Jumped on the "Crazy Train"

[905084]

Hi all,

Well after reading this forum for a couple of months and having another 2000 A6, I just couldn't help myself. My wife picked up #905084 in Boulder, CO on Friday 12/9. I bought the car after being told it had a "slip" in the transmission and assumed it to be the TC.

My wife drove it 500 miles home and had a blast. She called to say it is "the best all around car I've ever driven". No CEL when it got home, and the transmission "slipped" on her a couple of times in Denver.

Needles to say, when she got home I had to drive it. The first time out, after the car was warm, as I accelerated just slightly from say 45-50 the transmission acted like it slipped out of gear for a second and the RPM came up. I still couldn't help myself and drove it fairly hard the second time. The CEL came on and I hate to say it but I was thrilled, hoping it was the TC failure code. Pulled the codes when I got home and there were 7. All were fairly benign (Secondary Air Injector Pump Flow Low, MAF intermittent, A/T Temp Sensor) but no TC failure or incorrect gear ratio codes.

Anyone have any ideas? I don't mind doing the TC, but don't want to replace it and find out that wasn't the problem. Could it be a dirty valve body? Any help would be appreciated. I absolutely love the car and plan on keeping it a long time.

Thanks all

[Brav]

Wait for it...

[lswing]

Congrats on the car, it's one hell of a ride! Sounds like you've done it, but I confirmed my TC was bad (besides CEL & code), by putting in Tip mode, 5th gear, 50mph, rpm's go way up before the car accelerates.

[MaxRS6]

Let's make it official...00

Welcome aboard the...



Good luck on the repairs and enjoy the ride!

[905084]

Thanks MaxRS6...I would have liked to retired some day, but I know this is a better choice! It will be the smile on my face when I'm sitting in the wheelchair.

[QuattroRS]

Perform the hillbilly ecu/tcu reset. Disconnect the battery cable/neg

Go out and drive the car normally for 30 minutes. Then gently work into more throttle.

See what happens.

Also, as a side note. Send your TCU to Hoppen/mtm and get the TCU chip for 125 dollars. It is a must.

Hi all,

Well after reading this forum for a couple of months and having another 2000 A6, I just couldn't help myself. My wife picked up #905084 in Boulder, CO on Friday 12/9. I bought the car after being told it had a "slip" in the transmission and assumed it to be the TC.

My wife drove it 500 miles home and had a blast. She called to say it is "the best all around car I've ever driven". No CEL when it got home, and the transmission "slipped" on her a couple of times in Denver.

Needles to say, when she got home I had to drive it. The first time out, after the car was warm, as I accelerated just slightly from say 45-50 the transmission acted like it slipped out of gear for a second and the RPM came up. I still couldn't help myself and drove it fairly hard the second time. The CEL came on and I hate to say it but I was thrilled, hoping it was the TC failure code. Pulled the codes when I got home and there were 7. All were fairly benign (Secondary Air Injector Pump Flow Low, MAF intermittent, A/T Temp Sensor) but no TC failure or incorrect gear ratio codes.

Anyone have any ideas? I don't mind doing the TC, but don't want to replace it and find out that wasn't the problem. Could it be a dirty valve body? Any help would be appreciated. I absolutely love the car and plan on keeping it a long time.

Thanks all

[SteveKen]

Congrats on the car. I do hope that your purchase price included a warranty or reflected the cost of repair to the transmission.

I'm not sure what your short or long term plans are, but have you considered a manual conversion? PM me if you are interested.

[ben916]

do you have interior colors, exterior colors, stock? mods?

[905084]

The car is Mugello Blue with the silver leather. It has a SportTec chip but I haven't found any documentation for that. Overall in great shape, one owner, most records, no accidents. Just turned over 103K on the clock. Had it down to a transmission guy today to check out and he felt it might not be the transmission as it wasn't throwing any codes. He recommended further investigation even before servicing the transmission.

There is a mechanic in Salt Lake with some RS6 experience I'm told so I might take it to him tomorrow. I'm leaning towards getting the data logging software (Ross-Tech?) as that seems to be the only way to troubleshoot the engine/tranny, etc.

In lieu of taking it to the mechanic, I might try the redneck TCU reset above.

[ttboost]

Absolutely by the Ross Tech software and cable and definitely try to take your car to someone who has not only seen one before, but actually opened the hood...

[4everRS]

might be something so simple as being a quart or 2 low on fluid

[QuattroRS]

If ecu is chipped and the tcu is stock....then you could run into torque limiters that could cause issues.

