Increasingly slow to shift into drive

jiggyjargon

New member
Joined
Nov 10, 2019
Location
Norfolk, VA
TDI
2004 Jetta Wagon
Greetings TDI friends,

I have an 04 Jetta wagon, approaching 300K miles on original transmission and engine. LOVE IT.

Over the past year it has become increasingly slower to kick into drive. Going in reverse is no problem. And once it finally kicks into drive all is well until the car sits for a few hours. It shifts great once drive kicks in. Lately it is taking as much as 10 minutes to kick into drive. But it's totally random. Sometimes it only takes one minute to go into drive. Regardless, it's a pain and it's getting worse.

Any ideas? Thanks in advance for any insight.

- Jared
 

drucifer

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 21, 2013
Location
fredericksburg virginia
TDI
2004 jetta sw tdi pd
Mine did that at 243k. Nothing a rebuild didn't cure. Technically it's probably the valve body not making enough pressure until it gets some heat in it. Three ways to go here

If you have to have auto get it rebuilt.

5 speed swap it

Sell it and buy another that works properly. 5 speed or auto.
 

wonneber

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 12, 2011
Location
Monroe, NY, USA
TDI
2014 Jetta Sportwagon,2003 Jetta 261K Sold but not forgotten
Have you checked the fluid level and condition of it?
At that mileage the fluid and filter should have been replaced a few times.
 

drucifer

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 21, 2013
Location
fredericksburg virginia
TDI
2004 jetta sw tdi pd
FYI filter is inside the transmission. Case must be split. But yeah for the price of a couple litres of fluid it's worth a shot..
 

jimmyfine

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 26, 2019
Location
Sumter, South Carolina
TDI
2001 Jetta TDI, 2010 JSW TDI, 2014 BMW 328D Wagon
I don't think you have to split it, my '02 you just removed the bottom pan of the trans and it was right there. New filter and fluid barely helped min btw when it started doing that, rebuild may very well be required to get it back to normal.
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
The 2002 uses a 4sp 01M transmission. The 2004 uses a 5sp 09A from Jatco. They share no parts except the fill cap and clip.

And yes, the Jatco's filter is inside and not serviceable.
 
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