S3 8vs odd gear problem

[S3audi]

Hi all,

The issue started with an intermittent very slightly jumpy gear change into third (in comfort too) and very rarely 5th

that issue remains, however in all the odd gears(3, 5, 7) when ur accelerating 40-50% or more and the turbos nearly at full boost or at full, the revs start to fluctuate without any real power delivery, one time the revs even flew all the way to 5/6k rpm under hard acceleration with again practically no power behind it. Is this the clutch pack going causing it to slip? Or could it be the clutch position sensor in the mechatronics? Heard it might also be the hydraulic seal on the clutch, but honestly don’t know much about autos.

The other issue is that the car isn’t picking up any fault codes, so the diagnosis I took it for was pointless. Also it isn’t counting any clutch slips. I’ve thought it could be a boost leak but would be happening in even gears as well I would’ve thought.

Any help is greatly appreciated

 

[AlS3BE]

What year is your car?
There’s a recall on the gearbox on pre 2018 cars for dodgy oil pumps in the gearbox.
could also try resetting it so that it relearns biting point/clamping force etc.

 

[S3audi]

What year is your car?
There’s a recall on the gearbox on pre 2018 cars for dodgy oil pumps in the gearbox.
could also try resetting it so that it relearns biting point/clamping force etc.

69 plate, just hit 45k miles too. I’ll give resetting it a go.
Just doesn’t make sense to me as im 98% certain the clutch is slipping but there’s no slip counts or fault codes, doing my head in this is.
no matter what when I accelerate in the odd gears the revs fluctuate, they eventually climb but are still fluctuating as they are climbing

 

[AlS3BE]

69 plate, just hit 45k miles too. I’ll give resetting it a go.
Just doesn’t make sense to me as im 98% certain the clutch is slipping but there’s no slip counts or fault codes, doing my head in this is.
no matter what when I accelerate in the odd gears the revs fluctuate, they eventually climb but are still fluctuating as they are climbing

Is your car remapped?
If the gearbox detects too much torque it will do something about it

 

[alps26]

Hi all,

The issue started with an intermittent very slightly jumpy gear change into third (in comfort too) and very rarely 5th

that issue remains, however in all the odd gears(3, 5, 7) when ur accelerating 40-50% or more and the turbos nearly at full boost or at full, the revs start to fluctuate without any real power delivery, one time the revs even flew all the way to 5/6k rpm under hard acceleration with again practically no power behind it. Is this the clutch pack going causing it to slip? Or could it be the clutch position sensor in the mechatronics? Heard it might also be the hydraulic seal on the clutch, but honestly don’t know much about autos.

The other issue is that the car isn’t picking up any fault codes, so the diagnosis I took it for was pointless. Also it isn’t counting any clutch slips. I’ve thought it could be a boost leak but would be happening in even gears as well I would’ve thought.

Any help is greatly appreciated

Mine has the harsh change into odd gears too (especially 3rd), it's done it since I got the car (67 plate, bought it when it was 5 months old). I asked Audi to check it out when it was in warranty but they couldn't replicate it.

It occasionally has a spasm and doesn't know what gear to be in and whilst its doing that you're not going anywhere then all of a sudden it realises which gear it needs to be in and goes.

Given yours is a 69 plate it is unlikely to be affected by the recall (mine was and the harsh change is still there) but it's worth asking your local dealer anyway.

If yours isn't doing it that frequently I wouldn't worry about it. In my case it hasn't got any worse. It's on 53k now and i've had the car since it had done 5k, my theory is it would have broken by now if it was something serious. I feel its more a software thing than a mechanical thing

 

[AlS3BE]

@S3audi just had a thought, when was the gearbox last serviced? These stronic boxes are quite sensitive to proper servicing. Should be done every 38k.

 

[JohnM100]

Mine has an occasional sharp gear change and has done since I got it. It’s not major or crashy - just isn’t smooth.

As you describe initially a bumpy change then that was unlikely to be clutch slip as that would be a vague change and your more recent revs spiking could be a possibility.

A slipping clutch pack can be checked by gently turning right out of a junction from stationary. If it judders and rides the the clutch then the clutch pack is on its way out.

Might be worth recalibrating the clutch packs in VCDS as mentioned already.

 

[Gordon Stewart]

My car is as July 17 so in the recall range but never had anything through yet?, can anyone post a copy of there letter ( minus name and address of course ) so J can see it please, cheers folks

 

[S3audi]

Is your car remapped?
If the gearbox detects too much torque it will do something about it

I don’t think so, but I’m not 100% lol, bought the car and they didn’t say it was but it’s got a full exhaust and a sports cat, so I was thinking it might be stage 1..

