Technical Car/Motor Issues > Audi A3 + S3 - 04 2.0 Tiptronic transmission shunt Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Auntie Lockbrakes Replies: 25
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 Mon 21 Nov 11 23:41 
 Audi A3 + S3 - 04 2.0 Tiptronic transmission shunt - Auntie Lockbrakes
When creeping along in very heavy or slow-moving traffic the tiptronic gearbox in my Audi seems to change up a gear with a pronounced jerk or shunt. Not smooth at all. No issues on the open road however. May be worth changing the ATF? Or a sinister sign of worse to come in the future?
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 Tue 22 Nov 11 00:17 
 Audi A3 + S3 - 04 2.0 Tiptronic transmission shunt - Iffy
I have no direct experience of Audis, but the behaviour you describe is typical of semi-auto gearboxes.

All the ones I have driven perform badly in slow moving traffic, particularly accelerating from a slow rolling start.



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 Tue 22 Nov 11 02:02 
 Audi A3 + S3 - 04 2.0 Tiptronic transmission shunt - rtj70
And is it an automated manual or a DSG? Sometimes not obvious from Audi descriptions.
Last edited by: rtj70 on Tue 22 Nov 11 at 02:03
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 Tue 22 Nov 11 02:33 
 Audi A3 + S3 - 04 2.0 Tiptronic transmission shunt - Auntie Lockbrakes
It's a fully automatic, but with the option to change gears manually with the shifter. No DSG or flappy-paddles.

Should say that I've only driven it in traffic just once so far; it's a second car which will have light, infrequent use - probably not in heavy traffic ;-)
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 Tue 22 Nov 11 09:29 
 Audi A3 + S3 - 04 2.0 Tiptronic transmission shunt - Dog
My Lancer has a Tiptronic (type) gearbox, and is as smooth as a babies bum, check your ATF level using the correct procedure, also note if the colour is darker than normal, if it still 'shunts' after that. maybe it's worth getting the fluid changed.
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 Sun 27 Nov 11 08:04 
 Audi A3 + S3 - 04 2.0 Tiptronic transmission shunt - MD
My Colt has the same..............sweet.
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 Sun 27 Nov 11 09:07 
 Audi A3 + S3 - 04 2.0 Tiptronic transmission shunt - Manatee
>> I have no direct experience of Audis, but the behaviour you describe is typical of
>> semi-auto gearboxes.

"Tiptronic" is VAGspeak for an epicyclic TC gearbox, a proper auto as some would say.

It's always worth checking the fluid colour and level per Dog's advice, and never a bad idea to replace it and the filter unless it looks new. The received wisdom is that when it discolours (darker and browner) it's a sign of overheating and it definitely needs seeing to - the next stage is a knackered gearbox.

Changing the fluid isn't as simple as changing the engine oil. Stage one is have a look at it, see if there's enough and what state it's in. Checking the level might mean taking a plug out as there might not even be a dipstick - there wasn't on the last auto I had.
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 Sun 27 Nov 11 12:11 
 Audi A3 + S3 - 04 2.0 Tiptronic transmission shunt - -
there might not even be a dipstick there wasn't on the last auto I had.
>>

Out of sight out of mind, gives the impression it must be like the manual box then and never needs changing and not so easy as pulling a dipstick out to be shocked by the stench of burnt and ruined blackened oil...kerching...nicely out of warranty.

Some of the expensive cars i used to deliver had stickers on the underside of the auto boxes on export models informing whoever that the oil never needed changing.
Knowing how old fashioned the Americans are about lubrication i wonder if mechanics over there took any notice or took the P instead as they peeled off the sticker when the car got a tranmission service.
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 Tue 29 Nov 11 19:40 
 Audi A3 + S3 - 04 2.0 Tiptronic transmission shunt - Auntie Lockbrakes
Cheers for the input so far. An update thus: turns out that the car hasn't been driven for nigh-on six months until I came along. Now that I've done a few long runs (120+ miles each) the gearbox seems to have improved enormously. Guess the oil was a bit treacly?

No dipstick to check the ATF easily...
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 Wed 30 Nov 11 05:26 
 Audi A3 + S3 - 04 2.0 Tiptronic transmission shunt - Auntie Lockbrakes
I couldn't resist quizzing the main dealer about the appropriateness of an ATF flush...

Quote came back at 400 quid plus VAT: 2 hours labour, 100 quid on a "strainer filter and gasket", and 6 litres of oil at 35 quid/litre... I said No..!
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 Wed 30 Nov 11 12:20 
 Audi A3 + S3 - 04 2.0 Tiptronic transmission shunt - TeeCee
Investing 400 quid in a fluid and filter change may very well save you rather more in the future. How much did they quote to fit a new box?

Remember that "Our autoboxes do not need fluid changes" translates as
"We don't give a stuff if it fails after the 4-year lease period, as long as we can keep fleet maintenance costs low."
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 Wed 30 Nov 11 13:02 
 Audi A3 + S3 - 04 2.0 Tiptronic transmission shunt - -
>> Quote came back at 400 quid plus VAT: 2 hours labour, 100 quid on a
>> "strainer filter and gasket", and 6 litres of oil at 35 quid/litre... I said No..!
>>

Must be some serious (profit) oil at that price, last time i looked Millers (always good stuff) fully synthetic gear oils of most types were around £15 per litre and a bit more for competition spec, you should be able to buy oil of the correct grade and standard by the 5 litre can a lot cheaper than the frankly ludicrous price the dealer wants....dealer not called Ben Dover is it;).

If you can source this liquid gold is it a DIY job?, would the dealer let you supply your own oil?, is there a competent VW group specialist in the area to ask?

