2016 4M 7f 8 speed Gearbox Oil Change walk through

[neil-w]

Hi, my first post! I'm a new Audi Q7 owner having recently purchased a 2016 S-Line. It is a great car and pulls our big caravan like a train. The car is on 80k miles and I have just done an Oil and filter change but wondered if the gearbox oil needs changing too? Gear change is smooth but when cold it can be a little bit hit and miss where it changes up and then down quickly. Having never owned an Audi before (or an Auto Gearbox) I'm not sure if this is normal or a sign that the gearbox oil should be changed.

I've checked through the services records and the standard stuff has been done at the required intervals but no mention of gearbox oil change.

Does anyone know when this should be done and the procedure as I'll be doing it myself?

[Steve Q]

This might help: 

https://garage.wiki/audi/q7/second-generation-type-4m/2017/service-intervals.html

[neil-w]

I completely forgot posting this question 😀 Thanks for the reply Steve, that link doesn't mention any schedule for Gearbox oil which would indicate Audi thinks Gearbox oil lasts the life of the car. 

[lederhosens&Q7’s]

After spending £2.5k on the wife’s Mini, having a rebuilt transmission at 80k, I was advised to change the oil every 35k. Expect to pay around £200 for an oil change.  Get the filter replaced too. If doing yourself, read up about temperature. If you drain the oil cold you’ll leave loads of crap in there. Might pay to go to a transmission place rather than a garage. They may be able to tell you their thoughts on the condition of the transmission after seeing the oil and taking a test drive. And start putting some pennies away each month ready for the £2.5k - £3k rebuild. Any auto of that mileage is expecting a rebuild. May never happen, but be prepared.  If it came with the tow bar, then make the oil change urgent.  Don’t mean to scare monger, but the transmission needs looking after too. Even if the manufacturers think it doesn’t.  Audi don’t make transmissions, so what do they know lol. 

[neil-w]

Just thought I would update my post as no one really had the answer to my question. I did the gearbox oil change today on my 2016 Q7 4M on 80k miles. While it was messy and fiddly I did it on my drive without too many issues in 3 hours.

Anyone thinking of doing this here are some notes:

The gearbox is a ZF 8 Speed and you need to order the ZF kit which contains 7 Litres of oil, the sump tray (which contains the oil filter and magnets), fill plug and bolts. I ordered mine from Autodoc for £189 and it arrived in a few days.

You'll need some diagnostic equipment so you can read the gearbox oil temperature.

• Lift car on ramps/axle stands so it remains level

• Remove underbody shield

• Undo fill plug (10mm Allen Key)

• Remove Drain plug and drain oil

• Support the rear of the geabox

• Remove geabox rear support bracket

• Remove pan cover screws

• Lubricate new sealing ring

• Clean the gearbox mating surface

• Install new pan using cris cross method

• Reinstall gearbox rear mount

• Fill gearbox until oil flows back out

• Start the engine

• Maintain 2000rpm for 20 seconds to fill the torque converter

• Change manually into reverse and hold for 10 seconds then into first and hold for 10 seconds

• Check transmission fluid temperate is between 30c and 40c

• Now top up fluid with engine running until it fluid runs out again

• When fluid coming out is down to a few drops reinstall fill plug and tighten to 35Nm

• Reinstall under body tray
  
  I hope this helps someone.

[Magnet]

Hello Neil, 

Many thanks indeed for the clearly detailed procedure, which I’m sure will be a great help to those carrying out this job. Well done you. 

Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[ckq7]

On 12/14/2020 at 5:03 PM, neil-w said:

Just thought I would update my post as no one really had the answer to my question. I did the gearbox oil change today on my 2016 Q7 4M on 80k miles. While it was messy and fiddly I did it on my drive without too many issues in 3 hours.

Anyone thinking of doing this here are some notes:

The gearbox is a ZF 8 Speed and you need to order the ZF kit which contains 7 Litres of oil, the sump tray (which contains the oil filter and magnets), fill plug and bolts. I ordered mine from Autodoc for £189 and it arrived in a few days.

You'll need some diagnostic equipment so you can read the gearbox oil temperature.

