Reset Audi ECU / Transmission

An Audi transmission adaptation reset clears the shift pressures and clutch fill values the transmission computer has learned, so it can learn them again from scratch. It can cure harsh or flaring shifts after a fluid service or a repair. But there is no single Audi reset: depending on which gearbox your car has, the procedure is completely different, and on some gearboxes there is no documented reset at all. This guide sorts that out, using Ross Tech’s published procedures as the reference.

Read This First: The Common “Reset” Is Not a Reset

The procedure you will find on many websites, including an earlier version of this page, goes like this: transmission module, Basic Settings, group 000, then floor the accelerator pedal for a few seconds. Ross Tech names that exact procedure kick down basic settings. It teaches the transmission computer where the kick down point on the pedal is. It does not clear clutch adaptations and it does not return the transmission to factory settings.

The same goes for the engine module procedure using groups 063 and 060. Group 063 is the kick down setting in the engine computer, and group 060 is throttle body alignment. Neither touches the transmission’s learned values. And on current Audis, which use the newer UDS protocol, those group numbers no longer exist at all; functions are chosen by name instead.

Holding the accelerator to the floor with the ignition on, or disconnecting the battery, is also often recommended as a reset. We found no Audi or Ross Tech source supporting either. Sources: Ross Tech, automatic transmission basic settings, Ross Tech, throttle body alignment.

Step One: Find Out Which Gearbox You Have

Your gearbox code is on the vehicle data sticker in the spare tire well or in the service book, and a scan tool will show it. Do not go by model name; the same model used different gearboxes over the years.

Gearbox code	Typical cars	Is there a documented reset?
09L, 09E, 0AT, 0B6, 0BQ (ZF 6 speed automatic)	A4 and S4 B7, A4 B8, A5, Q5, A6 C6, A8 D3, Q7	Yes. Adaptation channel 001.
01J (Multitronic CVT)	A4 and A6 with Multitronic	Adaptation through channel 00, completed by a defined drive
0B5 (7 speed S tronic, wet clutch)	A4 B8, A5, Q5, A6 C7, S4	No single reset. A sequence of named basic settings.
0AM (7 speed dry clutch)	Not sold in North America according to Ross Tech	No single reset. Basic settings group 060.
02E (6 speed DSG)	TT 8N, A3 8P	No single reset. A sequence of basic settings groups.
09G, 09M, 09K (Aisin 6 speed)	A3, TT	None documented. Only a kick down adjustment.
ZF 8 speed (0BK, 0BL, 0BW and others) and 0CK, 0CL S tronic	Most current Audis	Not documented by Ross Tech; use the dealer procedure

ZF 6 Speed (09L, 09E, 0AT, 0B6, 0BQ): The Real Adaptation Reset

This is the one gearbox with a genuine, documented adaptation reset. Basic settings do not apply to this transmission computer at all.

Prerequisites: ignition on, engine off, no stored transmission faults, and fluid temperature between 55 and 95 °C (shown in measuring block group 004, field 1).

1. Before resetting, record the current clutch adaptation values in measuring block groups 073 to 077 (clutches A to E). They are a useful record of the gearbox’s condition.
2. Go to the transmission module, Adaptation, channel 001.
3. Read the value, enter a new value of 1, test, save and confirm.
4. Drive the adaptation procedure below.

Channel 001 only appears on cars built after a 2006 production change. Some 2004 to 2006 cars need a dealer software update before it is available. Ross Tech, 09E and 09L.

The adaptation drive

Use a flat road and keep the fluid between 55 and 95 °C. Ross Tech credits this sequence to Audi’s own training material.

1. Warm up: accelerate, then coast to a stop after the 2 to 1 downshift. Repeat at least 10 times.
2. Part 1 (fluid at least 40 °C): from a standstill in D, accelerate gently into 4th, coast down to 40 km/h (25 mph), brake gently to a stop and wait 5 seconds. Up to three times.
3. Part 2 (fluid at least 70 °C): drive 3 to 4 km (about 2 miles) in 5th using Tiptronic, then 3 to 4 km in 6th, with light throttle at 1,600 to 2,800 rpm.
4. Part 3: one minute in Tiptronic 5th at 1,400 to 2,100 rpm, then lift off and let it overrun down to 1,400 rpm. Up to three times.
5. Part 4: one minute in Tiptronic 3rd with light throttle at 1,400 to 2,100 rpm, then brake slowly to a stop and wait 5 seconds. Up to three times.
6. Finally drive normally through all gears. If shifts have not improved, check for faults and adapt the individual clutches.

Multitronic CVT (01J)

Prerequisites: engine running, no stored faults, fluid between 60 and 90 °C. If the first attempt fails, make sure the fluid is above 80 °C.

1. Go to the transmission module, Adaptation, channel 00, read and save.
2. Open measuring blocks 010 and 011 and watch field 2.
3. Drive in D for about 20 meters with light throttle, brake and hold for 10 seconds. Then reverse about 20 meters, brake and hold for 10 seconds. Repeat 5 to 10 times until field 2 shows “ADP OK”. No full throttle and no hard braking.

Ross Tech lists this as required after the transmission computer is recoded or replaced, and after the input shaft, hydraulic unit or transmission is replaced. Order a replacement transmission computer by VIN, because on the A6 C6 a swapped module triggers component protection. On North American A4, A4 Cabriolet and A6 from 2002 to 2008, adaptation values may not store until the software update in TSB 37-08-20 is applied. Ross Tech, 01J.

