2013 A7 Transmission Jerky

[cjpatel]

Hey all, I bought a 2013 A7 a year ago and currently it has 48,000 or so miles on it. Ever since day one the transmission has been a little jerky symptoms including: rough and abrupt down shifts while coming to a stop (which cause the car to jolt forward), rough up shifts at low speeds which cause the car to sort of rock back and forth, and otherwise unpredictable shifts.

I've taken the car to the dealership, and reported the issue three times: First time, they fixed some vacuum seal that controls the transmission, and right away I had a check engine light. I take it back for a second time, and it turns out the transmission needed the software update. Third time I take it back with the same symptoms, and they claim they repeated the problem, but all they can do is reset the transmission, claiming that the transmission is learning to drive aggressively.

However, the problem still persists. Now the question is should I be worried, maybe I should try another dealer? Anyone experienced this before, I'm afraid after 2,000 miles the warranty will expire and the transmission will need replaced, then they will claim something else was the issue. Or is this all a normal way for the transmission to act, and it's reliable enough to last a while?

FYI: this is my first car with a true standard automatic, my previous 5-6 cars were manual, F1 trans, or sport BMW trans (which had no issues what-so-ever).

[slocody]

Sounds a lot like what happened to me...bought the car used in Feb and was suprised by the way the transmission stuttered and jerked at rimes. After several trips to dealer for software updates and such they finally got on the phone with someone farther up the food chain and were told to replace the mechatronic unit on the transmission. It smoothed out most (but not all) of the strange surges and jerks. It took forever since they had to order the part from the motherland, but they gave me a loaner for the ~2 weeks they had my car. It's much better, but I still feel like the tranny is noticably busy even in day to day driving. Good luck.

Btw this was on a 2013 a6 3.0 with about 40k miles.

[SharkNardo]

Do you have the car set to Dynamic Mode in the MMI or the trans in S mode? I had the car in Dynamic and experienced the same characteristics. Remember the ZF is an 8-speed tranny, so it will shift quite a bit. The trans and diff also have OEM mounts that seek to create driveline isolation from the body to improve NVH. However, in Dynamic mode, or in S, or when paddle-shifting, these mounts seem to allow so much flex that they can cause the jerkiness and harshness you're experiencing. For me the solution was trans and diff mounts available from Eurocode or 034Motorsports (no affiliation to either). These are aluminum mounts that fill the voids between the mounts and rubber bushings. As a result they stiffen up the driveline and allow smoother, less jerky shifts and help put the power down more efficiently. They didn't seem to increase NVH in my experience. I'm very pleased with the result. Just a thought...

[cooncified]

Is this happening when the car is cold? Or even under normal operating temps?

[cjpatel]

Sounds a lot like what happened to me...bought the car used in Feb and was suprised by the way the transmission stuttered and jerked at rimes. After several trips to dealer for software updates and such they finally got on the phone with someone farther up the food chain and were told to replace the mechatronic unit on the transmission. It smoothed out most (but not all) of the strange surges and jerks. It took forever since they had to order the part from the motherland, but they gave me a loaner for the ~2 weeks they had my car. It's much better, but I still feel like the tranny is noticably busy even in day to day driving. Good luck.

Btw this was on a 2013 a6 3.0 with about 40k miles.

Thanks for the note. The dealer did mentioned this could be the next step, but they haven't replaced it yet. Should I demand this be replaced? I don't mind the jerkiness once in a while, but not every other day.

Do you have the car set to Dynamic Mode in the MMI or the trans in S mode? I had the car in Dynamic and experienced the same characteristics. Remember the ZF is an 8-speed tranny, so it will shift quite a bit. The trans and diff also have OEM mounts that seek to create driveline isolation from the body to improve NVH. However, in Dynamic mode, or in S, or when paddle-shifting, these mounts seem to allow so much flex that they can cause the jerkiness and harshness you're experiencing. For me the solution was trans and diff mounts available from Eurocode or 034Motorsports (no affiliation to either). These are aluminum mounts that fill the voids between the mounts and rubber bushings. As a result they stiffen up the driveline and allow smoother, less jerky shifts and help put the power down more efficiently. They didn't seem to increase NVH in my experience. I'm very pleased with the result. Just a thought...

