Transmission lurching from a dead stop: 2003 Golf TDI (ALH/A4)

perdurabo

Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2010
Location
Austin, TX
TDI
2003 Golf TDI
I've got an 03 Golf TDI with 110k miles and an automatic transmission. For the past couple weeks I've been noticing that when I start the vehicle up in the morning I can put it into reverse just fine to back out of my driveway but the very first time I put it in drive, it seems the transmission "lurches", that is there a significant delay between hitting the accelerator and having resultant movement. If I happen to be heading up a hill/incline very soon after putting it in drive and moving from a dead stop, the lurch is relatively violent with a noticeable "vroom-CLUNK!" as it finally gets in gear.

This only happens when the engine has been cold and seems to go away once its heated up and it only happens when starting from a dead stop... subsequent gear changes feel normal. No check engine lights, etc. Despite what VW says about the auto transmission fluid being a "lifetime" fill, I was told by my VW specialist mechanic that its a really good idea to change the transmission fluid at around 100k miles when you also do the dreaded timing belt/water pump replacement job, so I did. Its been running fine for the last 10k miles or so up until recurrently when all this started.

Any ideas what might be causing this OTHER than a failing transmission? I trust my mechanic when it comes to everything else, but transmission issues are a completely different animal and I'd like the full set of options before a blow a huge chunk of money perhaps unnecessarily.
 
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