2013 S6 - Transmission Malfunction - Shift Into P

[gimpgutter]

Hey All,

I've been having an increasingly more common issue related to my transmission. I get a Transmission Malfunction error. The cluster warning indicates I should stop driving and shift into park or neutral. I then promptly pull over, but the car will NOT let me shift into park or even neutral. On two of the occasions, it shifted into neutral before I stopped driving and I had to use momentum to get into a paring spot. I then have to turn the car off, and I'm sometimes able to shift into park. However, most of the time, the car recognizes it as neutral still, despite the shifter being firmly forward. I usually have to wait a minute or two, cycle the car on and off a couple of times, then I'm able to shift into park. While this happens, the ACC Guard Unavailable error shows up. Again, cycling power off and on usually clears this.

Some additional info:

• This always seems to occur when I'm cruising along at about 70 mph. It's typically about 30 minutes or so into my drive. During this time, RPMs are normal and the car feels absolutely fine.
• It's now happened about 4 or 5 times. Each time, is roughly the same conditions just cruising along barely on the throttle.
• It does not seem dependent on the ambient temperature.
• I have noticed no other issues with my transmission. It shifts fine the rest of the time. On plenty of local trips, I have zero issues.
• My car does have an EPL transmission tune that's been on there for probably 4 years.
• I had my clutch replaced about 4 years ago due to slipping. I have had no slipping issues since then.
• Quite frankly, I've been babying the car the past few months. I hardly drive it and when I do, I'm becoming an old man.
• The strangest part is that this error will occur, I'll go through the process outlined above, then the rest of my drive is trouble free.

Anyone ever experienced anything similar? I searched the forum and most people tend to get the transmission malfunction where they are allowed to continue driving. I wish I had a photo of this error, but I was a bit panicked every time as traffic whizzes 2 feet by me at 70 mph.

I figured possible issues:

1. Mechatronic unit - seems to cause a lot of issues like this
2. Temperature, but seems unlikely given the low ambient temp and the fact it doesn't happen again for the rest of a 1.5 hour trip.

[TexasDfwS4]

I recall someone having this issue and it was a meltdown in the transmission circuits. Hope this in not your problem. They were able to get a different transmission and pull the parts needed to repair, but had to get it programmed at Audi.

[rovision]

Before getting any opinions, always helpful to post a scan of the error codes in your system Get access to a VAG scanner, such as OBD11 or VCDS, and scan using your OBD port. Post the results here.
Once you know what error codes you have, it could be a simple "adaptation" that you can perform to reset your transmission to original values, or more complex.

[gimpgutter]

Before getting any opinions, always helpful to post a scan of the error codes in your system Get access to a VAG scanner, such as OBD11 or VCDS, and scan using your OBD port. Post the results here.
Once you know what error codes you have, it could be a simple "adaptation" that you can perform to reset your transmission to original values, or more complex.

I completely meant to mention this. The previous time this occurred, I ran a full VCDS scan with my Ross-Tech cable and there was only one error related to the shifter not being in the correct position. There was nothing logged for the transmission malfunction. I'll try to do another scan this week to confirm.

[hahnmgh63]

Being there is no associated code, just the shifter code, and it won't shift into Park at times, maybe it is the shift assembly. They do wear out, replaced the one on my RS5, no faults, just no felt detents anymore. Low mile used ones are common on Ebay for cheap. The transmission needs to be tilted down a little to get the shifter assembly out, plus it makes it easier to disconnect the cable shifter from the assemby to the transmission.

