2003 Audi A4 Powertrain & Transmission Problems

2003 AUDI A4 3.0 CABRIOLET CONVERTIBLE STARTED SHIFTING ROUGH AND HESITANT AND SHUT OFF, CRANKED BACK UP WENT INTO LIMP MODE AND ALL THE SHIFTING GEAR LIGHTS CAME ON R N D 2 , BARELY MADE IT BACK HOME, PUT CODE READER ON CAR HAD A LOT OF CODES ON IT I RESET CODES BUT RND2 LIGHTS STILL ON , POSSIBLE BAD TCM?

TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE TRANSMISSION SLIPS OUT OF DRIVE WHILE DRIVING INTO LIKE NEUTRAL AND WHEN I ACCELERATE THE CAR DOES NOT MOVE AND COMES TO A FULL STOP AND I HAVE TO STOP AND TURN THE CAR ON AND OFF TILL IT WORKS AGAIN

ON JANUARY 28, 2019 I WAS DRIVING TO MY MEDICAL APPOINTMENT AT 35 MILES PER HOUR WHEN MY CAR FROZE UP THEN BUCKED AND NOW NO LONGER THE TRANSMISSION WILL NO LONGER ENGAGE. UPON RESEARCH AUDI HAS KNOWN OF THIS TRANSMISSION HAVING SERIOUS FAULTS AND THAT IT WILL BREAK DOWN WITHOUT WARNING. AUDI HAS REFUSED TO DO ANY RECALL ON THESE TRANSMISSIONS, EVEN AFTER A CLASS ACTION THAT WAS SETTLED, AUDI WILL NOT DO ANY RECALL.

THE CONSTANTLY VARIABLE TRANSMISSION (CVT) OF MY 2003 AUDI A4 CABRIOLET 1.8T WITH JUST 86,000 MILES ON IT IS FAULTY, AND HAS CAUSED MY VEHICLE TO STALL OUT ON FOUR OCCASIONS, TWICE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO COME TO A STOP AT A STOP SIGN AND WHILE PARKING, AND TWICE WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE WHILE ACCELERATING AT A SPEED OF 35 AND 60 MPH, ON A CITY ROAD AND ONCE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MERGE ONTO THE INTERSTATE. THE VEHICLE MUST BE RESTARTED TO DRIVE, AND HAS JUST BARELY SPUTTERED BACK TO LIFE IN MY FOUR EXPERIENCES SO FAR. AUDI IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, AND HAS SETTLED A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT IN THE PAST, ALTHOUGH THE SETTLEMENT EXPIRED MORE THAN TWO YEARS AGO LEAVING OWNERS LIKE MYSELF ON THE HOOK FOR COSTLY REPAIRS, AND LEFT WITH AN UNSAFE VEHICLE IN THE MEAN TIME. AUDI SHOULD RECALL ALL AUDI A4 1.8T CVT TRANSMISSIONS FROM 2003 TO 2006 AND PERMENTANTLY SOLVE THE PROBLEM BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED.

I BOUGHT AN USED 2003 AUDI A4. I PUT IT IN REVERSE AND IT WOULD NOT ENGAGE. THEN THE DASH WHERE THE GEARS SHOW WHAT GEAR YOU'RE IN STARTED FLASHING. IT SHOWED A P0706 CODE. THIS HAPPENS SO OFTEN THAT ONE OF THESE TIMES I AM GOING TO CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. THE CAR HAS OVER 100,000 MILES ON IT, BUT HOW CAN IT BE MY FAULT THAT THE OTHER OWNERS DID NOT TAKE IT IN TO GET THIS WELL KNOWN MODULE REPAIR FIXED. WHEN I AM PARKED FLAT I CAN USUALLY GET IT IN REVERSE AFTER 4-5 TIMES OF TRYING. BUT...WHEN I AM ON ANY SLANT IT TAKES AT LEAST 10 TIMES OF TRYING ALMOST TO THE POINT OF GETTING OUT AND PUSHING IT IN REVERSE MYSELF!! ONE OF THESE DAYS I AM GOING TO HIT A CAR BEHIND ME TRYING TO GET OUT OF MY PARKING SPOT!! I KNOW THERE WAS A RECALL AND I'M JUST WONDERING WHY A CURRENT OWNER OF THE CAR THAT OBVIOUSLY IS DOING THIS CAN'T GET IT FIXED AS THERE WAS A RECALL.

