Whose 01M auto tranny has died?

[Black11TDI]

2002 Jetta GLS, Trans just died with only 58k, (yes Five-Eight Thousand) on the clock, car never abused, grocery getter, occasional trip. Started off car would not shift into reverse, after cycling gears it would finally go in. 1st gear sounds horrible, like rocks in the gearbox. No Codes. Drove car 5 miles, you could fry an egg on the transmission case. Pricing a rebuilt trans to swap in if not too spendy, either way car is for sale. May have person interested in it for manual trans swap and become his daily driver.. Have had 3 faulty TCMs since new, car has never seemed to shift correctly since they got it..

 

[turbovan+tdi]

350K on mine, looks to be original based on the colour of it and the bolts. It does flare 2-3 for the first 2-3 shifts then its fine. Just waiting for another valve body then I'll service it.

 

[tomotdi]

Dead

Died@166K, replaced with another used unit until we could assemble and do the 5 SpeedSwap! Sold the replacement for what I paid, plus ship fees to the next owner. No updates as to current status.

 

[Bran Diezel]

261,000 tcc gets finicky on a hill after it's warmed up but otherwise fine. Bought a 5spd donor car whenever it croaks

 

[scooperhsd]

Mine finally crapped out at 252,000 miles. Had Jim Bote do the 5 speed swap and MUCH happier - you can also see the other performance mods I have now - I wouldn't even consider them with the O1m auto-tragic. Now at 317,000 miles and car is better than ever.

 

[spider21]

2002 Golf 198k trans died in process of swapping 6 speed and doing stage 1 Malone tune.

 

[lovemybug]

Mine crapped out at about 243,000 miles. Had a manual swapped in and I haven't been happier. It took some getting used to shifting my own gears, considering I had never driven a manual car before, but once you learn, it's not bad to drive. Also my daily work commute mileage is much better than any highway mileage I ever got with the 01M.

 

[50harleyrider]

Mine is working. It's in an 01 I bought for the engine and will go to the crusher. If anyone needs one, stop by and drive the car before I part it. I'll let it go for $150 if you come fetch it.pm me

 

[edjet]

I currently have 329k+ on a 2000 Jetta. It is still working, shifts good after I had the Valve Body rebuilt by coolairvw. It does take a throttle rev to engage 1st. Working on acquiring a 5 spd swap out of an 04.

 

[edjet]

I currently have 329k+ on a 2000 Jetta. It is still working, shifts good after I had the Valve Body rebuilt by coolairvw. It does take a throttle rev to engage 1st when I first start the car. Working on acquiring a 5 spd swap out of an 04.

 

[turbovan+tdi]

Update on my black one, rebuilt my vb using another one, put a shift kit in, good as new.

My new ride has the TCC chuggle, bought a rebuilt valve body locally. That will go in the black one as I plan on keeping that forever and put the black on vb in the green one.

 

[ConvergenceFreak]

I am the 3rd owner of a nice 02 Jettawagon GLS. The trans had been rebuilt (&rebuilt VB) by owner #1 @90k because it was locked up in reverse.
@107k the 2nd owner had to replace the TC.
I bought it with 135k 4 years ago and it was having TCC lock issues.
Fluid changed 2 years ago ca. 155k and was better for abut a year. Now the intermittent TCC lock failure is back, it seems to be when the trans is warm, worse in the summer than in winter and VCDS says my trans temps are higher than than they were 2 years ago.

I checked today and hit 120c climbing a hill that 2 years ago only hit 113c. I pulled over and idled for a few minutes and noticed the temp spiked at 125c.

Options as far as I see: check trans heat exchanger cooler, try a new VB or wait, save and have a 5 speed swap when the day arrives.

 

[Geordi]

Why not replace the torque converter with something that is capable of locking too? The heat comes from there, because it is slipping. I have isolated my slipping problems to the TC, b/c swapping from one rebuilt valve body to another that isn't rebuilt but has a shift kit changed the performance... Not one bit.

I will be replacing the converter with one from IPT with a lower stall speed and carbon fiber clutch material in the next couple of weeks.