1. Redneck reset
2. Ross tech
3. Data log
4. MTM tcu chip

I would order the Ross tech even before taking the car to another tech. Hell, I would send the TCU to Hoppen tomorrow. .02c

The car is Mugello Blue with the silver leather. It has a SportTec chip but I haven't found any documentation for that. Overall in great shape, one owner, most records, no accidents. Just turned over 103K on the clock. Had it down to a transmission guy today to check out and he felt it might not be the transmission as it wasn't throwing any codes. He recommended further investigation even before servicing the transmission.

There is a mechanic in Salt Lake with some RS6 experience I'm told so I might take it to him tomorrow. I'm leaning towards getting the data logging software (Ross-Tech?) as that seems to be the only way to troubleshoot the engine/tranny, etc.

In lieu of taking it to the mechanic, I might try the redneck TCU reset above.

[MaxRS6]

might be something so simple as being a quart or 2 low on fluid

+1- This would be the starting point. It seems as if many techs don't know the correct the process...

[905084]

Update: Thanks for everyone's help, especially QuattroRS. Picked up the beast from the transmission shop today. He checked the fluid level and color, drove the car and didn't want to do any service till the transmission was confirmed good or bad. At his shop I disconnected the battery then shorted the positive to ground as my wife didn't want to wait 30 minutes.

Started it up and idle was rough (this had happened the previous day also). Drove a couple of blocks (gently) and the car seemed to smooth out. Got on the freeway and everything was smooth. Drove over to the indy Audi tech with some stop and go driving and it didn't miss a beat. This was the first time I felt the car was really fast. By the time I arrived at the shop, no CEL, no shift issues and the car felt great so no need to leave it there!

Drove home up the interstate (I-80) and started to notice a "clunking" or "misfire" holding the throttle at 2500 rpm and about 72mph. Any increase or decrease in speed and it would go away. Came home and had the following codes:

169885 - Internal control module memory checksum error
17416 - Mass airflow implausible signal
17538 - Bank 2 mixture too lean
17536 - Bank 1 mixture too lean
18010 - Power supply low voltage

Only one that looks dire to me is the mass airflow sensor. For now, I'm happy that it doesn't seem to be the tranny or TC. Ross-Tech software will be ordered this week. Any specific model I should have? And tried twice to call Hoppen but no answer. TCU will be coming out and shipped as soon as I can got hold of them.

Thanks all for helping out a newbie!

[lswing]

Just a thought, but I would fix the issues the car is having before modifying the TCU. Hoppen takes a bit to contact, but the work is great, tightens up shifts a bit. Good luck sorting out the issues though! If you're misfiring because of and airflow sensor issue then you might want to keep the miles low. Odd that it only happens at one point.

[mmaturo]

I think you have a TC going/gone for the slipping no doubt (I had 5 go so I may have experience with this) your symptoms in your early posts are dead on to that. It does not always throw a code. The engine does get shut down as mentioned by giving too much torque to the trans. That is a code thrown...you feel that when you hit a plateau under acceleration and you have no boost. Your other issue does sound like MAF or to me more like a plug or cable going bad.

[ttboost]

Check your alternator and battery voltage too...both of those do funny things...

[QuattroRS]

You are quite welcome. Carry on with the MTM tcu chip and get that Ross tech Vag.

Update: Thanks for everyone's help, especially QuattroRS. Picked up the beast from the transmission shop today. He checked the fluid level and color, drove the car and didn't want to do any service till the transmission was confirmed good or bad. At his shop I disconnected the battery then shorted the positive to ground as my wife didn't want to wait 30 minutes.

Started it up and idle was rough (this had happened the previous day also). Drove a couple of blocks (gently) and the car seemed to smooth out. Got on the freeway and everything was smooth. Drove over to the indy Audi tech with some stop and go driving and it didn't miss a beat. This was the first time I felt the car was really fast. By the time I arrived at the shop, no CEL, no shift issues and the car felt great so no need to leave it there!

Drove home up the interstate (I-80) and started to notice a "clunking" or "misfire" holding the throttle at 2500 rpm and about 72mph. Any increase or decrease in speed and it would go away. Came home and had the following codes:

169885 - Internal control module memory checksum error
17416 - Mass airflow implausible signal
17538 - Bank 2 mixture too lean
17536 - Bank 1 mixture too lean
18010 - Power supply low voltage

Only one that looks dire to me is the mass airflow sensor. For now, I'm happy that it doesn't seem to be the tranny or TC. Ross-Tech software will be ordered this week. Any specific model I should have? And tried twice to call Hoppen but no answer. TCU will be coming out and shipped as soon as I can got hold of them.

Thanks all for helping out a newbie!