Ok guys, I need some guidance with this issue. I have a 99A4Q Tip 1.8T with 85k on it and aboslutely love this car but have some minor issues with the drivetrain. Soon after my purchase I had the trans. fluid and filter changed due to inconsistency in shift points. Unfortunately the fluid change did not cure this problem. Along with inconsistent shift points it usually runs through the gears really quick with minor throttle pressure. It will normally upshift around 2,500-600 rpms quickly to 4th gear before even getting to 40 mph...?? Is this normal? Then when I need to downshift for more power I almost have to floor it before it finally downshifts. It seems about once a month it will drive beautifully, shifting and performing awesome only returning back to its normal behavior aspreviously mentioned. I normally drive in Tip-mode b/c I get too fustrated with the normalautomatic operation. When driving in Tip-mode the tranny operates and runs great!

I had money saved to get it chipped but instead spent it onRoss-tech's VAG softwarehoping tounderstand anddiagnose this problem. How would you guys diagnose this? Start by scanning for codes and go from there? Could soft codes trip orretard the tranny to a default setting not allowing it to re-learn my "lead foot" driving habits? Any help or input would be greatly appreciated, thanks again.

 

Try undoing the battery (+)for about 10 minutes and let the TCU reset itself. Don't forget to have your radio code ready. See if that helps

Don't know much about VAG as of yet - my hand-held scanner won'tbe delivered untiltwo more weeks

 

remove the tranny fuse for a while that should reset the system

 

....or that too

 

Congrats on buying a VAGcom. It will save you thousands of dollars over your ownership, and you can always recoup much of the cost by selling it when you sell your car.

Always make sure that your car is in top shape before chipping it.

Now to your issue. Run a full vagcom scan of all controllers.(skip the airbag).
You will likely see numerous codes that could have been stored there for years. Copy down the numbers and definitions. You are most interested in the ones for the transmission control module.

Clear them all, drive the car for a couple of hundred miles over the next week or two and see what comes back.

You can also run output tests on the transmission solenoids from the transmission modlule checking section of vagcom, but save that for later.

 

Thanks a lot David...I hope you would reply to this thread. I was kind of intimated to use Vagcom or any obd software myself but like you said I cannot keep spending money for someone else to give me solutions. I rather have a thorough understanding of my car's parameters myself. I will try the fuse option until I receive my hardware and download the Vag software.

Lastnight while driving down to school afterwork I did notice a huge difference while evaulating my car's performance. Aftergetting a coffeeand getting back onto the road I noticed the car felt like a new machine!!?? It felt really powerful, I had awesome boost (could really hear the spool) and my shifts were a lot more aggressive! I also noticed one major thing as well, while on the highway my cruise control actually worked wherein the past it only worked once or twice...?? This analysis makes me think it is ECU related b/c by the time I got to school (about1 1/2 hrs. away) it returned to it's normal, sluggish behavior. I know a lot of this is impossible to diagnose w/o scans and codes to offer but I think this is very relevent that everything seems related; almost like a code trips and retards my ECU. We shall find out soon enough and I will keep everyone updated. Thanks for the help!

 

Do I do this while the engine is running or off??

 

Off.

 

^of course

 

So I pull the fuse and drive around for awhile then re-install it?