viks07

Hi guys,

I tried to search for this, and did not find anything useful, so wondering if anyone can help.

I have a 2011 A7 TDI SE, in the UK. When driving form a stand still (hot or cold) the car some times skips a bit. If I take it really easy on the accelerator the car will be fine and smooth, but if I want to turn on to a busy road, and not stop others, the car generally skips into action.

It feals like the gearbox is not in gear, and it needs a second to move into the first gear and transfer the power generated from the engine. Which causes the skip.

The question I have, is this normal? is there anything I can do to make it smoother?

Thank you for the help

Adi Mitrache

If it is a 2011 tdi, it is the 3.0 litres with either 204 or 245hp. As for gearbox, you either have a sport S-tronic 7 speed transmission with sports differential or a confort oriented 8 speed Multitronic.

I have an S-tronic on mine. What you are experiencing is the car's intelligence acting against you. Your transmission has an ECU that learns the way you drive and adapts itself to your driving. Switching to Economy on the MMI will also influence the transmission in the long run. After let's say a week of city driving(about 500 Km's), your transmission will do this. It will need more press on the gas pedal to downshift and it will upshift at lower RPM's. Also, before it will downshift, it will take a few ms to decide whether the engine has enough torque at that rpm in order to accelerate smoothly or whether it needs to downshift.


SOLUTION:


Put your car in Dynamic mode and drive that way for a week if you do city driving.

When you hit the highway, just leave it comfort mode, but make sure you use the kick-down function. It will "rewire" the transmission for a more dynamic driving style. When entering the highway, just go pedal to the metal, and also while overtaking and it should sort out within 50km's


Another thing you can do is use the launch control feature once or tiwce on an empty road. Just select Dynamic on the MMI, de-activate traction control, press and hold brake tight, Push on the gas pedal past the kickdown trigger, hold it 1-2 seconds and release brake while accelerating. This will also "rewire" the transmission ECU.



P.S. When you put it in Reverse, does the car also "skip a beat"?

viks07

Hi

Thank you very much... will try this out tonight.

I have the multi-tronic gearbox.

In reverse, I have not noticed it happening, but will try out.

Thanks again.

viks07

Hi Adi

I tried out the dynamic mode and seemed to resolve the issue. at first the revs were quite high, but the settled and drive was smooth a responsive. Left it like this for a while and then moved it back to auto. I did note that it skipped once but I think it will learn.

I also think I need to update the software on the gearbox, ECU, DIS, MMI, to ensure its all upto date.

Thanks again.

Adi Mitrache

No Problem. Glad I could help a little. Hard for us TDI owners to get info on a forum where most users are americans.


How many miles do you have on your A7? Did you notice any oil consumption so far? How about noises and weird sounds from the turbo?

viks07

too true

I have about 15K miles on the clock, with a rattle in the cup holders and broken drivers seat belt, which are both booked into be fixed at dealer cost.

I have notice the Turbo not being really powerful... I had a A4 sometime ago and the turbo really use to pick in. May be because its a bog car!

Other than that, all fine.

how about you?

itsasecret

This can be a somewhat normal operation of the OB5 transmission. What is going on is clutch K1 which is for 1,3,5,7, and R is gradually slipping to make a smooth take off (trying to duplicate a torque convertor). There are adaptations that can be done to improve how the clutch slips. If this continues to be an issue take it to the dealer and have them perform an adaptation. Also ensure that you do the service on the gearbox at around 35k miles old fluid can cause issues with take off.

viks07

Thank you for the advice, that make sense.

I thought for a while the hill hold was being activated and causing issues.

I will speak to the garage, as its booked in for other bits.

Thanks again.