Audi Forum - View Single Post - CVT

TrevorW · 10-14-2008, 02:47 AM

I have a 2003 A4 1.8T Convertible with 36,000 miles...

I had NO SYMPTOMS... nothing... the car has been maintained and treated immepecably.

Suddenly, the car started to shudder from a stop on a Monday. I called the dealer and they asked me if it was fine shifting manually. I tested it and ... yep... no shudder if I shifted manually. I setup an appointment for Friday (the earliest they could get me in).

The next day (Tuesday) , I am shifting manually and *** poof *** the transmission goes into neutral and I have to coast to a stop on the side of the road. Every light for every gear is lighted up and the car refuses to go into any gear including reverse.

NOTE: It died at exactly 35,999 miles.

I tow the car to the dealer and - fortunately - I had purchased a 5 yr, 90,000 mile extended warranty (the car is a 2003 with low miles).

The dealer tells me the transmission is no good, it needs to be replaced. The warranty company tells me that they won;t cover the repair until the dealer performs diagnostics on the transmission. The dealer refused further diagnostics.

So.... I tow it to AAMCO who the warrantly company said would perform the diagnostics. AAMCO says the transmission is bad (they thought it might be oil and it is not). However, the warranty company wanted AAMCO to disassemble the transmission and discover which part is bad. AAMCO (knowing that CVT transmissions are PROBLEMS) knew to look for parts first.

They had a warranty rep come out and they showed that there are no CVT parts availabale... ANYWHERE!!!

The warranty company agreed to pay for a rebuilt transmission and I was told it would take 5 days to get and another day to install.

After a week, I get a call... there are no rebuilt transmissions available!! The place who "claimed" to have one was still rebuilding it and they are waiting for a part from Germany to complete the rebuild.

I am told it will be another week.

The price for the rebuilt tranny (no labor)... $5,800.00

I have now researched and the person from the "dealership" who claims problems are rare is just flat full of it, or his dealership is somehow just blessed.

1. There are no parts available - they are breaking faster than they are making parts.
2. Rebuilt tranny's are hard to find - they are breaking as fast as they rebuild them.
3. Most transmission shops and dealers refuse to work with them (other than flat replacement) and - apparently - the mechanics and shops need special training and equipment.

In summary,

The CVT transmission gave me zero warning. It went out at 35,999 miles. There are no parts or easy to find replacements because the demand is so high. I have found several other forums where there are many, many similar claims.

Beware of the CVT and get a good extended warranty from a reputable company!

10-14-2008, 02:47 AM	#10 (permalink)
TrevorW Newbie Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 1 Gallery: (0)	CVT Should be Recalled I have a 2003 A4 1.8T Convertible with 36,000 miles... I had NO SYMPTOMS... nothing... the car has been maintained and treated immepecably. Suddenly, the car started to shudder from a stop on a Monday. I called the dealer and they asked me if it was fine shifting manually. I tested it and ... yep... no shudder if I shifted manually. I setup an appointment for Friday (the earliest they could get me in). The next day (Tuesday) , I am shifting manually and * poof * the transmission goes into neutral and I have to coast to a stop on the side of the road. Every light for every gear is lighted up and the car refuses to go into any gear including reverse. NOTE: It died at exactly 35,999 miles. I tow the car to the dealer and - fortunately - I had purchased a 5 yr, 90,000 mile extended warranty (the car is a 2003 with low miles). The dealer tells me the transmission is no good, it needs to be replaced. The warranty company tells me that they won;t cover the repair until the dealer performs diagnostics on the transmission. The dealer refused further diagnostics. So.... I tow it to AAMCO who the warrantly company said would perform the diagnostics. AAMCO says the transmission is bad (they thought it might be oil and it is not). However, the warranty company wanted AAMCO to disassemble the transmission and discover which part is bad. AAMCO (knowing that CVT transmissions are PROBLEMS) knew to look for parts first. They had a warranty rep come out and they showed that there are no CVT parts availabale... ANYWHERE!!! The warranty company agreed to pay for a rebuilt transmission and I was told it would take 5 days to get and another day to install. After a week, I get a call... there are no rebuilt transmissions available!! The place who "claimed" to have one was still rebuilding it and they are waiting for a part from Germany to complete the rebuild. I am told it will be another week. The price for the rebuilt tranny (no labor)... $5,800.00 I have now researched and the person from the "dealership" who claims problems are rare is just flat full of it, or his dealership is somehow just blessed. 1. There are no parts available - they are breaking faster than they are making parts. 2. Rebuilt tranny's are hard to find - they are breaking as fast as they rebuild them. 3. Most transmission shops and dealers refuse to work with them (other than flat replacement) and - apparently - the mechanics and shops need special training and equipment. In summary, The CVT transmission gave me zero warning. It went out at 35,999 miles. There are no parts or easy to find replacements because the demand is so high. I have found several other forums where there are many, many similar claims. Beware of the CVT and get a good extended warranty from a reputable company!