emmick6

My 02 Allroad needs a Torque Converter. I have a Vag-Com and talking to a local mechanic he pretty much told me that it is time for a new one after I told him the codes. The problem comes in that the economy took my job and I do not have the money to pay for it at the moment. Is this something that I can prolong and still have a transmission or should I get is fixed soon?

paulroad

if it were me...

how many miles on the ar?

The Converter is a known issue. I'd write a letter to AoA.. complementing them on a wonderful car and how you hope...once the economy recovers...to get another Audi.

Then talk about the problem and ask for their help.

emmick6

The car has 106K on it, I got it this winter with 98K and did a timing belt service the week I got it, also did an right front airbag a few months later. I just got back from a 2400 mile trip and the Converter went about 1400 miles into it. I guess I am trying to find out if anyone has driven it for months without getting this problem fixed, or if they had this problem ignored it till the transmission blew up, how many miles did they go? I know this is not the safest idea in the world but if it can last for a little bit that would be very helpful.

ertatta

i just bought an '01 AR with 88k miles and after looking thru maintenance receipts, the TC was replaced at 58K while under warranty. i've asked around, and it seems the majority of TCs on these early AR's went out while under warranty within 70k.
btw, what does a handicapped AR drive like with a bad TC??? very curious!!!

emmick6

It seems to drive the same, it seems to shift the same, it actually seems to run better. That could be the highway miles it just got since I live in a city and it doesn't see many of those until ski season; finally got that carbon burned off. I am noticing a smell of burned oil from time to time which is the part that is worrying me the most since that didn't happen before.

PxTx

Sounds like you have leaking valve cover gaskets wiht the oil smell.

The Audi dealer who recently messed up my TC replacment has an AR they use for roadside assistance. They told me they have been running the car wiht the TC code for over 2 years now.

I don't know how much I can trust them, as they broke my transmission pump when incorrectly installing the TC. They then proceeded to try and get my insurance to pick up the trans replacment. They bounced it back on the dealer, who then decided to try and fix the pump. Trans then developed a extra-firm 1-2 shift and they ulimately gave me a new trans. Only took 60 days for it to all work out!

RAMGULF

I have a 2004 4.2 the light came on at 52,500 AOA would not cover it. I bougth the car new. I now have 63,700 and have no trouble. I just reset the codes a couple times a week. I will drive it till it stops!!!

mjposner

Mine went out at 32k, cost dealer $1,500 to fix, just outside of Audi 4 year warranty. Problem is that a bad tc may cause the tranny to fail. Then its many more thousands. Not sure how true that is, but you shoudl definetly research.

Audi has a tsb on the tc for 01-early 04s

calcoupe

My 2001 Allroad 2.7T just had the check engine light come on at 85K miles. I turned the light off to try to pass state inspection (NJ). Failed. Got the fault code that the torque converter lock up is "stuck off".Dealer says this fault makes the onboard computer (OBD II)give a message re:readiness that makes the car fail inspection. Anyone know about this?
I don't feel much difference in driveability but the engine speed is no doubt high at highway speeds e.g.2000RPM @ 45MPH. Dealer says that the fuel economy reduction is why it is considered an emissions fault.
I have some other fault codes such as evaporative emissions that would be cause for insp. failure. I'd like to pass inspection without replacing the TC. Anyone have experience with the TC causing emissions inspection failure?

incrementalg

Damn, I cannot believe how many issues your ar had at such low miles.