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Thanks to all that reply! SKD
The mechanic who bought it took it to another mechanic, a VW specialist who owns a 97, & who told my buyer. that the engine is too powerful for the transmission and tears it up. He said it would be useless to replace the automatic transmission because it would just fail again. They're going to install a manual transmission.
Makes me think that this is VW's error and there should be recourse. Anyone agree and want to figure out a tactic?
Looks like R&R is not that big a job, but probably not easy without a lift and proper safety equipment.
VISITING HOST
I'm sorry to hear you had such misfortune with it, but it sounds like, in hindsight, you should have fixed the car. The story you got from the VW mechanic sounds fanciful to me on a number of levels. It's possible they just talked you out of the car and will fix it themselves--and I seriously doubt they would go to the trouble of converting and installing a stickshift on a car that really has very little value, even when running well.
Best thing to do is just write it off to experience, and come see us before your next purchase so that the community can help you make a good choice.
Thanks in advance for any advice!
(it is VERY unlikely that both 1st and reverse would fail at the same time.)
Usually a clutch fails by starting to slip so badly that it will not pull the vehicle uphill in any gear. Your clutch is simply not releasing completely.
I beleive your 2000 has a hydrolic clutch. What you describe sure sounds like a problem with either clutch-master-cylinder or slave-cylinder. These components are FAR less intrusive to replace than pulling the engine and seperating the xmission.
Hydriolic fluid (brake and clutch) MUST MUST be replaced every 2-3 years reguardless of miles. This is because it is hydroscopic and attracts water like a sponge. It does this on purpose to protect the metal components... however, once it is saturated with water, droplets form and rust begins inside the system.
If you have not been replacing clutch fluid every 2-3 years, I would bet your clutch-master-cylinder or slave-cylinder has started to fail due to internal corrosion.
When car was really warmed up, usually after a 1/2 hour driving
Car would not go into next gear, rpm's would get to 4 -5k, it would finally kick into next gear when i took my foot off gas for a second and try again.
mechanic tried everything. Read somewhere on these posts that people who had same or like problem had 3 different fixes.
Valve body kit
temp sensor
or wiring harness to transmission.
well the third option did the trick. once replacing the wiring harness all codes disappeared and car is purring like kitten now
hope this helps someone cause its a doozy of a problem!
other than that great car-first owner had all recalls taken care of as well as maintenance-she is my sister-so I have all paperwork etc-
but on the automatic is there an easy check for fluid?
It has only 35k on it-sister is not much on driving-
The answer is .... You need to connect your VW to computer to check ATF level. It is not hard if you have a VagCom.
I can tell you that my daughters 2001 VW with automatic has over 110,000 miles on it. My 2003 (manual xmission) has over 130,000 miles. My other daugher had 2 VWs ....both well over 100,000 miles.
I guess I am saying that you should expect relatively good service out of yours. 35,000 miles is hardly even broken-in.
We have only 40,000 on our 2005, but some day I may need to decide if I believe the "lifetime" transmission fluid story.
I *much* prefer manual xmission for several reasons.
*) I can shift better than any automatic
*) Automatic costs more to buy and more to maintain
*) Automatic gets less MPG than manual xmission.
As long as my left knee holds out, I will drive manual xmissions.
More cars are also starting to come with a DSG type of automatic, which gives you the best of both worlds. Seems like Ford is taking the lead on this in moderately priced cars, their "power-shift" is the only auto trans in the Fiesta and I believe this will also be the case for the new Focus. Not sure why VW is falling behind and only offering this on the upgraded versions of their cars.
A DSG can *match* a well-shifted manual... I feel it is impossible to do better than that.
HOWEVER: The cost, complexity and reliability of DSG can never even approach the simplicity and bulletproof reliability of a manual xmission.
Why -o- Why would I even consider paying nearly $1000 extra for a xmission that requires costly maintainance and will likey break before 200,000 miles?
Thanks ahead for any help.
The brake fluid reservoir may supply fluid to the transmission, too...seemed strange to me, but supposedly that was the set up on my kid's '96.
It could also have something to do with loose transaxle/motor mounts, or it could be, as you say, a linkage issue.
The worst case scenario is bent/damaged shifting forks in the transmission itself.
Are you serious? A transmission is full of bearings and gears. Without lubricant, it would burn up in about 10 miles.
