4Driver4

Posting this for the archives. The car is fixed, but there was almost zero for information on these forums regarding the problem. Lots of folks tried to help, for which I am thankful, but in the end I had to take my best educated guess and replace the trans.

The problem was difficult to diagnose because first gear worked fine if the car was shifted into first but there was no first gear in drive. Bentley contained nothing on this. No one for Ross-Tech even bothered to respond to my request for help on the VAG-COM forum. The woman at German Transaxel was polite, but decided early on in our conversation that the TCU was the culprit and took it as an insult that I wanted to second guess her and speak with a tech. In the end, I ruled out everything else and dropped the money for a trans from Chris at Force5.

Here are a few links (if they work) for anyone interested and/or to help others in the future:

<a href="https://forums.audiworld.com/vag/msgs/13892.phtml">Initial VAG-COM forum post</a>

<a href="https://forums.audiworld.com/a6100/msgs/73836.phtml">X-post to post above from C4 - added because it contains responses</a>

<a href="https://forums.audiworld.com/a6100/msgs/75218.phtml">Credit to corne for a valuable tidbit</a>

Good luck to any poor sucker that has to replace his trans.

DaveInSaltLake

how many hours do you figure you have into the swap?

4Driver4

Gonna say about 15 hours...2 or 3 hours at a time. And 15 more figuring out the problem initially.

austinado16

Glad you got it figured out and that Chris at Force5 was able to send you a trans. Good work!

TraWal17

Hi,

I'm totally new here (and completely new to Audis for that matter) but I recently acquired a 1996 A6 Quattro sedan for free. 120k miles, beautiful interior, but it has the same symptoms you describe here: hooks up in 1st and reverse, but just makes a whirring sound and slips in drive and other forward gears. So I guess that means it's definitely the transmission?

My questions are then, how hard is this to do? I'm very mechanically inclined (rebuilt several engines before) and have access to a lift, but just have never wrenched on an Audi before (other than putting an alternator in this one). Also, do you know anywhere to find a decent transmission for it? Just asking as these cars are a little hard to come by it seems. I am local to the Hartford/Worcester area. Due to its condition and what I acquired it for, my inclination is to fix it. Thanks for your help!

Travis

Rusty Spokes

Hello Travis, A transmission swap is a heavy lifting sort of job. Pretty straightforward.

I would contact the recycler in the OP for another transmission Force 5 Automotive

cpvanaswegen@hotmail.com

Hi all I am new to the old Audis, I recently got the A6 2.6 automatic front wheel drive, it never pulls away in 1st not even if you shift it in. last week the shifts just started to miss behave but only when the car get warmed up would say in about 15 kilos. Can someone please help as to what the problem could be?

Darius1986

Hi Travis I have this very same problem with my Audi A6 2.6 Avant. I recently replaced transmission as the pervious one's forward clutches were done for. replaced trans with another one which I had from a donor car which I also bought only for spares. After the replacement I filled her up with ATF and car was fixed I took it for a test drive and all was good no problem what so ever. I stopped it after test run and finished all the wiring to its original roots and minor things stuff that was still left to be completed. The second start, the same day, few hours later, to my surprise, It went in limp mode after I selected reverse gear. Now stuck with only reverse and jults violently when selecting between drive or reverse it will only go reverse after julting violently. When selecting drive position its even worse, it wont allow car to move forward only jults violently and stalls but will reverse after julting violently of course.

So after all this drama I somehow got it reset with my delphi 150dse somewhat useless machine on these type of cars. After many struggling attempts, 2 months later, eventually, It seemed the cars problem was now on end, just to be frustrated after a second test run Now the car is doing exactly very same problem you have or had, which you mentioned. car will select gears smoothly but now its stuck in first won't change to any higher gear and clutch is slipping when accelerating. with a light singing wining noise which tells me its in its lowest gear 1st, i think,.... don't know? after also now reverse is gone. The strange thing is when i unplugged the TCM the previous problem emerges again stuck only with reverse with violent julting and jults and stalls when selecting driveagain, plugged the TCM back in and once again selecting drive smoothly, but now reverse stays completely gone and clutch still slipping when driving. ATF level is on its full correct level and I've checked all parts that maybe can interfere trans and could not find the hassling problem all seems right. I'm so frustrated at this time cause I've been working on and fixing her up this car since i bought it last year in October lots off hours and times spent on the car and still I've never even driven it farther then a mile from my residence which is based in South Africa . I don't believe the problem is a faulty transmission, cause it was driving just fine. It went all to hell with the next start same day few hours later. So, if I may ask you this question? Did you maybe found your problem after all? since i don't see any feedback from others on the forum or maybe i'm just lost? If you maybe did solve your problem of misfortune and greeve, Very much PLZ, can you shed any light on this issue, any acceptable answer will be great? I'm about done with this car. Been thinking to get rid of it but don't really want to, its such nice quality lux cars it is my 3rd audi owned and this will be sadly my last one ever due to their complicated bull love these cars and style but only when it doesn't have any issues though. 😅🙈
Greetings, Darius