[fastboatster]

scan the codes, it can be your gear selector position sensor inside the dsg's "manual transmission" and center/front diff chamber. here's an idea where it's located:
https://workshop-manuals.com/audi/a5...2/_g632/_g676/

[Edshen]

I had a similar issue, but I didn’t get the transmission malfunction error on the dash. My car would shift into neutral by itself while driving like yours. But the shifter itself would still be in drive. It also wouldn’t be able to find park or drive. It would only find reverse and neutral. Park would show reverse but it was physically in park, drive just stayed in neutral. Shop said the gear position sensor went. Which happens to be dead centre of the transmission, complete R&R and stripping the tranny down. I was unlucky, when they stripped it down to replace the sensor, they found that my front diff pin was loose, which sent metal shavings around, which was what caused the sensor to fail. Hope for the best, which is just the shifter assembly. A shop should be able to determine if the sensor is bad. I had the dealer do diag and they were able to see the sensor reading out of spec. I ended up finding a used tranny to swap in.

IMG_5143.jpgIMG_5144.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Audizine

[hahnmgh63]

There are gear selection sensors for gears 2-R, 1-3, 7-5, and 4-6. They mount on the side of the Mechatronic unit. If the gear selection sensors (also known as gear distance sensors) determine a different position (by shift rail distance) then they should activate limp mode which should give you one gear to drive home in. That is why I was thinking it was something different. Normally a gear selector mechanism is supposed to be adapted to the transmission so when it is shifted the gear selection sensors are taught the position of each shift rail for future verification, kind of setting a learning base line. Audi has a couple of TSB's out but they both deal with the “Gearbox malfunction: you can continue driving” dash fault and some various faults that should be available with a good code reader like Vagcom, ODIS, etc... "Shifter not being in the correct position" may be the transmisison error clue you need. As a minimum you should probably have a full service and "Both" filters changed on the transmission (Audi normally only changes one filter)", and a full adaption run. VCDS (Vagcom) can do the adaption, and of course ODIS can at the dealer, maybe others can pipe in as to whether some of the other scan tools can do it. Part of the full adaption process includes taking the car on a drive and it helps to run it through all of the gears in both D mode and S mode. Good chance if you take it to the dealer their initial answer will be that you need a full Mechatronic or a new transmission, that seems to be their usual answer. I would say it is probably not related to your TCU tune, and probably not related to your clutch replaement since it's been a few years but an adaption should have been run after the clutch replacement. Being electronic, it doesn't take much for the sensors to get slightly out of alignment due to age, but electronics do fail with age & heat too.

[gimpgutter]

There are gear selection sensors for gears 2-R, 1-3, 7-5, and 4-6. They mount on the side of the Mechatronic unit. If the gear selection sensors (also known as gear distance sensors) determine a different position (by shift rail distance) then they should activate limp mode which should give you one gear to drive home in. That is why I was thinking it was something different. Normally a gear selector mechanism is supposed to be adapted to the transmission so when it is shifted the gear selection sensors are taught the position of each shift rail for future verification, kind of setting a learning base line. Audi has a couple of TSB's out but they both deal with the “Gearbox malfunction: you can continue driving” dash fault and some various faults that should be available with a good code reader like Vagcom, ODIS, etc... "Shifter not being in the correct position" may be the transmisison error clue you need. As a minimum you should probably have a full service and "Both" filters changed on the transmission (Audi normally only changes one filter)", and a full adaption run. VCDS (Vagcom) can do the adaption, and of course ODIS can at the dealer, maybe others can pipe in as to whether some of the other scan tools can do it. Part of the full adaption process includes taking the car on a drive and it helps to run it through all of the gears in both D mode and S mode. Good chance if you take it to the dealer their initial answer will be that you need a full Mechatronic or a new transmission, that seems to be their usual answer. I would say it is probably not related to your TCU tune, and probably not related to your clutch replaement since it's been a few years but an adaption should have been run after the clutch replacement. Being electronic, it doesn't take much for the sensors to get slightly out of alignment due to age, but electronics do fail with age & heat too.

Thanks for the detailed response. I've been traveling and haven't been able to pull codes outside of a DS1 ECU scan. It mentioned a GbxGearLvr and FTDLamin with no further details.

I do find it odd that the malfunction occurs when I'm driving in 7th at a constant speed, but affects park and neutral.

If I have time, maybe I can do the TCU calibration process through VAGCOM and it can resolve the issue. I do have a guy that can potentially replace the mechatronic sensors cheap if it's related to that.