The entire insides of a transmission (either Manual or automatic) is bathed in fluid to lubricate all the moving parts. Of course, due to the design differences, the type of fluid is different for each of them.
Careful here... VW shares the HYDROLIC FLUID between the brakes and the clutch... but this is not the same the xmission-fluid inside the xmission which lubricates the moving parts.
So it is just that it has a hydraulically activated clutch (just like the hydraulically activated brakes)?
I have been told that possibly I am having problems with the gear syncros, but I am wondering if that's truly what's going on or if it's something else. Also, I'm wondering if anyone else has had similar problems.
I know that I am probably going to need to take it to a transmission shop, however I am hesistant to go in without some background knowledge first. I really don't want to be told it needs unnessary repairs and end up with a very large repair bill.
Thanks for any help or advice that anyone has.
Does anyone know what i can do in order to fix this problem.
Mitch
http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?1474034-Automatic-Transmission-DIY\FAQ- -
I would really appreciate help. I have 2000 Jetta VR6 GLX with 104k on it. I bought this vehicle a couple of months back. Recently it has started to behave oddly by sometimes not shifting the gears, I have to press the gas harder and then it suddenly starts with a jerk. I get a rattling sound when its between 2000 and 3000 rpm just before it shifts to a higher gear. I don't know what the problem is but it seems very unsafe to drive the car.
Do you suggest to get the timing chain and tensioners replaced or would it be better to replace the engine with a new one. How much would a new engine cost, I would go for a manual trans with a lower config.
Thanks,
Kunal
VW do not have a good maintenance reputation ,, the jetta ,, but maybe because it is not the diesel. The fact that they are put together in Puebla Mexico has something to do with its repair prone history ? what about the the recommended changing of the oll at 5k instead of 10 k because of some mechanical dysfunction I read in the forum ??
A woman here who needs a station wagon and wants fuel economy . Should I buy the the wagon or not ,, have they improved from their bad reputation four years ago with their electrical system
HELP ! thanks !
If you could conceive of ditching the car while it was still in warranty, you might go DSG, because it works really well, but if you are planning on a 10 year ownership, I myself think it's a roll of the dice.
I don't see buying an Audi as in any way increasing your advantages.
DSG RECALL
I have owned manuals most of my life , BMW 2002, Jeep Cherokee, CRV and then succumbed to automatic with the Highlander Limited I had to sell due to accident so this optional DSG seemed a like a happy return to " them days LOL " . My knees hurt when i drove the manual Jetta SpW TDI so I was not encouraged . But now what is really making not go for the Wagon is the CR very low reliability rating of the fuel system . The Golf TDI has better ratings. Do you know Why the sportwagon has such low ratings for the fuel system ? is the oil change frequency that one should do it at 5k instead of 10 k as recommended by VW ? the ' regenerating whatever " that needs to take place so the engine does not clog up ??
The truth of the matter is that now I am between the Golf TDI and the Honda Fit which so much cheaper to repair and has good gas mileage , at least above 30 and is small and retains resale value so that perhaps I can buy a VW TDI sportwagon a few years when they get their fuel system act together.
I want the diesel to enjoy cruising around more than city driving which I am not doing much these days . You are right , other posts allude that repair in Manual transmissions are less expensive ,, but the TDI manual transmission are made in Germany ? the whole thing or just part of it ?? I will try driving a manual tomorrow. I am just concerned that the fuel system and the Mexican Tortilla assembly is not reliable LOL ..
thanks a mill
cacspauto
TDI HPFP PROBLEMS
I don't think that where the car/components are built has anything to do with their reliability except as it relates to management, not workers--and management problems can occur anywhere in the world.
thanks for your help I really appreciate it. With the fuel system probs would you recommend I go Subaru Forester or Honda Fit ? and wait for better perfomance ? I am so undecided , because I love the mileage in the TDI , and classy interiors ! cacspauto
I figure, what with a warranty and the Lemon Buyback laws, I'm personally willing to roll the dice on the TDI.
But that's just me. You may be more risk-averse than I am.
I do not understand how I missed this in the TDI forum because I researched the Spw with regular keywords , problems in this Forum and nothing of the fuel pump came up . Now thanks to your lead I found the entire detailed thread about this problem ! True that after reading CR and read fuel system problems I did not fuel system as a key word.. Oh well.. I think I am not going to buy this car yet .. what a shame but how do I find out that VW is actually doing something about it and since the NHTHSa is still investigating as of Feb 2011 ?
thanks