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Newbie question about automatic transmission

2K views 17 replies 7 participants last post by  SandLake 
#1 ·
Hi
I am totally non-technical andrecently bought a Passat with automatic transmission, a rarity here in the UK.
I am convinced that there is something not quite right with it, it seems to hesitate between gear changes, also seems to be worse when cold.
How can I make it snap into the new gear better, is this something that can be serviced? Any thoughts or opinions?

Thanks
 
#7 ·
Thanks for the help and thanks for the welcome Pete1

I have done several searches and have trawled through lots of threads but a lot of it is way over my head. Here in the UK, automatic cars are very much in the minority, its probably the reverse of the USA and I only have a basic knowledge of how a clutch works, I originally thought an automatic had an automatic clutch but I find it is a totally different concept entirely.
My question was not specifically related to Passats, more how does 'old' transmission fluid appear to a driver, is it a slowness to move through the gears, if so is it simply corrected with a fluid and filter change, could it (commonly) be some other problem.

I am going to my local VW dealer on Thursday to get a spare key at a cost of £140 ($245), I just want some information about the workings and failings of an automatic transmission before it ends up in big bucks too.

The fluids you talk about, I have never heard of.

Thanks
SandLake
 
#8 ·
There are two tranny fluid change writeups in the Info Forum. Look in the Index thread under Drivetrain. And here are my indefatigable Redline threads:

Redline D4 ATF in my Tranny - 51,000 miles
Redline D4 vs. Tip Chip - D4 wins?

If your car is still under warranty, I would recommend the factory fluid only. It's really expensive ($12-$15 USD per litre), and it only has a shelf life of three years, so that's why us Passat nuts are ever in the search for a better/cheaper fluid.

Read the tranny change Info threads carefully. These auto trannies have a weird way to fill them - from underneath, as opposed to the more standard large tranny dipstick hole that doubles as a fill hole. Takes a pump bottle and a nozzle that fits, also in the Info Forum: $10 DIY Tiptronic Fluid Tool

So, to answer your question, the tranny is something that can be serviced. US dealers are very reluctant to do so. If UK dealers are the same, then hope you can find a good indy shop that knows what they're doing.
 
#9 ·
Thanks for your help Rusty, I use an indie mechanic but he is not a VW specialist but the good news is he is a passat owner himself, he is going to have a look at it tomorrow. Fortunately I still have my old passat to drive, sometimes think I will keep it and sell the new(er) one.
 
#11 ·
its prob normal.......i have an auto.. and when i got it i was sure something is wrong, but it seems there is a secondary gear it can kick into in lower rpms... for example, go 80 mph on the freeway (you'll be in 5th) and slowly hit the gas more and more, and you'll see the revs go up a little... it won't go so high that you're in 4th gear, but something will change. then push it over to tiptronic mode and it will dropthe revs again. if thats what you're talking about with the 'slip' feeling.. its normall, no worries! if not, we'll take it from there ;)
 
#12 ·
nstabl said:
for example, go 80 mph on the freeway (you'll be in 5th) and slowly hit the gas more and more, and you'll see the revs go up a little... it won't go so high that you're in 4th gear, but something will change.
The "something" is the torque converter unlocking in anticipation of a downshift. (Guess: In tip mode, it may not anticipate the downshift as eagerly, so the TC locks up again).
 
#13 ·
I had a read of the owners and service history last night (yawn) and it does actually state that ATF should be changed every 60000kms(40000m) although the not ticked options were selected for services so far and the car has now done 75000m - so I guess it is about time.

Just hope my mechanic knows how to get the fluid back in, it doesn't look like a simple process.

One more question for you, I have driven auto hire cars in the USA but I can't remember, if you put the car in D and take your foot off the brake does it creep forward or does it wait for some revs?

Thanks
 
#14 ·
All the UK auto cars I have driven (I actually owned one for a few years myself) tend to creep forward in Drive. Of course, this all depends on the gradient of the road you are on.

Send a PM to (or search for posts by) Stu. He is a fellow UK member and drives a 1.8t auto which, as you said, is very rare over here. I think he's had some problems with gear changes and the like also.

Hope this goes some way to helping you out.

Finally, welcome to the club

Sam
 
#15 ·
SandLake said:
One more question for you, I have driven auto hire cars in the USA but I can't remember, if you put the car in D and take your foot off the brake does it creep forward or does it wait for some revs?
On a flat surface it will creep forward and eventually reach a speed of about 5 to 15 mph, depending on the car. When the engine is on, the engine is always "spinning" the fluid in the torque converter.

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/automatic-transmission.htm
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/torque-converter.htm

The creeping-at-idle is what makes an automatic so easy to drive in stop-and-go traffic.

:thumbup:
 
#17 ·
SandLake said:
I had a read of the owners and service history last night (yawn) and it does actually state that ATF should be changed every 60000kms(40000m) although the not ticked options were selected for services so far and the car has now done 75000m - so I guess it is about time.

Just hope my mechanic knows how to get the fluid back in, it doesn't look like a simple process. ...
The "Colonial" :) edition of the owner's manual says that the ATF is "lifetime," and this is what most American VW dealerships preach, and it was confirmed by ZF's customer service department in Germany in a private email. However, alot of folks in this forum advocate changing the fluid AT LEAST every 100k km or every few years.

I recently bought a 1996 Audi A4 with about 105k km on the odometer and immediately asked a reputable independent shop to drop the pan and change the ATF and filter, at a very typical cost of about $300 US. Interestingly, the 1996 Audi owner's manual stipulates an ATF change interval of 45k mi = 72k km, but only for the somewhat larger and heavier A6. As far as I know, the A4 2.8Q and the A6 use the same powertrain. Hmm ...
 
#18 ·
I was talking to an American friend of mine last night and described my hesitating transmission and he quickly replied that it was either the fluid or the bands, now bands was a new one to me, how easy are these to check/replace on a passat. He did say that a 3 year old car with 75k on the clock, it would be unusal to have much wear on the bands.
I have so few options here in Northern Ireland that I am thinking of taking it into a VW dealer and just saying there is something wrong with the transmission - fix it. My normal mechanic was stumped when he couldn't find a dipstick for the transmission and he is normally very good.
Thanks
 
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