Audi's MultiTronic Gearbox

Audi's MultiTronic Gearbox

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Discussion

Mr V

53 posts

200 months

Thursday 2nd October 2008
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If a cam-belt breaks at 81k when it's due at 80k why should anyone pay for the damage other than the customer? The maintainance program should be followed.

Every time I service a car with a multitronic gearbox, if the multitronic oil change is due or will be due before the next service - it gets reported.
If the customer doesn't get it changed, who's fault will it be?

I don't disagree with you, the multitronic box isn't my favourate but that's simply down to my driving style. I had a A4 2.0 TDI S-Line for a week while i was sent up to MK for a course, i very clearly remember that not once did i full throttle it(about 500 miles for the week). It's a cruiser, it's perfect for mooching around in - but that's what people buy it for!

In terms of development, the multitronic gearbox is far better than the older generation of gearbox - they're a bloody nightmare to work on and are horrible to drive!

I love the TFSIs with S-Tronic boxs, especially in the new S3s and the TT-S. But that's just because i love the way they change, the way the exhaust pops when it changes gear and also playing with the paddles on the steering wheel!

Don't shoot me. Just my 2p.

Edited by Mr V on Thursday 2nd October 21:43

RichKiddy

3 posts

181 months

Sunday 15th February 2009
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Just had a test drive of an A6 2.5d 52plate 104,000 miles. nice car and auto lovely and smooth but the sales guy said you need to accelerate gently to start due to the "feature" of these boxes and can "kick" if not. Don't know whether this is the feature of all the boxes or just the fact that the box could be on its way out? When he drove it it was fine, and all fine for me except at one stage when we had slowed down and I accelerated straight after braking at around 8-10 mph, felt like a manual when your foot slides off the clutch too early. Is this a feature or is this a walk away?

Dr G

15,159 posts

241 months

Sunday 15th February 2009
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'They all do that sir' - well, at that age anyway.

You might be fine, you might not. If the box oil changed has not been followed to the letter then walk away.

Our valeter bought a part exchange exchanged A4 with the same engine/box combo from me at 110,000 miles, which exhibited a bit of a jolt if you planted it. It's now on 134,000 (about a year later) and shows no problems at all.

Edited by Dr G on Sunday 15th February 18:51

Tame Technician

2,467 posts

203 months

Sunday 15th February 2009
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2.5TDi with a multitronic. I'd walk away regardless.

RichKiddy

3 posts

181 months

Sunday 15th February 2009
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Thanks Dr G. It only happened the once on the test drive, and everything else seemed fine. Interior cream and a little grubby but dealer has accepted £500 less than what whatcar gives trade price to be so seems good and also says will provide 3 months warranty, which I will probably continue privately with Quentin's "WarrantyWise". It's a buyers market so hopefully a nice drive away.

RichKiddy

3 posts

181 months

Monday 16th February 2009
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full Audi Service. by the way.

Dr G

15,159 posts

241 months

Monday 16th February 2009
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If you're prepared to chance an expensive gearbox fault (and the car is cheap) then I'm clearly not going to steer you away from the purchase.

Don't discount TT's opinion - he's a main dealer tech and sees even more of these cars than we do.

Jack_and_MLE

620 posts

238 months

Monday 16th February 2009
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Why all this doom and gloom about this gearbox.

Mine failed at 100 000K and it will cost me £750 to have it fixed, so what, and my car was chipped . A would have expected a clutch to be changed at that kind of mileage
To put thing in perspective, replacing the cam-belt on my Caterham with the 1.8VVC cost £800 a few year ago and replacing the VVC mech cost £1.5K

It is a wonderful gearbox so gentle and smooth, and if the someone got charged £5k to replace one it's there own fault has they will have just told the garage to fix it.
It seems that a lot of car owner consider there car as throw away items and don't look after them.

