Is this an S-Tronic characteristic?

[mancdan]

Hi all, I have a 2009, B8 A4, 2.0TFSi Quattro S-Tronic with 103k miles.

Every now and then the S-Tronic box changes up to 7th gear too quickly, so I am in 7th gear at around 27mph.
It probably happens every few weeks, and I think it is probably when the car is cold, but can't be 100% certain on that.
95% of the time it acts fairly normal and is usually in 5th gear at around 30-35mph.

So is this just the S-Tronic box playing silly ******?

 

[scotty76]

Are you getting panicky @mancdan at all these S tronic threads?

Mine doesn't do this but I do find in D it's really keen to change up early. For hilly roads I've taken to putting it in S to avoid this.

 

[mancdan]

@scotty76 panicky is an understatement with this car I'm telling ya, it's been a money pit since I got it in October 2014:

Nov 13- Oil consumption issue fixed by Audi for free.
Nov 14 - front wheel bearing gone - £160.
Feb 15 - cam tensioner failed - £1800.
Aug 15 - cv boot gone - £75.

I just cannot trust this car at all, and always have a bad feeling with it.

 

[jetty]

Hi all, I have a 2009, B8 A4, 2.0TFSi Quattro S-Tronic with 103k miles.

Every now and then the S-Tronic box changes up to 7th gear too quickly, so I am in 7th gear at around 27mph.
It probably happens every few weeks, and I think it is probably when the car is cold, but can't be 100% certain on that.
95% of the time it acts fairly normal and is usually in 5th gear at around 30-35mph.

So is this just the S-Tronic box playing silly ******?

Same here and same with my previous B8. Does it every so often (especially when cold) - probably the computer thinking you have enough momentum....but you don't!

 

[scotty76]

Really sorry to hear that. We had a Ford Focus which eventually spent a week at the dealers. After that all trust was gone and we changed it. Sometimes you have to move on though I realise that may not be possible.

 

[mancdan]

Cheers Scotty, I am thinking of getting rid after xmas and going back to a B7 or something older and cheaper to buy.

Like you rightly say, all trust goes in the car.

 

[scotty76]

Cheers Scotty, I am thinking of getting rid after xmas and going back to a B7 or something older and cheaper to buy.

Like you rightly say, all trust goes in the car.

Ah but then there's the oil pickup issue on the B7 petrol turbos. And the oil pump issue on the diesels. :-D It's a nightmare. Maybe the warranty you asked about in another thread is the way forward? Push bike?

I'm also looking for a thread on which I commented where I noted my S tronic behaviour in a 30 mph limit. I'll hopefully find it soon.

 

[scotty76]

@mancdan couldn't find the thread so instead I paid attention on the way to work. My 2014 car sticks solidly to D5 at 30mph. Even from cold.

 

[mancdan]

Cheers scotty76. Mine was ok this morning and has been for a few days. Its just very random when it changes up to 7th before 30mph.
I suppose the good thing is I don't have any of the other issues people have been reporting, so fingers crossed.

 

[sixpot]

My car showed this trait every now and then, I thing it was the start of my problems with the 'box. It now has a brand new gearbox fitted, so hopefully won't do it again - for a while!

 

[Darren92]

The 177 TDI quattro S-tronic I drive slips into 7th at 45mph, I'm going to redo the basic setting on the shift pattern and see if it helps any although I was told by an ex-VW tech it'll go back to the way it was as they're directed towards lowest revs in the firmware.

I can get more MPG (indicated not calculated) in M or S!

 

[mancdan]

My car showed this trait every now and then, I thing it was the start of my problems with the 'box. It now has a brand new gearbox fitted, so hopefully won't do it again - for a while!

Sixpot, can I just ask how many miles your car had when the gearbox was replaced?

 

[mancdan]

The 177 TDI quattro S-tronic I drive slips into 7th at 45mph, I'm going to redo the basic setting on the shift pattern and see if it helps any although I was told by an ex-VW tech it'll go back to the way it was as they're directed towards lowest revs in the firmware.

I can get more MPG (indicated not calculated) in M or S!

Thanks Darren, that's quite interesting that you get better mpg in M or S mode. I have often thought about driving it more in M mode but never do. Maybe I will try that for a while and see if the mpg does improve slightly.