2006 Audi A3 Powertrain & Transmission Problems

LOSS OF POWER AT ANY TIME WITHOUT WARNING THE CAR WILL LOSE POWER WHILE IN MOTION, ON A HIGHWAY, JUST DRIVING DOWN A STREET OR TURNING. ALMOST REAR ENDED SEVERAL TIMES.

RANDOM LOSS OF POWER, THE TRANSMISSION WILL RANDOMLY SLIP WHILE THE CAR IS IN REVERSE FROM A PARKED POSITION. IT WILL ALSO SLIP RANDOMLY WHILE IN FORWARD MOTION AND DURING TURNING. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT RESULTING IN BEING REAR ENDED. PLEASE HELP! LAST TIME IT HAPPENED WAS 1/15/2017.

2ND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED IN JUST A FEW DAYS. I WANT TO START DOCUMENTING EVERY TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. I WAS PULLING INTO FAST MOVING TRAFFIC FROM A SIDE STREET. I WAS MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN AND THE CAR HESITATED PUTTING ME INTO THE WAY OF ON COMING TRAFFIC AT 50 MPH. THIS WAS VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE I WAS ACCELERATING TRYING TO REACH 50 MPH COULD HAVE BEEN REAR ENDED ONLY GOING ABOUT 10 MPH.

FROM A STOPPED POSITION ON A SIDE STREET IN A LEFT HAND TURN LANE I STEPPED ON THE GAS PEDAL AND THE CAR STARTED TO MOVE THEN IMMEDIATELY HAD A LOSS OF POWER IN MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN ONTO A MAJOR STREET. THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD THEN HESITATED. IT IS REALLY DANGEROUS BECAUSE IT CAN SURPRISE PEOPLE AND CAUSE CARS TO CRASH INTO ME. IT HAS DONE THIS A FEW OTHER TIMES. I FEEL GIVEN THE RIGHT CIRCUMSTANCES THIS COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.

NO ACCIDENT HAS HAPPENED YET, BUT IS ONE JUST WAITING TO HAPPEN. THE VEHICLE DOES NOT RESPOND AFTER A ROLL STOP. THE ACCELERATOR HAS TO BE COMPLETELY DEPRESS AND WAIT A FEW SECONDS IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO START ROLLING. IF I WOULD NEED TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC AFTER A STOP AT AN INTERSECTION THERE IS A GREAT RISK OF A CRASH SINCE THE VEHICLE DOES NOT RESPOND TO EQUALIZE THE SPEED OF INCOMING TRAFFIC. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO AFFECT MANY, MANY OF THESE VEHICLES YEAR AND MODEL ACCORDING TO MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS FROM OWNERS FORUMS. OWNERS HAVE COMPLAINED EVEN WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS BRAND NEW AND AUDI HAVE DISREGARDED THE COMPLAINTS. ACCORDING TO OWNER'S FORUMS THE MECHATRONIX UNIT INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION IS AT FAULT, AND A SIMPLE SOFTWARE REFLASH FROM AUDI WOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THIS IS QUITE SIMILAR TO THE IGNITION PROBLEM RECENTLY DISCOVERED IN GM VEHICLES.

WHEN DRIVING, PRNDS FLASHES AND CAR GOES INTO LIMP MODE (LOSES POWER). MUST STOP CAR AND TURN OFF. AFTER TURNING ON AGAIN, WILL DRIVE AND WILL HAPPEN AGAIN.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 AUDI A3. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL AND THE SELECTOR LEVER ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE SIDE, THE ENGINE STALLED, AND THE VEHICLE RESTARTED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V333000 (POWER TRAIN). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000.

