hesitation.

Nov 23, 2004 | 06:58 PM

alear

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Re: Tranny behavior in '99 A8 with 63K

Mine does something like this and it has never been diagnosed or fixed. It will even do this at stop signs. Its a hard thump into 1st at a stop sign. Mines a 2000 A8L

Nov 23, 2004 | 07:29 PM

PaulW

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From: Wilbur by the Sea

Yes, but this is a 99, it has a throttle cable so not the same problem

Nov 24, 2004 | 08:01 PM

tehA8PIMP

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Re: Tranny behavior in '99 A8 with 63K

You would think that as the speed drops, the gears will compensate and go down to(1). But when it is still in 3rd, but it can only support 1st gear, it immediately jams from 3rd into 1st in a destructive fashion. This is my theory.

So, if you have to hit the brakes bigtime, once u get to a complete stop, u could put her into neutral to help her from getting confused.

Simple, yet practical?? Hard to remember after a panic stop, especially if you have an 18 wheeler bearing down on you!!

Nov 26, 2004 | 04:13 PM

Dennis Ruffing

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Re: Tranny behavior in '99 A8 with 63K

Ya know, the A8 has always been lethargic about downshifting. Even with the transmission set to the Euro sport mode, it really doesn't want to shift.

I don't think the panic stop was related- if you were cruising at 40 mph and matted it, you'd have a few moments to think before take-off.

It's like Kirk calling down to Scotty for warp speed. Well, it takes Scotty just a little while to get warp speed. But then you do get it...

Dennis

97 4.2Q