It says it can be started off in second gear, meaning you can put the transmission in tiptronic and place it in 2nd gear to drive off from a stand still.

No modern automatic transmission should ever allow you to start an engine with it in gear. That's a safety features to prevent inadvertent lurching of the car in a forward or reverse direction.

Correct me if I'm wrong....

 

It says it can be started off in second gear, meaning you can put the transmission in tiptronic and place it in 2nd gear to drive off from a stand still.

That is what the SSP said and what I was asking about.

No modern automatic transmission should ever allow you to start an engine with it in gear. That's a safety features to prevent inadvertent lurching of the car in a forward or reverse direction.

Correct me if I'm wrong....

You are CORRECT. But I did not even think about starting the engine in gear. The Treg will not even let you start it without being in Park or Neutral and your foot on the brake. Unlike some old manual transmissions I had and when the clutch cable broke or the hydraulic fluid got low or failed, you started it in first and drove off like nothing was wrong if you could shift with out a clutch.

So, have you tried it?

 

Its also to have a smoother pull away in sand where you dont want to spin wheels with an aggressive first gear start and dig yourself in.

 

My '12 also does not allow it to start off in 2nd in tiptronic mode. I was hoping it would as in very slow start and stop traffic and in deep snow/very slippery conditions it is beneficial.

I still have one theory to test…. If it is in off road mode, maybe then it is permissible.

 

My 2013 TDI will do this....tiptronic mode, out it in 2nd at a standstill and it pulls away fine in 2nd gear. No need to be in "offroad" mode

 

Have I missed something ? I thought VW opted for the ZF 8 Speed transmission and not the Aisin in ALL 7P's. I suggest you check your build plate as you may be referring to the wrong data. Aisin do make an 8 speed but I don't believe it is used in the Treg.

Stuart....

 

That is what I wished VW put in. It is too bad that VW does not use ZF transmissions. I am not sure if all VW light vehicles use Aisins now.

The Cayenne sites discuss Aisin ATFs and some about buying them cheap from Toyota.

 

The Touareg is equipped with the Aisin 8-speed.

 

The Touareg is equipped with the Aisin 8-speed.

I stand corrected............

 

I can't figure it out... but the Aisin unit is in the Touareg and the ZF unit goes into the Q7.

 

So the premium line gets the premium transmission, and the budget line gets the &%@#.

 

The cayenne also gets the ZF unit, pretty confusing.

 

Hmmmm I think you'll find the 2013 cayenne TDI uses the Aisin 8 speed ( a la Touareg).

 

The Amarok now uses the ZF 8-speed.

The auto is not related to the eight-speed gearbox used in Touareg and other Volkswagen Audi Group products. Though this writer (and all his colleagues) believed the Touareg box to be ZF sourced, VW Commercial staffers explained, it's only the Amarok that gets the ZF box. In fact, the Touareg's gearbox is sourced via Aisin.

 

This is very interesting-- didn't realize the AISIN gearbox was such a compromise-- what are the downsides?

 

I'm with ya...I like how the Aisin operates. It's smooth, it doesn't hunt for gears, and it seems to be a good match for the TDI. I think the only real room for improvement would be less of a ratio jump between 2nd and 3rd gear, and maybe a tow/haul mode, but that's the only thing that I can think of that should be improved on the next version.

But then I've never driven anything with the ZF 8-speed, so I can't compare.

 

ZF’s 8-Speed Automatic Transmission - Tech Dept. - Car and Driver

Here is a 2010 C & D article "8 hp kit".

http://paultan.org/2007/05/03/zf-unveiled-new-8-speed-automatic-gearbox/

http://appsprod01.zf.com/zf.product...mediaFiles?levelTypeName=Products&levelID=336241&mediaFileName=8HP_en_2007s.pdf

I am actually very happy with the Aisin 8 speed A/T, after app 11,000 miles.

http://www.aisin.com/product/automotive/drivetrain/index.html

There is a dirth of information about either. I have certainly seen no A/B comparison of the two.

In either transmissions' case, they were built for the higher end (Aisin, Lexus LS 460, VW Touareg: ZF 8 HP Kit BMW 7 series and R/R) and higher torque markets. ( up to 738 # ft of torque, aka 1000 MN)

 

I don't know what the fuss is about with the Aisin. It is absolutely smooth and efficient. My favorite part in the car.

 

Indeed, Given the fact that Aisin came out (2006) with the 8 speed A/T high torque ( TR 80 SD line), (a few years) earlier than ZF, ZF 8 HP Kit /s are in effect, .... "me too" products.

http://paultan.org/2007/05/03/zf-unveiled-new-8-speed-automatic-gearbox/


I think 100,000 miles, real world A/B comparisons, reliability and durability takes are a few years away. The C& D article is circa 2010. I do not think there are many 2009 BMW 5 GT and 7 series flagship owners and R/R owners that tend to put on 100,000 miles on their cars, especially in less than 2/3 years. Indeed the Aisin 8 speed TR 80SD in the Touareg, started in 2011 or now 2 MY's, going on three.

