hojimoe

my guess is a site called alldatadiy.com you have to pay for the manual, updated regularly.... or he is a mechanic and has a membership

jimking

Hello all - I have a 2006 A4 with what sounds like the exact same problem. Has anyone had this problem diagnosed and fixed? Thanks everyone.

multiphrenic

Have you run a scan for codes?

jimking

No I have not. Pardon my ignorance but how does one "scan for codes"?

multiphrenic

You will need a vagcom cable. They are fairly expensive, but you can usually ask around the regional forums and someone might let you borrow it for a beer or some gas.

It plugs underneath the dashboard and, using a laptop and the ross-tech software, you can ready any fault codes with your car. They'll usually help isolate a problem.

buckshot

I brought my car in for an oil change and left it with the mechanic for a few days so that he could drive it cold to experience what I was. He does not think it has to do with the engine but rather it might be a transmission issue. The car still pulses if you let the engine warm up completely (but don't drive it at all) and then drive away ... as though the transmission needs to 'warm up' to rid the problem. He said they could change the transmission fluid but at a cost of about $900 he did not want to do that without feeling more confident that would solve my problem.

LR Audi

No, if you had an issue with spark plugs it would happen more and more frequently as you put more mileage on the engine and it would make very little difference whether your engine is hot or cold, as the spark is what is required to ignite the fuel/air mixture. Although the engine and surrounding intake air may be cold, you would experience a misfire that would eventually lead to a Check Engine Light or Malfunction Indicator Light.

Not to sound like an **** but I think you should keep paying your mechanic only to do your oil change, and that's only if you decide not to do oil changes on your own. On the older ZF 5HP19FLA/5HP25FLA transmissions it would take a slight warm up time before it kicks into 2nd Gear. The newer ZF 6HP transmissions don't have those issues. Also, if you had a transmission issue it would almost certainly show up on your CEL/MIL. ZF states their transmission fluid is good for 80,000km while Audi claims that their fluid is "lifetime". It's your call but I'd say do a full diagnostic and scan the car before you spend $900. And even then, it shouldn't cost that much to service an Audi transmission. I've seen shops that do it for $200 with all original Audi parts/fluid.

buckshot

Just to clarify ... my mechanic wasn't "pushing" me to change the transmission fluid ... in fact he told me that he would rather "not" do that before looking into the issue more. I think he told me the transmission fluid alone was just about $80 / litre.

With regard to maybe not letting this mechanic work on my A4 ... the problem I have is that this shop (Autotech in Ruthven, ON) has done my repair work for years (previous VW's) without a single problem (ie. never completed any unnecessary repairs, free diagnostics and resets, etc.) and are fully trustworthy ... on that end. But I do wonder a wee bit if they have ever worked on the quattro transmission ... I will ask them.

Thanks for the info!

Cheers

LR Audi

No problem, just don't want to see another member get ripped off by shady technicians. There are plenty of them everywhere, seems like anyone now a days can call themselves a mechanic.

Anyone, based on how you describe your condition and given the performance history of the ZF 6HP transmissions I highly doubt it has anything to do with your gearbox. My A6 has the older ZF 5HP19FLA and it doesn't drive anything like how you describe, and I drive my car hard. I would recommend doing a fuel system pressure test since your car has direct injection and if you haven't done so then pick up a Vag-Com or get it scanned by someone who has a Vag-Com.

buckshot

Thanks ... I think i will have to invest in that as my check engine light comes on weekly, then goes away after a few days ... other than the pulsing the car seems to run great ... it is certainly alot of fun.

I think I was in the minority the other day at work when I was all smiles when we FINALLY got our first snow of the season!