Audi A1 SPORTSBACK Overheated Gearbox

[alex3003]

Hi Guys! I'm from Sri Lankan and I drive an Automatic Audi A1 1000cc 2016 model done 20000Kms. Recently I ended up going uphill on a considerably steep road. For road was damaged, I was going on very slow and for I didn't feel engine getting any trouble, I didn't turn off the AC. For the fact I was going very slowly, I think I was continuously on lower gears. After about 20 mins of climbing, Suddenly popped up a message saying my gearbox is overheated and to stop the vehicle. So I immediately stopped my vehicle uphill and put to reverse and slowly was able to reverse my vehicle to a roadside where I stopped the engine and put to Parking gear. After about 2 mins the message went away but I could feel a rubber burning smell which I suspected, came from burning transmission oil. After that incident, I decided not to climb the hill and went down and parked my vehicle and came back after an hour or two and drove back home. On the journey home, I didn't feel any "discomfort" in gear changes but after bitter experiences with the previous vehicle I had own, I'm kind of a frantic about gearbox issues (I had a honda fit gd1-that gearbox easily went bad- a model famous for its gearbox problems). I always felt a very very subtle vibration on the steering wheel when starting to accelerate uphills even before this issue. Then I went for a full vehicle checkup and all came normal and mechanic told me it must be the turbocharger that I'm feeling. Now after this, I can't tell if it has increased or my mind is frantic about it after this experience so I feel that I'm getting it a little bit more. What is your best advice?
can a full system scan detect a damage happen to the gearbox if any?
should I change my transmission oil immediately? before the recommended 35000-40000Km range?
Thanks a lot for your time!

 

[f1nny]

Seems to be like your worrying over nothing and that the car is fine as it did it’s job of warning you that the geabox is too hot.

As your A1 is 1000cc it’ll have the “dry” clutch verson gearbox which is so called “sealed for life”. So changing of the fluid shouldn’t be necessary. You can ask them to change it for piece of mind but the oil doesn’t degrade like engine oil as there’s no contaminates. Only the “wet” clutch types need an oil change.

Having a quick look at the Self Study Program for the dry clutch gearbox. The only temperature sensor is located on the mechatronic box. If you’ve bee climbing a steep hill for a long period then your gearbox could of been changing between low gears, for example 2 & 3, for a reasonable amount of time. This could of heated up the mechatronic unit as that’s what controls all the gear changes using hydraulics.

Advice next time would be put the box into Manual mode and stay in one gear.

 

[alex3003]

Seems to be like your worrying over nothing and that the car is fine as it did it’s job of warning you that the geabox is too hot.

As your A1 is 1000cc it’ll have the “dry” clutch verson gearbox which is so called “sealed for life”. So changing of the fluid shouldn’t be necessary. You can ask them to change it for piece of mind but the oil doesn’t degrade like engine oil as there’s no contaminates. Only the “wet” clutch types need an oil change.

Having a quick look at the Self Study Program for the dry clutch gearbox. The only temperature sensor is located on the mechatronic box. If you’ve bee climbing a steep hill for a long period then your gearbox could of been changing between low gears, for example 2 & 3, for a reasonable amount of time. This could of heated up the mechatronic unit as that’s what controls all the gear changes using hydraulics.

Advice next time would be put the box into Manual mode and stay in one gear.

Thank you very much for your answer! I'm glad!
I was worried about the rubber burning smell I was getting and from searching the internet I found out it could be the transmission oil and that Is why I thought overheating may have burned it and turned it 'Bad' somehow. What could be that burning smell? Should I be worried about something else?

 

[f1nny]

The burning smell could of be the clutches as they might of been constantly changing between gears. However I’m unsure as to whether the clutches disengage and engage the same as a Manual even thought the next gear is already selected.

The smell could of been from the mechatronic unit oil getting to a high temperature. I’m sure your car and gearbox will be fine, as the warning come on and you stopped.

AUDI would of designed the warning to come on before any damage is done. Otherwise there’d be no point in having a warning.

 

[alex3003]

The burning smell could of be the clutches as they might of been constantly changing between gears. However I’m unsure as to whether the clutches disengage and engage the same as a Manual even thought the next gear is already selected.

The smell could of been from the mechatronic unit oil getting to a high temperature. I’m sure your car and gearbox will be fine, as the warning come on and you stopped.

AUDI would of designed the warning to come on before any damage is done. Otherwise there’d be no point in having a warning.

Thank you very much for your advice! I'm relieved now.