I will try putting the car in AUTO mode and see if that helps. Regardless, even in Dyanmic will these jerky shifts cause any harm to the trans?

Is this happening when the car is cold? Or even under normal operating temps?

In all temps, cold, warm, 100 miles in, 1 mile in. etc.

[slocody]

Should I demand this be replaced?

I would probably be paranoid about my warranty expiring before it dies, too. I got an extended warranty on mine. Could this be an option for you?

For me the solution was trans and diff mounts available from Eurocode or 034Motorsports

I will also mention that I tried the 034 trans mount last night, and while it smoothed out the much of the shifting, it actually amplified the bad shifts and made them even more obnixious. BUT it was a super easy, reversible install so it could still be worth a shot.

Good luck!

[cjpatel]

So as a quick update, I complained to Audi and they had someone from Audi NA drive the car. They could mot replicate the problem, but it clearly happens more and more often now.

They told me that since I have been reporting it for a few months now, they won't leave me high and dry the second I hit 50,000. I said OKKKK. Lets see what happens.


I did have the option of buying a warranty but didn't make sense dollars wise.

[LW3]

They told me that since I have been reporting it for a few months now, they won't leave me high and dry the second I hit 50,000. I said OKKKK. Lets see what happens.

Get it in writing...lol(?).

My first thought (as mentioned above) was which drive mode are you in? I DD a SQ5 with the 3.0 and 8 Speed ZF and dynamic mode with or without sport mode can be a little jerky on low gear shifts, particularly when going down hills and/or if cold. I usually start out in comfort, let the engine get to normal operating temps and then switch to D/S from then on out. Even after this, I experience occasional jerky shifts at low speeds but otherwise it seems ok. I have written it off that the transmission is programmed with "aggressive" shifts in dynamic for affect and to improve gear change timing.

[agent47]

My transmission is a little rough esp in the morning or at a cold start since the oil is cold and the tcu increases the pressure to bring the oil to operating temps swiftly. Also, since I drive pretty aggressive, the transmission is more or less in S and it behaves like that in D also since the ecu/tcu are adapted to my driving style. If I drive like a grandma for a while, it will smoothen out again. The shop foreman demonstrated it to me realtime. However there is a difference between slightly jerky (as in due to aggressive driving) and harsh-harsh (which is when you need to get tough with AoA).

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[cjpatel]

Get it in writing...lol(?).

My first thought (as mentioned above) was which drive mode are you in? I DD a SQ5 with the 3.0 and 8 Speed ZF and dynamic mode with or without sport mode can be a little jerky on low gear shifts, particularly when going down hills and/or if cold. I usually start out in comfort, let the engine get to normal operating temps and then switch to D/S from then on out. Even after this, I experience occasional jerky shifts at low speeds but otherwise it seems ok. I have written it off that the transmission is programmed with "aggressive" shifts in dynamic for affect and to improve gear change timing.

My transmission is a little rough esp in the morning or at a cold start since the oil is cold and the tcu increases the pressure to bring the oil to operating temps swiftly. Also, since I drive pretty aggressive, the transmission is more or less in S and it behaves like that in D also since the ecu/tcu are adapted to my driving style. If I drive like a grandma for a while, it will smoothen out again. The shop foreman demonstrated it to me realtime. However there is a difference between slightly jerky (as in due to aggressive driving) and harsh-harsh (which is when you need to get tough with AoA).

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I think it mainly happens to me from 2nd to 1st at low speeds, particularly when coasting. Sounds like this is a common problem/occurance, and nothing to be too worried about.

[2wookies]

Get the 034 transmission bushing, made a huge difference

[nassim]

I had the same thing happen to my one week old Q7 ,had all the bs they did to your car done to mine still had the same issue they also called 2 engineers from Audi of America and was told they could not duplicate the fault I refused to hear that . I ended up swapping to an A7 now no more jerking it's smooth as silk . To answer your question that jerking is not normal.


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[Patrick95]

Did you fix that problem yet?
I own a 2012 A7 and have the same problem since the first day of my ownership. I can feel the transmission jerks from first gear to second gear even in confort mode.
I have taken my car to my local dealership several times, and they always told me that they can't find any error code from the computer. That's so annoying.

