2002 Jetta TDI automatic no reverse

Hello, this is my first time on here I recently purchased a 2002 Jetta TDI it was a project car. It was sitting for around 2 years I picked it up cheap and got it running I had to replace some fuel line and some wiring that mice had gotten into. Car starts right up and runs great, except now when the transmission warms up it will not go into reverse. If you put it into reverse right when you start it when it’s cold it will engage right away. I had the fluid and filter changed and still does the same thing. Any ideas, help, or information would be greatly appreciated.

Out of couriosity , with no one behind you , in reverse and you step on the accelerator , as if moving, will reverse engage?

I had this issue with my first gear, ended up being the trans, I did the 5 speed swap years ago, didn’t regret it. Car now has 414,xxx miles on it, did the swap around 121,xxx miles

Yes if I run it up to around 2000 rpm it will engage really hard !

Yep, that’s what mine was like in first, I actually thought someone rear ended me the first time.
I also did the fluid and filter to no avail.
You might want to get ahold of member coolairvw, he has a shop in the mid west.
It might be solenoid body in the trans.
He has a mod for it that you can do.
I’d give him a holler or search for his posts on here, he has a write up on it.
It’s a couple of hundred dollar gamble that might prolong the transmissions life, but unfortunately your either gonna need a new transmission or do the 5 or 6 speed swap and never have an issue again.
Just my .02 and experience.

That is exactly what mine did also, then at some point it started acting like the torque converter was locking up in 1st at an idle with the brake on. 5 speed swap was my solution

Ok thank you for information!

"I recently purchased a 2002 Jetta TDI it was a project car."

Just do the swap to manual, it's a project, right? I got my auto with
123k on it, it actually ran ok after a fluid filter change, but it was gone
5k later. You can get all the parts for <$800, cheaper if you find the right wreck. Lots of "how-to's" if you want to tackle it yourself.

Ah, Freddy Mercury smiled in his grave.

oilhammer said:

Ah, Freddy Mercury smiled in his grave.

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OK, help me understand!

flee said:

OK, help me understand!

Click to expand...

The band Queen , Freddy Mercury’s “ another one bites the dust “.

Another thread should be started called the "no/delayed 01M reverse club".
Everyone with the 01M joins eventually.

csstevej said:

The band Queen , Freddy Mercury’s “ another one bites the dust “.

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Nice one
Still rollin' on the rebuilt 01m here!