I have a friend with a B8 automatic who's transmission revs up/ doesn't up-shift if he coasts down hill. Is that normal?

Admittedly, I haven't driven a automatic car in about 11 years, but he claims it up-shifted before. Is this out of the ordinary with an A4? Anyone else with similar experience?

 

No, it isn't out of the ordinary. My A4 auto always downshifts when I go down a steep hill. The car has a sensor that detects when you're on a hill and downshifts automatically to maintain a certain speed without wear on the brakes.

 

Even under normal acceleration downhill it sticks first gear and redlines. He pops it into Tip and then back to auto and it finally shifts. Sounds like it might be a shift solenoid? Any thoughts?

 

Well I noticed that when I stepped on the gas it usually changes to second or the next gear. If it just redlines, you should maybe have it checked in the dealership.

 

Just to add my experience, I live on a big hill and my tranny definitely holds a gear a little longer on the way down the decline but that actually works out quite well as I don't have to burn my brakes as much. It definitely does not get anywhere near redline though, just a little higher than usual, say around 3k rpms. That doesn't sound like the intended result if it is holding first gear all the way to redline.