Hi everyone, someone in my area is selling an 2000 Audi A6 2.7T for only $600 because the transmission is not engaging. Mileage is 112,300. The owner says that everything else was working fine, but two months ago the transmission stopped engaging. He gave me the following error codes if I wanted to look into it further, he is not interested in getting it fixed, just wants it off his hands:

P0327 Generic, Knock Sensor 1 Circuit, Low Input (Bank1)
P0442 Generic, Evaporative Emission, System Leak Detected (small leak)
P1411 Audi, Sec.Air Inj.Sys., Bank2 Flow too Flow
P0741 Generic, Torque Converter Clutch, Solenoid Circuit, Performance or Stuck Off

So the big question is, should I buy this car and put money into getting it repaired? Would it be worth it or am I wasting time and money on this? Any advice would be much appreciated!

 

It would be somewhat of a gamble but if the car is in really good to excellent condition inside and out, I'd certainly entertain that thought if you can do the work yourself.

The transmissions on these things are well built but very complex devices that are dependent on a pack of several solenoids located, thankfully, in the pan on the bottom of the transmission. IF the solenoid is not working, fluid will not flow to the clutches to engage the trans to make it move.

The TCC (Torque Converter Clutch) solenoid can be gotten for between $150-$250 from various online parts places. I'd take a chance on changing it out. I would plan on recovering ALL of the fluid that comes out of the pan as not to have to spend even more money ($10 per liter). Unfortunately Audi does NOT put a "drain" plug on their pans. Only a "fill" plug which leaves about 2" of fluid in the pan. So removing it and not spilling any fluid takes some patience and planning. Replace the TCC solenoid (actually, I think all of solenoids on the pack are the same), remove the filter and back flush it to insure good flow, and put it all back together refilling the fluid recovered from taking it apart. If the trans engages, drive it a day or so and ensure that it's shifting well and is not suffering from any other items. Then I'd order a transmission fluid change kit from Blauparts.com (link below) and get some fresh fluid into it.

Audi A6 Transmission Fluid Filter Change Kit - Audi A6 ATF - 30V

If it still doesn't engage, it's up to you what you want to do with the car. You may be able to find a good used trans and swap it out. Of course this all depends on the labor costs you may incur if you cannot or do not have the capability to do the work yourself.

 

So I looked at the car today. It turns it is actually a 2001. It has some scuffs on the front bumper and some scratches, but nothing too bad. The outside and inside were rather dirty because the car has been sitting in this guy's garage for a few months not running. Nothing a good car wash couldn't take care of. The seats were not ripped or anything, everything seemed to be in pretty good shape. All the electronics work. The engine started just fine and sounded good, but the transmission does not engage.

I don't have any expertise in terms of car mechanics, so I would have this towed to a shop and get a quote on repairs. I offered the guy $450 and would be willing to put in $1-2k in repairs. I'm thinking of going for it.

If you think I'm nuts, let me know now!

 

If he bites on the $450, I'd do it too.. Let us know how it goes.

 

Thanks for the advice, Dave. It turns out the car is a 2001, not a 2000, so that was a little plus for me. I bought it for $475! Its getting towed to the shop tomorrow, so we will see what they say. I'm hoping the repairs won't be ridiculously expensive, hopefully within 1k! But maybe I'm dreaming. We'll see. Its still worth it to me if it means the car will be up and running. It seems well-maintained, all the maintenance records are intact and stored in an organized manner, so someone definitely took care of the car.

 

So the shop called me back earlier this week and said that I needed a new trans. The technician said he didn't know Audi transmissions well enough to feel comfortable messing around with it and that he would recommend a new one. Quote for a new one + labor was $5-7k.

I decided to have the car towed to a local transmission specialty shop. The mechanic there seemed really good and very communicative, he looked at my car the same day it got there. He found some metal bits in the transmission that concerned him. He didn't think it was worth taking it apart and trying to overhaul it, so he also recommended a used trans.

So I'm about to buy a used trans, will cost me $740 + $450 shipping + $1000 in labor. By the end of it all, I will have put around $3k into this car, still a little below blue book value. If the trans switch out does the trick, I'll be happy. Really hoping it works.

 

Yeah, any metal bits in the pan is not a good sign. It means something has been running metal to metal and that is never good. Make sure they do a complete fluid swap and flush the used trans as well as they can. Still in the end $3K for very nice A6 isn't a bad deal at all.

 

Okay, so the new trans is almost in but we ran into a slight issue which is that the axle for the new trans is wider than what was previously in the car. The mechanic asked me to find out what year the car was that the new trans came out of. I checked the listing and its a 2001 A6 2.7T, just like my car. It also shows on the listing that my car is compatible. And I presume if the trans was incompatible he couldn't have gotten in this far, am I right?

So why would the axles be a different size? Any ideas?

Update: the original trans in the car was code EMP, the one I bought was FAQ...but it showed as being compatible in the listing. The person I bought it from is checking to see if they are interchangeable or not.