How to Reset the Computer on an Audi Tiptronic Transmission

The tiptronic transmission on an Audi allows the driver to manually select gears while driving. Unlike a traditional automatic transmission, the tiptronic attempts to combine the best of both transmission types. The tiptronic is an automatic transmission at heart, with the ability to manually control the gears it is in. This gives the driver an incredible amount of control over the vehicle, similar to how a standard transmission gives gear selection control to the driver, but without the skill involved with operating a manual clutch. While these transmissions are reliable in Audi vehicles, they do occasionally malfunction. If you are having problems with gear selection, you can try to manually reset the transmission's computer by cutting and restoring power to it.

Open the bonnet and loosen the 10mm retaining nut on the Audi's negative battery cable clamp using a socket wrench.

Slide the clamp off the battery terminal.

Wait 15 minutes. Then, reconnect the battery cable. This will reset the ECU (electronic control module) and the TCM (transmission control module).