TODAY MY AUDI A3 2.0T WENT INTO NEUTRAL WHILE AT HIGHWAY SPEED. WE WERE MERGING FROM I-80 TO I-55. WITHOUT WARNING OR ANY INDICATOR LIGHTS WE LOST POWER. THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING AND THE SHIFTER IN D-DRIVE BUT NO POWER WAS GOING TO THE WHEELS. WE WERE ABLE TO GET OUT OF TRAFFIC ON THE RAMP BUT IT WAS A CLOSE CALL WITH THE CAR BEHIND US ALMOST HITTING US. THE CAR EXHIBITED THE SAME PROBLEM ABOUT A HALF HOUR BEFORE AT A GAS STOP BUT I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND THE CAR FUNCTIONED NORMALLY. THE DASH INDICATORS FLASHED DNRS WHEN WE TRIED TO MOVE AGAIN. WHILE WAITING FOR THE TOW TRUCK I LOOKED UP RECALLS AND IT SEEMS THE 2007-2009 A3 HAVE RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE AS DO OTHER AUDI MODELS WITH THE SAME DSG TRANSMISSION. THERE ARE DOZENS OF COMPLAINTS LISTED HERE FOR THIS SAME ISSUE. WHY IS NOT THE 2006 RECALLED AS WELL? THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT PUT MY WIFE AND I IN HARMS WAY. EVEN MORE DISTURBING IS THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE. *TR

AN INTERRUPTION OF MOTIVE POWER . THE DASH GEAR POSITION INDICATOR (PRNDS) FLASHING. *TR

REFERENCE NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: PE09035, RECALL NUMBER: 09V333000 I HAD EXACTLY THE SAME TYPE OF ISSUE OCCUR ON MY 2006 AUDI A3. THIS A3 HAS A 2.0T ENGINE AND 6 SPEED DSG TRANSMISSION. TODAY WHILE DRIVING IN TOWN ON A VERY BUSY STREET, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY AND WITH NO WARNING DOWNSHIFTED AND THEN ALL PRNDS LIGHTS BEGAN TO FLASH. I WAS STUCK IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND GOT INTO THE CENTER LANE WHERE I EVENTUALLY MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN. IT APPEARED TO HAVE ONLY ONE FORWARD GEAR (1ST). I HAD TO DRIVE IT HOME 20 MILES AWAY WITH NO REVERSE AT 15 MPH AND 3500 RPM. I HAVE KEPT THE CAR WELL MAINTAINED AND IT WAS ONLY DEALER MAINTAINED UNTIL RECENTLY. THIS TYPE OF FAILURE IS RIDICULOUS. HAD I BEEN GOING FASTER, I WOULD HAVE LIKELY HAD AN ACCIDENT. THE DOWNSHIFT WAS ABRUPT AND CAUSED A VIOLENT JERKING IN THE CAR. THE CAR HAS NOT DISPLAYED ANY EVIDENCE OF HARDER SHIFTING OVER TIME. THIS IS THE SAME GEARBOX SYSTEM AS IN THE RECALLED LATER MODEL YEARS. THE RECALL MUST BE ADJUSTED TO INCLUDE EARLIER MODELS WITH THE SAME SYSTEM. THIS IS A SYSTEMIC DEFECT. I HAVE FOUND THIS ISSUE ACROSS NUMEROUS AUDI OWNER FORUM WEBSITES COVERING WIDER MODEL YEARS THAN LISTED ON THIS RECALL. I CONTACTED AUDI OF AMERICA AND THEY SAID THAT IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY; TOO BAD. THE CLOSEST DEALER IS 150 MILES AWAY. I REQUEST NHTSA INVESTIGATE. *TR

2006 AUDI A3 2.0T WITH DSG. TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING SOMETIMES ON ACCELERATION, SOMETIMES WITH STEADY DRIVING. STEPPED ON ACCELERATOR AT STOP LIGHT AND TRANSMISSION ENGAGED FOR ABOUT 5 FEET, THEN CAR LURCHED TO A STOP, THEN TRANSMISSION CAUGHT AND IT ACCELERATED FORWARD AGAIN. ISSUE REPEATED TWO MORE TIMES WITHIN THE HOUR. TODAY I WAS CRUISING AT A STEADY 70 MPH, 6TH GEAR, ABOUT 2800 RPM, AND THE TRANSMISSION LET GO AND RPMS DROPPED TO ABOUT 2200 BEFORE THE TRANSMISSION RE-ENGAGED AND THE VEHICLE WAS AGAIN AT 2800 RPM. HAPPENED ONCE PER MILE AFTER THAT, AND THEN TWICE AGAIN ON SURFACE STREETS IN 4TH GEAR. APPEARS TO MATCH EXACTLY THE SYMPTOMS OWNERS EXPERIENCE WITH RECALLED 2007-2010 VEHICLES WITH THE SAME TRANSMISSION. *TR