[hahnmgh63]

You didn't mention how many miles on it overall? Pulling the Mechatronics isn't difficult, but you have to be careful putting it back in as the shift forks have a hook that go over these little plastic pieces for the distance sensors. You just have to make sure they all get hooked in place. Not sure on the S6 but probably the same as the S4/S5's in that 2013's had a version 1.5 Mechatronics electric board and sometime early in 2014 Audi came out with the Version 2.0. Audi sells a repair kit for just the electronic portion and it's around $500 from many of the discounted dealers.
https://www.buyaudivwparts.com/oem-p...kit-0b5398009f
But don't go and purchase a repair kit until you see what your codes are and/or doing a full Adaption.
http://wiki.ross-tech.com/wiki/index...rbox_(DSG/0B5)

[MYEVLTWN]

Hey I was going through this last fall on my 13' Glacier White S6 just as I was about to sell it as I purchased the 18 Merlin S6. . I had the same symptoms; I'd be just driving along and BOOM "transmission malfunction please put it park". Just had to have this repair done on my car, it was the drive position sensor inside the transmission, I tried the mech unit first as it was leaking at the connector, didn't fix it. Runs and shifts like new now!!! Hope this helps.

[gimpgutter]

Hey I was going through this last fall on my 13' Glacier White S6 just as I was about to sell it as I purchased the 18 Merlin S6. . I had the same symptoms; I'd be just driving along and BOOM "transmission malfunction please put it park". Just had to have this repair done on my car, it was the drive position sensor inside the transmission, I tried the mech unit first as it was leaking at the connector, didn't fix it. Runs and shifts like new now!!! Hope this helps.

Sounds exactly like my issue... How much to fix it all? I'm debating between repairing this car with 116K miles, or selling it and going electric.

[Botbasher]

Sounds exactly like my issue... How much to fix it all? I'm debating between repairing this car with 116K miles, or selling it and going electric.

Just don't let the test drive go for more than 30 minutes!!!

Cheers,

KS

[hahnmgh63]

Drive position Sensor G676 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVKxIfHB530
Looks like there were a couple previous generations https://www.buyaudivwparts.com/oem-p...sor-0b5927321l
Could very well be the Drive position sensor. Similar to what I was saying about the shift column, DPS converts the selection from the Shift Column>shift Cable>seletor lever and compares that to the gear that is actually selected or selecting.
Any further scan yet? Let us know if P179E00 comes up, that is for the Drive Position Sensor.

[gimpgutter]

I did a full scan today and it did not see any errors related to the transmission. I think I inadvertently cleared the previously stored codes using my DS1 web app, so we'll stand by until the transmission issue happens again.

The other codes were what I always get:

• O2 Sensor Issue
• Motor-Mount Communication Failure
• Generic Electronic Issue

However, I was able to find the scan from the first time this issue happened:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/15CZ...usp=share_link

Key issues here:
4 Faults Found:
8172 - Selector Lever
P0919 00 [032] - Malfunction
Intermittent - Not Confirmed - Tested Since Memory Clear
Freeze Frame:
Fault Status: 00000001
Fault Priority: 2
Fault Frequency: 1
Mileage: 181442 km
Date: 2022.07.02
Time: 16:10:24

Engine RPM: 790.50 /min
Normed load value: 6.3 %
Vehicle speed: 18 km/h
Coolant temperature: 99 °C
Intake air temperature: 51 °C
Ambient air pressure: 1000 mbar
Voltage terminal 30: 13.829 V
Unlearning counter according OBD: 40
Engine status: COENG_RUNNING
Engine status-Test_Program_Co Eng st COMPU VERB UBYTE: 3

9032 - Camshaft Positioner (Bank 2 Exhaust)
P000D 00 [096] - Slow Response
Intermittent - Not Confirmed - Tested Since Memory Clear

