Fault with auto gearbox on 1.8 sport

[imported_forteeneight]

Hi all,

I'm new to the world of Audi and I'm loving it so far apart from a small fault.

I've just bought a 1997 A3 1.8 sport and I'm having problems with the automatic gearbox. It drives perfectly but occasionally will stop changing up through the gears unless the revs reach the 6000-7000 mark. I've taken it to 2 garages, one of which carried out a full service on the gearbox, and neither has found any problems. I'm just wondering if anybody else has experienced anything similar.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

 

[foolish3uk]

try changing the gearbox oil

 

[imported_AudiAuto]

hi,
i have a 1.6 auto A3 1997. i read the manual, and found it had something called a dynamic shift box (think thats what its called). basically it adapts to your driving, ie if you are driving hard, or are constantly pressing the acc down and braking and pressin acc down again, it will change to sports mode, where it will hold the gear for a lot longer, mine will sometimes hold unitl 5000-6000rpm before shifting to the next gear, yours could be higher cos its a 1.8 and sport. you'll probably notice that when you start using the acc more softly, pressing it gently, and not all the way down, it will change back to normal mode, where the gears will change a lot quicker, at about 3000-4000rpm. have a look at your manual, it will explain it much better.

 

[imported_forteeneight]

Thanks
I did think it could be something to do with the mode you're talking about but it seems to happen at different times regardless of how I'm driving. Last time it happened I managed to nurse the car home and it was still having problems when I started it up an hour later.

 

[imported_AudiAuto]

hmm i dunno. i mean if its in sport mode, it doesnt automatically revert back to normal mode when u turn it off as far as i know, so will still be in that mode even the next day. the gearbox adapts over time, and also it is very sensitive (trust me, you'll really start to love the way it adapts when you get used to it). i was going round a series of roundabouts, where obviously u have to keep stopping starting. when i approached the 3rd one, i released acc, gearbox started changing down, got to the roundabout, saw a car was coming but i still had time to go if i was quick. now a manual, if u had it in the right gear, u would get instant acc becuase its already in the right gear. but auto sometimes you don't. but anyway, i just tapped the acc, thinking possibly im not gonna make it cos by the time the gears change down the other car will b too close to me, but as soon as i tapped the acc it changed down INSTANTLY, without even a split second hesitation, giving me instant acc as well. this was considering that i only TAPPED the acc, didn't even press it down half way. now in normal or economy mode, this wouldn;t happen. anyway, the gears will carry on shifing like that, until u have been driving normally without too much pressing/depressing of acc, then it will change back to a more normal mode.

 

[imported_AudiAuto]

but if this STILL doesn't happen, maybe there could be a problem.....maybe something to do with engine managment that is keeping it in sport mode constantly?