REFERENCE NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: PE09035, RECALL NUMBER: 09V333000 I HAD EXACTLY THE SAME TYPE OF ISSUE OCCUR ON MY 2006 AUDI A3. THIS A3 HAS A 2.0T ENGINE AND 6 SPEED DSG TRANSMISSION. TODAY WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY AND WITH NO WARNING DOWNSHIFTED AND THEN ALL PRNDS LIGHTS BEGAN TO FLASH. I WAS ABLE TO NAVIGATE THE CAR TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER. IT APPEARED TO HAVE ONLY ONE FORWARD GEAR (3RD). I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT TO A PLACE FOR TOWING. EVEN REVERSE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THIS TRANSMISSION WAS RECENTLY SERVICED. I HAVE KEPT THE CAR WELL MAINTAINED AND IT WAS ONLY DEALER MAINTAINED UNTIL RECENTLY. THIS TYPE OF FAILURE IS RIDICULOUS. HAD THE TRAFFIC NOT BEEN LIGHT, I WOULD HAVE LIKELY HAD AN ACCIDENT. THE DOWNSHIFT WAS ABRUPT AND CAUSED A VIOLENT JERKING IN THE CAR. THE CAR HAS NOT DISPLAYED ANY EVIDENCE OF HARDER SHIFTING OVER TIME. THIS IS THE SAME GEARBOX SYSTEM AS IN THE RECALLED MODEL YEARS. THE RECALL MUST BE ADJUSTED TO INCLUDE EARLIER MODELS WITH THE SAME SYSTEM. THIS IS A SYSTEMIC DEFECT. I HAVE FOUND THIS ISSUE ACROSS NUMEROUS AUDI OWNER FORUM WEBSITES COVERING WIDER MODEL YEARS THAN LISTED ON THIS RECALL. I REQUEST NHTSA INVESTIGATE. *TR

VEHICLE GOES OUT OF GEARS WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY FOR ABOUT 20MINS IN HOT WEATHER, THIS WAS GOING ABOUT 70 MPH. THE "PRNDS" LIGHT FLASH FOR A QUICK SECOND AND BACK INTO GEAR AGAIN. I HAVE VARIOUS ISSUES WITH HARSH SHIFTS UP AND DOWN, ESPECIALLY IN THE LOWER GEARS. WHILE SLOWING DOWN TO A STOP THE VEHICLE HAS A HOT TIME GOING IN TO SECOND GEAR AND SOMETIME FIRST. IT MAKES A VERY NOTICEABLE CLUNK SOUND WHEN IT DOES. FROM A STOP, GIVING JUST A BIT OF GAS AND THE CAR DON'T SEEM TO MOVE THEN IT WILL SURGE UNTIL THE SPEED COMES UP. WHILE GETTING UP TO SPEED IT WILL TRY TO GET INTO THE HIGHEST GEAR AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, I WOULD BE IN 6TH GEAR WHILE ONLY GOING 35MPH. THERE ARE SOME SAFETY ISSUES INVOLVED AND THAT IS WHY I'M TAKING THE TIME TO FILE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 AUDI A3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO JUMP ABNORMALLY BEFORE STALLING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED BUT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS WHO INFORMED HIM THAT THE MECHATRONIC UNIT FOR THE TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED. THE MECHATRONIC UNIT WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 91,000. UPDATED 10/22/13 *CN

WHEN COMING SLOWLY TO A STOP THE CAR WILL SUDDENLY SURGE FORWARD. TRAVELING SLOWLY FORWARD OR REVERSE WILL ALSO CAUSE UNEXPECTED SURGES. *TR