• Lift car on ramps/axle stands so it remains level

• Remove underbody shield

• Undo fill plug (10mm Allen Key)

• Remove Drain plug and drain oil

• Support the rear of the geabox

• Remove geabox rear support bracket

• Remove pan cover screws

• Lubricate new sealing ring

• Clean the gearbox mating surface

• Install new pan using cris cross method

• Reinstall gearbox rear mount

• Fill gearbox until oil flows back out

• Start the engine

• Maintain 2000rpm for 20 seconds to fill the torque converter

• Change manually into reverse and hold for 10 seconds then into first and hold for 10 seconds

• Check transmission fluid temperate is between 30c and 40c

• Now top up fluid with engine running until it fluid runs out again

• When fluid coming out is down to a few drops reinstall fill plug and tighten to 35Nm

• Reinstall under body tray
  
  I hope this helps someone.

Thanks for this procedure!  Very helpful.

 

Sorry to dig up an old thread on my first post!  I'm considering changing the gearbox oil on my Q7, did you notice any improvements with yours once you did it and what condition was the oil in?

[neil-w]

55 minutes ago, ckq7 said:

Thanks for this procedure!  Very helpful.

 

Sorry to dig up an old thread on my first post!  I'm considering changing the gearbox oil on my Q7, did you notice any improvements with yours once you did it and what condition was the oil in?

Gear change is still a bit hit and miss when cold. The old oil didn't smell or look burnt. The car was on about 75k miles when I changed it.

[Steve Q]

19 minutes ago, neil-w said:

Gear change is still a bit hit and miss when cold. The old oil didn't smell or look burnt. The car was on about 75k miles when I changed it.

Ive pinned this at the top of the section as your walk through was great. Really think it'll help other members 🙂

[ckq7]

Thanks for the quick reply. Mine is on 70k and occasionally changes are a bit jerky sometimes in 4th to 5th and like you I’m planning on keeping the car and running it to high miles. 
 

just trying to evaluate whether it’s worth doing. 

[neil-w]

21 minutes ago, ckq7 said:

Thanks for the quick reply. Mine is on 70k and occasionally changes are a bit jerky sometimes in 4th to 5th and like you I’m planning on keeping the car and running it to high miles. 
 

just trying to evaluate whether it’s worth doing. 

Mine is jerky in the lower gears but only when cold. It hunts between 1 and 2 so I tend to put it in sports mode for the first few miles which solves it. Never had any issues with the higher gears.

 

[Stevey Y]

Hi the Audi perspective is that the boxes are Filled for life the Sealed for life boxes they produced did not sell cars so they abandoned that one but they are not about to tell you the oil needs changing along with the filters etc as that won't help with the sales of exchange boxes, my mechanic recommends every 35k or two years, as he services several taxis in my area that have DSG gearboxes and none of them despite starship milage have suffered gearbox failure I would be led to believe he may well be right.

Steve.

[Pappa583]

On 12/14/2020 at 5:03 PM, neil-w said:

Just thought I would update my post as no one really had the answer to my question. I did the gearbox oil change today on my 2016 Q7 4M on 80k miles. While it was messy and fiddly I did it on my drive without too many issues in 3 hours.

Anyone thinking of doing this here are some notes:

The gearbox is a ZF 8 Speed and you need to order the ZF kit which contains 7 Litres of oil, the sump tray (which contains the oil filter and magnets), fill plug and bolts. I ordered mine from Autodoc for £189 and it arrived in a few days.

You'll need some diagnostic equipment so you can read the gearbox oil temperature.

• Lift car on ramps/axle stands so it remains level

• Remove underbody shield

• Undo fill plug (10mm Allen Key)

• Remove Drain plug and drain oil

• Support the rear of the geabox

• Remove geabox rear support bracket

• Remove pan cover screws

• Lubricate new sealing ring

• Clean the gearbox mating surface

• Install new pan using cris cross method

• Reinstall gearbox rear mount

• Fill gearbox until oil flows back out

• Start the engine

• Maintain 2000rpm for 20 seconds to fill the torque converter

• Change manually into reverse and hold for 10 seconds then into first and hold for 10 seconds

• Check transmission fluid temperate is between 30c and 40c

• Now top up fluid with engine running until it fluid runs out again

• When fluid coming out is down to a few drops reinstall fill plug and tighten to 35Nm

• Reinstall under body tray
  
  I hope this helps someone.

Excellent pointers on what to do cheers, Do you fancy doing mine 😜. Mines only got 36k on it, was thinking once it gets 40k might be worth doing to keep everything fresh, diff oil aswell...

[coupe4]

thanks neil they are good tips,im doing mine soon so ill let ye know how it goes,greg