Csycs04

Hello, im new, my name is Casey, I live in DE and im 23. Im having a little problem and I figured someone should be able to help me.
I own a 1998 Audi A4 2.8 quattro with 163,000. I havent had any real problems with it except maitenece work. I have noticed a kind of a shifting/sliding noise right under the car near where the shifter is and you can feel it in the floor board on the passengers side only. Its mainly on the floor board is where the sliding noise is. It makes this shifting/sliding noise going from front to back when accelerating real fast or stoping quick. It also makes this shifting/sliding noise while turning sharply which sounds like its going to the side that I turn. I looked under the car, everything seems to be intact although it is covered in casing under the car. It drives fine and everything, just makes that noise. Which like I said does not happen ALL the time only when I stop quick or turn quick or accelerate fast. It seems like there is something under there moving side to side and back to back which I cant find and ONLY on the passenger side. I have done some work on this car, I just recently 2000 miles ago, got my drive shaft replaced at the Audi dealership, which cost me 2000$. They had to take everything apart to do this and they didnt bring anything to my attention afterwards and that is kinda the area where I hear the noise, right where that "ball" is under the shifter the big part of the drive shaft. It was doing this before I brought it in. And after they put the new drive shaft in I did not hear the noise for about a week then it came back. All the other repairs are like timing belt, brakes, wheel barrings ect.... The only other complaint I can say is that when I first start the car in the morning when its cold and I jump in it and drive it, I have to drive it in the "slap shifter" for it to shift. I have to tried to drive it without using the slap shifter, and it just revs up to 2 grand and goes like 20, then im forced to stop and put it in the slap shifter. I have never really tested to see what it will do after it revs up I dont want to 'press' it. After I shift it like that, stop at a stop sign litteraly 2 miles or less down the road and put it into drive it goes by itself. If I let it warm up for about 10 minutes this does not happen I am able to just drive it in drive. The dealer told me my car was old that it needs to be warmed up. I dont know how true this is. As for the shifting noise under the car, I asked the Audi dealer and they were like it seems like an annoynace more than an actual problem, they said it was probably the seat shifting. I have no clue they didnt look at it. But ANY input ANYONE can make would be great. I love my car and I want it to last, I need it, I drive it 200 miles a day. So I rely on it.
And when I say shifting noise under the car, its nothing to do with like the transmission shifting or engine, it is some part or something in the floor board shifting, I dont know if its like a fuel line or what or brake line!?!?! It honestly sounds like someone took my rug apart, which they didnt and put a wrench under there and its moving back and forth, right where your left foot would be on the passenger side floor board, right where that "hook" is to lock the floor mat in place. This is seriously annoying and I really dont want to spend thousands on getting this fixed. Any input would be great. Thank you so much, hopefully someone can help me.

Gomer

Well the first thing I would do is put up a post seeing if anyone can recommend a decent independant shop in your area. You have been %^%* once by the stealership and they incorrectly diagnosed your problem as it still persists. I hate to see it happen again.A indy would take the time and drive your car untill he found the real problem at half the cost. It is not brake or fuel lines making that noise, maybe someone else has had that happen and will let you know.The tranny problem sounds like a tempature sensor is not functioning and you need the car scanned.

Nate (ETKA+Scumbag)

How are your control arms doing? 163k is pretty up there and those CAs don't last forever.

turbo510

Have someone look at the exhaust system, in case it is touching something. Grab the pipe (when cold) near the transmission and try to shake it, also look at the transmission mounts.

Csycs04

Hey Thanks for the replys everyone, I appriciate it.
Gomer, what do you mean i've been ****ed by the dealership once? I dont understand what youre saying. As for the shifting thing I was kinda leaning towards the decision that it was a sensor, but where do I get this scanned? The dealer or like advanced auto shop? Its not like the check engine light is on or anything so how could it read it? The only time its been on is because of a coolant temp sensor which the dealer replaced, but im not sure thats working correctly b/c they put a VW part in and it doesnt seem to be warming up correctly.

Nate- the control arms I have no clue what condition they are in or what they are and what they do? But wouldnt the noise be on BOTH sides of the car not just the passenger side. And when the dealer diagnosed my drive shaft problem they looked over the whole car to be able to know that was the problem. I came in there with a noise, so they started with nothing. If it were a control arm or if it needed further attention wouldnt they have told me? The only thing they noticed was that my back differential was leaking, so they replaced the seals on the back ones. Isnt that like in the same area as the control arms? If it did happen to be that, why would one side be making the sliding noise from front to back? And if I stop slowly it doesnt happen, or if i take a turn slow it doesnt happen. And ive noticed the colder it is like 30 and below it doesnt really do it, the warmer it is the more it does it. Make sense? not to me!!!!

Turbo, as for the exhaust I havent really ever had it looked at, I did kinda think that was it, because the catilac conveter is right under the floor board, well one of them is. My boyfriend is gonna later try to move it around and i'll let you know the outcome. I know for a fact this is the original exhaust system. Im just praying it isnt gonna be something horrible. And the transmission mounts? Where the hell are they? Under the car by the exhaust or are they down near the engine? If they do move then what?