Jack

Fireplate

4 posts

181 months

Monday 16th February 2009
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Hi Guys

As new to this forum I have been reading with interest the comments re ECU. Having just reported the problem and had a claim 'bounced' by a Warranty Company desite all servicing being carried out on time and because I only just missed the 40k oil change. This will be my last multitronic Audi although it hasn't put me off Audi as I'm about to buy my forth one in a row except it will be manual. All the symptoms as described by Tame Technician appear to be true so be warned it will cost in the region of £1000 to have it replaced so ensure you change that oil on time.

Thanks for listening.

Multichronic

2 posts

180 months

Wednesday 18th March 2009
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Hi Richkiddy,
Don't touch with a very long barge pole!!! Check out the Audi forum 'A4 B6' or similar models, you will find over a hundred or more threads of failed mulitronic gearboxes. They start failing at as little as 24,000 miles. Audi are less than helpful in a lot of cases. Bills range from £1500 to £7000, depending on fault. The slight judder when pulling away is an early symptom of things to come. There doesn't seem to be any cheap answer, those that have replaced one faulty part are then greeted with another expensive fault shortly after. My own, serviced by Audi since new, had the gearbox control unit replaced under warranty 20 months age. Gearbox Serviced by Audi 2 weeks ago, covered 140 miles, now total gearbox and gearbox control unit failure (2003 - 80,000 miles). Audi don't want to know. Audi are aware of the faults but won't recall and repair, as you would expect from a quality maker like Mercedes or BMW etc. It really is an issue that requires a group action to resolve.

Jack_and_MLE

620 posts

238 months

Wednesday 18th March 2009
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Multichronic said:
Hi Richkiddy,
Bills range from £1500 to £7000, depending on fault
I've paid £750 so don't know where you get your £1500 from?

Jack

cooperc1

1 posts

180 months

Thursday 19th March 2009
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Hi I have an A4 1.8T Sport Cabriolet, it has covered 77k and bought it 4 months ago. Yesterday the gear selector display on the dash started flashing(intermittently) and the car refused to move forward. After 5 mins it was fine to drive. I have driven very slowely and appeared to be ok - however whilst driving it did the same for a split second and started flashing and no response on the accelarator - yet the 10 seconds later car drives ok.

I am taking it to the Audi garage tomorrow morning - but does anyone have any advice of what this could be and how much it could cost? I always seem to get ripped off at garages - Think its the blonde hair that does it!

I have checked the service history and cant tell if the oil was changed at the 40k miles as suggested in emails - as this sounds like a similar problem???

What is a ECU?

THanks for any advice you can give out there.


Multichronic

2 posts

180 months

Friday 20th March 2009
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Hi Jack,
I've found over the years if you post something, sure as eggs is eggs, someone will post the opposite, that's opinions for you everyone's got one.
So for your benefit.
Figures are a rough outline on what I've read on the Audi owners forum. I was quoted £1500 when my gearbox control unit failed but eventually Audi paid for job. At present my A4 is in pieces and has been for the last fortnight due to multitronic gearbox momentarily ceasing at 60mph, until internal break-up let it roll free. Less than 150 miles after main dealer gearbox oil change (80,000 mile). I had it stripped by independent (so-called) transmission expert. Cone burnt blue, bearing shagged from oil starvation, Oil the colour of black tar. Main dealer response - wasn't us mate, the oil always looks like that, and how do we know that's the oil out of the gearbox -. Bury St Edmunds Audi shortly to appear in County Court for the summer season, hopefully to relieve them of cash and couldn't care less attitude towards customer.

BigBazza

2,135 posts

246 months

Friday 20th March 2009
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Just a note that may help anyone with multitronic issues.

Our 2004 A4 2.5tdi with the MT 'box started the dreaded judder so with it coming due for sale, I took it to Audi and they said it needed the 7 clutch upgrade. They then quoted me £1380 for the work.......

I politely pointed out that Audi knew full well about the problems with this setup WAY before my warranty ran out and yet they kept schtum about it. My Gearbox oli was changed on schedule at 40k and I suggested they talk to audi and get back to me.

Between dealer (not the supplying dealer I hasten to add) and Audi UK they picked up half the bill and the original diagnostic costs which left me with £600 to pay which I thought was fair enough.

