04 TDI auto transission

I have a 2004 Passat TDI with automatic trans. The car's been sitting for a while and ran fine when I last drove it. Now when I put it in gear it bangs into gear. Also there's very little response in Drive. Reverse seems OK. Any thoughts?

OBD works. Ask the TCM.

Could you elaborate? What does OBD & TCM mean?

TCM- transmission control module is located under the passenger seat and it most likely is wet or the wires have been eaten by critters

Obd is a code reader you plug into the cars computer at the appropriately labeled obd port under the dash above your feet.

The code reader of choice is called vcds which isn’t a code reader but a computer program that connects to your car and tells you what the cars computer is seeing. You need to connect to the TCM so the cars computer can tell you what’s going on.

Autozone and others that offer to read codes for free will not be able to connect to the tcm.
You will need to find someone with vcds.

http://www.ross-tech.com/

OBD = On Board Diagnostics

TCM = Transmission Control Module

I will assume your gear indicator is all lit up, no matter what gear is selected, correct? That means that, for whatever reason (we can only guess), the TCM has placed the transmission in limp mode, which means unregulated line pressure (bangs into gear, because unregulated means full line pressure), reverse (works fine), and fixed fourth gear (slow response in drive).

Your TCM either knows what is wrong and has set a DTC (Diagnostic Trouble Code), or has become damaged or is no longer working (in which case, the Engine Control Module will have a DTC for no communication with the TCM).

You need an appropriate scan tool to find out where to start.