Tunbridge Posted August 10, 2006 Report Share Posted August 10, 2006 Hi everyone, just a quick hello and to say I've just rid of my 1999 A4 1.8T Sport and upgraded to an 2002 S3. I've only had the car a couple of weeks but I've been having a bit of bother with it when down shifting into 2nd gear, if you try and do it with a few revs on it feels notchy and then just crunches the gears, even with the clutch all the way in. I'm not talking about down shifting onto the red line but the kind of down shift that would take the reves up to about 3000-4000rpm, the A4 I had was fine with this. If you drive it 'carefully' if down shifts smoothly. Has anyone else had similar problems? Could it be the synchromesh on the way out or am I just driving it like a holigan? The car has 40k on the clock and the service indicator is telling me I need a service in 4000 miles, might it need a gear box oil change? Great forum by the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S3ENVY Posted August 10, 2006 Report Share Posted August 10, 2006 I hope it isn't but it does sound like a synchro on the way out from what you describe. My car is currently doing the same when shifting from 2nd to 3rd and I'm battling with the dealers to sort it out as they think it's the clutch!!!! The gearbox is sealed from the factory as far as I know so there is no way of carrying out an oil change that I know of. The only gearoil that can be replaced is that within the Haldex transfer box, and while this might make your car drive slightly smoother it won't solve your downshift problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tunbridge Posted August 10, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2006 I bought the car from the local Audi steeler so hopefully that should be covered on the warranty. Has anyone had any luck getting audi to resolve gear box problems under warranty? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S3ENVY Posted August 10, 2006 Report Share Posted August 10, 2006 Yep, if you've still got warranty on you car from your dealer then this will be covered, which is good to know as it's approximately £6000 for a replacement gearbox with fitting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Srcoates Posted August 10, 2006 Report Share Posted August 10, 2006 Tunbridge, have you driven any other S3s... Does it feel lots different to them? The reason that I ask is that the 'box is the S3 does benefit from firm (not hard!) gear changes, mine and all the others I have driven don't let you simply slip the car into gear when driving it reasonably hard, 2nd seems to be the one that benefits most from a firm positive shift. Of course there is a big difference between being firm and having to force it in, so I am not sure which one you are experiencing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tunbridge Posted August 10, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2006 I have only driven one S3, I might go for a test drive in another at the weekend as there is one in the garage just around the corner. I also have a friend with a 225 TT, is this the same gearbox as the S3? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Srcoates Posted August 10, 2006 Report Share Posted August 10, 2006 Yep, I believe it is the same 'box. They do feel quite notchy, but I quite like it as it feels quite positive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tunbridge Posted August 10, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2006 I'll have a go in my mates TT and see how that feels, if not it looks like a trip back to the dealer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S3ENVY Posted August 10, 2006 Report Share Posted August 10, 2006 Either way, whether your gearbox is notchy or not, it shouldn't be graunching gears. The box in my S3 is notchy and quite tight too, they're all like that, but the minute the synchro started playing up I knew about it! It started to graunch from 2nd to 3rd before slotting in. It's a relatively common fault as far as I understand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tunbridge Posted August 10, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2006 Did you manage to get it fixed under warranty? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bantam Posted August 10, 2006 Report Share Posted August 10, 2006 [ QUOTE ] I hope it isn't but it does sound like a synchro on the way out from what you describe. My car is currently doing the same when shifting from 2nd to 3rd and I'm battling with the dealers to sort it out as they think it's the clutch!!!! The gearbox is sealed from the factory as far as I know so there is no way of carrying out an oil change that I know of. The only gearoil that can be replaced is that within the Haldex transfer box, and while this might make your car drive slightly smoother it won't solve your downshift problem. [/ QUOTE ] Just had my gearbox oil changed at the same time as replacement of a leaky seal. Gear change is less notchy but I wasn't getting the crunching as described here beforehand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
