My 02 is starting to downshift by itself. It only happens at low speeds like in traffic and after it's warmed up. But it doesn't happen all the time. If I can keep a good pace it's fine.

Basically it will downshift from 3rd to 2nd and won't shift on until I run the RPMs up to 4500 and it jumps into 3rd. Going to 4th it does the same. But I can stop at a light and get a good aggressive start and the shifting is fine. I've gotten to where I use S mode in traffic to make the car shift correctly.

It was doing this about 2 years ago and then Audi had a transmission recall. After the recall was taken care of, no more shifting issues. The recall was for a stretching shifter cable and I was hoping that was the cure.

I called the dealership that did the recall repair and they said all they did was add the part stated in the recall. It didn't have anything to do with fluids or adjustments of any kind.

I'm thinking it's a vacuum issue or something telling the computer it needs to shift. Would this show up in a diagnostic if I took it in?

Any ideas appreciated.

SilverS8 in Florida

Apologies... I posted this on the S forum as well.

 

If you haven't already, join and post on one or both of these forums to TozoM8's attention...no one I've found knows more about these transmissions...he rebuilds em for a living...unlike Audi dealers, who only change the whole trans.

http://forums.audiworld.com/forumdisplay.php?f=8

 

Its most likely a problem with the TCU, if you don't see a leak from the transmission pan i highly doubt its a mechanical problem. A pro that rebuilds ZF transmissions can diagnose it with a vag com pretty easilly (if he knows what he is doing)

Edit: in addition to silverd2's post SOME dealers have the ***** to take on the internals of ZF transmissions, they all carry the tools in their special tool room. Its usually the old timers that do that kind of work. They really aren't any different than any other automatic transmission inside. If you call around you will find someone with the skills and experience that can solve the issue for you.

 

Thanks for the quick replies. No fluids are leaking. The transmission was flushed 35k miles ago as maintenance. I have 138k on her now. I'm having an Audi mechanic look at it tomorrow. Ill post my results.

Thanks again.

 

I took the S8 into my mechanic and went for a test drive to show him what was going on. In true fashion the car ran flawless. Of course it was acting up on the way, but never when you want it to.

I explained the issue with the recall, and he agreed that the dealership that did the recall repair must have done something else other than mount a bracket. Something was adjusted or tightened somewhere. He had a couple of ideas and suggested a diagnostic check, but his computer that has the diag software was dropped the day before so he didn't have it available. I'll schedule another appt when he gets that running again.

Anyone know what "exactly" was done on Recall ID# 83693, or where I can get the details?

TIA

 

The only link on the web I could find with that specific #, transfers to a link with another ID# referring to the recall for the locking cable that could potential let the trans slip out of park, covering all A8's '96-'03 models. I got that recall on my '01.
If this is not the same one, you'll probably have to contact an Audi dealer to get the specific info on the first ID#. I couldn't find it anywhere else.

http://www.automobilemag.com/auto_re...udi/index.html