MY 2003 AUDI A4 CABRIOLET HAS THE INFAMOUS P0706 CODE, WHICH IS A ERROR CODE INDICATING THE FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE. IN MY CASE, MY AUDI SLIPS WHILE REVERSING AND CAUSES A HAZARD WHEN I AM REVERSING, ESPECIALLY WHILE IN A TIGHT OR CLUTTERED SPOT. IT ALSO HAS THE PRND BLINKING DUE TO THE DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE. MANY OTHER AUDI A4S WITH CVT TRANSMISSIONS HAVE HAD THIS FAILURE, WHICH HAS LED TO A LAWSUIT. I RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER THAT STATED I WOULD BE ABLE TO GET A FREE REPAIR, BUT I WAS REFUSED BECAUSE MY CAR HAD OVER 100000 MILES ON IT, BUT THE PROBLEM OCCURRED LONG BEFORE THAT. I NEED TO GET THIS PROBLEM FIXED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

CAR STUCK IN LIMP MODE AND CAR WILL JUMP AT CERTAIN SPEEDS

2003 AUDI A4 WITH 6 SPEED CVT TRANSMISSION. THERE IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN THIS VEHICLE. WHILE DRIVING THE CAR IT SHIFTS FROM FIRST TO SECOND VERY FAST EVEN IF YOU EASE DOWN ON THE ACCELERATOR, THE CAR LUNGES FORWARD AND JERKS. I HAVE CAME CLOSE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS TO HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME . I HAVE READ SEVERAL SITES INCLUDING THE AUDI AND VOLKS WAGON FORUMS AND THERE ARE ALSO MANY COMPLAINTS WITH EXACT SAME ISSUE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AUDI SHOULD CORRECT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 AUDI A4. WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME STUCK TO THE FLOORBOARD OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL HAD TO BE LIFTED WITH HER FOOT FOR IT TO GO BACK TO NORMAL POSITION. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON THREE OCCASIONS. WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP AND ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE, THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

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

I HAD A NEW TRANSMISSION PUT IN THE AUDI AND AFTER A YEAR THE TRANSMISSION REVERSE MODE FAILED. I TOOK IT TO THE SHOP WHICH REPAIRED THE CAR AND FOUND THAT THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL ON THE PART WHICH WAS NEEDED FOR THE CAR. WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE AUDI DEALERSHIP THEY REFUSED TO HONOR THE RECALL AND I HAD TO PAY FOR THE NEW PART AN ADDITIONAL $2700. I WAS TOLD THAT I WAS NOT THE OWNER OF THE CAR AND THEY HAD NO INFORMATION ON FILE ABOUT ME HOWEVER I HAD REPEATEDLY BEEN IN PERSONALLY TO ASK ABOUT THE CAR AND ANY RECALLS AFTER REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION. ALSO THEY HAD MY EMAIL ADDRESS. I WAS THEN TOLD I WAS SIX MONTHS TOO LATE AND I HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. I TRIED TO CALL AUDI CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THE HEADQUARTERS AND ONLY GOT THE RUN AROUND. IF THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS PART THE AUDI DEALERSHIP AND AUDI HEADQUARTERS SHOULD HAVE HONORED THIS AND REPLACED THE PART. *TR

THE CAR HAD STARTED TO HAVE THE PRND FLASH, BUT IT KEPT RUNNING GOOD. ON SATURDAY I DROVE AROUND 20 MILES AND PARKED ON A SMALL ANGLED ROAD I TURNED THE CAR OFF. WHEN I TURNED IT ON AGAIN I PUT IT ON REVERSE WHICH DIDN'T ENGAGE AND STARTED TO GO DOWN ALMOST CRASHING INTO A WALL. I HAD TO GET OUT AND PUSH THE CAR. *TR

SUDDENLY, WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY, WENT TO LOW GEAR SPEED AND NOT ABLE TO MOVE CAR. I ALREADY CHANGE THE TRANSMISSION @ 42,000 MILES AT AUDI DEALERSHIP. THIS IS AUDI CVT TRANSMISSION. IT HAS VERY BAD RELIABILITY RECORDS. YOU CAN SEE A LOT OF COMPLAINTS, A ESPECIALLY ABOUT TCM MODULE. TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOPS JUST REFUSE TO REPAIR THIS TYPE OF TRANSMISSION. THE ONLY CHOICE IS AUDI DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP PRICE IS ABOUT $8,500 FOR MANUFACTURING REBUILD TRANSMISSION. HOWEVER, THE MOST IMPORTANT IS THE SAFETY. I WOULD NOT LIKE THAT ANYONE WAS INJURED ON THE ROAD BECAUSE OF MALFUNCTION OF THIS TRANSMISSION. IT JUST MATTER OF TIME AND TRANSMISSION WILL BE BROKEN AND SOMEBODY GOT HURT. *TR

