First post and I think its going to be an expensive answer [:@] We have a 2001 A6 with a 2.8, like so many love the styling and feel, hate the maintenance costs. Last night my wife was backing our of the driveway, heard a clunk and no more backing up, while puting it back in park you hear a tick, tick tick, almost like a playing card in a bicycle wheel. The first thought in my mind is the vanes in the torque converter. Engine runs fine just no movement. I was hoping like a CV broke but nope they look fine.I called one dealer and its about $3k to replace a torque converter,has anybody had a similar problem and was it the torque converter? Any other hints on whatI could check.
Thanks

 

Get the fault codes checked, it the torque converter is bad it will throw a fault code.

 

Its definatly a broken axel or something with the trans output. The tick,tick, tick when putting it in park is the parking pawl trying to engage but it cant becasue the trans is still spinning.

 

I agree with dankhound. I have a 2000 2.7 and my torque convertor went out. It cost $2600 at the dealer, but I could still drive the car. It just threw a code and make the check engine light come on. I don't think you would get that tick sound from the convertor. Good Luck.