Hello- I am a newbie here. My name is Joe and I am from Sacramento, CA. I just recently purchased a used Audi A4 1997 1.8T Automatic transmission. (100K Miles)

Okay here is the problem:

I just recently purchased aftermarket tailights for the audi. While replacing the tailights, I was troubleshooting a shortage in one of the lights which lead me to the fuse box. I replaced several fuses and I was back in business with the lights working appropriately. Or so I thought......


Moments later I took the car to run an errand. After parking the car and getting back to the car to leave I noticed the illuminated section of the dashboard where the gear is indicated looked funny. All the boxes were highlighted although the car was in park.

When I put the car in reverse, the dash indicator did not recognize the shift and still remained highlighted on all the gears. The vehicle would not shift into reverse or physically move.

I attempted to put the car in drive and I puched it manually out of the stall and drove it a few blocks to my house in drive. I have no idea if this is related to a fuse or completely a co-incedence; however now I am really worried.

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Note: I checked all the fuses already. I replaced the ones that were relating to the automatic transmission. Also I just had the large 100k mile tune-up (which changes transmission oil... etc.) So, this should be something minoe (i hope) because I just did a thourough inspection by the mechanics.

Please advise what I should do. Or if anyone else has been in a similiar situation. any help or reference points would be tremendously appreciated. Should you like to contact me personally please feel free to email me at- Joe.Matt@gmail.com


Thanks

Joe [&o]

 

this may be something u might want the dealer to look at cause they can just plug it into a computer and the problem will most likely pop out.

 

how bout takin it to autozone then puttin the code on audiforums.com and well tell you what it is

 

what do you mean the code? what type of code can autozone give me?

 

the same code as the dealer gives.

what happens is your cars computer recognizes what is wrong with your car and it tells you that in the form of a "code" this code can only be accessed from a code scanner. all cars built after 1996 are required to use a code that can be read by a OBD-II scanner. autozone has a scanner and will scan your car for free. all you will get from it is a 5 digit number. post this number here on the forum and we will tell you what the code means and what needs to be done to fix it

 

So based on those symptoms listed would you reccomend driving the vehicle to auto zone or having it towed?

 

dont tow it. i think theyll lend it to you. all you gotta do is pay for it return it and theyll give you your money back. thats how there loaner tool system works.

 

Generic code scanner will not likely pick up a transmission code, as it may only pick up emission codes.

Find someone with a vag-com in your neighborhood. Search the archives for what this is, and where you can find one.

but in the mean time....

You were screwing around with tail-lights....

Tail lights light up when you go into reverse...

Now car wont go into reverse....


Hmmm......what would happen if you disconnected your tail-lights completely...maybe you have shorted a wire.



Otherwise, who recently worked on your transmission? Was it someone who works on Audi's or a generic garage? What transmission fluid did he put in there? Hopefully they know how to change the transmission fluid and put in the correct amount. Otherwise that could be a source of your problem.

 

Did you touch anything prior to going to the fuse box. You may have shorted a circuit in the transmission shifter assembly. Does the car otherwise run normally other than the reverse?

When the display goes inverted it usually means your transmisson has faulted to limp/safe mode. The autozone reader/generic readers do not give back the same codes as a VAGcom. The codes are very different. Many can be cross referenced to the generic codes, but not all of them, depending on how specific the code is to the car's technology in question. Its worth a try though since it would cost you nothing.

 

Well... While I was testing the tailight, I wanted see if the reverse lights worked on both of the taillights, so (like an idiot) I put the E-Brake on and put the shifter into reverse. The car started to move back slightly but couldn't because the e-brake was on. I checked to ensure the lights were iluminated and put the shifter into park and released the e-brake.

I am not sure if that had anything to do with it either............


Also my mechanic says it is probabally a Nuetral Safety Switch, model number 821 or 821D, I am going to bring it to him tomorrow to get the code reading from the vag-com he has...... i really hope it isn't anything major. He said the Nuetral switch would cost me $300 for the part alone.