Sooo, there's a 1999 VW Jetta GL (mkIII) in my family (2.0L N/A with an automatic transmission and about 120k-160k miles or something) that is currently sitting at my parents house. Six months ago it was left to sit there when, as my parents took it out for a spin, it had refused to go into gear in the "bad side of town" before working again after my dad turned off the engine and restarted it and was able to limp it home. So, fast forward to now (6 months of sitting, mind you), after jumping the car (12 times, 30-40 second intervals, hooked up to my damn car ) it ran for long enough that we were able to move it into a better parking spot by the garage where we could fiddle with it.

So, next day, put in a new battery, started up great, sounded like it was running fine, but it was stuck in second or third gear (i'm gonna assume second and that it was in limp mode) and after a few minutes of riding around at low speeds (<30mph) the check engine light came on. Dad noticed that it was stuck in second, stopped it, set it into 1st gear on the automatic transmission, hit the gas, nothing happened (vrooom....). Hits the gas again, it catches for a second (THUNK) and the car lurches forward violently and disengages immediately. Put it back into drive and we've got second gear again and can limp it around.

I'm pretty sure the fluid on this transmission was never changed ("lifetime fluids") and we're probably the 3rd-5th owner this car has had (it was also in a minor wreck I think). God knows if they did the regular maintenance. Any of you VW gearheads know a quick fix or two I can check in the driveway before dad goes and throws money at the problem? Also, do you have a reputable mechanic you can suggest, as dad keeps saying west german auto garage and I've heard you guys bemoan their existence in other VW threads (and without ammunition I can't change his mind).

Thanks. I'm going to be over at the house tomorrow and thought that if there was a possible "simple fix" (like cleaning dirty ass, corroded connectors and then clearing some codes) I'd do it.

[Edited on September 26, 2008 at 11:13 PM. Reason : ]

9/26/2008 11:13:43 PM

Quote :

"I'm pretty sure the fluid on this transmission was never changed ("lifetime fluids") "

you cant even check it without rigging up some tubing

9/26/2008 11:21:15 PM

Yeah, so I heard, I just noticed a big ass thread on vw vortex championing against it. I'm just clarifying that it wasn't owned by somebody who knew that they should get the fluid changed anyway, even though it's a gigantic pain in the ass.

I'm pretty sure the car is just going to cost dad a couple grand and that he'll sell it in its current condition to somebody that'll repair it and sell it (or maybe just burn it).

9/26/2008 11:47:42 PM

Haha, I'll just write it off as fucked. I don't think I have enough gear to diagnose the thing anyway. Was a thought though.

9/27/2008 9:34:00 PM

you can try to change the fluid. they do claim lifetime fluid but nobody really takes that seriously. vw autos are crap, tho, and with that kind of mileage it is about time for it to die

Quote :

"he'll sell it in its current condition to somebody that'll repair it and sell it""

how much?

[Edited on September 30, 2008 at 12:03 AM. Reason : ..]

9/30/2008 12:03:04 AM

Haha, I have no idea. I'll ask him later this week.

9/30/2008 12:28:48 AM

Update on das POS!

Turns out the thing just was leaking transmission fluid out everywhere and that's why it's shifting like crap. What are the options for fixing this and where's the best place to take it? My dad said he talked to a mechanic (maybe west german auto garage) and that they'd hook it up to a machine to pump fluid back into it for $1500... He also contacted west german auto garage about a transmission replacement which would run him $1300-1500 installed (I don't know if he asked them about the fluid change or not, that part of the conversation got minced a bit).

So yeah, first off: Where's a better place to take it? I know y'all hate some west german auto garage. And second, what's the best thing to do? The car did shift OK when we first got it and wasn't driven very long without fluid (though it has been sitting).

10/7/2008 9:08:24 PM

that fluid must be EXPENSIVE.

10/7/2008 10:07:57 PM

hey i own a vw shop but we dont have the equipment to service auto transmissions. the guy next door would probably be interested, he specializes in auto transmissions. shoot me a PM if you want.

10/8/2008 12:34:49 PM

beethead's shop and advice is awesome. They're perfecting my car right now. I suggest you go with him!

10/15/2008 6:53:34 PM