2008 audi a4 (b7) multitronic (cvt) issues!!

[DomPritchard]

Hi, new to forum..

Just recently bought a 2008 audi a4 2.0tdi, great car but i have come across a (hopefully) small problem.The problem i have is when i am driving, the car somethimes suddenly plays up. Believe it is the multitronic transmition (cvt). What happens is suddenly when slowing down using break or no break the car tries to stick at 1500rpm and car becomes jerky. Only time it drops below 1500rpm is when you are almost at a complete stop. It does still change down gears hense (jerkyness). This problem does not allways happen! But when it does i hate it!! Very unpleasent to drive!!

Really hope someone can help,

Thanks Dom.

[adyady1066]

May be a silly question, but have you checked the ATF level? The VAG gearboxes do use a bit and some of the later models have a tendency to jolt about a bit when they are running low. The fluid takes a while to warm up and if it's low it can slip which will effect the revs.

There should be a dip stick at the back of the engine which can be checked when cold but make sure you put the right fluid in if you do top it up. If it hasn't got one there may be a check level on start up. I'd look there first if only to rule it out.

[DomPritchard]

No m8 have not checked anything yet. Will go to my garage now and take a look. Thanks for your message!!

[DomPritchard]

Hi adyady1066, thanks very much for your reply, i cant seem to find the dip stick to check the transmition level do you know if i have to take the plastic cover off?? And do you know if there is anything apart from level i should be looking for e.g colour?

Thanks Dom

[adyady1066]

It'd be easier if you take it to a VAG mechanic rather than a dealer to get it checked. They'll be able to point it out to you and or check it for you. Or, you could try uploading a picture and I might be able to point you in the right direction?

[adyady1066]

I have some bad news for you. I did a little research and found out the they have a common fault with the multitronic gearboxes. If you have a warranty with it then they will cover the repair. Not sure if this link will work but it might shed some more light on it from people that have had the problem.

http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/general-technical-how...

[944fan]

There is no disptick for checking the ATF level. You have to unscrew the filler plug and put something in the hole (steady!).

If you have a multi gearbox with low oil though you've had it. The problems that have been refered to largely affect earlier multi boxes although problems on the later ones aren't un-heard of.

You need to take it a VAG specilaist or dealer. Make sure whoever you take it to knows about multi boxes as a lot of indepedendants dont.

[DomPritchard]

Thanks for your comments

Just taken my audi to the audi workshop, they have changed the transmition oli.
Car does seem to be driving better now
I dont think it should have been low on oil tbh. Was last changed at just over 60,000km. And now the car had done just over 76,000km. Also says in handbook it should be changed at 60,000km. So it should have been ok.
Changed it anyways.
Really hope its all sorted now, ( fingers crossed) once again thanks for your help guys

[adyady1066]

You'll probably find they should have done it at the 60,000 'big' service recommended by VAG for all makes and models. Shame they don't do everything they charge you for. I'E doing a cambelt and not the water pump which are prone to breaking. I've lost count on how many clutches have failed through dirty fluid which 'was done' at the 60,000 service interval. Glad it looks like it was just the level / quality of fluid and not a shagged gearbox.

[DomPritchard]

Ye m8 i glad too
Cant say it has fixed the problem just yet need to drive the car some more. Really hope it dont!! Thanks for your help, will let you know if its cured

[DomPritchard]

Hi people...
Just taken my car out for a test drive too see if the oil change has fixed the rev issue. Well the answer is NO but the car most definetly has improved after the oil change. The Car drives very smooth now and i can really see why (some) people love audi's multitronic transmition.
I did forget to mention in my first post that when the car is miss behaving (revs trying its best to stick at 1500rpm) its only lasting aprox 5-10min then suddenly stops.
Also i dont understand why the car seems to never miss behave when the engine/car is cold. Also seems to be a little smoother through the gears too.

Is this normal??
And any ideas what i should do next to try to fix the rev issue?? e.g diagnostics test??

Thanks Dom

[GavinPearson]

DomPritchard said:

Hi people...
Just taken my car out for a test drive too see if the oil change has fixed the rev issue. Well the answer is NO but the car most definetly has improved after the oil change. The Car drives very smooth now and i can really see why (some) people love audi's multitronic transmition.
I did forget to mention in my first post that when the car is miss behaving (revs trying its best to stick at 1500rpm) its only lasting aprox 5-10min then suddenly stops.
Also i dont understand why the car seems to never miss behave when the engine/car is cold. Also seems to be a little smoother through the gears too.

Is this normal??
And any ideas what i should do next to try to fix the rev issue?? e.g diagnostics test??

Thanks Dom

Sounds like it has an oil pressure problem when warm.

Changing the oil clearly boosted the transmission quality but if it loses it when warm it is either relief valve or viscosity related. Bear in mind that when you change oil in a unit like these you often don't get much oil changed.

I would contemplate another change, or hand the vehicle over to a genuine expert (i.e. somebody who knows what they are doing) or a parts changer who will fit a rebuilt unit and allow you to get back on the road again.

[adyady1066]

Sounds like it could be over-fuelling when warmed up hence no signs of revving when cold. I'd have a very good look at the vacuum advance pipes if I were you. They're a small set of rubber tubes approx 4mm in diameter which harden and crack allowing too much air flowing in which the ECU over compensates for. A well known fault on older models across the range. They're normally a bh to get to but worth checking. Look around the inlet plenum area and you should see at least one or two, then check them all for damage especially at the turbo actuator. That's the hottest part and they often crumble away there.

