Serious problem with my 2002 Jetta

I have a 2002 Jetta 1.8T, no engine mods or anything. Automatic with tiptronic transmission, 27,000 miles on the car.

I was driving on the highway today, going about 65-70, and all of a sudden it felt like I dropped a gear, even though I was in automatic mode. I looked down and I think it had, cause suddenly the RPM was at 3300. I looked down and saw that all the selections on my transmission meter were selected! So I pulled over, shut off the car, and turned it back on. I looked down and everything was still selected, so I knew it didn't fix it.

I finally drop it into drive, and start going. I notice it's a little slow to accelerate, but after that it's fine. I get up to 60 and I can tell that I am still in 4th gear. I go into tiptronic and try and shift, but it won't shift up or down. It just sits there. So I put it back in Automatic and try and shift like that, down into 4th, 3rd, 2nd, nothing changes. So I put it back in drive, get back into the city. I notice when I come to a complete stop and then accelerate, my car accelerates a lot slower from a resting position, but then it's fine.

Anyone know whats wrong? If you do, can I fix it on my own? Do I need to bring it to the dealer? Is it a serious problem?

bring it in to the dealer. use that there warranty man.

Yeah I will, kind of hard since I goto school though, might have to wait until my spring break. and I never trust dealers. I'd trust people on a random auto forum more then the dealer :P

your first mistake was not getting a manual. :screwy: hope you get it fixed without getting RIPPED which seems to happen so often with vdub stealerships.

It's trying to tell you there is a problem. When all the gear indicator lights come on there has been a malfunction and it is in limp mode, that's why it wont go into "5th" gear.

offhand guess? ... you are in limp mode, thats for sure ... if I had to pull a guess outta my butt without having anyone reads the codes I would say MAF ... and yes take it to a dealer ... they really arent too bad if the thing is under warranty ... they just keep replacing parts till it's fixed :)

What does MAF mean?

oh sorry about that ... Mass Airflow Sensor ... it's a little doodad between the air filter and the engine. measures the airflow and helps adjust the idle ... they have been know to act screwy and set off different codes and symptoms ...

it's not my mass airflow sensor as that already went before.

hmmm when was it replaced? I'm pretty sure they had some bad replacement MAF's into 2002 as well ... I'm not sure where you are located, but perhaps you can find someone with a Vag-Com tool as well. I'm just starting to work through some problems on my car itself ...

here is a site where you can search for someone with a Vag-Com ... most of the people on this list are happy to help for a little in return ...
Vag Com List (http://www20.brinkster.com/beowulf9/tdi/vagcom/)

It was replaced at around 25000 miles I think... a couple months ago. Same thing happened with my 2000 GL that I had, pretty soon after I got it too. Different dealerships though.

It's funny, cause both times the mass airflow blew, on both cars, I had driven a long distance. On the 2000 Jetta I was in Michigan and my check engine came on, found out it was MAF, and then I went down to southern Illinois with my current car and the same thing happened.

I live in IL btw.

hmmm chack out the vag com list I posted above ... I'm sure you could get someone to help get the code for you ... also on the bently site they will help you decode it as well

MAF's and most engine management items usually won't put the trans into limp mode. You're gonna have to have the trans module checked wiht a VAG or simulator (90% of hte OBD-II machines can't read it).

This just happend to me today as well, I was driving down I-10 going about 45mph in taffic when my I looked down and my ESP/ASR Warning light was triggered. I pressed the ESP button a couple of times to see if it was off or on but ther was no respons to the button, then all of a sudden my car jerked like someone hit me from behind. since I was in traffic I was in a stop and go situationm, very shift of a gear would rock the car violently in tiptronic and automatic mode the lower the gear the worst the shift was it scared the heck out of me, it was almost dangerous. the engine light came on earlier that day and stayed on but the car drove fine till this incodent, I could also not go over 4th gear. got to the house put the car in park, turned it off and started it again and drove around the block, engine light was still on, but the car handled properly and I got to fith gear,,,, very strange. IF anyone has a clue befor I take it to the dealer I would like the info, just to be ready on what the dealer has to tell me. Thanks.

This just happend to me today as well, I was driving down I-10 going about 45mph in taffic when my I looked down and my ESP/ASR Warning light was triggered. I pressed the ESP button a couple of times to see if it was off or on but ther was no respons to the button, then all of a sudden my car jerked like someone hit me from behind. since I was in traffic I was in a stop and go situationm, very shift of a gear would rock the car violently in tiptronic and automatic mode the lower the gear the worst the shift was it scared the heck out of me, it was almost dangerous. the engine light came on earlier that day and stayed on but the car drove fine till this incodent, I could also not go over 4th gear. got to the house put the car in park, turned it off and started it again and drove around the block, engine light was still on, but the car handled properly and I got to fith gear,,,, very strange. IF anyone has a clue befor I take it to the dealer I would like the info, just to be ready on what the dealer has to tell me. Thanks.

If you can't really work on it yourself I would suggest the dealer ... even with the codes it throws, sometimes diagnosis is difficult. I replaced a part back when this post was fresh and the problem still persisted. I then took it into the dealer ( they had to give me the $$$ speech ) before I let them work on it. Turns out it was the MAF and that fixed the problem. It was under extended warranty so it was all good for me.

yeah vw dealers are great about just "fixing" a problem till it's fixed. i hadda take my 03 jetta in 4 times to get the oil pan fixed cuz a gasket somewhere was leaking

god but it sure drives nice now

ok 1st off like people said before-take it to the VW dealership! 2002 is still under the 5yr 50k powertrain warranty. Second off-there is a problem that vw is having w/ auto trans w/ the trans temp sensor malfunctioning. It reads the incorrect temp and the trans decides to shift like you are saying. That IS covered under warrranty if ur in the warranty period. If you keep driving the way you are it WILL hurt the trans and possibly mess mre things up.

Thanks I dropped it off yesterday to the dealer and they put me in a rental, said that it would be ready by monday Ill let you know what they say.

Got my car back the engine light was caused by the the mass air flow sensor and the transmission was a leaking air hose. NO CHARGE!!!!! Thanks fellas.

congrats Carib - looks like the system worked ... I guess we were all right ...

took mine to the dealer it was a vacume line on the tranny and the mas air flow sensor. Well thats what they said.