[aprilm]

I have a 2000 New Beetle with 105,000 miles on it and today all of a sudden as I was slowing down for a traffic light, it hard shifted down and when I sped up again it didn't want to go into 4th gear. I then stopped at another light and it did the same thing but acted like it didn't want to go into 3rd gear after accelerating. After the engine and transmission cooled down it ran fine for about 5 miles but started again. What could this be? Is it low on fluid?
Thanks!

 

[D2Beetle]

Off the top of my head, it could be limp mode, transmission servicing and/or a new valve body. You really need to scan it for codes. The O1M Transmission is contrary about sharing information about itself.

 

[jfoj]

Likely the valve body needs to be rebuilt.

You did not say how many speeds your trans has or what trans is in the car. Usually as the valve body and solenoids wear and as the trans fluid warms up, it starts to shift downshift hard and may do crazy upshifting. The warmer the fluid, the crazier and harder the shifts.

Suggest you pull the trans pan and see how much trash is in the pan. If the pan is clean and the trans does not leak, then it is pretty much a no brainer to rebuild the valve body.

Suggest if you go for a valve body rebuild, use YOUR current one. Price is probably in the $650 range plus shipping and you need to factor in fluid and labor. The hardest part of the job is the small solenoid connectors, releasing them without breaking the solenoid caps. I did not break anything, it took a LONG time to figure out how to get the connectors to release.

Johnny at PC Transmission did my 09G 6 speed Tiptronic and they rebuild my valve body I shipped to them. Sent it out from the East coast on Saturday, had it back in my hands on the following Friday.

 

[aprilm]

Thank you everyone for the information, it is very helpful.