 

[Drnknmnky13]

248k on original 01m. I occasionally get some slippage on the 2-3 shift (it surges maybe 200 rpm then settles). generally under light acceleration going up a slight incline. If I hit it hard, or a bigger hill then it's fine.

I'd consider a swap, but I don't know if I want to put that much money into a 15 year old car. So I'll keep changing the fluid every 40-50k and when it dies... explore my options.

 

[turbovan+tdi]

Why not replace the torque converter with something that is capable of locking too? The heat comes from there, because it is slipping. I have isolated my slipping problems to the TC, b/c swapping from one rebuilt valve body to another that isn't rebuilt but has a shift kit changed the performance... Not one bit.

I will be replacing the converter with one from IPT with a lower stall speed and carbon fiber clutch material in the next couple of weeks.

Wow, we think alike. When my auto's fail, I was going to find a lower stall TC and get a better lock up. Theory wise, that should gain MPG.

Start at thread or let me know how it goes and where you got one, thanks.

 

[ConvergenceFreak]

Why not replace the torque converter with something that is capable of locking too? The heat comes from there, because it is slipping. I have isolated my slipping problems to the TC, b/c swapping from one rebuilt valve body to another that isn't rebuilt but has a shift kit changed the performance... Not one bit.

I will be replacing the converter with one from IPT with a lower stall speed and carbon fiber clutch material in the next couple of weeks.

My current TC does lock up, just not when the ATF temp gets too hot (ca. 115c and up) I saw the receipt of what my PO paid for a TC replacement. I could get the 5 speed installed for that and take a vacation! I am not able to do a 5 speed swap or a TC swap myself.

I looked at the IPT TC and was surprised it is affordable. Please let us know how it works out!

I am just concerned that opening the door to spending money on a trans I am not confident in, will sooner or later add up the cost of the 5 speed swap, if not more.

It goes to my TDI guru next week, I'll ask if he can clean out the trans heat exchanger and take it from there. He might prefer to send me to his trans shop for the clean out.

UPDATE: My guru says it can't be cleaned and it'll cost the same to test it or replace it. He's getting me a price...

 

[turbovan+tdi]

I would just replace the OE trans cooler if its internally plugged up. The passages are so small that cleaning can't clean them.

 

[96passat1z]

My current TC does lock up, just not when the ATF temp gets too hot (ca. 115c and up)

I have the same problem with my '02. I have 271K on mine now but problem has been there since my dad bought it in '08 @155K. I replaced the cable to the VB and put MaxLife ATF in when my dad bought the car. That helped, but didn't cure it. So I added a cooler to the coolant line going to the FPHE on the trans. That keeps it cool enough for the driving I do, but my dad was doing too much stop & go and hill climbing and the trans. would get too hot and the TCC wouldn't lock. The trans. has also been flaring on the 2-3 shift when cold (been that way for over 100K), so he bought an '01 with lower miles on it and gave me his '02. Due to the miles and the flare, I wouldn't bother replacing the TC or VB on this trans. As long as I'm doing highway miles and babying it, I'll run it the way it is until it dies. At that point I'll probably do a 5sp swap so I can pump up the engine's power without puking out the trans!

 

[96passat1z]

170k+ and replaced the n91 solenoid, wiring harness, and filter and fluid around 160k, no issues since

What is the n91 solenoid and what does it do? I've been told that there are no parts on the 01M VB that are available individually. I would replace my TCC solenoid if I knew where to find one.

 

[turbovan+tdi]

What is the n91 solenoid and what does it do? I've been told that there are no parts on the 01M VB that are available individually. I would replace my TCC solenoid if I knew where to find one.

You can buy the solenoids either as a whole pack or just one, you can buy the ribbon cable. Shift valves can be bought oversize but you better know what your doing for that.

 

[Herm TDI]

The original 01m died at 84K
I bought a VAG rebuilt from local VW dealership. That transmission lasted 21K miles befor it started having torque converter problems. I replaced the solenoids and valve body with units from coolair. That repair lasted another 7K miles.

