Reconditioned Audi Gearbox

Audi Gearboxes: from the 1.9 TDI code AFN to the S tronic 7 DKRF – why the same engine capacity doesn't mean the same gearbox

On an A3 or an A4, a 2.0 TDI can come with a 5-speed manual, a 6-speed manual or an S tronic 6, depending on the year of production and, crucially, the engine code stamped on the block. BKD and AZV are both 2.0 TDI codes, yet they are not compatible with the same shafts or the same gear ratios; BMM and CAYC differ again. Ordering a gearbox on engine capacity alone is the single most common mistake on this range: the engine code and the model year are the two decisive criteria above all else.

Audi Gearbox Families: manual, S tronic and DSG

The catalogue covers Audi vehicles from 1996 to 2024, across seventeen models ranging from the A1 to the R8, including the Q3, Q5 and the performance variants S3, RS3 and RS4. On the transmission side, six families are available: 5-speed manual, 6-speed manual, S tronic 6, S tronic 7, DSG 6 and DSG 7. S tronic is Audi's name for the dual-clutch gearbox developed jointly with the VAG group; DSG 6 and S tronic 6 share the same architecture, but the mechanical references differ according to engine torque and the drivetrain configuration. The dual-clutch gearboxes in this catalogue are supplied without the mechatronic unit and with a new dual-clutch assembly: this is an important technical point to bear in mind before ordering.

Identification Pitfalls by Model and Engine

The A3 accounts for the largest share of the catalogue, with engines ranging from the 1.2 TFSI (CBZB, CJZA) to the 2.0 TFSI (CDAA), including the 1.4 TFSI and 1.6 TDI. On the TT, the 3.2 and the 2.0 TFSI coexist with different gearboxes depending on the generation (8N or 8J). For the A4 and A6, the 2.7 TDI, 3.0 TDI and 2.5 TDI call for manual or S tronic gearboxes whose references change with the exact model year. The 1.9 TDI codes AFN and AVG were fitted to the first-generation A3 and A4 from 1996 onwards: these 5-speed manual gearboxes are not interchangeable with those fitted to the 1.9 TDI codes BKN or later. Supplying the full engine code — visible on the casing or in the manufacturer's data — remains the only way to avoid a reference error across such a wide range.

Two supply options are available within this catalogue: exchange (the reconditioned unit is dispatched and the old unit is collected in return) and the rebuilding of your own gearbox, which is returned to you once fully reconditioned. The choice between the two depends primarily on the availability of the reference required and the condition of the original unit.