help Posted August 10, 2006 Report Share Posted August 10, 2006 Hi there Ive got a 2003 A3 130pd with the 6 speed box in it i dont no if it is the same one as the S3 but mine is notchy from 2nd to 3rd only sometimes not all the time. Could changing the oil help or im i going to have to get the box recond, the car is out of warranty now buying a house so i need to hold on to her for a good few more months yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james1978 Posted August 10, 2006 Report Share Posted August 10, 2006 I get these problems with my R32,And my friends (same car & miles) is alot smoother.Thinking about taking it to the dealers. But i had a possible reason way,The response on my thottle is alot more quicker than my friends,So because your trying to drive fast,The revs are to high for you to get into gear. Could this be right? also my car feels more aggresive than his,And faster,And if you get it all right seems to leave him behind.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S3ENVY Posted August 11, 2006 Report Share Posted August 11, 2006 I'd say that the notchyness of the gearbox isn't really too much of a problem. I've driven a fair few S3s and TTs and without fail, all of them have had notchy boxes, they always feel a little new and tight. As Coatsey mentioned, they have a nice secure positive shift to them, however regardless of this, if the cogs are graunching or gringing on downshift that would indicate that they're not engaging at the correct roatation speeds and this would more than likely be a synchromesh problem. Can't hurt to take it to the dealers and let them have a look and you mentioned that it's still in warranty so it will definitely be covered, just don't let them try and tell you it's a dodgy clutch like they're trying to do with mine!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blunteh Posted August 12, 2006 Report Share Posted August 12, 2006 I've just had a 40k service and Haldex oil change and so far.. it seems to have solved my notchy gear change... I'll keep an eye on it and let you know if it returns... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tunbridge Posted August 12, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2006 I’ve just let my mate have a drive of the car, he has a TT with the same engine/gearbox and his TT doesn’t do it no mater how aggressive you are with the down shift, even dropping it into 2nd at 50mph. I agree all the 6 speed boxes do have a notchy change but that doesn't bother me. Its the crunching of gears that worries me. I’ll take it back to the dealers and let you know how I get on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tunbridge Posted August 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2006 Took the car back into the dealer as the CD changer has packed in working, they had a look at the gear box while it was in there but surprise, surprise they couldn't find any fault. To be fair it does seem to be very intermittent so I've taken to trying to film the problem on my digital camera but with no look so far. Until today the gear box had been fine for 2 weeks but then it started playing up again last night. The car is back in the dealers on the 19th to get a new CD changer so hopefully I'll have video evidence by then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S3ENVY Posted August 30, 2006 Report Share Posted August 30, 2006 I've found with mine that a nice long journey (about 2 hours), get the gearbox to a nice temperature and this enduces my fault. My car's booked in on the 15th to be checked, I'll be out driving around at 5am just to make sure it misbehaves for the techs! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tunbridge Posted September 3, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 3, 2006 [ QUOTE ] I've found with mine that a nice long journey (about 2 hours), get the gearbox to a nice temperature and this enduces my fault. My car's booked in on the 15th to be checked, I'll be out driving around at 5am just to make sure it misbehaves for the techs! [/ QUOTE ] Took your advice and got the gear box up to a nice temperature and sure enough the gear box started crunching 2nd gear again on the downshift, luckily I managed to get it on film this time on three separate occasions: Sounds bad doesn’t it? Makes me cringe every time. The sound is out of phase with the picture when I play it, in reality the crunch happens as I drop it into 2nd, not half a second later, might just be my slow internet connection. At least I have something to show the stealers now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S3ENVY Posted September 4, 2006 Report Share Posted September 4, 2006 That's exactly what mine does but on the upshift from 2nd to 3rd!!! Got mine on film over the weekend too, will stick it up later.... Definitely a synchro by the sound of it, new gearbox time......you're in warranty right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tunbridge Posted September 4, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2006 Yeah I'm in warranty, going to show them the film when I take it into get the CD changer replaced on the 19th. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tunbridge Posted September 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 19, 2006 Result – Audi have acknowledged the problem and are going to rebuild the gearbox . That said they couldn’t find the problem after two test drives, it wasn’t till I took the workshop manager for a drive that he acknowledged the problem, they can’t have been looking vary hard cos it blatantly obvious, especially as I told them it only did it when it was hot and they had done less than 3 miles in the car on their test drive. Never mind, hopefully they will do a better job of rebuilding it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S3ENVY Posted September 19, 2006 Report Share Posted September 19, 2006 Result for us both then! Made me laugh today, there's a new girl in the service department, really nice and quite cute too. She rang me to find out if I wanted them to keep my car until they could fit it in for the gearbox or whether I wanted to pick it up and book it in for another time.... ....erm, it's sitting on my driveway as we speak, I also booked it in with you personally for next month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tunbridge Posted September 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 19, 2006 You had better hope the technicians have a bit more of a clue. From what you say I don't think it is her brains she was hired for . . . still you can’t beat a bit of eye candy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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