When checking, the ATF should be at operating temperature, which is approximately equivalent to a 10 km trip. The amount of fluid changes depending on the temperature. When cold, the monitored level is too low, after a long trip it is too high.
Set the car to the parking brake, set the gearshift lever to position "P", and leave the engine idling.
Pull out the ATF dipstick, located in the direction of travel on the left rear of the engine. You can recognize it by the handle. Wipe it only with a completely dry, lint-free cloth.
Insert the dipstick and pull it out again.
Between both markings, transparent ATF should be visible. The marking on the tip of the dipstick is only for measuring when filling in case of ATF replacement.
Vehicles without ATR indicator For vehicles with ZF drive, the ATF condition is checked only during the technical inspection.
To do this, remove the cap in the ATF filler pipe (at the rear of the engine compartment under the brake fluid reservoir).
Insert the filling tube into the "02" indicator with the number 01F321431 A, obtained from an Audi workshop.
The next check is carried out in the same way as for vehicles with an ATF indicator.
Previously, ATF was always transparent and colored light red. Now a liquid is used that can turn black-brown during operation.
If the ATF smells burnt when pulled out, it means there is some damage to the transmission.
If the fluid level is too low, you cannot simply top up the ATF; you must check the gearbox for leaks. You should entrust the necessary sealing work to a workshop.
Too high a fluid level may be caused by damage to the gasket between the planetary gear and the axle drive.
Check the oil level in the axle drive, see next paragraph.
If the oil level in the axle drive is at a normal level, then in this case the excess ATF is simply sucked out of the automatic transmission. Too high an ATF level can also cause damage to the transmission.
The Audi 100 uses an automatic transmission with and without a rod-type dipstick. In the picture on the right - with a dipstick. With the engine running: pull the dipstick out of the guide tube (3), located at the rear left in the engine compartment. When the ATF is warm, the fluid level should be in the normal range (1) between the two marks. On the extension (2) you can also check the level when the ATF is cold. Cars without a dipstick are identified by the cap (arrow in the top picture). To measure the ATF level - special indicator "02" (picture below), available in the Audi workshop.