THX 19X

Hi All-- First time poster...

My beloved automatic '99 Beetle with 118K has um, been bucking--jumping into gear lately. I have do not have a battery problem as discussed on another thread a while ago, but I would like to know what could be causing this and if its expensive to fix.

veedubmechanic

How is it bucking? Does it shift hard into 3rd gear and 4th gear?.

A very common issue with those is the valve body failing. You will need to see if there are any codes stored in the ECM and TCM.

THX 19X

Thank you for getting back to me... BTW, I have an automatic

By "bucking" the best I can explain is that when I am backing out of a parking space then put it in drive, it will continue to roll back wards then when I put my foot on the gas "jump" or "buck" into gear? into moving forward... Even at a light, I will take my foot off the break, and sometimes she rolls back till I put my foot on the gas and she jumps.... Sometimes when in Idle you can hear the engine cough...

is this bad? Like time to let go bad?

What are the codes of which you refer?

veedubmechanic

sounds like your fluid level is low. I reccomend having a VW dealer drop the transmission pan and replace the filter and pan gasket and putting in new fluid.

hako

Going to a VW service centre is peobably the correct advice however that will cost - in Australian dollars at least $400 to look and report and then you add to the bill. I'd reckon the end result would be a reconditioned trans which is at least $A4000. If it was me, I'd add some auto trans stop leak/rejuvinator or whatever they call it in your neck of the woods. It can clean blocked valve bodies and allow worn clutches to grip better.....and at about $A15 its cheap. Purist scorn this stuff but they don't have to pay the bills!
With your mileage you can expect to spend dollars sooner than later unfortunately. Good Luck.

THX 19X

Thank you both for responding...

It too costs a lot here in the states to go to the dealer and I can't say I trust them... but at least what you are both telling me runs along the same lines as what I've read and have a friend telling me... Obviously I want to make an informed decision!

Hako... Just to be sure I understand...um, where would I pour the trans rejuvenator? I'm new this "do it yourself" mechanic stuff! Its worth a shot if it will be buy more time!

Tomorrow I'm off to Vegas for the holiday weekend... Maybe I'll win enough $$ for new bug!

veedubmechanic

If you pour anything other than OEM VW tranmission fluid in your tranmission it will slip and break. I have seen it happen numorous times with customers (going to jiffy lube to have trans fluid changed) and from people that added "lucas oil tranmission treatment"

onesillyrn

I have a 2004 New Beetle and I feel a " bucking" surge forward as it's slowing in the first gear of it's auto tiptronic trany...especially when the engine has had a chance to warm up. I discovered that there's no place to check the trany fluid....it has 62k miles on it. Best advice is to...?

Franco2112

I agree with Veedubmechanic on this one. I would not let anyone but the dealer touch this. The wrong fluid could make a simple problem, like I think this one is, worse and very expensive. Franco