Hi all,

This is my first post as a new member, so bear with me if this seems like a repeat thread.

I have a 2003 A4 Cabriolet, 3.0L with FWD. I don't know the actual transmission, which doesn't help a lot, but perhaps I can provide enough information to help you determine it.

It's an automatic with Tiptronic, which doesn't work at all. I'm told it's a CVT, and when it's having a good day, feels as such. When I put this car into Drive, it hesitates for 2-4sec before actually engaging and moving forward. Every time, never fails. Often enough, I have to tap the accelerator to help it along. As I drive, I can feel the gears occasionally bouncing around a little. It's intermittent, not an everyday thing. On the rare occasion, it won't leave first gear, and I have to pull over, cycle through PNR and back to drive to get it going again. Just as rarely, it will occasionally go from 3rd or 4th down to 1st and then it smoothes itself out. The gear selector indicator in the dash cluster is flashing, from start-up to shut down. It never stops.

I read your Recommended CVT Owners thread, and it seems close, but I've also read that the TCM is to blame, and often a rebuild will resolve this. I'm hesitant to believe it, but computers control the craziest things these days, so I wouldn't be in total shock if the TCM was the case.

Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. This is my first Audi and I'm clueless. Is there a way to read a code or get an accurate diagnosis without paying a mechanic $90-$150 to tell me it's broken?