Multitronic Problems: Troubleshooting & Solutions

Hello fellow enthusiasts,

'I'm experiencing a problem with my Audi A4 2.5 TDI with Multitronic: when starting from a standstill, there's a brief jerk, similar to what you'd feel if you released the clutch too quickly.'

If I start the engine very slowly, it runs smoothly. If I accelerate quickly, it also runs smoothly. However, if I start the engine normally, it jerks once, as I mentioned before.

I've already heard a lot of negative things about the MT in other forums (which aren't as knowledgeable as this one), and that it might be a sign of an upcoming transmission problem.
What is your opinion on this? Does anyone know about this specific problem?

I've heard that possible solutions include converting to 7 friction plates or replacing the pressure plate assembly, but I'm not sure if either of those will provide a permanent fix.

Thank you and best regards.

Michael.

hi!

It sounds similar to what I'm experiencing. Has your engine oil been changed at 60,000 km?

see also here:

Okay, here's the translation:

'/viewtopic.php?t=11621&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0'

I don't know, as I've only had the car for a month.
Could a missed engine oil change cause something like that?

Let me take a look at the link right away.

Greetings.

Michael.

It could be caused by old oil or a faulty valve body. Also, check the transmission control unit to ensure the software is up-to-date and, if necessary, perform a new adaptation.

Thanks for the information, I'll get that checked out.

What is your general opinion of the Audi Multitronic transmission from the 2003 model? This is the older version with 6 plates. Is it really as bad as I've often read about online?

Thank you and best regards.

Michael.

Quote:

Is it really as bad as I've often read about online?

Let me put it this way:
The Multitronic system is simply not yet fully developed.
The software updates only mask the symptoms (e.g., hesitation when starting), and I've been told that even replacing the clutch pack won't provide a permanent solution.

Certainly a fine "shifting" experience, but if the engine already has torque limitations (due to the multitronic transmission, for example, as with the 2.5 TDI), then it should also function flawlessly.

The software updates only mask the symptoms (e.g., hesitation when starting), and I've been told that even replacing the clutch plates won't provide a permanent solution.


'The slow acceleration is also a bit annoying for me. Is it really possible to improve this with a software update? How can I check if I have the latest software version?'

'You can read the error codes using VAGCOM, take it to a dealership for inspection, or you can post the part number and software version here.'

Quote:

The slow acceleration is also a bit annoying for me - can this really be mitigated with a software update?

You misunderstood me (or I didn't express myself clearly).
The update will further worsen the problem of sluggish acceleration.

The 'gentle start' feature also annoys me a little - can this really be mitigated with a software update?
You misunderstood me (or I didn't express myself clearly).
The update will further increase/worsen the starting problem!

hi
Okay, then I probably don't need to check for updates, since it would only make things worse. Still, thanks.

Is this just a problem with the initial starting that you have to live with, or will it eventually lead to transmission damage and replacement?

Habe mal gelesen, dass das Getriebe wohl nicht länger als 100tkm halten würde. KCan that be it?

If I have the problem checked/repaired by a friendly mechanic, is it still possible for my A4, which is now 3.5 years old and has 75,000 km (approximately 47,000 miles), to be covered under Audi's goodwill policy?

Greetings.

Michael.

Is this actually just a problem with the initial setup that you have to live with permanently, or will it eventually lead to a transmission failure and replacement?

Habe mal gelesen, dass das Getriebe wohl nicht länger als 100tkm halten würde. KCan that be it?

If I have the problem checked/repaired by a friendly mechanic, is it still possible for my A4, which is now 3.5 years old and has 75,000 km (approximately 47,000 miles), to be covered under Audi's goodwill policy?

Greetings.

Michael

I wouldn't say you can generalize that about the Multitronic. Even a manual transmission can fail after 100,000 km if you constantly slam it into gears with full throttle without properly using the clutch. It's true that there are more posts in forums regarding the long-term quality of the Multitronic, but I doubt that 100,000 km is a problem for it. I bought my car with 137,000 km on the clock and have now reached 210,000 km, and I'm planning to sell it (probably) at around 250,000 km because that's when the timing belt needs replacing, which will cost over 2000 euros.
What is certainly a problem with the MT is that when there are problems, the workshop immediately wants to replace the entire transmission }, without wasting time (often due to lack of knowledge/experience with the MT transmission) - in my case, the friendly staff didn't even know that the oil needs to be changed occasionally }.

Good morning everyone.

There are new developments regarding my Multitronic problem. I went back to the dealership yesterday, and we checked the computer system to see what work had already been done on the car.

As I mentioned, I only bought the car a month ago with approximately 73,000 km on it, and of course, I don't know what work has been done previously. We checked the data, and it shows that the transmission was removed in January 2005 at 48,000 km and fitted with a clutch having 7 friction discs. At the same time, the transmission oil was also changed.

Yesterday, it was also noticed that there is still a software update pending for the Multitronic system, which will be installed next Tuesday. I'm curious to see how it goes!
In the computer, it appeared that this update was from August 25th, 2006, which is quite recent, but perhaps it's also the often-mentioned one, and I may have simply misread it.

Does anyone have access to the Audi promotions and can check if there's a completely new update available, or just the old software promotion that wasn't performed for me?

I will report on that next week.

Greetings.

Michael.

@mschupp

Is there any news yet? Did you receive a software update?
I would be interested.

Best regards, day trader.

No, unfortunately, there's nothing new yet. I have an appointment on Friday morning. The first appointment was canceled because the software CD was not available .

I will report on Friday.

Greetings.

Michael.

Hello everyone,

I had my transmission update last week, and I have to say that the jerking has improved. However, it's not completely gone yet.

When I park and then start driving, there's still a jerky movement. For example, when starting from a red light, it's much better now if I don't put the car in 'P' (Park) beforehand.

What I've noticed recently is a rumbling sound in the transmission when I reverse out of a parking space and then slowly drive forward. It doesn't happen all the time, but sometimes it does.
As soon as I shift from Reverse (R) to Drive (D) and gently press the accelerator, the car starts moving, but after about a meter, there's a brief clunking sound, like the gear wasn't fully engaged, and then everything is fine again.

As I said, this happens very rarely. Does anyone have an explanation for it?

Greetings.

Michael.