Hey guys,

I bought a 2004 A4 Cabrio in March of this year. It had 58k miles, and it was all my wife wanted or could talk about at the time. So I bit, and off we drove.

Everything went really well for about 6 months, when the check engine light came on while sitting in traffic, followed by the ESP light on the dash. I took it to my mechanic, and these codes popped out:
-P0722
-P0706

He told me I needed a new transmission... Well, I'll be damned if I'm going to pay for a new transmission in a car I just bought 6 months ago.

I began doing research, and found it's the TCU. I thought, oh ok! I can fix that. I can change oil, spark plugs and other random things, if it's just a computer chip, no big deal.. Right? Well, obviously.. wrong.

I've visited every forum, read every thread on this problem, and it seems that every time someone talks about having this problem, they never end up following up on what happened (very frustrating).

I'm wondering if anyone here who has been through this A4 Transmission Control Module problem could give me some advice. Is it really repairable with me and a mechanically inclined friend? Where do I start with fixing this thing? I feel like there's something that I'm missing. I don't have the money to pay a mechanic to replace the transmission, and I don't have the time to dig deeper on my own to find out what my solution is. I'm praying that someone here can give me some good solid advice.

Thanks for your thoughts in advance.

 

Hey,
I posted this awhile ago, and no one ever responded. I just was hoping someone would see this again and know what I can do.

Thanks for looking.

 

Flyerpilot , there is a tsb for this issue. I don't have time to research it at the moment but will get back to you later.
I will look it up in ELSA.

 

Thanks man, I appreciate it. I called Audi USA today and the dealership and they told me I'm S.O.L. At the very least I'd like to buy a TCU and try to fix it myself or let an indie shop try.

Thank you again

 

OK , looked up the info & found better news then whole transmission replacement but still a costly repair.
I am pretty sure your problem is a faulty transmission control module. Looking at my info it shows the part at $1400 plus about 4 hours labor & it needs to be coded & have the adaptions reset.
I would NOT recommend a used unit as it is built into the transmission & do not think a salvage yard would separate.
Your best bet is to find a good European specialty shop or take it to the dealer. This would be pretty big undertaking for the DIYer.

Good Luck!

 

Thanks again for that info!

I see some used TCU's on eBay.
2003 - 2005 Audi Transmission Control Module Unit (TCM, TCU) 8E0 927 156 P | eBay

This one is relatively inexpensive.

 

Your TCU is built into the transmission! It is not going to work. The book time is 3.6 hours due to removing side cover , draining & refilling. That kind of time is not given for a module that just plugs into a harness!

You have a CVT transmission. The TCU is built into it. Send the job to a professional unless you are comfortable doing internal work on a $5000 tranny.

Not trying to be a dick but i just think it's a little to risky of a repair for a DIYer.

 

I am at the same point now with my 03 1.8. My understanding is the TCM is accessed through the rear transaxle cover and is not difficult.There is no fluid change/flush required. It is also my understanding that the replacement TCM has to have the same part number as the original. So you need to first pull the defective TCM before you find the correct replacement part. I also read the new(or used) TCM must be reflashed by the dealer. My question is: does the new TCM get reflashed on the car or off? Can I take the used TCM to my dealer, have it reflashed then reinstall or vice versa?

 

I believe it just needs to be coded to the vehicle. But to code it to a vehicle the vehicle needs to be with the module.
Also I would NOT recommend a used one. You already have a used one! You should get a new one from the dealer.

 

I appreciate your time and you're clear on your used TCM position