Tiptronic Gearbox Issue
 

Folks, when in 5th at around 35-45 if I accelerate but not hard enough to drop down a gear, there is a sound like the car is labouring. If I put the foot down a little further it drops down to 4th and all is well.

I have a warranty on my car and it was in with Audi a few months ago and they said there was nothing wrong with it, and the service advisor just said to blip the throttle when I wanted to change. Initially they told me if I do this it will learn my driving style, but then changed their mind and said the tiptronic box doesn't have the ability to learn.

My point is that I shouldn't have to do this surely? I don't have to do it in any other gear, its only in 5th. In all other gears the box changes automatically as it should when needed.

Can anyone offer any advice or thoughts on the matter?

Is it slipping noise?? Quiet loud but not a knocking sound??
Does it happen when you floor the throttle as well??

Not a slipping noise. It literally just sounds like the car needs to drop a gear!

No when I floor the throttle its grand. It just does it when it needs to drop from 5th to 4th, but the car doesn't do it unless I press a bit harder!

What do you mean by harder, is it significantly harder or just a touch??
When you drive in D, when does the gearbox shifts up, around 1500-1600rpms??

Just a touch harder. But I still have to make that effort to make it change.

If it's as above, which is the result of being very gentle with the throttle, I would say to not worry, unless you can record it so we can have a batter look at it.
The reason I'm saying it is because the way gearbox adapts to your driving.
As you may have noticed, at least that is the case with my 8, when I'm gentle with the throttle in D, the 5th gear is already selected @ 35mph.
If you continue cruising and being gentle with the throttle you will find the box to not be so keen on downshifting so easily unless you press it a bit harder.

If I floor the throttle in D for few minutes or miles, gearbox will instantly start shifting gears a bit higher even after being gently with the throttle again.
Same as in S, gearbox wont shift up a gear below 3000rpms while being gentle with the throttle (unless its from 1st to 2nd), But as soon you start pushing the car harder, box wont change the gears at around 3000rpms, it will do it around 4000rpms or even higher.

Basically, when you are gentle on the throttle in D, gearbox isn't so keen on shifting the gears down so much. Shifting up yeah, it will take you up to the 6th gear before you even go over 40mph.

Plus if there is no knocks, clunking, slips, hard shifting or wining noise then driving style is what I would say it is, but I may be wrong.

My car did this too ! It went after I serviced the gearbox . Before I was constantly tapping the throttle to male it change gear. But now it will pull me straight up a hill and no blips needed

Cheers for that, always reassuring to hear of another case!

Is yours a tiptronic or multitronic box?

The gearbox ECU was changed by Audi before I got the car and the fluid changed, so I'm wondering was something not done right.

Mine is tiptronic

If they have done it they may have used the later blue fluid that is not compatible with the old software in the tcu .. might just need to check your fluid +++