Its WELL worth playing hardball with the dealer, do your homework and walk in confident and let them know that you know what you are talking about.

Good luck, with the adaptation its a TERRIFIC gearbox.

Edited by BigBazza on Friday 20th March 21:30

hilly10

7,076 posts

227 months

Friday 20th March 2009
quotequote all
Are these issues solely to do with the older multitronic boxes or does also include the current ones I ask because I have one in my 2.7 tdi A5. I have to say it is a great piece of kit

BigBazza

2,135 posts

246 months

Saturday 21st March 2009
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From what I understand its just the older (pre 2006) cars I think - you need to find out if you have 6 or 7 clutch plates in yours.

hilly10

7,076 posts

227 months

Saturday 21st March 2009
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Its a 08 plate so would think its the uprated 7 plate. I think i did read once that the 6 plate version could not handle the power when it aged

multichronic3

1 posts

179 months

Wednesday 1st April 2009
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Hello, just been reading some of the messages posted re multitronic failure. I am new to this so bear with me. I will shortly be on my 3rd multitronic gear box in 80k miles on a 2003 a4 1.9tdi. I bought the car from audi as an ex demo car with about 1200 miles on the clock and 3 months old. My first problems began very early on. The gearbox always suffered the lag when pulling away from T junctions etc (scarey)! Also it had a clunk when pulling away. Lost count of the times i took it back to Audi, eventually at 25k miles they changed the gear box oil, shortly after that the input shaft, shortly after that the clutch etc etc etc. At around 40k miles the car was almost un driveable it had a terrible judder and made a horrendous noise when pulling away, and felt like you had driven down a huge pothole. spookily just after the warranty expired (about two months) they finally said that it needed a complete gear box! Guess who they wanted to pay for it? you've got it! I managed to convince them that I had no intention of paying for a fault that I had been reporting for about a year and a half! They eventually agreed that the repair would be carried out under warranty, I paid £50.00 toeards a new 2 year parts warrant (not really sure why) Just out of interest they managed to mess up my sat nav while they were repairing the gear box but thats another story! Anyway, new gear box has now done 38k miles, so not due gear box oil change yet, but it has now failed again! engine just revs car wont move lights on dash flash wildly like something out of saturday night fever. Ringing any bells anyone? it had a 2 year parts warranty which expired in october 2008 -great! Audi have said it needs new gear box control unit and hydraulic control unit which will be £2000.000! Any one have any advice info? I would like to know when audi are going to acknowledge the problem exsists? apparently customer services have never heard of the problem lol!maybe they should look at the forums. please can anyone point me in the direction of other people with similar problems somebody mentioned that there is a thread about the B6? Thanks and sorry about the length of my rant!

Dapster

6,875 posts

179 months

Thursday 2nd April 2009
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I have a 2005 2.0T petrol A4 with the multitronic box. It hasn't given me any problems (nor should it have with only 26k miles) but I would not choose one again. All as above really, but most disconcerting is the huge lag on take off, and the reluctance to "kick down" in normal mode.

I borrowed the dealer demo A4 with the identical engine and a manual box and it felt like it had 50bhp more as the multitronic dulls the experience so much.

Also, when enquiring after an A6 2.7 tdi I walked away without driving as it had the multitronic box . Dealer said the lag and kick down issues were particular to the 2.0 and the torque of the 2.7 meant it was a different beast but I'm sceptical.

I'm getting around 20mpg in town and high 20's mixed. That's way below the quoted figure and I don't drive like a loon.

Higgaty

2 posts

179 months

Monday 6th April 2009
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Audi A4 T Sport cabriolet multitronic. 2005, (not latest shape). 29,000 miles only. No reverse gear, lots of flashing lights. Warranty expired 1 year ago. New ECU required at £1000 plus, with a warning it might require a new gearbox also! Goodwill a possibility to be confirmed/denied later today. Question. When the work is carried out do I need to get the 7 plate clutch upgrade? BTW, full Audi service history, etc. Standing by for a major rant to Audi if I don't get the right answer later today.