Automotive Forums  Where Car Enthusiasts Go to Discuss Cars Online

Ok I got one more horror story about Audi's CVT transmissions. I'm the single owner of an Audi A4 2002 with a CVT transmission. Love the car, nevertheless at about 75K miles I was experiencing the infamous shifting hesitations (shuddering and jolting) in my transmission. I took in the car to Audi for a check up, Audi couldn't determine what the problem was. They tried different things, sort of guessing and hoping they could fix the problem by luck. They cleaned the throttle body, fuel pump was checked, etc... yet the root cause of the problem was never found, Audi told me to keep driving the car for a while and to return to them if the problem persisted (but of course i had to pay $280 for the diagnostics and the stuff they did while trying to guess what the problem was). The car did not feel any different than when I took it in, yet I decided to drive it for a while. Eventually, took it back and Audi finally told me it was my transmission. They gave me 2 choices, 1) To drive the car as it was, until it completely broke and then replace the transmission and 2) Replace some of the soft goods and other replaceable tranny parts. They recommended me to drive the car until it broke. I didn't like that idea, so I decided to overhaul the tranny for $1,300 bucks. 3 months later my tranny completely broke down in the middle of the street. While driving at about 40 MPH the tranny suddenly locked up and the car came to a sudden and complete stop. Locking up the transmission was alarming and very dangerous. I took the car back to Audi and they told me that a new transmission was going to cost me between $7K to $8K and they weren't going to honor that I had just paid them to fix it 3 months ago. After a lot of calls, confrontations with the service advisors and a lot of frustration, between the local dealership and Audi North America decided to give me a new transmission and all I had to pay was only $1000. Well after 18,000 miles after the new transmission was installed, I am experiencing the same hesitation problems again. Yes again, I can't believe it. I will be taking my A4 back to Audi and the whole ordeal will start all over again, let's see what comes out of this mess again. I will update post when I get a resolution and I'm more cooled down...  

i'm looking at a 2002 Audi A4 myself but i'm not sure if it has the CVT.  it's a 3.0L AWD Automatic with 51,000 miles on it and a clean carfax (a lot of "checks" but no accidents and not one "vehicle serviced").  took it for a test drive and it felt great but then again i'm far from an expert.  should i be worried?

it's at a dealer on consignment for $12,900 (blue book value is $13,300), i actually made an offer of $11,600 which was turned down.  it makes me feel a little better since i figure if it was really a piece of crap ready to break down any minute the seller would probably jump at any reasonable offer but i'm not sure.

carfax does show 2 "manufacturer recommended maintenences" but i'm not sure what that could mean.

thanks in advance for any help/advice  

Can you please share the guy you have in Tampa. I want to be optimistic!  They told me I need a second cvt first at 67k, now at 83k.  I baby my car, change oil more than called for, and have always serviced it at the dealership.  They are no help standing up for you, more that they throw you under the bus.  I'd love to find a mechanic that might outsmart these idiots that keep doing the same things and expecting different results.  I'd sign on to a class action law suit in an instant.  

Anyway, don't mean to rant.  Just would love to find someone that might try flushing out the transmission fluid, if it is something that could work. Also need a new cv joint.  Thanks!!!  

Dirtybirk:
I have a 03 A4 1.8 convertible with 47,000 miles.  Transmission went out last week.  I called Audi USA only to get the generic book answers.  Take it to Audi and have it diagnosed and then they will see if they will assist.  I purchased an extended warranty only to find out they will only cover $3,000 and then the warranty is over.  My local Audi dealer says to call Audi USA as they can't do anything.  This will be the last Audi I purchase and will be selling this one once it gets fixed.



Heres an update.  My local Audi dealer rebuilds the transmissions.  The rebuild kit run about $1200 and about $1350 in labor.  The master tech said Audi made these kits and had the mechanics trained because it was costing them too much money to replace the transmissions under warranty.

Hello there,

I have the same exact car and was told today that I need a new transmission and they did not offer the rebuild kit that you mentioned. Which audi dealer helped you? I'd like to run this by my service advisor and see if they could give me the same deal. There's no way I'm paying the $8K that they quoted me with. Its very sad to hear that i'm not alone in this...even sadder that there's sooooooo many of us with the same issues  

I have a 2002 Audi A4 1.8T and yes my story is the same.  This was my 3rd Audi and I had no problems with the earlier models.

I've had the transmission rebuilt TWICE and there have been a host of other problems including the window regulator going out on the driver's side, engine and transmission mounts needing to be replaced and all 4 wheel bearings going bad.  I've sunk thousands of dollars into this car and it's still giving me transmission problems!!  I don't think Aamco did a good job the first TWO times.  I'm going to take it to another shop this time, if I actually choose to fix it, or just get rid of it and take the loss.

I'm so frustrated with this car I can barely stand to look at it anymore.  It's just a big money pit sitting in my garage.

The first time my tranny died it happened just like it did to many people on this site.  I was making a slow turn onto a residential street and after braking through the turn I went to accelerate and there was nothing.  The dealership said they could replace it for around 7k.  I laughed.  I only paid 12k for the car!!  Aamco rebuilt it for about 3500 and I had to have them fix it again when it was giving me problems a few months later.  Luckily I had a warranty with them.

But now it's shaking and shuddering violently and there is no more warranty.  I want to scream!  

I probably should just walk away from this junk heap.  Too bad it still looks brand new.  

I ALSO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITH MY 2002 AUDI A4 3.0. IM 19 YEARS OLD AND DONT HAVE THE MONEY TO THROW 8 GRAND DOWN THE DRAIN. FORUMS WONT DO IT. CALL EVERYONE DIRECTLY.

I HAVE CALLED EVERY NUMBER THAT I HAVE BEEN TOLD TO CALL. COMPLAIN. COMPLAIN. COMPLAIN.

CALL THEM ALL AND VOICE YOUR OPINION:

AUDI CORP - 1-800-822-2834

N.H.T.S.A. - 1-888-327-4236

FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION - 1-877-382-4357

MICHIGAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS (AUDI HQ) - 1-877-765-8388

THEN CONTACT YOUR LOCAL NEWS CONSUMER REPORTER - GO DO IT. STARTING FACEBOOK GROUP SOON.  

2001/2002 Transmission problems???  Me too!  Audi of American knows it is a problem but does nothing about it.  CALL Mark Trahan or Amanda Porter at 248-754-3328 phone; 248-754-6521 fax; mark.trahan@audi.com or amanda.porter@audi.com; 3499 West Hamlin Rd., Rochester Hills, MI  48309

The more complaints the better.  

I had my transmission replaced at 77000 miles but audi covered the cost. I now have 125000 miles on my car and need it replaced again.
I would be interested if there is any class action suit against Audi.  

stigmon.. thats 50,000 miles between  transmission failures...

did you have the transmission serviced  between the replacement and the failure???

where the transmission oil was drained and refilled and drained and refilled again..  extending its life as you have removed wear particles from the oil ...

this is a METAL TO METAL Contact transmission..  with the belt plates and the pulleys the belt is pushed between..  

I bought a navigation DVD in ilikebuy.net , it not only as GPS, can also play audio files, this product has many functions , high quality and inexpensive.