MY VEHICLE FAILED ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS - FAILED TO MOVE ON A STOP SIGN - MOVED VERY WEAKLY WHEN TAKING A LEFT TURN WHILE IN THE CENTER TURN LANE. CARS WERE COMING FROM THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION AND I BARELY MISSED HAVING AN ACCIDENT. - VEHICLE WENT INTO NEUTRAL AND COMPLETELY FAILED TO MOVE WHILE STILL IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. WHEN THIS HAPPENED "PRNDS" FLASHED ON THE DASH. - I HAVE THE VIDEO OF THE PROBLEM WHEN IT HAPPENED. THIS PROBLEM IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AND AUDI HAS RECALLED MANY CARS (2007 ONWARDS), BUT MY CAR WASN'T RECALLED. THE RECALL NOTICE FROM AUDI IS IN 2009 AND MY CAR WAS NOT IN IT. WHY IS THAT? HOW DOES AUDI DECIDE WHICH CARS TO INCLUDE IN THE RECALL? I THINK THAT PROCESS IS COMPLETELY FLAWED. I BELIEVE AUDI CUT CORNERS AND DID NOT RECALL ALL THE CARS THEY SHOULD HAVE. JUST ENOUGH TO CALM PEOPLE DOWN AS THIS PROBLEM WAS ALSO SHOWN ON TV NEWS. THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED BY THE DEALER BY CHANGING THE "MECHATRONICS UNIT" OF MY CAR. THIS FIX IS EXACTLY THE SAME AS THEY DID FOR 2007 YEAR MODELS, SO WHY WAS 2006 NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL NOTICE OF AUG 2009. I BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE STILL MANY CARS ON THE STREET THAT STILL HAS THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM, JUST WAITING TO HAPPEN. NHTSA SHOULD USE ALL ITS POWER TO RESTART THIS INVESTIGATION AND MAKE AUDI WORK RESPONSIBLY TOWARDS FIXING THIS ISSUE. *TR

AFTER THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP AT A STOP SIGN, AND I TRIED TO GET THE VEHICLE TO MOVE AGAIN, ITS RESPONSE WAS VERY WEAK AS IF IT HAD LOST POWER. COUPLE OF TIMES EARLIER, THE VEHICLE REFUSED TO ENGAGE INTO REVERSE GEAR, STRANDING ME IN A PARKING LOT FOR A WHILE. ON SHOWING THE DEALER, THE FAULT WAS IN THE MECHTRONICS UNIT OF THE DSG (DIRECT SHIFT GEARBOX). AUDI HAS RECALLED CARS FROM YEAR 2007 ONWARDS FOR THIS ISSUE, CLAIMING THAT 2006 AND BEFORE ARE NOT AFFECTED. THIS IS NOT THE CASE AS IT HAS HAPPENED WITH MY CAR, WHICH IS A 2006. THE SYMPTOMS AND FAILED UNIT ARE EXACTLY THE SAME, WITH THE SAME RESOLUTION PROPOSED BY THE DEALER AS THEY WOULD FOR 2007 YEAR ONWARD MODELS. AT THE TIME OF WRITING THIS COMPLAINT, AUDI HAS REFUSED RESPONSIBILITY AND ARE NOT SUPPORTING THE RECALL FOR MY VEHICLE. I THINK THIS IS SERIOUS OVERSIGHT THAT AUDI IS UNWILLING TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR AND SHOULD BE CORRECTED BY NHTSA'S HELP. THE EXACT SYMPTOMS ARE ALSO MENTIONED IN THIS NEWS ARTICLE HTTP://WWW.AUTOINSANE.COM/2009/08/28/NEWS/RECALLS-TSBS/VOLKSWAGEN-RECALLS-53300-NEW-VEHICLES-ANNOUNCES-SERVICE-PROGRAM-TO-ADDRESS-DSG-COMPLAINTS/

I NOTICE AFTER DRIVING MY 06 AUDI A3 FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES AND WITH THE ENGINE WARMED UP, THE CAR WOULD JERK VIOLENTLY EVERY TIME AFTER WARM UP, AND IT WOULD SOMETIMES STALL. MY CAR IS A AUTOMATIC WITH DSG. THE JERKING HAPPENS WHEN I APPLIED THE GAS AND IT WOULD HAPPEN IN ALL THE GEARS. THERE WOULD BE TIMES WHERE I'D BE MAKING A TURN TO CROSS ON COMING TRAFFIC, I HIT THE GAS AND THE CAR WOULD JERK GIVING ME NO POWER AND STALL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET WITH ON COMING TRAFFIC! GOOD THING THEY STOPPED FOR ME! BUT WHAT IF I'M NOT SO LUCKY THE NEXT TIME AROUND? WHAT IF THEY DON'T STOP IN TIME? AND WHAT IF I HAVE MY LITTLE SISTER, NIECES AND NEPHEWS IN MY CAR WHEN IT HAPPENS? I TOOK IT TO THE AUDI DEALER AND TOLD THEM ABOUT THE PROBLEM BUT THEY FOUND NOTHING THAT WOULD CAUSE THE JERKING AND STALLING. TWICE! I FEEL LIKE AUDI KNOWS ABOUT THE PROBLEM BUT WONT ADMIT TO IT AND DO NOTHING. SO MANY VW OR AUDI OWNERS HAVE THE SAME ISSUES. THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT MONEY, IS ABOUT HUMAN LIVES WHICH SHOULD BE MORE VALUED THAN MONEY TO AUDI. *TR

