NHTSA Complaint #10213659 — 2003 AUDI A4

IN FEBRUARY 2007, MY 2003 A4'S MULTITRONIC CVT (TRANSMISSION) STARTED TO FAIL. IT WAS SLOW TO ENGAGE TO REVERSE AND TO FIRST GEAR FROM A COMPLETE STOP, AND THE PRND INDICATOR ON THE DASHBOARD BEGAN TO BLINK CONTINUOUSLY. ALTHOUGH THESE WERE OBVIOUS PROBLEMS, THE MECHANIC AT OUR AUDI DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME THE CAR WAS 'OPERATING ACCORDING TO MANUFACTURER'S SPECIFICATIONS.' THE CAR ONLY HAD 61,000 MILES. SOON THEREAFTER, THE TRANSMISSION GOT WORSE. ON ONE OCCASION, MY INFANT DAUGHTER AND I WERE PUT IN DANGER WHEN THE TRANSMISSION DIDN'T ENGAGE AS I ATTEMPTED A LEFT TURN. WE WERE STUCK IN ONCOMING TRAFFIC IN A CAR THAT WOULD NOT MOVE. IT WAS ONLY AFTER I PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL MULTIPLE TIMES, REVVING THE ENGINE SIGNIFICANTLY, THAT THE CAR BUCKED INTO FIRST GEAR AND LURCHED FORWARD. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, THE CAR WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE WHEN I TRIED TO BACK OUT OF A SPACE IN A BUSY PARKING LOT. THIS SPACE WAS ON A SLIGHT INCLINE, CAUSING THE CAR TO ROLL FORWARD WHEN I STEPPED ON THE GAS IN THE ATTEMPT TO ENGAGE THE REVERSE. INSTEAD OF REVERSING, AGAIN THE ENGINE REVVED SIGNIFICANTLY AND ROLLED FORWARD, NEARLY MISSING THE PARKED CAR IN FRONT OF ME. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS THE REVERSE SUDDENLY ENGAGED AND LURCHED BACKWARDS. THANK GOODNESS NOBODY WAS INJURED IN EITHER SITUATION. AT 64,000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION FAILED COMPLETELY. I HAD TO REPLACE IT AT A COST OF $6,500. AUDI EVEN REQUIRED THAT MY BROKEN TRANSMISSION BE SENT BACK TO THEM SO THEY COULD STUDY THE FAILURE. THE TECHNICAL STAFF AT MY AUDI DEALERSHIP, AS WELL AS THE OWNER OF THE REPAIR SHOP WHERE I EVENTUALLY HAD THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED, REMARKED THAT THE MULTITRONIC CVT'S DESIGN IS PROBLEMATIC, AND THAT THEY'RE SEEING MAJOR ISSUES WITH THEM. *CN