[DomPritchard]

Thanks for comments guys

I Understand what your both saying, but i can get my head arround the reason why it suddenly ( not allways) hold revs at 1500rpm for long as possible when slowing for aprox 5-10min the suddenly goes away even if im still driving ( so car is still still warm)

Also forgot to mention. did park the car in garage when the rev issue was happening. Went for another drive still revs sticking in at 1500rph for long as possible on deceleration. ( then car was showing cold) when after though

Seems like when it happens it had to do it for 5-10min aprox no mattet ehat i do.

Any ideas??

Thanks Dom

[adyady1066]

There's a company in Reading, Berkshire that refurb all my gearboxes called 3D Transmissions. Check their link below for their number and ask them over the phone if they know what could be causing it. They're helpful chaps and always keen to share their experiences. All they do is rebuild gearboxes and may well be worth a call or at least keeping their number in case the worst happens. They helped me with a range rover box and shaft that went badly wrong and saved me over a grand doing the job. Even collected and delivered the motor free of charge and gave a 12 month warranty. All round good eggs.

http://www.3dtransmissions.co.uk/

[DomPritchard]

Thanks

Will give them a call on monday.

Didnt mention in last post but when i went for the second test drive after leaving the car in the garage when rev issue happened it was arround 6hrs later so car was cold.
But did still get rev issue for few mins

I cant make sense if this lol

[notquitekit2]

Hello there, I was wondering if you resolved your cvt issue. I'm having similar issues and was hoping a ATF change would help as well. By your report that didn't do much. Need your experience or advice.

[DomPritchard]

Hi, no i have not been able to resolve my ctv problem i have had the transmition fluid changed buy audi few weeks ago.Wasnt cheap... But the car for sure drives better now much smoother, and before it felt bit rough like car was trying to slip into next gear, when you are slowely speeding up or crusing at a constant speed. Not any more so the oil change was worth it but the rev issue is still happening but i do feel it happening less and less often hopefully it will just go itself
What kind of issues do you have??
Maybe i can help, have read extreamly much and talked about cvt transmitions.

Thanks

[notquitekit2]

Dom, glad to see your response. Well unforunately my problems may be a bit more deep rooted. Since my last post I've done a diagnostic at the dealer and found 18 trouble codes! They said if the car was in warranty they'd swap out the TCM, meaning they aren't sure what is goin on. The tech told the service rep that maybe a faulty TCM is causing all the other fault codes. I definitely agree that the problem is electrical, but the car is not in pure limp mode and does drive normally(triptonic does not work and reverse does engage) if it hasn't stalled. Yes, my engine shuts down as if the tranny can't take the shifting or as if there was an overheating issue. By my account definitely no overheating. When stalling became symptomatic the car would slip out of gear. Now it slips and then stalls if I can't get it to find idle when I quickly shift to neutral while I'm still moving on the road; pretty harrowing experience in mid traffic. If I do completely stall that's when things get interesting. Hopefully I've managed to coast the dead car into a parking lot. If this happens to you or anyone with similar issues you may want to remember this. I learned not to immediately start cranking the engine - that solution stopped working already. Instead I shut down all electricals even the hazards and turn the car off and remove the key. I wait till I hear a subtle click from behind the dashboard, some electrical switch shutting off I don't know exactly, then I turn the key to position 2(on position) then I see the oil temp gauge begin to swing. Its only then do I turn the ignition all the way(position 3) which of course cranks the engine.
Of course like most auto issues things got worse. Now sometimes the oil temp gauge won't swing at all, but all the others will, ex.fuel guage n digital display etc.. Usually at this point the PRNDS is all flashing just as it did when the car began to stall. What I have to do next is really reaching, but its the only thing saving me an $85 dollar tow and I have been there, I again shut everything down and unhook the positive battery cable. There are two connected(I'm not opening the little box where two connect. I'm removing the ones that are readily exposed after you remove that small plastic cover.). To reiterate, I'm removing the one that's piggybacking the larger first. I remove-then wait several minutes-thenreconnect. If the car doesn't start then I remove both, then wait-reconnect. If it doesn't work still I remove again-wait-reconnect. It hasn't failed me yet(knock on wood) and the cooler the engine - the better. Sparks will fly when the smaller cable is removed/reattached. I always keep a small monkey wrench in the car for this reason. I have found the greater the timeframe between drives the less likelyhood the car will stall; I have taken cabs rides back to my car several hours later to have it start up and be able to drive it home, albeit very quickly.
In the meantime I'm waiting on a reply from AudiUSA and their deliberations from my local dealer where I did the diagnostic. I recommend that all diagnostics be done through a dealer for their records; it helps your plea if, like me you don't have warranty, and are trying to file a claim with AUDI.
My problem may be different, but I don't discount the TCM being the cause. I do have a strange short coming from underneath the shifter I can actually hear the zapping. The service rep didn't even flinch when I told him. He's bent on the faulty TCM.
Well I'll let you know what they say when AudiUSA gets back to me on a few days. It's a $2200 job to replace the TCM through the dealer. And even the euroauto shops here won't touch it unless I pay for original audi parts - $1500, because of warranty issues.

Edited by notquitekit2 on Wednesday 14th December 13:52

Edited by notquitekit2 on Wednesday 14th December 13:58

[DomPritchard]

Seems like you have a different problem to me. What model audi do you have?? II do know audi had much problems with multitronic transmition between 2000 and 2005. This is when they used the 6 plate cluch/ratio. after 2005 they changed to 7 plate cluch this audi said was the end of multitronic problems. I do know cvt transmitions are not the strongest transmitions arround therefore the should be very well looked after e.g changing oil.

Good luck with audi USA hopefully they can help, i do know audi get meny calls about multitronic transmitions specially in models between 2000-2005 but never admit to common faults.

Thanks Dom