Audi's MultiTronic Gearbox

[MightyTharg]

Hi, I'm looking for recommendations for a trustworthy Audi / gearbox specialist around Gloucestershire (or not too far from us)as it looks as though we may have multitronic problems.

Background:

Bought the wife a 2003 A4 3.0 Cabriolet with Multitronic.

1 owner, 130k miles but FSH and we had no problems at all during a prolonged test drive, so as the car was cheap enough and she'd already fallen in love with it we decided to go for it

However a few days in and she's now reporting an occasional severe juddering whilst pulling away;
- doesn't happen in "tiptronic mode"
- only seems to happen when car has warmed up a bit
- she's not reporting any flashing PRNDS

I bought a VCDS/Vagcom cable and software but only 3 faults were shown; intermittent engine speed sensor issue and something to do with the cat efficiency thresholds on bank1 and bank2.

The wife had already booked the car into her favourite garage for a service and told them about the juddering and they suggested fluid levels would need checking - anyway she picked up the car and apparently found the gearbox level was a bit low and they topped it up (took a litre apparently)but said nothing to her about the engine speed sensor.

I've just had a call from wifey - the car was juddering again this morning, I'll be hooking the car up to my laptop again tonight to see what fault codes may be there but I'm guessing that the clutch pack issue (if that's what this is) would not necessarily be picked up.

So I may well be looking at a new engine speed sensor (anybody have recommendations on where to pick one up other than the stealership?) but haven't ruled out that the gearbox may need attention too.

Cheers

[Hilfiger]

Hello

Recently bought an B7 2008 2.0 TDI with multitronic 7+1. Never drove a automatic before and did try to find some info on how to drive an multitronic.
At the begining was driveing in D but due to low revs in town my DPF light was comming up.
Then i started Driveing in S, but to get at 3k rpm had to press the pedal hard, which made me look like a rocket when leaving trafic lights.
Now i drive in manual and change at 3000 rpm, and outside town i cruse in D.

Is there a guide on how to drive those multitronics with diesel engine?


Thanx

[K12beano]

^^^ If it doesn't just Drive in "D" - there's something wrong!

[K12beano]

Well I don't like to see a perfectly good seven-page thread gathering dust......



.....so I went out and broke my Multitronic for the third time yesterday!!!!



Previously: c92,000 had to have a replacement ECU when PRND went on a flash mode quite regularly. Done by an independent Audi place at great expense.
Then at c102,000 the entire gearbox and clutch was overhauled by a specialist. Been driving almost faultlessly until the last week, but went in for a service anyway.


Yesterday, c112,300, the car came to a stately cruising halt by the side of a dual carriageway traffic light set up. No power going through to drive. There was no bang, or drama so, RAC man had little to go on. Recover to local Audi independent who have just diagnosed ECU gear ratio fault and clutch fault.

So - looks like it's back off to see my favourite semi-auto gearbox specialist, Mike at Automatic Man in Acton. I'm getting to know his local cafe far too well!

Watch this space!

[leafmonkey]

Can you tell me whether i can have my 04 2.5v6tdi multitronic remapped i have just had the 7 clutch pack upgrade and earlier this year the ecu was rebuilt i am mainly looking to get as much mpg as i can i currently get u to 46mpg if i can increase power and tourque by how much
thanks

[bornl1]

I have a 2.0 Non Turbo with multitronic, just rebuilt it with a 7 pack clutch. (old clutches was not worn) changed ecu. Purchased cd upgrade. My problem is I can't get the cd upgrade done as it is not compatible with VAS 5054A, I don't have access to a Vas 5051 or 5052 or 5053. Is there any other way to apply this update, Vag-com for example?

D

[dsaran]

A4 2004 1.9TDI Multitronic problem!

It is in 230K kms (150K miles). When i was going arround 220 km/h the gear display (PRNDS part of the display) disappeared. I parked in a gas station i stopped the engine. After I restarted the engine then my display lights all the warning signs, ABS, ESP, ENGINE and BRAKE red light. Also the gear did not shifted so I took the car on a truck to my own city. Since it was cool the signs go away. But when i go with the car 10 kms the gear display part again disappears. The the error codes said ABS missing message, TCU missing message(P1626).