7636 - Post-Catalyst Oxygen (Lambda) Sensor Correction; Bank 1
P2096 00 [096] - Too Lean
Intermittent - Not Confirmed - Tested Since Memory Clear
Freeze Frame:
Fault Status: 00000001
Fault Priority: 2
Fault Frequency: 2
Mileage: 180081 km
Date: 2022.05.14
Time: 11:06:27

Engine RPM: 2159.50 /min
Normed load value: 11.4 %
Vehicle speed: 126 km/h
Coolant temperature: 98 °C
Intake air temperature: 39 °C
Ambient air pressure: 1000 mbar
Voltage terminal 30: 12.557 V
Unlearning counter according OBD: 24
Engine status: COENG_RUNNING
Engine status-Test_Program_Co Eng st COMPU VERB UBYTE: 3

10435 - Catalyst System; Bank 2
P0430 00 [096] - Efficiency Below Threshold
Intermittent - Not Confirmed - Tested Since Memory Clear

[qcrazy]

I see you have downpipes. Are your front O2s installed on the correct banks? Easy to screw up, especially with APR's. Doesn't help your trans, but may fix some of your other codes.

Also, get that EPL TCU tune out of there. It is not good. Coming from a guy that used to have that tune.

[MYEVLTWN]

Think I got a deal, but all in with a new mech unit it was $6,797.

[gimpgutter]

I see you have downpipes. Are your front O2s installed on the correct banks? Easy to screw up, especially with APR's. Doesn't help your trans, but may fix some of your other codes.

Also, get that EPL TCU tune out of there. It is not good. Coming from a guy that used to have that tune.

The O2 codes are intermittent. I think they are, because I had my tech redo them. They might just be bad considering the age and mileage of the car.

I tried to remove the TCU tune last weekend but EPL is out of business and their servers are offline. I also don't have any backups on my laptop (formatted). I think I'm stuck paying for another aftermarket TCU tune to replace it unless my mechanic can flash to stock.

Today, I had a very scary incident. My transmission died in the middle of an intersection at 5am. My car straddled the north and southbound lanes of the highway. I had to push it out of the highway under my own power between light changes and a random good Samaritan helped me out. I'm thinking about getting it towed to my mechanic, but I'm not sure what they'll charge to diagnose it. I'm probably going to sell it cheap and buy something new next week.

[ichi d]

I see you have downpipes. Are your front O2s installed on the correct banks? Easy to screw up, especially with APR's. Doesn't help your trans, but may fix some of your other codes.

Also, get that EPL TCU tune out of there. It is not good. Coming from a guy that used to have that tune.

So a bad 02 sensor can make the tranny act up?

[qcrazy]

With emphasis this time...

I see you have downpipes. Are your front O2s installed on the correct banks? Easy to screw up, especially with APR's. Doesn't help your trans, but may fix some of your other codes.

Also, get that EPL TCU tune out of there. It is not good. Coming from a guy that used to have that tune.

[gimpgutter]

Well, I figured I'd provide an update. It was indeed the gear position sensor. I just had a very costly repair, so the transmission is back in tip-top shape after a full teardown, new harness, new sensors, new seals, etc. and a DSG flush. At least I'm now confident enough mechanically to sell the car. I would never want to hide that kind of issue from the next owner.

In the meantime, I bought a 2023 etron GT, which should hopefully be headache-free. The S6 is going up for sale this week!

[russjameson]

Well, I figured I'd provide an update. It was indeed the gear position sensor. I just had a very costly repair, so the transmission is back in tip-top shape after a full teardown, new harness, new sensors, new seals, etc. and a DSG flush. At least I'm now confident enough mechanically to sell the car. I would never want to hide that kind of issue from the next owner.

In the meantime, I bought a 2023 etron GT, which should hopefully be headache-free. The S6 is going up for sale this week!

I can't figure out how to send you a private message. Oh well. What happened to your S6 at first? Were you driving then all of the sudden it wouldn't go into drive or reverse? Just constant Neutral unless in Park?

Feel free to message me back so I can pick your brain.
[email protected] is my email if that's easier.

Russell