VW Beetle took on water

VW Bug

New member
Joined
May 2, 2017
Location
Missouri
TDI
2004 VW Beetle
2004 VW Beetle
1.9L PD-TDI
214,000 Miles
6 Speed DSG Auto

The recent Missouri flooding might have done my VW in. I had to go through some water while traveling home. Drove through it and the car stumbled a little and died but I managed to get her started again. Got home and parked it. Next day I go out to drive it and it just doesn't shift right. Going from a dead stop to 1st, Its as if someone has a clumsy clutch foot. Going from 5th to 6th is not right either. I took the air cleaner off and sure enough the air filter was soaking wet. Water was in the engine oil. Changed the air filter and the oil and it still shifts sloppy. I was thinking the air cleaner would have fixed it because it would give the MAF a false reading, but now I am thinking it might be the MAF?

I just want to say thanks to any responses I get. I have used this website many times for problems I have had. Never thought I would be posting about my car though lol.
 

jettawreck

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 2, 2004
Location
Northern Minnesota-55744
TDI
2001 Jetta and 2003 Jetta
Other than the tranny issue if the engine injected water it can/could have had a hydrolock "event" and bent some rods. Happened to some in the past. Doesn't take much.
Other than wet sensors and/or connections with wiring which may dry out, perhaps a good time for a fluid change or two.
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
Is it possible that there is something wrong with the engine, and you are misinterpreting it as a transmission problem because the transmission is having to deal with an engine that is down on power?

I doubt any water got in the transmission itself, but I suppose it is possible. If there was an issue on the control side, it would be in neutral, as that is "limp mode" on a DSG. So I suspect you have an engine problem.
 

csstevej

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 12, 2004
Location
north nj
TDI
2001 golf tdi 4 door auto now a manual, mine, 2000 golf 2 door M/T son's,daughters 98 NB non-TDI 2.0, 2003 TDI NB for next daughter, head repaired and on road,gluten for punishment got another tdi 2001NB,another yellow tdi NB
Do a compression test and see what the results are........then go from there.
 

AnotherPerson

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 24, 2015
Location
New Orleans
TDI
1999 Beetle
My car gets unhappy when it gets too much water splashed around. Have you had a good warm day yet that's dry for the car to dry out good? May just have water somewhere it shouldn't be.


Also do you have access to a vcds cable? You can check MAF specified vw actual and see if it's reading bad.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

jettawreck

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 2, 2004
Location
Northern Minnesota-55744
TDI
2001 Jetta and 2003 Jetta
How deep was the water?
It doesn't really matter too much. Depending on the speed upon entry quite a surge wave can push up in front of the vehicle and get sucked into the intake in the grille front. Anything deeper than the front valance can do it depending on how the "wave" acts.
 

VW Bug

New member
Joined
May 2, 2017
Location
Missouri
TDI
2004 VW Beetle
Thanks for all the responses! I drained the transmission fluid and sure enough water is in it! YIKES! I drained the fluid and replaced it but to my understanding your only replacing about 4.5L of the total.... (Maybe a total capacity of 6 or 7L?). Ive read on another post that this concoction of water and oil can disintegrate the clutches and or cause corrosion with the mecatronics. Either way do you think it would be wise to keep flushing it? (these oil changes aint cheap) or call it quits with the car? Ive seen the pricing on fixing/replacing these DSG transmissions and it's not pretty. WHY DID I NOT GO WITH THE MANUAL? :confused:
 

Powder Hound

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 25, 1999
Location
Under a Bridge, Crestview, FL, USA
TDI
'00 Golf 4dr White 5sp, '02 Jettachero 5sp, Wife's '03 NB Platinum Gray auto(!)
Don't beat yourself up too badly - deep water will kill a manual transaxle as well since the breather holes on transaxles, transmissions (manual or auto) are even lower than the air intake for the engine. In addition, the New Beetle seems to suck up water more easily than the Golf or Jetta's grille intake.

I think your best bet is to consider that changing the fluid several times is much cheaper than a repair/reman/replacement of the transaxle. Also, the compression test of the engine is the best place to start there, just as csstevej suggested.

Good luck!

PH
 

turbocharged798

Veteran Member
Joined
May 21, 2009
Location
Ellenville, NY
TDI
99.5 black ALH Jetta;09 Gasser Jetta
Take the car on a nice long drive and let the water cook out of everything. That assumes that its drivable enough to do so. Biggest thing with water is to get rid it ASAP.
 
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