Tranny issues. No reverse

[moshua]

After going shopping almost all day around town I went to back out of my parking spot and the car would not shift into reverse!? On the display it would go into P, N, and D but R, 4, 3, 2 would not work. Car shifted fine after my gf and I pushed the car out of the space any help anyone?

It's a 97 Audi A4 1.8t Quattro with an Automatic Transmission.

I'm hating my car right now. Impending part out if I can't fix this easily

Also drove through about 12 inches of water. If I damaged wiring can I dry it off and have everything work.

Please help guys this is my daily and I have to get to work tomorrow evening

Not the typical limp mode that I've found while searching about lost reverse


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[bigblue]

Driving through large puddles can cause transmission issues. A lot of my friends has had this problem before

[moshua]

Driving through large puddles can cause transmission issues. A lot of my friends has had this problem before

How did they fix it?

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[bigblue]

Just dries off on it's own. And the problem went away. One of them couldn't go into any gear other than reverse lol

[Avant Nate]

What causes the problem? Is it the TCM? There's a good deal on one for sale with this problem.

[moshua]

Just dries off on it's own. And the problem went away. One of them couldn't go into any gear other than reverse lol

Guess ill give it a little bit of time to dry out and if it doesn't fix itself ill look into either a swap to 5 speed or find a replacement

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[bigblue]

I'm not sure what causes the problem but it happens in all kinds of cars, mitsubishi, subarau, honda, ford, chevy, vw, audi...

[walky_talky20]

Quick question: Do the Reverse Lights work?

The problem is most likely due to water in 1 of 2 places:

1. (most likely in my opinion): water in the Transmission Multifunction Switch (the range switch), or in it's connector. Both the switch and the connector are quite near the road surface. Corrosion in the connector or the inside the switch itself can cause the problems you describe as the TCU is not able to see what gear you have chosen due to the fault in this electrical switch. Sometimes it will set a fault and put you in limp mode (ie: slams into gears, only gives you 4th gear, etc). Sometimes it messes up really bad and won't give you reverse.

2. Water in the TCU. Audi mounts the TCU under front the passenger footwell area. If the plenum or front sunfroof drains are clogged, it can cause enormous amounts of water to flood the TCU area. The carpet is so nice and thick, that you may never know it until you pull the carpet back.

Both of these faults are common on the B5 chassis, unless you have a 5 speed of course.

[moshua]

Quick question: Do the Reverse Lights work?

The problem is most likely due to water in 1 of 2 places:

1. (most likely in my opinion): water in the Transmission Multifunction Switch (the range switch), or in it's connector. Both the switch and the connector are quite near the road surface. Corrosion in the connector or the inside the switch itself can cause the problems you describe as the TCU is not able to see what gear you have chosen due to the fault in this electrical switch. Sometimes it will set a fault and put you in limp mode (ie: slams into gears, only gives you 4th gear, etc). Sometimes it messes up really bad and won't give you reverse.

2. Water in the TCU. Audi mounts the TCU under front the passenger footwell area. If the plenum or front sunfroof drains are clogged, it can cause enormous amounts of water to flood the TCU area. The carpet is so nice and thick, that you may never know it until you pull the carpet back.

Both of these faults are common on the B5 chassis, unless you have a 5 speed of course.

Option one seems to be the case the connectors are wet and I guess my best option is to unplug them and let them drip overnight correct. It's very cold so nothing seems to dry very quickly.

Also, no the reverse lights do not turn on when I put car in reverse. It acts as though its in neutral. Park drive and neutral act normal. I just have to park so I can always face forward or at least roll back out of a parking spot. Very annoying

I'd like to avoid swapping for a 5 speed

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[zak]

Spray electrical contact cleaner on both sides of the plug to displace water and clean up the connection.

[moshua]

Spray electrical contact cleaner on both sides of the plug to displace water and clean up the connection.

Excellent idea I never thought to try that thanks man

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[moshua]

UPDATE and a correction

Got 3 back on today. Still no reverse or 4 or 2.

The correction is that YES the reverse lights do in fact light up when shifter is switched to reverse but it is still not engaging.

Getting one more gear back though does lead me to believe it is in fact the connectors to tranny that are wet and they are drying back up

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[moshua]

Update 2 is back now and for an instant 4 was back

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[Avant Nate]

Did the problem ever get solved?

[moshua]

Nope still working on it had a guy on vortex suggest using wd 40 spray connectors and put a butt load of die electric grease in the connectors. He swears up and down I shouldn't have any issues anymore.

Once I try this ill update

Bump

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[walky_talky20]

You may have to take apart the switch itself and dry it out, and grease it inside. If it isn't the connector, it is the contacts internal to the switch. The switch is $bank$, so repairing yours is worth a shot.

[fstrthnu]

is your check engine light on?
when i bought my a4 i got it for 150 bucks because it had no reverse, brought it home, and checked the codes, it was the range switch, i cleared the code and drove it for the rest of the year before doing my 5.0L swap, now i have no problems. lol

[Dboy80]

Hi all,

The Car-1997 A4 2.6 V6.
When I bought it everything worked fine, started fine, engine sounded perfect.

BUT...This car didn't do reverse.

I drove it home, approx 3km from place of purchase. Whilst in D (drive), take off was fine, 1st gea reved out to point where i back off the gas a bit as it didn't look like it was gunna shift, then BANG! a solid thud very hard into next gear ( like dropping a bowling ball from about half a meter). Also a few times when i had to pull up it seemed to take of in say 4th gear like a slug.

After sh*tloads of reading ,researching and utubing, I dove in and pulled out the multi function/nuetral saftey/ auto tran relay thingy, all supposedly the same thing. most teeth inside the switch was broken, shaved and worn.
Fast forward 6months... (yesterday) when my new part (switch/sensor) came in the post so straight in it went.
After installing new part, i read up about clearing codes with the odometer, so i did what i thought was correct. (a few times later) with a deep breath i turn the key. The gears on the dash are no longer all lit up(NO MORE LIMP) i turned it over it started so quickly theni turn it off as its 3:30am and i have to get ready to go to work, ( longest 9hrs of my life later i kick the door in pull it of the stands ,jump in, turn the key it starts i smile i put it in reverse, NERVOUSLY take my foot off the brake............................................. ....
Nothing.
revs as if its in neutral (I Cry).

back to the forums/blogs,facts and fiction.

next thing on my list the relay for the multi/sensor. I stick my head under the dash and after a lot of head scratching and confused moans... Its not where it should be , neither is the actual clip it sits in WTF?!!!
Looks like it was re wired/routed with an after market alarm and hidden well. Well at least well enough for me to have no clue where to start....I lie i got a tiny clue its on the car somewhere
I don't plan on giving up so if anyone could share some insight/guidence, help or just a "there there everything gunna be ALLLLRIGHT.

Cheers

[walky_talky20]

Nowhere in your post did you mention "checked TCU and Engine codes with VCDS". That is step #1, and it looks like you skipped it.

You did mention "clearing codes with the odometer", but that isn't actually a real thing, so it doesn't count.