THE CAR PROBABLY HAS FAULTY TCU, BECAUSE TRANSMISSION WOULD SOMETIMES JERK IF GOING FROM COMPLETE STOP AND PRESSING GAS PEDAL (EVEN LIGHTLY). THE CAR AT FIRST WOULDN'T GO, THEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTEDLY WOULD ACCELERATE. I BELIEVE THIS IS COMMON IN AUDI, AND THEY SHOULD FIX THAT.

2003 AUDI A4 TCM FAILURE ALMOST LED TO A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. WAS BACKING OUT OF A DRIVEWAY ON A SEMI-BUSY ROAD IN WINTER PARK, FL WHEN THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE GAVE OUT ON MY 2003 AUDI A4 CVT TRANSMISSION. THE CAR LOST ALL POWER AND JUST WOULD REV. BUT NOT MOVE IN REVERSE. I HAD TO QUICKLY THROW IT IN DRIVE AND HEAD INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC UNTIL BEING ABLE TO GET INOT THE PROPER LANE. AFTER DRIVING HOME, I NOTICED THAT THIS IS RANDOM AND THERE IS NO LOGIC TO WHEN IT OCCURS. THE PROBLEM IS AN INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL TCM PROBLEM IN WHICH SIGNAL 'DROPS' FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. I DID A SEARCH ONLINE ABOUT THEIS ISSUE WITH THE 2003 CVT TRANSMISSION FROM AUID AND THE TCM SHORTING OUT WHILE DRIVING IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE. I SEE THIS AS A SAFETY ISSUE AND DEFINALTELY HOLD THE AUTO MANUFACTURUER AT FAULT. AUDI HAS RECALLED THESE TCM'S FOR THEIR A6 AND A8 LINE THAT YEAR WHICH USES MANY OF THE SAME COMPONENTS. WHY HAS THE 2003 A4 CVT NOT BEEN RECALLED THEN. IT HAS THE SAME ISSUES. TCM FAILURE AND FAULTS DUE TO IMPROPER ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS AND CLUTCH PACK FAILURE BECUASE THE TRANSMISSION CANNOT HANDLE THE POWER OR WEIGHT OF THE CAR. THAT IS WHY FROM 2005 AND ON THE CVT COMES WITH 7 CLUTCH PLATES. BOTTOM LINE IS THAT IF THIS ISSUE IS NOT ADDRESSED IN THE 2003 AUDI A4 CVT AND YOU DO NOT RECALL THIS YEAR AND VERSION TCM (AND MAYBE EVEN THE TRANNY ITSELF) PEOPLE WILL DIE IN ACCIDENTS THAT WERE NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN. I AM HEADED TO THE AUDI WEBSITE AND ANY OTHERS WHO WILL TAKE MY COMPLAINT ABOUT THIS ISSUE. I SEE IT UP THERE WITH A STUCK ACCELERATOR. IF YOU CANT CONTROL SPEEDING UP OR SLOWING DOWN AND THE PROBLEM IS FAULTY ELECTRICAL THUS HAPPENING INTERMITENTLY HOW CAN YOU STAY IN CONTROL OF YOUR VEHICLE? *TR

IT WOULD SEEM THAT I HAVE TWO OF THE ISSUES I'VE SEEN HERE WITH MY 2003 AUDI A4 CONVERTIBLE. I HAVE OWNED IT SINCE 2008 AND HAVE ALREADY REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION MODULE TWICE. AS DESCRIBED BY OTHERS, IT WOULDN'T ENGAGE REVERSE, OR GO INTO STANDARD MODE... BLINKING DASH LIGHTS, ETC... THE OTHER COMMON ISSUE IS MY REAR WINDOW. IT IS HOLDING ON BY LESS THAT TWO INCHES OF GLUE. THE REST JUST HANGS ON BY THE HEADLINER. THIS HAS RESULTED IN GALLONS OF WATER ENTERING MY CAR DURING RAIN STORMS. NOT TO MENTION THE VIBRATIONS WHILE DRIVING WITH THE TOP UP. *TR

AUDI-A4-SEDAN-CVT TRANSMISSION. SLIPPING GEAR WHILE VEHICLE IS MOVING AND BEGINNING DRIVE FROM STOPLIGHT. SAFETY CONCERN FOR FAMILY. HISTORY OF A PROBLEM AND NO RECALL BY AUDI. HOW CAN THERE BE NO RECALL.

