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I've recently been having trouble with my transmission in some way. My gauge clusters are black background with red lighting. The middle cluster under the air temp, mileage left on tank, diagnostics, etc where it says park, reverse, drive etc is in red, with a black background. Basically (from time to time the last week or so) when I start the car (it's a tip) and have it in either auto or tip mode, the entire section of P,R,N,D,S instead of the 1 I'm in at that point is highlighted in red, and the letters are black. Same thing when I'm in tip mode with the 5,4,3,2,1. Instead of the gear I'm in being highlighted in a red square with the number/letter in black, the entire 5 gears are highlighted in the red squares and letters are black.

That's the cosmetic difference; the big thing is the damn car doesn't drive when that happens. If I turn off/on the ignition again it's usually fine. But I had that happen this morning leaving the house, had it in reverse rolling down the driveway (without foot on gas) and when I went into drive, there was no power. Happened again leaving work on lunch 30 min. ago. All was highlighted, and I kept the car in neutral and revved the engine...no power..car just sat there idleing. Anyone know what to do and to what extent the seriousness is?

I've also had trouble off/on the last few weeks with the car starting..had the mass air-flow sensor cleaned cuz a code came up through a friend/mechanic's VERY good diagnostics machine..not something you find at a cheap autoparts store. Won't always turn over right away..especially if there car's sitting for a few hrs.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Mark

 

If you read your Operations Manual, it will tell you that you might be having a transmission failure.

 

I skimmed through the owner's manual in the transmission section..didn't see anything about issues like this or 'troubleshooting.' I hope it's not too serious cuz after the fuel pump failed a few months ago, o2 sensor, the trouble starting and this...I'm about done with it.

 

This is something about the transmission switch, it causes your tranny to do this sort of crap, get a VAG-COM and read the code, then do a Forum search for your error code, it'll come back with some needed answers for you.

 

Hey can you read my post on the recall vs bulletin? It explains a little more..but still don't know where to go from here.

 

Local vw/audi shop can't fit me in til Tuesday (holiday weekend) but said they would scan it to make sure it's the tiptronic switch f189 causing the emergency running mode.

 

Sounds like the F189 shift assembly - or the circuit board under the assembly. But it is strange that your car is cutting power, unless it doesn't know what gear it is in.

Do you have Quattro/TIP or Front Wheel/CVT?

Edit, oh I see your sig. N/M

 

When it's in the 'emergency running mode' it's basically like it doesn't know what gear I'm in. When it works...everything's fine. Power doesn't shut off, etc. But in the emergency mode, the car idles & if I push down on the gas, it won't rev...at all.

I've got a shop doing a diagnostic check on the tranny Tuesday. They said it could even be a fuse that's causing the same symptoms..however the bulletin was out on the F189 part..