2005 A4 TDI shifting problem when cold

[abused-TDI]

My 2005 VW (A4 Body) TDI with tiptronic tranny is acting up. When it is cold (say lower than 40F) it doesn't want to shift into 3rd gear. If I rev it up and get to about 35 MPH and peddle the throttle it will shift straight to 4th. Then after about 2 miles it starts shifting like normal.

Any ideas?

 

[oilhammer]

Check the TCM for DTCs, if you do not find any, check the ATF temp sensor data and see if it is close to what it should be after the car has been sitting. Compare it to the air, fuel, and coolant temp data in the Engine.

You may just have a flaky ATF temp sensor. They usually set a DTC, but not always.

 

[abused-TDI]

I assume I would need a VAG COM or something to check that huh?

 

[oilhammer]

Something that speaks to the TCM, yes.

 

[Nevada_TDI]

Do you know when the fluid was last changed? The fluid in the auto trans is really not lifetime quality like VW wants us to believe. There have been many owners that have changed the fluid and the character of their auto trans drastically improves; I am now saying yours might act brand new with new fluid but I am willing to bet it won't hurt anything either. YMMV.

 

[abused-TDI]

I bought the car new. It has the original fluid and now has 495,000 miles. I was also thinking new fluid and filter my cure it but when I started looking for a filter that's when I realized it might be a lot harder than I thought. The filter on ID Parts warns the transmission needs to be removed to change the filter? That seems crazy to me.

 

[Jake_S]

Definitely check to see if the computer is reading the trans temp, without it the trans will shift funky in all gears.
With the amount of miles, I presume the 495,000 mentioned is miles and not kilometers, I would change the solenoids and fluid in the transmission.

Jake_S