The car:

About a month ago I bought a 2000 golf automatic with 157k, and well taken care of other than having high miles --it successfully passed a thourough check over before purchase--.

Here's what happened:

I was merging onto the freeway -as i do at least twice a day, 5 days a week- the car shifts cleanly into 2nd, then 3rd then --wait! it's not shifting up!-- the car just keeps revving, the rpms soar. The car won't shift into 4th! No engine came on at all. Funny thing also is there is no way to check the transmission fluid levels!!

So, the next day the car sits and I grab a ride. I call ALL the vw repair people in the book and most have pretty grim outlooks about my situation. It seems I will probably need a new transmission... 1500-3000USD. So I call a non vw repair man who says maybe it's a cellenoid which controls the ECM. I bring it to him, because this would be a much less painful solution and he says he worked for a vw dealer for 4 years previosuly.

The mechanic drives it without experiencing the shifting problem. He ends up fixing the fuel injectors, which could effect shifting in higher gears, because they aren't running as well as they should. $500 later and I have the car back yesterday . On the freeway this evening the car didn't do it again -wouldn't go into 4th, that is- so now what? Do i need a new transmission after all?

Has anyone experienced a similar problem? I'm at a loss and really don't want to spend any more fixing other non issues.

thank you,

 

Take it to a transmission specialist, have them do a trans flush and replace the filter. There also is a way to check for trans fluid on all transmissions. There's 2 plugs on the trans, they are vertical and one is for fluid check, other is for draining. Can't miss them, but just wanted to let ya know.

 

Bagel-- Thanks for your response.

After 120k the service guides say not to flush or service the transmission. However, there was a service done about two months ago, and the fluid is still pink. I have heard you shouldn'tthat this is because the sludge that builds up works as a mesh between the gears. If it goes, the gears grind. Do you think the problem could be that the transmission was flushed?

I went back to my mechanic on saturday. We drove around on the freeway with the computer monitoring. The computer shows no codes, but the problem still keeps accuring. No engine light comes on when the gear fails to engage, so I'm wondering if a modern mechanic will know how to deal with it at all. "computer says NO" doesn't solve this problem!

I will try to gather more information before taking it anywhere else. If anyone else has experienced the high gear slip on automatic transmissions, please let me know.

thanks.

 

Usually a trans flush would fix a gear slip problem, but I dunno if high speeds makes a difference or what. I'm not sure man..

 

You had the same situation with my friend a month ago. The "Sleeping Gear Problem." The problem he noticed with the transmission is, when the speed is under 35mph, the gear stayed in 3rd... and only be shifted into 4th when the speed exceeds 35mph... He brought it to the auto shop, then the mechanic checked the VW fuel injector . Founding out for the transmission replacement. So I think you really need to replace your transmission before anything happens bad. Hope this little share will help your problem. ... Goodluck!