Also no I don’t think the box has been serviced, whenever I’ve asked (asked Audi themselves too) they’ve said 80k miles but I’ve read 40k most places.

I’m just concerned about the fluctuating(as it’s pretty consistent and only happens in odd gears) as when they tried to diag it wasn’t counting clutch slips or misfires.

also just thought I’d mention when I launch it, it grinds into third, but that’s most likely the synchroniser going I think

 

[S3audi]

Mine has the harsh change into odd gears too (especially 3rd), it's done it since I got the car (67 plate, bought it when it was 5 months old). I asked Audi to check it out when it was in warranty but they couldn't replicate it.

It occasionally has a spasm and doesn't know what gear to be in and whilst its doing that you're not going anywhere then all of a sudden it realises which gear it needs to be in and goes.

Given yours is a 69 plate it is unlikely to be affected by the recall (mine was and the harsh change is still there) but it's worth asking your local dealer anyway.

If yours isn't doing it that frequently I wouldn't worry about it. In my case it hasn't got any worse. It's on 53k now and i've had the car since it had done 5k, my theory is it would have broken by now if it was something serious. I feel its more a software thing than a mechanical thing

I feel you, the garage I took it to couldn’t replicate it either.

The hesitation happens to me too, are you talking about kick down?

It might be worth asking Audi but tbh I’ve read lots that prove they can be pretty useless at diagnosing lmao.

I’m not too worried about the jumpy change, although it does it in comfort and is starting to affect 5th more now, it’s more the rev fluctuation when accelerating in odd gears, and the grinding into third on launch.

 

[S3audi]

Mine has an occasional sharp gear change and has done since I got it. It’s not major or crashy - just isn’t smooth.

As you describe initially a bumpy change then that was unlikely to be clutch slip as that would be a vague change and your more recent revs spiking could be a possibility.

A slipping clutch pack can be checked by gently turning right out of a junction from stationary. If it judders and rides the the clutch then the clutch pack is on its way out.

Might be worth recalibrating the clutch packs in VCDS as mentioned already.

Is the funky change in odd gears only? only affects my odd gears but to be honest I can live with that.

The main issue is strange particularly in 3, 5 and 7 whenever I accelerate 40%/+ it starts consistently fluctuating jumping up and down by maybe 300-1000 rpm, and in 7th even under light acceleration it jumps up and down by minuscule amounts like 50-100rpm.
it can’t be anything like a boost leak or spark plugs, because surely that would do it in even gears too?
And VCDS isn’t picking up any clutch slips either.

I’ll give that test a go, how can you tell if an auto is riding the clutch? Would it be the smell you sometimes get or the actual feel of the car?

I might just get them to recalibrate the clutch pack and to update anything that needs updating

 

[alps26]

I feel you, the garage I took it to couldn’t replicate it either.

The hesitation happens to me too, are you talking about kick down?

It might be worth asking Audi but tbh I’ve read lots that prove they can be pretty useless at diagnosing lmao.

I’m not too worried about the jumpy change, although it does it in comfort and is starting to affect 5th more now, it’s more the rev fluctuation when accelerating in odd gears, and the grinding into third on launch.

Yeah the kick down. I kind of get it from Audi's point of view, the harsh change is occasional for me so they can't be driving the car around all day to replicate.

 

[JohnM100]

Is the funky change in odd gears only? only affects my odd gears but to be honest I can live with that.

For me it is occasionally when changing up to 3rd or 5th in manual flappy paddle mode. 7th is fine, D mode fine never a blip and kickdown is fine.

The main issue is strange particularly in 3, 5 and 7 whenever I accelerate 40%/+ it starts consistently fluctuating jumping up and down by maybe 300-1000 rpm, and in 7th even under light acceleration it jumps up and down by minuscule amounts like 50-100rpm.
it can’t be anything like a boost leak or spark plugs, because surely that would do it in even gears too?
And VCDS isn’t picking up any clutch slips either.

Sounds like clutch slip, unless you have ditch finder tyres or your Haldex has failed & the stability programme is trying to intervene during the acceleration and gear change.

I’ll give that test a go, how can you tell if an auto is riding the clutch? Would it be the smell you sometimes get or the actual feel of the car?

You’ll feel a mild judder and revs will seem higher until you straighten the wheels after the turn.

I might just get them to recalibrate the clutch pack and to update anything that needs updating

This is the easiest and cheapest thing to try first. Good luck!

If you put ESC into Sport and change Drive Select mode, does it still do it?

 

[JohnM100]

Correction to the above, as my car hasn’t done it for a while. Mine is on 4th & 6th so the other clutch pack (not 3 & 5 per my post above).

 

[S3audi]

Update: It was the clutch pack which after getting replaced, for an arm and a leg, fixed the issue completely and car pulled like a train