 

The Aisin is a great transmission I have nothing to complain about it. Even when towing simply putting it in sport keeps the revs up, or using manual tiptronic mode helps as well.

 

I love the "buying them because its cheap" comments...the Aisin 8 speed is used in the Lexus LS series, its not like they are putting them in Camrys.

 

this may be a rookie comment but i also have a LandCruiser that has the option to start from a standing stop in second gear - it works really well in deep snow or super slick conditions / ice. I just don't want my touareg to get dust, salt, or winter rash on it so I leave it in the garage when the foul weather shows up and drive the toyota.
it would be a good feature to have - not sure it's active on the 2013 tdi

 

Yeah... people shouldn't be trashing the Aisin transmission ---- it works brilliantly in the Touareg.

 

Agreed...one of the best qualities of the T3 is how smooth the engine/tranny work together. It's damn near hawt...

 

Well if it lasts as long as the Aisin parts in my Landcruiser, I'll be happy! Just had the original Aisin master brake cylinder start weeping out the back ( still solid for braking) after 28 years and 490,000 km (yup, I've had it that long...), not bad reliability at all!!!!

 

Agreed...one of the best qualities of the T3 is how smooth the engine/tranny work together. It's damn near hawt...

Another agreed. The 3.0 TDI and Aisin 8-speed are a great match, very well-tuned drivetrain.

 

Speaking of the Aisin, I am not a believer in "lifetime auto transmission fluid" in any automatic transmission. Lost the auto in the 83 Audi 5000 TD and the 2002 Jetta GLS TDI at 120 k miles, 145k on the Audi.

What's the proper ATF fluid from Aisin to put in this 8 speed gear box as found in 2011- 2013 Trags?

Thoughts on mileage between intervals? 40k miles, or 60k miles between services?

 

What's the proper ATF fluid from Aisin to put in this 8 speed gear box as found in 2011- 2013 Trags?

Thoughts on mileage between intervals? 40k miles, or 60k miles between services?

Look back at the info table in the very first post in this thread and you'll see it suggests referring to Elsaweb for fluid and change recommendations [shame it didn't list what those were though!].

This seems to suggest that the box is not sealed for life. Ask you dealer anyway but it would be great if someone can access Elsaweb to find out what it recommends.

 

Keep in mind the Auto in the Jetta was notorious for self destruction. I changed my fluid for the first time in my 00 TDI bug "manual" transmission at 410,000 km. I'll probably do it on the Touareg around 150,000 km.

 

For me, the Aisin 8 speed is the sole selling point for me to even possibly consider trading in for the T3.
They seem to have got it right with this unit.

 

For me, the Aisin 8 speed is the sole selling point for me to even possibly consider trading in for the T3.
They seem to have got it right with this unit.

That, and I wouldn't mind at all if the entire Touareg was built in Japan. I'll keep dreaming

 

I too am a big fan of this transmission, and in particular with the heavy duty torque rating. I remember we had a new 1997 Chevy Tahoe Z71 4wd with a 350 V8, and a few years later that transmission burnt up with like 60k miles on it, never towing anything a day in it's life. And that was with the transmission cooler package and towing package. I'd like to see a comparison with the 8 speed ZF that BMW will stick in it's new diesel X5, but that was a huge selling point for me when I look at both before buying when I did, that the X5d still had a 6 speed trans and the Touareg had a heavy duty 8 speed.

Here is the 2012 Audi scheduled maintenance interval chart. every 35k miles for the DSG's and CVT, but not for the TDI Q7 (using the AISIN 8 speed along with the Touareg.) My 2000 BMW M5 says it had lifetime transmission fluid as well; I just changed it two months ago even with just 57k miles on the odometer.
http://microsites.audiusa.com/ngw/1.../media/downloads/pdfs/us/scheduled_maintenance/ScheduledMaintFlipChart_2012.pdf

Here is the Audi self study on the AISIN 8 speed auto's. I'm a big fan of overkill on auto transmission, going back to the TH 400's Chevy used to stick in with all their Corvettes, and big-block motors in the rest of their lineup. Hook up a smaller TH-350 with a big block and you were asking for trouble. Sad thing is, GM has gotten sloppy with their own auto trans as of late, liking to put a unit in there right at the max capacity

The TR-80SD is good for 800Nm per AISIN, which is about 590lb-ft. (I've read a figure as high as 630lb-ft but can't find where I saw that.)
www.1stcallhosting.com/tech/audi/index.php?dir=Transmission%2F&download=Audi+09D+Transmission.pdf

If anybody can translate, a nice New Product PDF from AISIN.
??8?? TR-80SD_??

 

By the way, from what I'm looking at the ZF 8HP70 in the BMW E70 X5 diesel is only rated at 700Nm.
ZF Friedrichshafen AG | Overview of facts & figures
ZF 8HP transmission - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

I had a Saab and a Crossfire that had a "W" button for winter mode which started the car off in second gear, the SAAB was front wheel drive and the Crossfire was rear wheel drive. I would think that it wouldn't be necessary with all wheel drive?