09A Not Wanting to Go Into Reverse?

Chadwick46

New member
Joined
May 6, 2018
Location
Barnstead, NH
TDI
2005 Jetta Wagon
I've been doing a lot searching on issues with the 09A tiptronic automatic transmission and cannot seem to find a problem similar to mine. I have 2005 Jetta TDI (BEW) wagon with 09A automatic, 306k miles.

Monday afternoon I was backing up to park to pick up my kids. I was backing down a slight grade. The car made a bang and jolted like I had it something. After realizing I have not hit anything the car wouldn't back up when put into reverse. It acted like it was in park (no load against motor and won't roll). I had just driven 10+ miles so the trans and engine were warm (?) It still worked in drive so I drove home. When I got home it would go into reverse but not every time. Again it would act like it was in park. I even had the "step on the brake" light in cluster come on (only once, I cant repeat this).:confused:

I thought perhaps something was sticking so I lubed the cable at the transmission and at the shifter in the console.

I have been driving the car the remainder of the week. In the AM (when cold but after running for 10+ minutes) there appears to be no reverse. Its like no one is home when you shift it to R. All the forward gears seem to be working fine. Wednesday it worked fine after 10 miles of driving. Today (Thursday) it did not and even got "stuck" so bad that I couldn't get it into neutral or any forward gears (the shifter would move as well as dash indicator but no change from transmission).:eek: I just kept moving the shifter though the entire range and eventually it came out of it (with a bang like when you've jammed it in park against a curb). It acts like a manual transmission where you need to let the clutch out a little to get everything to line up.
The issue is very sporadic. After the episode this morning it has been fine all day. I even checked it after it sat at my office and got cold. I cannot confirm that is it temperature dependent. Although it seems worse when cold.

Any thoughts on the issue? I have confirmed that nothing in the shift cable is loose or broken. I disconnected it tonight and pushed and pulled it and nothing moved, clicked, snapped or anything out of the ordinary.

I'm planning to change the fluid. Also waiting on a VAG scan tool so I can see if there are any transmission codes.

Most people seem to report shift issues with forward gears. I have none of that. This leads me to believe (based on what I have read here) that I don't have a solenoid issue. But what else could it be? When it does get into reverse it backs up as good as it ever has. So I don't suspect any internal damage to any reverse parts.

Could the shift parts just be sticking? I don't if the fluid has ever been changed in the transmission. :(

Thanks
Chad
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
Probably going to need to be rebuilt or replaced. Reverse should work enough to move the car (with a harsh engagement) even if the TCM was not working.

You can read more about that Jatco box here:

http://www.volkspage.net/technik/ssp/ssp/SSP_232.pdf

Fourth and reverse are MANUALLY engaged by the gear selector cable, without any electronic intervention. Which is why 4th gear is the limp mode on this transmission. See page 36 of the above linked .pdf.
 
Last edited:

Chadwick46

New member
Joined
May 6, 2018
Location
Barnstead, NH
TDI
2005 Jetta Wagon
Probably going to need to be rebuilt or replaced. Reverse should work enough to move the car (with a harsh engagement) even if the TCM was not working.

You can read more about that Jatco box here:

http://www.volkspage.net/technik/ssp/ssp/SSP_232.pdf

Fourth and reverse are MANUALLY engaged by the gear selector cable, without any electronic intervention. Which is why 4th gear is the limp mode on this transmission. See page 36 of the above linked .pdf.
Thanks for the information. That is very helpful.

For an update:

After the previously describe episode on Thursday morning the transmission is acting fine. I did not drive it Friday but check in the am (temp around 40 F) and in the afternoon. Shifted into reverse just fine. I don't know if something got free or what.

I did change the fluid today. Looks like lightly used engine oil from a gas engine. Doesn't smell burnt, no metal chunks. It appears to have been about a quart over full. I drained a little over 3 quarts. I put 3 back in and let it get warm (ran through all the gears) and ending up letting about a quart back out of the check hole. I did add about 1/2 quart back as I have read on here.

Took it for a drive and it shift perfectly. Not sure if my issue is resolved but I'm going to keep driving it to see what happens next.
 

CoolAirVw

Vendor
Joined
Nov 9, 2005
Location
Kansas City Missouri
TDI
Jetta
Usually no reverse cold is a sticking n90 solenoid.


http://www.volkspage.net/technik/ssp/ssp/SSP_232.pdf


If you see on page 54 of the ssp that oilhammer posted you see that the n90 is capable of disabling the K2 clutch. What happens is the n90 sticks "on" and makes the k2 inop causing no reverse. Once the solenoid warms up it is less likely to stay "stuck".

I've seen this about 5-10 times. First 09A I ever worked on had this problem.

Unfortunately there is no conclusive test to tell for sure it is a solenoid issue other than the fact that the "no reverse" condition goes away warm.
 
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