I HAVE A 2003 A4 CONVERTIBLE AUDI. I HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING PROBLEMS I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING, AND HAVE FOUND THAT MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME TRANSMISSION ISSUES. THE PROBLEM IS IN THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL UNIT. THE RANGE SWITCH TELLING THE TRANSMISSION WHICH GEAR TO GO INTO GOES OUT. THE DANGEROUS SYMPTOMS INCLUDE AN INABILITY TO GO INTO REVERSE, THE CAR NOT ACCELERATING WHEN THE GAS IS PRESSED AND THEN LUNGING FORWARD. WHEN THE CAR SLOWS TO A STOP, IT OFTEN DOESN'T SHIFT DOWN AND THE CAR LUNGES FORWARD BEFORE KILLING THE ENGINE. THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS REPORTS OF THIS PROBLEM, AND AUDI HAS BEEN UNWILLING TO ADMIT FAULT IN THE MANUFACTURING, AND/OR PROVIDE A SOLUTION. THE FIX HAS COME AT A COSTLY $8K NEW TRANSMISSION. *TR

I OWN A 03 AUDIA4 1.8T CABRIOLET. FOR THE PASS TWO YEARS I HAVE TO REPAIR THE TRANSMISSION TWICE- THE CAR COULD NOT MOVE, THE GEARS WEREN'T SWITCHING. AUDI USA ARE AWARE OF THIS ISSUE AND STILL THERE IS NOT A RECALL FOR THAT. SECOND AND BIGGER ISSUE IS THE REAR WINDOW WHICH IS SEPARATING FROM THE CONVERTIBLE TOP. IT IS DANGEROUS AS THE WINDOW CAN FLY AWAY WHILE I DRIVE THE CAR WITH A HIGHER SPEED ON THE HIGHWAY AND HIT THE CARS BEHIND ME. ALSO VERY COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS MODEL CARS. *TR

HELLO A RECALL NOTICE CAME IN FOR MY 03' AUDI A4 FOR ETC SENSOR.(70K MILES) TOOK THE CAR INTO DEALER GOT IT FIXED. A WEEK LATER OR SO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND CAR WAS DEAD IN ITS TRACKS. ACCORDING TO THE DEALER AND TWO MECHANICS SHOPS, ITS THE TRANSMISSION. DEALER PRICE ON TRANSMISSION WAS 7,558.00 TOTAL. OWE MY GOODNESS...... CAR IS WORTH ABOUT THAT. SINCE THEN I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO LOCATE A USED OR A REBUILD TRANSMISSION BUT THEIR IS NOT MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE IN PRICE BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION IS SO HARD TO FIX AND PARTS ARE VERY EXPENSIVE THAT NO ONE WANTS TO DEAL WITH THE CAR AT ALL. NOT TO MENTION THE DIFFICULTY THAT REQUIRES TO REPLACE THIS TYPE OF TRANSMISSION FOR MY VEHICLE MODEL. SPECIAL TOOLS AND PROGRAMMING. CALLED NEARBY STATES WITH NO LUCK FINDING A REBUILD TRANSMISSION. ALSO AUDI DOES NOT MAKE THEM ANYMORE, MAKING THEM EVEN HARDER TO FIND. I HAVE BEEN SEARCHING ON THE INTERNET FOR THE PAST 3 WEEKS TRYING TO FIND SOME INFORMATION ON THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE AND THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM AND I CAME ACROSS THE SAME STORY FROM MANY AUDI A4 OWNERS. THIS IS NOT A DRIVER PROBLEM BUT A DESIGN FLAW. TRANSMISSION IS NOT FIXED BECAUSE I CAN'T AFFORD 7.5K FOR A NEW ONE THAT WILL GIVE OUT IN ABOUT 50K AGAIN. THIS IS NOT RIGHT AND SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE ABOUT THIS. WHEN THE CAR STARTED TO SHAKE TREMENDOUSLY IN THE MIDDLE OF TURNING ONTO A RAMP TO ENTER THE HIGHWAY I COULD OF CAUSE AN ACCIDENT EASILY. THROUGH OUT BLOGS AND WEBSITE ADVICE, THEIR ARE COUNTLESS NUMBER OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THE TRANSMISSION SEEMS TO GIVE OUT RIGHT ABOUT 50-85K MILES. I HOPE YOU CAN HELP. *TR