My brother just picked up a used 01 A8 with 50K miles on it that was a 1 owner car that had been serviced every 3K miles at the same dealership. It is in pristine condition and looks and feels like it is still new. There is just this problem that has developed when the car shifts gears. It only does it when the car is cold and has only gone a few miles. The car kicks and jumps as ifsomone was revving the car up in neutral then thrown into drive at full rev. It is a very violent feeling slam to say the least. What may be causing this?

 

Mechanic is now saying it was due to a faulty mass air flow, could this really be?

 

I'd ask the mechanic why he thinks the induction system is causing the transmission to do that, is he using the diagnostic computer?
If you don't already have VAG-COM yourself, do get it (or urge your brother to get it), it's worth the price just to be able to set the transmission to european shift mode if nothing else. Just the connector and the shareware version are a huge help.
VAG-COM has saved me also when my battery died and caused all sorts of error codes that made me fail a state inspection.
I cleared the codes with the VAG-COM and went back for a pass and a sticker the same day.

The 01 transmission I don't think required a filter replacement like the 97 model did, but still, to me sounds like some kind of low transmission fluid level or clogged filter deal to me, since the fluid is thicker and the level is lower when cold.

 

do you guys know what type of transmission fluid it takes?