Gear Grinding! Please Help!!

[Shaboink]

So I drive an 08 A4 2.0T and today while driving home I was at a red light, I go to leave and the car wouldn't go into first. I tried going from second to first but that didn't work, released and pressed the clutch back in and it sounded like it had grind (I didn't even push the shifter that hard). I had to shut the car off and turn it back on to finally get it in gear. It has done this a few times but never this bad and has never grind before. I've noticed it was hard to get into first or second sometimes but I figured it was because it was cold out or something. This is my first Audi so I'm a little worried, I bought it brand new and never expected to have too many problems (It's been to the dealership on warranty repairs three times already and it has less than 8000 miles). Any help would be greatly appreciated, I need to know what to tell my dealership this time.

[08audi]

sometimes my car is really hard to get into 1st gear if its real cold outside and i just started the car... no grinding ever though...hmm

[viperdsa]

If I remember right there was a thread about this a little while ago. Sometimes when you come to a stop the teeth of the gears line up so they don't mesh (or somehthing to that affect). The next time you come to a stop and it won't go in first, put it in second then back in first, it sould work then. That might have been why it ground a little too.

[Shaboink]

I had tried the second to first thing, so I'm a little lost as to what is going on with my car.

[artinmoTTion]

be very calm and respectful when you bring the car in for evaluation. If your syncro(s) are bad, there's a chance they will try to blame your driving, which may or may not be the case at all (regardless of how bad they were designed). Is the problem recurring? Maybe have a tech drive the car, or you drive with them in the car, and see what they think. Just be warned, it is pretty much considered a wear item. You can burn out a clutch on day one of ownership, and they won't cover that either. You may be able to convince them, if they don't agree to cover it, that you're not shifting roughly by putting the car into first. Good luck, and keep us informed, but don't wait too long to take it in, and ask for some regional rep time and/or take it to another dealer if you don't get the response you're looking for the first time.

[Shaboink]

Thanks for all the info. I'm going to wait a week to make sure it is a real problem, plus I will actually have time to take it to the dealership. It just seemed so odd to me that a car would grind with the clutch fully depressed. I'm hoping they're are understanding, they seem to be before but I have a feeling the service manager there is getting annoyed with me. I've already had a radio replaced, tpms sensor issues, as well as the most recent a low oil warning (I suspect the tech didn't put enough in, because there were no signs of leakage at all.) Hopefully it isn't the syncro's because I sure as hell can't afford to replace those.

[Glassnpowder98]

Definitely sounds like a synchro if it's grinding and the clutch is fully depressed. The same thing happened to me, although it was my third gear. Long story short, my dealership denied replacing it under warranty because I have an intake and diverter valve on my car. I am actually supposed to receive a call from a guy from Audi of America today or tomorrow with a verdict on if they are going to honor my warranty. My guess is that if you don't have any modifications done to your car, you really shouldn't have any problems getting them to replace your synchro under warranty. Especially since you only have 8k miles on the car. If they deny you warranty work, don't take no for an answer!

I don't recall ever hearing anyone having this problem with their first gear. I have only heard of people having a hard time getting the car to go into first. Usually just letting off the clutch and pushing it back in or going into second and then first will solve that problem... Have you ever tried to put the car into first when rolling over 10-15 mph?

[p1nk50ck]

all i could think about when i read the thread title was:

[scoobycarolan]

Nope. This is the same with my car and tons others. It's the slop and tight design of the synchos. Search the forums for "notchy" you'll get quite a lot of hits. What works for me is to put the car in 3rd. Push the shifter to the left (this is the slop). Now gently bring it down and around to first so that you're hugging the gate and your on the right hand side of first. I bought my car last january with 15 miles on it and this was happening that day. The dealer told me it was normal. I bought a JHM short shifter which reduced the amount of slop. Go to www.audishifter.com and watch the videos. Jay tears a six speed tranny down and explains it all.

[08audi]

kind of off topic but cant resting your hand on the shift knob continuously over time f*ck up your synchros?

[pOrKcHoP07]

^^ yea don't rest your hand on the shift knob after your in gear. The only time your hand should be on it is to shift.

[coolguy32]

i do notice 2nd is a little tough to get into when it's cold....after it warms up, it feels normal......

[Shaboink]

Definitely sounds like a synchro if it's grinding and the clutch is fully depressed. The same thing happened to me, although it was my third gear. Long story short, my dealership denied replacing it under warranty because I have an intake and diverter valve on my car. I am actually supposed to receive a call from a guy from Audi of America today or tomorrow with a verdict on if they are going to honor my warranty. My guess is that if you don't have any modifications done to your car, you really shouldn't have any problems getting them to replace your synchro under warranty. Especially since you only have 8k miles on the car. If they deny you warranty work, don't take no for an answer!

I don't recall ever hearing anyone having this problem with their first gear. I have only heard of people having a hard time getting the car to go into first. Usually just letting off the clutch and pushing it back in or going into second and then first will solve that problem... Have you ever tried to put the car into first when rolling over 10-15 mph?

I kinda assumed that it was gonna be the syncro's I just wanted to check, I haven't touched my car with the exception of tint (which the dealer did anyway) and a little vinyl here or there so I don't see anyway they could try and deny for mods. I wouldn't even expect them to because they are a stasis dealership and I know countless guys going in their chipped, where as long as it is in stock mode the techs don't care.

Hopefully for you it all works out and they do cover it.

I had tried all the standard responses to it not going because I had read the threads where a few guys were having problems before. Nothing solved it but fully shutting off and turning it back on. I've never pushed it into first while going that fast, the car gets babied and all the miles are highway.

[nuctech]

yeah the tranny is designed to not go onto first if you're going over a certain speed.....don't try to force it

[nick71692]

I have noticed, and I am looking to confirm this, My car will not go into first gear unless I am below 5mph. So when I am rolling in traffic say anything over 5mph i have to be in second, i can not get it to go into first. Is anyone experiencing this?

[a4 steve]

the a4 tranny isint that good lets face it my tranny is so fucked up when i put it in 4th or 6th there was nothing there. and on top of that my 3rd gear grinds so i whent to audi and i told them about the problem and those ******s at the stealership sed that audi dosent warranty the tranny i was like wtf so i spent almost 4k on a lighter flywheel a stage 2 cultch and a rebuild tranny

[p1nk50ck]

I have noticed, and I am looking to confirm this, My car will not go into first gear unless I am below 5mph. So when I am rolling in traffic say anything over 5mph i have to be in second, i can not get it to go into first. Is anyone experiencing this?

yeah, that's normal with most modern manual cars.

[Shaboink]

Ok so since the grinding incident it hasn't happened again. It doesn't get stuck, it's very weird but the transmission feels like it did on day one. Is there something I should be worried about. I have a feeling the issue is with the cold, it has been kinda cold around here lately especially late at night when I had the issue.

[Types Cnversion]

the a4 tranny isint that good lets face it my tranny is so fucked up when i put it in 4th or 6th there was nothing there. and on top of that my 3rd gear grinds so i whent to audi and i told them about the problem and those ******s at the stealership sed that audi dosent warranty the tranny i was like wtf so i spent almost 4k on a lighter flywheel a stage 2 cultch and a rebuild tranny

congradulations, thats what happens when you go audi. Im glad my experience was young and fast.