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1st gear difficulties

31K views 8 replies 7 participants last post by  AdamWilson 
#1 ·
Has anyone else experienced difficulty engaging 1st gear? 2008 S4 Avant w/19K miles has recurrent issue when I attempt to move into first gear when stopped. Feels "blocked out" and either a HARD" push or moving into 5th-6th then !st. Seems subnormal. Dealer agrees but won't attempt any improvement without blessing from once-a-month roving Audi "Tech." Any advice/support/similar experience stories will help me build my case. TIA, Ken
 
#2 ·
I have replaced clutch kits for this complaint and found the centre plate lining cracked and breaking away from the plate also i replaced a few S4 clutches around the 15,000 mile mark for total lining failure but as you will already know this box is a bit clunky anyway.Rs4 suffers a similar complaint and it can sometimes be the flex hose from the master cylinder collapsing causing reduced pressure so it could be this also but i would suspect the clutch may suffer consequential damage from the reduced pressure and operator forcing the clutch.So i would replace the pipe and the clutch providing 1st gear synchro is in good order but this could be confirmed by draining the oil and inspecting for particles especially bronze in colour.When i received this complaint on low mileage s4/rs4 a little pre ageing of the gears resolved the 1st feel
 
#5 ·
Finally got the courage to risk having dealer pull trans to inspect. They agree that pressure plate is/was at wrong setting somehow, but not sure if AUDI will warranty since surfaces are glazed. Duh. Seems to me that it would be the result of the plate being off therfore not my fault...? Anybody agree?
 
#6 ·
Final outcome...

It turns out the "self-adjusting" pressure plate never was correct and the clutch wasn't fully disengaging. Explains the shifting difficulties and the over-sensative launch engagement. Corrected by AUDI under warranty and the S4 is now a pleasure to drive. Too bad I wasted 20,000 miles before pushing the issue hard enough to get it resolved.
 
#7 ·
2007 S4 Shifting Problem

I purchase a Audi Certified Pre Owned Audi from International Audi in Brown Deer, Wisconsin. The car had 11,000 miles on it when I bought it. I drove almost 100 miles from Chicago to buy the car.

Having read about the shifting problems here I was especially aware of potential issues.

When I took my car to Continental Audi in Naperville, Il. I mentioned the shift issue. The mechanic test drove the car and verified the issue.

When he called "Audi Technician Support" he was told to do an investigation (remove the transmission and take it apart to see what's wrong). And if he determined that it was abuse then I would need to pay for the transmission repair.

Basically the Audi mechanic is told that if the clutch is worn then it is a case of abuse and not a covered repair.

When the mechanic removed the transmission the clutch was perfect (their words). They found that the synchronizer gears were out of alignment and had damaged the main gears. Audi is covering the entire thing.

My question to the Audi service representative was "If the synchronizer gears were out of alignment, why would clutch wear make any difference?" His answer was that is they need to check with Audi for any big repair and that is was Audi tells them to do.

If you encounter this problem, push the issue and don't let Audi bully you into paying for what should be warranty repair.

I haven't gotten the car back yet (still waiting for parts). If I encounter any more problems, I will post them here.
 
#9 ·
The difficulty in engaging 1st gear in your 2008 S4 Avant could be caused by a few different issues, such as a worn or damaged synchronizer, a problem with the shifter mechanism, or an issue with the clutch system. It's important to have the issue diagnosed and repaired by a professional mechanic, as continuing to drive the vehicle with this issue could cause further damage. It may be helpful to document the issue, including when and how often it occurs, and present this information to the dealer or a trusted mechanic to help them diagnose the problem.
 
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