dragmkd

I just bought my second A6 2.8 quattro. It's 98 with 73k miles. There are few things that the car has that I'm worried about. I usually let it idle in the morning for couple minutes till rpms drop to 750 before I start driving. These past few days I experienced that the car won't shift into second gear before it warms up a little. However if I put it in tip mode it shifts fine. Then it shifts fine for couple minutes and after it warms up it shifts all the gears very fast from 1st to 2nd.... 5th and it's at 1200 rpms at 30-40 mph in fifth gear.Shouldn't be in 3rd gear when driving at 30 mph? It downshifts fine. Also, somethimes it feels like it looses torque/ power in between 4th and 5th. Today it happend once, when it shifted from second to third the speedometer was slowly rising while the rpms were slowly dropping at the same time-is it slipping ?
Before this car I had a 98 a6 quattro with 93k miles that was doing the same thing, so I'm not sure if this is how this cars are and it's "normal" or they have the same problems. Also it shifts from first to second gear in fraction of a second (unless if you really step on it- then it holds the first gear longer)
The tiptronic mode seems to be working fine.
Everything else with the car is in great working order, but I'm just very concerned abut this transmission issues - I did a lot of searching before I posted this thread, hopefully you guys can point out where the problem might be. Thanks!

Egil A64.2s - S6

Time for a transmission fluid change?

Ritz

if it doesn't, a rebuilt transmission for that car is several thousand dollars.

PaulW

Until the tranny warms up, it will hold the gears for longer before shifting, I do not know if that is what you are describing, but it's part of the TCU program.

OOOOya

Our 99 Avant 2.8 does all the same things you describe. The following is pure speculation, based on owning our car for 11 months, daily driven 50 miles with zero issues.

I believe that holding 1st gear longer when the transmission fluid is cold is merely to accelerate the tranny warmup. Even though you let it idle before driving, that does little to heat the tranny fluid.

As for shifting into 5th at 30-40 mph, it's because you are light on the throttle which the TCU interprets as low load demand. Try more throttle & I'm sure you'll find (as I did) that it will shift later. Ultimately I think the TCU is programmed to get into 5th gear to keep the engine turning low RPM for better fuel mileage. The TCU has a lot (more than you'd think) of pre-programmed shifting profiles.

Finally, regarding the "slipping", our's does the same. I believe the valve body allows brief variable lock-up of the torque converter to avoid gear "hunting".

If you find someone in your area with VAG-COM, the TCU can be re-coded to hold first gear longer as well as respond in the tiptronic mode a bit faster. Change the code from "00000" to "00010".

dragmkd

I will try that. Thanks!

schwank

I experience everything you describe as well... AFAIK, it's normal

KIWINI-RI

In the morning, I don't warm-up my car so I hate that it revs to 4500rpm in 1st gear in AUTO mode. To avoid it I use TIP mode for the first mile or so. After that it shifts fine. To avoid 5th gear around town I us D4 or D3, if you will, still in auto mode but keeps rev in useful range.