Audi Workshop Service and Repair Manuals

The automatic gearbox is controlled electro-hydraulically.

Additional information

• ◆ Workshop Manual Audi A31997 ä
  Automatic gearbox 01M
• ◆ Current flow diagrams, Electrical fault finding and Fitting locations

Some terms and abbreviations are explained in the last chapter

The control unit for the automatic gearbox -J217 is supplied with information from components which influence gear selection, and generates signals to control the relevant solenoid valves in the valve body. The solenoid valves direct the fluid pressure produced by the ATF pump to engagethe appropriate clutches or brakes in the gearbox.

Gearbox control unit fault recognition

The term "self-diagnosis" relates to the electrical and electronic part of this control system.

The control unit is equipped with a fault memory so that in the event of an electronic/electrical component failure or on open circuit the fault can be determined quickly. Fault are recognized by electrical signals and stored in the fault memory.

If faults occur in the monitored sensors or components, these are stored in the memory together with an indication of the type of fault.

After analysing the information, the automatic gearbox control unit distinguishes between sporadic and static (permanent) faults
=> Fault table, from page 01-34, and stores these.

If a fault occurs for the first time, it is stored as a static fault.

If faults do not reoccur within
min. 5 km (3 miles) or 6 minutes
max. 20 km (12 miles) or 24 minutes,
they are stored as sporadic faults.

Faults which are stored as sporadic faults in the fault memory are displayed as such when the fault memory is interrogated with V.A.G 1551 (or V.A.G 1552). In this case, "/SP" appears on the right of the display. If the printer is switched on it will print out "sporadic fault" after the fault is identified.

Faults which are stored in the fault memory as sporadic faults are automatically erased after 40 gearbox cold starts (followed by warm-up).

The self-diagnosis functions are only available with the fault reader V.A.G 1551 (or V.A.G 1552) in operating mode 1 " Rapid data transfer".

For a list of available functions with the fault reader V.A.G 1551 (or V.A.G 1552) .

Safety functions of gearbox control unit

If a critical fault occurs when driving, the gearbox will continue to operate in a back-up function (emergency running mode). If the fault occurs when the selector lever is in "D", "3" or "2", the emergency running function will engage 3rd gear.

If there are no engine speed and vehicle speed signals, and the kickdown speed 4 ⇒3 is exceeded once, the gearbox will shift into "N".

If the fault occurs when the selector lever is in position "1", "P", "N" or "R", the emergency running function will make the gearbox remain in the position selected.

If the emergency running mode is activated by a fault, the gearbox will remain in emergency running mode until the ignition is switched off.

If the fault is still present and the engine is started again with the gearbox in the emergency running mode, 3rd gear will be activated hydraulically when the selector lever is moved to position "D", "3" or "2", and will remain engaged until the fault is rectified.

→ If all the segments of the gear display in the dash panel insert light up together, this indicates that a fault exists or that the emergency running mode has been activated by the gearbox control unit.

If all the segments of the gear display in the dash panel insert remain dark, this indicates that the emergency running mode has been activated because the gearbox control unit is faulty or has failed.

Faults which may cause the emergency running mode to be activated