Now i use the car. When i first start the engine motor warning yellow light on and then after 10 kms of driving the gear display disappears.

I changed the gear fluid (ATF) 40K kms before with the original Audi ATF of 4 Litres.

Is there any advice about the cause of the problem?

[Challo]

Just done a quick check on Autotrader and within a 60mile radius of my house I have found 56 A4 Convertibles under 5k. 25 are manual and 31 auto, but only 2 of the autos are tip tronic with the remaining cars the infamous multi tronic. Out the manuals nearly all are the 2.4 engine.

As nearly all the most posts here state it's a matter of when, not if the gear box will fail, is there anything you can check to minimise the risks? Oil changes at the recommended intervals? Upgrade to 7 speed? Or is it a cross your fingers and hope nothing happens?

Edited by Challo on Sunday 27th January 20:01

[K12beano]

To answer the question in short: No!

94k: new gearbox ECU
102k: refurbish entire 'box
112k: ECU failed and refurb'd!

A6 2.4SE Multichronic!

[defblade]

Challo said:

As nearly all the most posts here state it's a matter of when, not if the gear box will fail, is there anything you can check to minimise the risks?

Yep, check you're not buying a multitronic!

[Multi Fan]

What can I say - I have had 2 Audi A4s, covering ca. 90,000 miles over 8 years, including caravan towing. Multitronic is fantastic - and v. economical. Not tried DSG yet, but compared to conventional autos MT is simply the best!

[K12beano]

Multi Fan said:

Multitronic is fantastic - and v. economical.

True that it is economical. 2.4 petrol averages about 33-34mpg. I reckon a standard auto box would be 8mpg less. (Not sure about "fantastic")

Thing is have I saved enough in fuel over 120k to pay for the fixes WHEN the box or ECU fails!

I'm gambling on a further spell with mine, to 150k to "get my money back" on the last two years outlay!

[PUCPOUND]

Went to test drive a 52 plate A4 2.0 petrol Avant Multitronic today. 101,000 miles. seemed to go ok but at 30-40mph had the feeling it was jumping very slightly. is this anything to worry about , should I walk away and look elsewhere. Car has nowdone much work over the past 2 years only about 7000 miles in 2 years. Reading this forum , many say these gear boxes are crap , but I appreciate that generally only bad news gets reported on forums.

Andy

[K12beano]

Was it "surging" quite slightly ? 1200-1800revs? That's what mine was doing before gearbox rebuild.

Every second or so it increases by 200revs, then drops back.

Actually, even after a rebuild my gearbox still does this at a lesser extent...

[Cupramax]

PUCPOUND said:

seemed to go ok but at 30-40mph had the feeling it was jumping very slightly. is this anything to worry about , should I walk away and look elsewhere.

On the 27th page of a thread with numerous accounts of severe bork factor, do you REALLY have to ask?

1) car fitted with early multitronic box with high mileage
2) car is showing signs of bork
3) RUN, run away as far as you can... It's that simple

[K12beano]

^^^ I'm only on page 7, but I'm still trying to be "objective"

[frenchie 1977]

Hi there

Have read most of this thread and its taken me a while

I am thinking of buying a 1 year old Audi A6 Avant 3.0 TDI with multitronic. This is the latest generation A6. Have all the old probs with this box been sorted or should I still steer clear?

Any opinions gratefully received.

[K12beano]

The later Multitronics, the Tiptronic and the S-tronic are all significantly different to the early naughties Multitronic.

While, by all reports, the behaviour is a matter of taste, there's no one I can find will tell you there are any widespread design or engineering problems.

[DaveyBoyWonder]

Don't have time to read 27 pages. Quick question - if I buy a 2.0 TDI A6 S-Line with a multitronic box, will I die in a ball of flames / risk emptying my wallet?

[DarkMatter]

I bought a 2.0 TDI A4 S-Line with a multitronic box two years ago and it's been faultless. The only work done on the box is an oil change which was done when the car was serviced. You should check that the car you're considering has had the multitronic gearbox oil changed every 40k miles.