One other thing the dealer told me that they noticed was that the moter mounts were leaking hydrallic fluid, I havent replaced that they said it wasnt THAT bad but in the future I should have it done. Would that be making that noise? Its like I said it is only making that sliding noise under the floor board on passenger side no where else. So how could the engine or transmission be doing this?
The car drives like a dream. I own a 2006 tiburon and I think the Audi drives 100 times better than the tiburon. Its smooth shifting and engine doesnt make any noises.
Well thanks alot for your help
I look forward to hearing from ANY of you. Thanks alot.
Casey

AudiMick

You need a VAG.com or dealer scan tool to read the transmission. The generic code readers won't work. Has to be VW/ Audi specific.

The motor mounts are probably not it, however when the mounts fail it can put additional stress on the transmission mounts. You may just have a broken exhaust hanger or something like that. If it's making that much noise it should be easy to find.

My daughter had a mishap where she slightly bent her exhaust and the oxygen sensor was hitting the floor under the car.

Csycs04

Hey. So what would you do? I mean the only time it doesnt shift by itself is when its cold or its the first time i've started it. So do you think I should just deal with it, or do you think that if i dont get it fixed will it cause further damage to my car?

So what should I start looking for under my car? I dont really know much about cars, well especially audis, they are much different than my hyundai which is simple. So just look at the hangers, wiggle the exhaust and what else? The only thing im wondering is that, are the hangers in that case under the car? Like will I have to take stuff off to see them? And if the hanger wiggles does that mean its broke? But you dont think that its the seat loose? Like my seat does move a bit when you get in and out of it, is there anything under the floor mat thats connected to that?

And about the motor mounts, are they easy to do? My dad is a mechanic, well retired one, he worked on mostly american and korean cars, not german, so he doesnt really know much about my car. Do you think that is an easy job? Are they easy to find? The dealer told me it would be around 1300 to do it.. It seems everything i do to this car is around that price. Or do you think some small shop would be better off doing it?
Or is there anyone around Delaware, or Maryland that would be willing to do this for me? I would pay half of what the dealer charges.

Any other suggestions would be great. Anything else you can recommend I defintaly will take into consideration. thanks alot.
casey

turbo510

Regarding the shifting, I suggest for starters that the transmission fluid and filter be changed. If you, your Dad, or boyfriend do the work, this can be done for about $50, roughly $25 for the filter kit, and also about $25 for transmission fluid (I run Valvoline MaxLife ATF in my A4). It's done differently than most other kinds of cars, and there is a critical procedure to follow when filling the fluid. There are very complete pictorial guides to get you through it, I think you'll find it at Audiworld in the resources page. By the way, delayed shifts when cold and just started are normal, but it sounds like your car just doesn't shift at all.

Leaking motor mounts are not a big deal for a daily-driver, in my opinion. One of mine leaked the shock oil out, I don't notice anything different. I would leave them alone, if the alternative was spending $1300.

The exhaust "hangers" are made of rubber, and just hold the exhaust system to the car, without conducting engine vibration to the car's body. All of this is visible under the car, plus you can grab the tailpipe at the rear and shake it; you should see that it moves around (normal), but there shouldn't be any clunking.

The transmission mounts usually are broken when you get a clunk shifting into reverse. Pretty easy to change, if need be.

Avoid the dealer unless absolutely necessary. Ask AAA or local VW/Audi owners which independent shops they recommend.

Lastly, the seats can move a little, but they shouldn't clunk around either.

Csycs04

Hey, a few dealerships told me that if your car shifts fine that you shouldn't mess with your transmission fluid, especially change it. I bought the car with 123,000 miles on it and I highly doubt anyone has changed the fluid. People have told me that you shouldn't mess with that unless it has had previous changes. Im sure most of you bought your cars new, and kept up with those things, but im not sure whats been done to this car except for what ive done.
Now let me kind of try to explain it more in depth. I get into my car, start it up, and immedietly drive it away. If it is in the slap shifter, it will drive normal. If I just put it in drive it revs up i've had it up to 4, but then I stop and put it into the slap shifter. If I let it warm up for 10 minutes depending on how cold it is I drive it in normal drive and its fine. Make sense?

So of all the things u said would they be making that noise right under the floor board? ONLY on the passenger side. Like I said b4 only if I stop quick or accelerate fast or take a turn fast. And some days i'll do all those things and it doesnt happen. I mean I dont think the engine and transmission mounts would have anything to do with it? It sounds like there is a tool under my floor mat thats long and moves around.
I dont know. I guess I can always pay those idiots at Audi to look at it for 70 $.

Well thanks for your reply.
Casey

Csycs04

I am mostly concerned with that damn noise under the floor board. It is so annoying listening to that. The shifting thing I can deal with and besides its almost spring so I shouldnt have to worry about that when its warm outside, right? ha ha.
I feel selling the pile, it isnt a bad car but it seems like when one thing goes wrong another does. I have put at least 5,000 $ into this car paid 5000 for it, WTF am I thinking? a 10,000$ 1998 audi, that is ****ing ridiculous if you ask me. But it is the best case i've drove, and i've drove alot of cars. Well hopefully someone can help me out, um but you all have. haha thanks.
And again if anyone lives near DE, MD, Southern PA that can work on audis, please let me know. I travel all over the place for work. Thanks.