Tranny shot?

[capncrunch]

Hey! I need HELP!
I am having a 'sudden-onset' problem with my '94 Zs A4. I drove home from work yesterday evening, & it was working fine (I backed out of my spot at work, drove it 40 miles on the highway, & then parked in front of a business here in town). When I came out of the building, I put the car in reverse, but all it did was rev the engine- without moving! I tried neutral
but it tried to go forward. All the other (forward) gears tried to move it forwards, too.

Finally, I got a friend to help me push it backwards to the street, & I drove it home...It tried to stay in first-gear, at first, but finally shifted & then acted normal for the last couple of blocks...
It seemed as if the 'park' was working, but everything else seemed to be off-set (ie- neutral for reverse, drive for neutral, etc...) Is there a possibilty that this is a linkage problem or is this more likely an electronics issue?

BTW- There was NO indication of anything wrong, before the problem occurred.
Thanks!

[RangerBob]

Jack it up and look at the shift cable where it hooks up to the transmission is your first step.

[capncrunch]

Okay! I will tomorrow! What exactly am I looking for?
Thanks!

[axgrndr]

i'm not an expert on auto trannies, especially recent types, but have rebuilt and shift kitted a few in the past with help (700r4 and 350's). i'll throw in my 2 cents in hopes it can get you started.

1. check the fluid levels and look for leaks etc.
2. check the shifter cable/ linkage.
3. check the shifter mechanizm under the console for proper gating and function.

i had an 82 t/a w/ a 200 metric years ago that did similar type thing. i had only 1st. turned out to be a cracked accumilator cap in the valve body assy and caused pressure loss. i'd say an oil pan leak, cable or shifter would be easy enough to do a fix it yourself if youre mechanically inclined. if its something in the valve body or busted valve, clutch packs, or seals interanally youre much better off taking it to a shop. it's not something i'd recommend tackling on your own without at least help from someone with experience. too many intricate small parts (check balls and springs etc.). get something together wrong, miss a seal, miss a small part etc. and you could wind up with a bigger mess.

[axgrndr]

try poking around on shoebox's site. he has lots of good info there. for example:
http://shbox.com/trans/A4_trans_linkage.html

[Christopherrr]

Also, the plastic retaining clips for the linkage cables under the center console can detach from their mounts or get loose making the lever off. I'd check there too.