Call it what you want....bad luck, weak parts...ect...ect. It boils down to junk VW automatic transmissions.

 

[rotarykid]

Low miles on a car that old means more lower speed city similar clocked miles which equals many more shifts per mile traveled.

More shifts for those fewer miles traveled means the rated shifts for the service life is exceeded much sooner with much lower miles on the clock.

A car that is used in a low mile city similar life clocks shifts equaling a car which has clocked 150k-250k highway clocked miles. A car like this has likely exceeded the designed expected number of shifts for it's service life at this age at those miles.

These things are designed to shift x,xxx,xxx number of shifts during it's expected designed service life.. There is a age component independent of miles on the clock in the designed service life also....

For it's day the design and service life was better than most automatics of that era.

It is no less reliable than any other slushbox automatic of that era, chrysler, gm and ford has some automatics from that era which puked up with such regularity many of their offerings would see several replacements over similar miles or age clocked.

Most of these other automatic offerings however had no real reason to keep on the road to this day like our diesels still do, so they long ago were taken out of this mix for consideration ending their lives in a crusher....

Low miles on one of these of that age is almost a guarantee the car was driven in city similar conditions over it's life to date.

So has seen many times the number of shifts of a similar car which has clocked those miles on the highway mainly.

 

[Turkeywrap]

176k and stopped going into drive, survived the drive down 200miles after I bought her 3 weeks ago, already swapping in a 5speed.

 

[turbovan+tdi]

I love older TDI auto's, makes them cheap to buy,

 

[finnloag]

My 2001 Golf's automatic transmission got replaced at 53k miles over 5 years ago (almost 40k miles on the new one). I think I beat everyone on this tread. What did I win (besides, ya know, all that heartache). Sigh... injection pump ain't looking pretty these days and the TB will be pushing 9 years come Xmas (time flies when your raisin' young'uns). So I'm looking at throwing $5k into the car also adding in tires, alignment, rear control arms. With an 01M transmission, you've gotta ask yourself one question: "Do I feel lucky?" "Well, do ya?"

 

[rotarykid]

the rated service life maximum age on a T-belt system is 5 years with no regard to miles on the clock in optimal conditions, which almost no one lives in. This rating is with no regard to miles on the clock once that 5 year mark is passed. Your automatic has a larger injection pump shaft so is harder on the system than it is in a manual trans car!

I have seen several break @ 7 years with low miles on the clock so You are on borrowed time right now at the age of that T-belt system! One engine only 20k miles on the clock @ 7 years so I would not move it from where it is without a full T-belt system replacement.....

It literately could break the next time you start the engine, it should have broken a long time ago......Right now that transmission is least of your worries in that car if you want it to go much longer without a engine replacement......

 

[FreshOntarioBeetle]

I am at 47k miles on my 2002 Beetle with an 01M. Still drives well. Just bought the car 14 months ago with 19k miles on it. Was owned by old folks as a summer car.
01M showing some signs of... well... being an 01M.
-Slow into drive when warm.
-Hard and fast into drive or reverse when cold.
-2-3 flare on the first shift after startup.
Hoping to replace with a 5 speed swap when it dies. Or beforehand if the funds are there. It's incredibly "un-fun" to drive with the auto. 5 speed would make my day. But its not the top of the priority list, being a college student with little to no money.

 

[five7driver]

245K miles on my '01's original 01M. Still runs like a champ, but starting to get clunky in the downshifts. I keep telling myself it will be the next thing to go (almost everything else on the car is a replacement or upgrade), but it keeps going and going! I'll stick with: "if it ain't broke don't fix it" until it dies.

 

[lovemybug]

245K miles on my '01's original 01M. Still runs like a champ, but starting to get clunky in the downshifts. I keep telling myself it will be the next thing to go (almost everything else on the car is a replacement or upgrade), but it keeps going and going! I'll stick with: "if it ain't broke don't fix it" until it dies.

That was about the point that mine died. Swapped for a manual and haven't looked back.

 

[turbovan+tdi]

374K and still going strong. Just towed with it for the first time and took it like a champ.