7 Speed S tronic (0B5)

There is no single “reset adaptation” function. Instead, Ross Tech lists three named basic settings, run in this order, each until it reports “Finished Correctly”:

1. “Erase counter for start and stop processes”, with the engine off. This may not be available on cars without start stop.
2. “Clutch valve calibration”, with the engine running and the selector in P.
3. “Distance sensor calibration”, with the engine running. Clunking during this step is normal.

Prerequisites: correct fluid level, fluid between 40 and 100 °C, no stored faults, selector in P. Afterwards, switch the ignition off for 10 seconds, clear faults and road test. A user note on the Ross Tech page says the fluid should be below 60 °C, so if the routine refuses to run, let it cool.

Water getting into the mechatronic connector on the 0B5 causes random faults (P1890, P1892, P1893, P1894, U0100, U0146, P2850, U0212, U0401). No basic setting will fix that; the connector needs repairing. Ross Tech, 0B5.

6 Speed DSG (02E)

Prerequisites: fluid between 30 and 100 °C (group 019), selector in P, engine idling for at least a minute, brake held, throttle untouched, cruise control off. Run these basic settings groups in order:

1. Group 061, transmission tolerances
2. Group 060, synchronizer engagement points
3. Clutch adaptation: group 062 on software below version 0800, group 067 on 0800 or later
4. Group 068, clutch safety reset
5. Group 065, pressure adaptation reset
6. Group 063, shift paddle reset
7. Group 069, ESP and Tiptronic cruise reset

Then drive: Tiptronic from a standstill up to 6th, about 5 minutes in 3rd or 5th and about 5 minutes in 4th or 6th at 1,200 to 3,500 rpm, then one firm stop followed by full throttle in D. Ross Tech, 02E.

7 Speed Dry Clutch (0AM)

Ross Tech notes this gearbox was not sold in North America. The basic setting is group 060, with fluid between 30 and 60 °C, selector in P, parking brake on, brake pedal held throughout and throttle untouched. Wait for 4 | 0 | 0, start the engine immediately, and wait for 254 | 0 | 0, which takes 3 to 6 minutes. 254 | 7 | 0 alone is not finished, and 255 | 0 | 0 means it failed. Ross Tech, 0AM.

Aisin 6 Speed (09G, 09M, 09K)

Ross Tech documents no adaptation reset for this gearbox. The only procedure listed is a kick down adjustment (transmission module, Basic Settings, group 001, pedal untouched), and on most later drive by wire cars even that is done in the engine computer. If someone offers you a “09G reset”, ask what it actually does. Ross Tech, 09G.

ZF 8 Speed and Current S tronic (0CK, 0CL)

Ross Tech has not published procedures for these, and we will not guess at them. Current Audis use named functions in ODIS and VCDS rather than group numbers. If your car has one of these gearboxes, the dealer procedure or a specialist with current software is the reliable route.

When a Reset Helps, and When It Will Not

Situation	Will an adaptation help?
Harsh or flaring shifts that developed gradually	Often helps (09L, 09E)
After a fluid service, clutch repair, mechatronic or gearbox replacement, or a software update	Recommended (09L, 09E); required after specific repairs on the Multitronic and dual clutch units
Stored transmission faults	Will not run. Fix the fault first.
Random faults from a wet mechatronic connector (0B5)	Will not help. Repair the connector.
A mechatronic unit fitted incorrectly (0AM)	Will not help. Ross Tech notes this is behind many support cases.
Slipping, burnt fluid, metal in the pan	Will not help. That is mechanical wear.

Before You Start

• Connect a battery charger or support unit. Ross Tech specifies at least 11.5 volts for the basic settings it documents, and a voltage dip partway through can abort the routine.
• Read and clear transmission faults first, and fix anything that comes back.
• Know how you will read fluid temperature. Every procedure here has a window, and guessing it is the most common reason a routine fails.
• Record the existing adaptation values where your gearbox shows them. If shift quality gets worse, you will know what it was before.

Where a Scan Tool Fits In

Everything on this page is a command sent to the transmission computer, plus live readings of fluid temperature and adaptation status. A generic OBD2 code reader can do none of it. VCDS and ODIS are the reference tools for Audi, and several aftermarket scan tools offer some of these functions.

The YOUCANIC UCAN-II Pro reads Audi transmission codes and live data. Coverage of the specific adaptation and basic settings routines varies by gearbox and model year, so check the coverage list for your exact car before relying on it for a reset.

Why resetting is the last step, not the first

The page opens by saying the common reset is not a reset, and that is the most important thing on it. An adaptation teaches the transmission about the condition it is in now. If the fluid is old, the mechanical wear is real or the gearbox is already slipping, an adaptation teaches it about a worn transmission and you have changed nothing except the numbers it starts from.

So the order is fluid and condition first, the correct procedure for your specific gearbox second, and only then the adaptation, which is why the page makes you identify the box before anything else. For the procedure itself on a one off job, rent one for seven days rather than buying the UCAN-II Pro, and send support your VIN so we can confirm your gearbox is supported before you order.

When to Hand It Over

• Your car has a ZF 8 speed or a current S tronic gearbox, which has no published procedure.
• The routine will not complete after you have confirmed fluid temperature, voltage and no stored faults.
• A replacement transmission computer or mechatronic unit triggers component protection, which needs dealer access.
• The transmission is slipping or the fluid is burnt. An adaptation will not fix wear.

Related guides: Troubleshooting Volkswagen Transmission Problems · How to Fix a Volkswagen Transmission Range Sensor | F125

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