NHTSA Complaint #10978959 — 2012 AUDI S4

A GEARBOX MALFUNCTION (WITH CODES P179E AND P179F) MAY CAUSE THE CAR ENTER ONE OF THE "LIMP MODE" STATES, WHICH CAN CUT ENGINE POWER FROM THE TRANSMISSION. A MESSAGE ON THE DASH MAY SAY "GEARBOX MALFUNCTION" WITH A MESSAGE IF THE CAR IS DRIVEABLE OR MUST BE BROUGHT TO THE REPAIR SHOP. IN SOME CASES, THIS LOSS OF POWER CAN MAKE THINGS DIFFICULT TO PULL OVER SAFELY, AS THE STALL CAN HAPPEN IN AN INTERSECTION, OR IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC ON THE FREEWAY. AUDI HAS RECOGNIZED THIS PROBLEM IN THE FORM OF A TSB (2032211), HOWEVER, ALL CARS WITH THIS PARTICULAR TRANSMISSION MAY EXPERIENCE A SIMILAR ISSUE, AT ANY TIME, DESPITE FOLLOWING MANUFACTURER SERVICE INTERVALS. THE ISSUE MAY APPEAR TO BE INTERMITTENT AND MAY NOT ENTER FULL LIMP MODE UNTIL MANY MILES LATER. MY INITIAL ENCOUNTER WITH QUESTIONABLE TRANSMISSION BEHAVIOR WAS ABOUT 10-15K MILES PRIOR. THIS PARTICULAR CASE DOCUMENTED WAS THE WORST SCENARIO, BUT SIMILAR SCENARIOS (COMING OFF THE FREEWAY AND STALLING SHORTLY AFTER STOPPING, OR NOT BEING ABLE TO ENGINE BRAKE PROPERLY DUE TO TRANSMISSION REFUSING TO SHIFT) HAVE ALSO BEEN EXPERIENCED.