hobsonlea

Hi - I have a 1997 Audi A4 2.6L V6 DOHC - and love the car. Its developed a fault with the Auto Shift - the button wont pop out when the shift is in the park position - and this means that the key cant be taken out of the ignition. At the moment its intermittent - but it seems like there is a microswitch somewhere in the mechanism that isnt allowing the button to be released....

The mechanic I usually use hasnt seen this and so hence using the forum to see whether anyone else has had the problem and or what suggestions there are. At the moment the problem appears to be getting worse - and I have had a few situations where I have had to leave the key in the ignition and leave the car unattended...

dkns1

i had something similar, i took off the shifter it pops out something maybe sticky inside that thing, clean it, that solved my problem..taking the shifter out is something funny ..extend the button outwards and pull the shifter up and off the shifting thing..(sorry i have no mechanical names for that thing), then look at the the movable parts and grease them well, i hope that works..if not..i dunno

hobsonlea

That seems quite logical it is what it feels like - so thanks for the tip - will try that - Regards Peter (in wintry New Zealand)

hobsonlea

Many thanks for the tip - worked well - probably a can of coke went down the shifter all working perfectly now..

dkns1

hmm ..i...umm..damn...(loss of words)..well i have no idea....possibly one of four things or all four or a combination...well check the shifting **** see if it is sticky or not if not then check if u can shift the shifter all the way up(maybe something blocking the uppper most position so that it doesnt go into park, or thirdly has somthing to do with the pressing of the brakes?? (some sensor that allows you to shift it into gear when pressing the brake) or!!!! your transmission????

if it is the shifter possibly something sticky inside it, the button you press to switch gears pull it out and pull the shifter **** up gently or rock it(left to right) then start your car or put it in ign without turning the car on.. put it in neutral, then back into park without the shifting **** on(what it looks like without the **** is the end of a sewing needle but a bit larger) to shift.. pull up the sewing needle looking thing then shift to it to neutral then back to park if it does this without any comp[romise then something is stuck in your shifter and i recommend to clean it also while its off lubricate what is needed to be

this is just my experience so please do your work at your own risk and err hope fully that works
let me know if that works for you

ahh fyi to takeoff the shifting **** you have to PULL the button that u usually PRESS into the shifting **** outwards(towards the steering wheel)..use something to grip it and pull outwards while lifting the shifting **** upwards