As TC i would want it doing, BIL's A4 with some sort of auto thingy box was quoted at £4.5K for rebuild, around 110k miles, though IF a new controller fixed the problem it would only be a mere £1250....car gone.
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 Wed 30 Nov 11 13:33 
 Audi A3 + S3 - 04 2.0 Tiptronic transmission shunt - Dog
My Lancer (as I've said) has a Tiptronic (type) gearbox, and it says in the handbook that if the battery is disconnected for charging off-car, then the gearchanges will be effected temporarily once the battery is refitted due to the electronic thingymajig being a tad miffed about it, so, as DownunderNick says, the Audi hadn't been driven for some appreciable time, and that may well be the reason for the initial transmission shunt.
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 Thu 1 Dec 11 09:13 
 Audi A3 + S3 - 04 2.0 Tiptronic transmission shunt - Auntie Lockbrakes
Interesting theory, Dog, and I like it.

Did another 200-mile round trip to Auckland today and the car seems peachy now. Both the engine and the gearbox have probably shaken off their cobwebs and crud now.

But just in case, I've agreed to pay the main dealer 75 quid next week who in return is providing an hour's labour to dip the ATF, give the engine a once-over, run a diagnostics check and apply any software updates. Seems worth the money to me, although I suspect they'll report back with some non-essential but preventive maintenance job they recommend I get done at vast expense, just to worry me ;-)
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 Thu 1 Dec 11 09:47 
 Audi A3 + S3 - 04 2.0 Tiptronic transmission shunt - Dog
>>Seems worth the money to me<<

+1 :)
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 Thu 1 Dec 11 09:51 
 Audi A3 + S3 - 04 2.0 Tiptronic transmission shunt - ....
Ask to see a sample of the oil from the gearbox when they dip it. It should be cherry red anything else, flush it.

Does the car have a towbar ?
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 Thu 1 Dec 11 21:01 
 Audi A3 + S3 - 04 2.0 Tiptronic transmission shunt - Auntie Lockbrakes
- No towbar, and the car's only done 45,000 miles in 6 years, so possibly hasn't had too hard a life...
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 Thu 1 Dec 11 21:06 
 Audi A3 + S3 - 04 2.0 Tiptronic transmission shunt - R.P.
Nick,

I had a colleague with a similar DSG equipped Golf - it was an 04 car I believe. She told me she had similar problems and the car needed a software upgrade which solved the problem.
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 Thu 1 Dec 11 22:11 
 Audi A3 + S3 - 04 2.0 Tiptronic transmission shunt - Dog
Someones not been following this thread :D
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 Fri 2 Dec 11 21:31 
 Audi A3 + S3 - 04 2.0 Tiptronic transmission shunt - Auntie Lockbrakes
:-)

Starting to think the car just needed a good Italian tune-up methinks!
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 Mon 12 Dec 11 14:54 
 Audi A3 + S3 - 04 2.0 Tiptronic transmission shunt - Shiny
This VAG fluid will be golden, not red.
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 Wed 14 Dec 11 20:06 
 Audi A3 + S3 - 04 2.0 Tiptronic transmission shunt - Auntie Lockbrakes
So an update...

Far as I'm concerned, the tranny is fine. The initial jerkiness was no doubt a result of a low/flat battery, as Dog suggested and indeed the dealership confirmed. In any case, the dealership tested the ATF and reckon it's a bit burned and could do with a change. Are they just trying it on?! I was told that it's a serviceable item every 40,000 miles - what a load of rubbish surely?!

Anyway - do I spend the 450 quid (including VAT) on new ATF, strainer, & filter....?!
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 Wed 14 Dec 11 20:23 
 Audi A3 + S3 - 04 2.0 Tiptronic transmission shunt - Skip
I would have it changed if it was mine, however I must admit that 450 quid seems like an awful lot of dosh for that job !
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 Thu 15 Dec 11 08:58 
 Audi A3 + S3 - 04 2.0 Tiptronic transmission shunt - Dog
>>Anyway - do I spend the 450 quid (including VAT) on new ATF, strainer, & filter....?!<<

Only you can decide that really Nick, the car's only done 45,000 miles in 6 years but do we know what sort of TLC it's had in those 6 years, has the car got full pain dealer s/h with a fully stamped service record
(can you read Japanese!)

If the manufacturer recommends the ATF be changed every 40,000, then I'd get it done.

£450 is a lot of money but, how much is a new gearbox??
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 Thu 15 Dec 11 18:56 
 Audi A3 + S3 - 04 2.0 Tiptronic transmission shunt - swiss tony
>> If the manufacturer recommends the ATF be changed every 40,000, then I'd get it done.
>>
>> £450 is a lot of money but, how much is a new gearbox??
>>
Probably 5-10 times as much.......
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 Sat 24 Dec 11 11:39 
 Audi A3 + S3 - 04 2.0 Tiptronic transmission shunt - Dulwich Estate
NickinNZ,

Have you got the Audi multitronic gearbox with steel belts running over differing diameter pulleys ?

If so, Audi are very firm on ATF fluid changes at at least 40k (miles) intervals - they won't entertain any warranty claims even if you changed it at 41k. Mine has now done around 90k miles and being the type I am, I get it changed at every 30k miles.

My indy does it and it's still not cheap though.

PS We'll be on the Coromandel peninsula in early March and staying a couple of nights in Whangamata. Guess who booked Christchurch accommodation 4 hours before the second quake a couple of days ago.
Last edited by: Dulwich Estate on Sat 24 Dec 11 at 11:42
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