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+--- Thread: Is there a break-in period after a transmission fluid change? (/showthread.php?tid=1718)
Is there a break-in period after a transmission fluid change? - marenwalsh - 08-31-2026
I had my transmission fluid changed about a week ago on my 2016 A5 2.0 TDI and honestly the car is driving a bit oddly and I'm not sure if this is normal or if something's gone wrong. The car has done about 95,000 kms and the old fluid was definitely due for a change, it was pretty dark and the garage said it smelled burnt which I guess is expected at that mileage. The thing is, ever since the service the car feels different, not necessarily worse but just different, the shifts feel a bit firmer than they used to and sometimes it seems like it's holding onto gears for longer than it should before changing up. I've been driving it gently for the last few days because I read somewhere that you should take it easy for the first 500 kms after a fluid change to let everything settle in, but I'm not sure if that's actually a thing or if I'm just being paranoid. I've also noticed that the car seems to hesitate slightly when I accelerate from a standstill, almost like the torque converter is taking a moment to engage properly, which is a bit concerning. I've been doing some reading online and I found some really detailed information at auditransmissionrepair.ae/audi-transmission-oil-change/ that explained the adaptation process and how the gearbox needs to relearn driving habits after a fluid change, which made me feel a bit better. But I'm still not completely sure if what I'm experiencing is normal or if I should be taking it back to the garage to get checked out. Has anyone else experienced this after a transmission service and did things eventually smooth out after a few hundred kms of driving? I'm trying not to panic but it's difficult when you've spent a chunk of money on a service and the car doesn't feel quite right afterwards. Would really appreciate hearing from anyone who's been through this before.