Transmission Limp Mode

iBlake

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2005
Location
NW Oregon
TDI
2002 TDI Beetle auto Platinum Grey
Hello everybody, ever since I started modding my car I've been having a problem where my transmission will sometimes go into limp mode after accelerating quickly. Let me first give the specs of my current setup and explain what happens and what I'm defining as limp mode (though I think limp mode is limp mode, period).

Its a 2002 Beetle AUTO, R520's, 1856, 3BAR MAP, Aligator Tune @~25psi, IPT Valve Body (doing great still), Straight Pipe w/cherrybomb

On the instances when it occurs I'm usually accelerating up a freeway onramp. It happens when the car down-shifts and it seems to lose a gear and go into limp mode. When this happens I lose four gear and if left in drive my car starts off in second gear. Usually I can remedy this by pulling off the freeway, turning off the car and restarting it. However it seems like every third time or so, the car goes into limp mode and can't be remedied without the use of a Vag-Com, which is a problem because I don't have one, I have to drive an hour to Wild Rose to get it cleared (Thanks Scott and Leonard!).

First, is there any way I can temporarily get the tranny out of limp mode? Disconnect the battery?

Second, has anybody experienced this and fixed the problem? My car is really fun to drive and I enjoy my heavy mods but it really spoils all the fun when my car won't shift to fourth gear and I have to avoid freeways (like I'll have to do tonight driving from Ventura to Irvine on PCH, it takes three hours, boo). I'm starting to be disappointed with my car and every car person knows how much that sucks.

Any help/ideas would be greatly appreciated.
 

craig01b

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 17, 2004
Location
Guelph, Ontario.
TDI
None
Nice mods, but, if my memory serves me right, your car is equipped with the 01m tranny, and its quickly developing a bad history of failing around 150,000 kms...

Do a search of your tranny type, and there may be some help, but, from what I understand, its an expensive fix. Secondly, find someone local to you with a vag com, and do a scan of the car, it will help greatly in the diagnosing of your problems.

Craig
 

iBlake

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2005
Location
NW Oregon
TDI
2002 TDI Beetle auto Platinum Grey
I guess I forgot to say my car only has 54k miles on it so it doesn't seem like the usual case of the 01m acting up (but what do I know).

Also, I've been to Wild Rose in Fullerton a couple of times to clear the codes (glow plug code once, can't remember the other times) but we can't figure out why it keeps happening so that's why I'm throwing this up here.
 
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