[rexus300]

Did you fix that problem yet?
I own a 2012 A7 and have the same problem since the first day of my ownership. I can feel the transmission jerks from first gear to second gear even in confort mode.
I have taken my car to my local dealership several times, and they always told me that they can't find any error code from the computer. That's so annoying.

DO a search and you will see that I had this problem creap on on me this summer on my 2016 Audi A7 3.0T presige. I got jerkiness and lag and lurching feeling and the dealer just replaced my mechatronic unit and transmission at 44k miles under warranty. You need to take the car in to dealer and take them for test drive in normal mode, dynamic and show them. Have them do a clutch adaptation first to see. If that doesn't work tell them to send data to Audi and I guarantee that will prove to Audi you need a new Mechatronic unit or even a transmission. Good luck. My car is shifting much smoother now.

[rexus300]

Did you fix that problem yet?
I own a 2012 A7 and have the same problem since the first day of my ownership. I can feel the transmission jerks from first gear to second gear even in confort mode.
I have taken my car to my local dealership several times, and they always told me that they can't find any error code from the computer. That's so annoying.

You wont get an error code, Your dealerhship MUST send your car ECU data to Audi to have them analyze it and they will get back to your dealership to advise them the next step. If your dealership is clueless and not doing this then I recommend you go elsewhere. My dealership did this in 1 day and ordered Mechatronic unit and brand new transmission from Germany and that took 2-3 weeks to come in.

[Patrick95]

Thank you so much for your reply rexus! Merry Xmas! I have took my car to the dealer several times when it was under the warranty, however my car's warranty expired now.
Is it possible let them replace it by warranty?

[rexus300]

Thank you so much for your reply rexus! Merry Xmas! I have took my car to the dealer several times when it was under the warranty, however my car's warranty expired now.
Is it possible let them replace it by warranty?

Yes they should definitely do a goodwill since you brought up this initially before your warranty expired and they didnt find the root cause. You have a good case to have them cover it under warranty. How many miles pass your warranty do you have?

[Imperium]

I have felt similar rough shifting in my 2012 A6 3.0T prestige 90K kilometers though not quite as bad as OP is experiencing. On multiple occasions I have noticed a rough shift from 1st to 2nd sometimes only if by chance I happen to let off the gas for some reason while its shifting. Have noted a few times usually in the morning when the car is cold (cannot remember if also happens when car is warm) and only if coasting while 1st to 2nd shift happens.. have not noticed in other gears or when downshifting.

I just chalked it up to the transmission fluid not reaching normal operating temp and revs mismatching as the shift happens. Anyone else experience this?

[Patrick95]

Yes they should definitely do a goodwill since you brought up this initially before your warranty expired and they didnt find the root cause. You have a good case to have them cover it under warranty. How many miles pass your warranty do you have?

15k I think. My warranty ends at 50k. I got 65k miles on the dashboard.


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[pdevonschall]

I recently traded a 2013 BMW X1 with the same ZF 8 speed transmission. Around 90k miles, I was getting really violent hard shifting. BMW sucked and suggested a fluid and filter change @ $1400. I ended up selling the car to get my 2018 A6. I hope this transmission doesn't have a similar fate. I imagine, a new mechatronic unit would have fixed my problem. My issue was when cold and got progressively worse. I changed fluid and the pan (integrated filter) right before I sold it. That issue combined with a plastic timing chain guide in the BMW is the main reason I dumped it. I took a big financial hit though. So, I am pretty much done with BMW now.

[kevinye77137]

This happens to me too... Can feel it when I brake and come to a stop. It seems like the computer is adjusting to my driving style causing it to feel the jerkiness when downshifting

[Scotta7]

This happens to me too... Can feel it when I brake and come to a stop. It seems like the computer is adjusting to my driving style causing it to feel the jerkiness when downshifting

I am also having this same issue. Started a few weeks ago. The car has 89k miles on it. I am scheduled to have the transmission fluid and filter changed in a few weeks. I hope this helps. Anyone found fix or solution.


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[Fast001]

2014 TDI. Have the same issue 1st to 2nd or 2nd to 1st. Seems to be worse with hot weather. All started after the diesel “fix” at 92km. Dealer found no codes, but tried adaptation- 0 results. Opened the case with Audi Canada....