My 03 RS6's transmission started to act up.

The car is put in drive, but the car feels like it's not engaged, almost like a manual car with the clutch worn out. The indicator on the dashboard is completely in red, instead of showing that it is in "D" for drive. Once I shut off the car and restart, everything is back to normal. This has happened twice in the last month.

In addition to the above, another glitch. The car does not want to upshift. It just stays in 1st gear. I try manually upshifting, but does not respond. Immediately park the car and restart, the car comes back to normal.

I don't think it's a mechanical thing, but more so of an electrical problem. Any thoughts?

had mine fail so that i do know. Nothing occurred on my dash display which tells me you have something else going on with the display all red. Also my car threw a CEL once the torque converter and tranny were really ready to die. Once it starts to fail it never gets better so the fact your car resets and seems fine in another tell.

Any codes?

I was told my tranny was shot at first due to the PRNDL lighting up all red. It was also slipping. A fluid and filter change resolved my issue and it has performed great for the past 6 months.

That almost makes it reliable in RS6 land.

Ok. I'll change the fluid and filter and see where that leads me..

I don't know about the codes. Have not checked, yet.

BTW, I bought the car earlier this year with 40K miles on it. The car had the transmission replaced under warranty approximately 2 years ago, when it was at about 30k miles.

as that would indicate a more serious problem if found. That was the advice I was provided and fortunately no metal was found in the drained fluid.

Good luck!

I hope it's a minor electrical problem. Anyway, I'm gonna change the fluid and filter as process of elimination. Thanks.

Had my transmission serviced at about 68,000 miles when it was LEAKING....YIKES... Seal was leaking, but no damage. I thought it was part of the 75000 mile service, so I told them about it at the RS6 dealership so they would not duplicate (had it done at local non-RS6 Audi dealer), and they said it's not part of 75000 mile usual service.

Is the Torque Converter the weakest link in the transmission?

Mike

Called Limp Mode. It a protective state where the trans starts and stays in 3rd gear I believe. Just used to get the car to safety. It happens to my D2 a couple of times a year. A trans service is mandatory on most Audi trans's....dont ignore it!!!!

Ok. Finally had the filter and fluid changed. For a while, the problem seemed solved. The car definitely drives better.. the torque does seem to convert into the drive train... And then, it came back. All the PRND all lit up again yesterday. Once I turned the car off and restart, it reset itself and was fine. But, it must be going into this mode, "limp mode" as gtruncinski called it, for a specific reason. Anyway, will have a Audi service take a look at it... Thinking of Riverside Audi in NJ. Any comments??? Thanks in advance.