THIS IS FOR A 2006 AUDI A3 2.0T WITH THE FSI ENGINE AND THE DSG TRANSMISSION. BOTH MY WIFE AND I EXPERIENCE A FEW DANGEROUS SITUATIONS WHERE THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DISENGAGED UNEXPECTEDLY AND WE LOST THE ABILITY TO MAKE THE CAR MOVE VIA THE GAS PEDAL. THE CAR'S LCD GEAR SELECTOR DISPLAY THEN BEGAN TO FLASH INTERMITTENTLY TO INDICATE A TRANSMISSION FAILURE OF SOME TYPE. WE DID REGAIN 1ST GEAR AFTER A FEW SECONDS AS WELL BUT THIS PUT US AT DANGER AND IS NOT ACCEPTABLE FOR A FAMILY CAR WITH ONLY 42590 MILES ON IT. THE PROBLEM THEN RE-OCCURRED WITHIN THE NEXT FEW DAYS ABOUT 3 MORE TIMES AND EVEN FAILED WHILE DRIVING INTO THE DEALERSHIP. I HAD TO CALL A COUPLE OF DEALERSHIPS TO GET A STRAIGHT ANSWER AS WELL ON WHETHER THIS WAS COVERED UNDER ANY KIND OF RECALL WARRANTY AS WELL AS THEY WERE ABOUT TO TRY AND MAKE ME PAY FOR THIS UNTIL I ASKED. THE SERVICE FOR A FAILED DSG TRANSMISSION IS EXORBITANTLY PRICED AND ALSO UNACCEPTABLE FOR A CAR THAT ONLY HAS 42590 MILES ON IT AND IS DRIVEN AS A FAMILY CAR STRICTLY. NOT TO MENTION IT HAS BEEN ROUTINELY SERVICED UNDER WARRANTY AND IS NOT DUE TO ANY NEGLECT OR ABUSE. THE DEALER DID REPLACE THE FAILED MECHATRONIC UNIT AND EVEN NOTED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FLUIDS WERE ALL AT THE PROPER LEVELS. THE OLD PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE FOR ME TO VIEW AND I DID NEGLECT TO ASK FOR IT AS THAT IS USUALLY MY PRACTICE WHEN GETTING PARTS REPLACED. *TR

I HAVE AN AUDI A3 2006. SEVERAL YEARS AGO (END OF 2009/BEGINNING OF 2010), I STARTED FEELING AND HEARING A CLUNKING NOISE AND THE CAR WOULD LUNGE FORWARD A FEW INCHES WHEN APPROACHING STOP SIGNS OR RED LIGHTS AND DOWNSHIFTING FROM 2ND TO 1ST GEAR. THIS WOULD HAPPEN PERIODICALLY AND HAS BEEN INCREASING IN STRENGTH. I WAS TOLD BY AUDI THAT IT WAS A DUE TO A FAULTY MECHATRONIC SYSTEM, WHICH IS LIKE THE BRAINS OF THE CAR. AUDI SERVICE QUOTED ME A COST OF APPROXIMATELY $2500 TO REPLACE THE MECHATRONIC SYSTEM. I HAVE READ ON MANY FORUMS THAT THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING TO MANY AUDI A3 OWNERS AND THAT THEY HAVE NOT ISSUED A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE. GIVEN THE FREQUENCY OF THE ISSUE, I THINK THIS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY AUDI AND RECALLED. *TR