wp07

Recently bought on 2003 3.0 Audi A4 quattro (salvaged) with some strange problems attached to it.

When first starting the car, i put the car on drive or reverse... but it does not drive or reverse until I wait half a minute.

One time the car was left idling, and the engine cut off by itself.

Also, only one time, I was pulling out of a parking lot, and while on drive... the engine reved itself and started reversing while on drive!

The engine and transmission itself are very sound (exceptional actually)... I think it is an electronic problem... the Audi is just so complicated... love driving it though.

Anyone with similar problems? Something I could specifically direct a autoshop to look at? or even fix myself maybe??

nvr_follow

Was it by chance a flood victim? That might point to electical failures...salvages are iffy

Merkin

vag-com it. other than that... don't buy salvage title cars

OldManTan

Also, drop the transmission pan and change the ATF filter and all ATF fluid. This is a fairly involved process. The fluid alone costs $100. The filter and gasket cost about $30. Labor for this job would be one or two hours.

Your symptoms could be caused just by low tranny fluid.

wp07

The car was in a front end collision, no flooding involved to my knowledge.

Transmission fluid is new, saw them go through the process

Ill check out the tranny computer and do a vag-com.

Anything else?

Also, when they were fixing up the Audi, they had to replace the engine head (original one was too expensive to repair)... this is when the specialist had the most problems trying to get the electronics to properly function (AWD, gear shifting, etc) with the new engine

OldManTan

I would expect VAG-COM to show some implausible signals received by either the ECU or tranny controller.

It's possible that you have a failing transmission, but mine started shifting slowly and slipping like mad between gear shifts. Another possibility would be some bad solenoids in the valve body.

diagnosticator1

Located on the trans exterior, operated by the shifter cable.

wp07

Thanks for all the info everyone