automatic transmission - weird shifts

[jdedgewood]

My 2000 GLS 2.0 with automatic transmission will suddenly shift down (you can definitely notice the shift) when decellerating between 30-25 MPH, and shifts up hard under moderate throttle about the same speed. Is this normal behavior? I thought the transmission was supposed to be an "intellengent" transmission, that developed its patterns from the driver's habits.

[boschmann]

Has it been serviced regularly?

[jdedgewood]

I bought the car from a 26 year old lady who was religious about taking it to the dealer for service, but looking though the records, I don't see any transmission service. It has 76,000 miles.

[boschmann]

That is where I'd start. It uses a very $pecial fluid, so be careful where you take it.

[Aerowitz]

I hate to say this, man, but you got the crap version of the car.

Volkswagen built a really bad automatic transmission for the MK4 Jetta, plain and simple. Mine has the same shifting problem, but I've quelled it mostly because of my driving habit of flooring it through the low gears. Keep the pedal down a bit until you hit about 4000RPMs and let off for a second, then pop it down again to shift to second, and the rest of the gear changes will be a bit more fluid because the car has been tricked into thinking that you want to go faster; but since the car has bad low-RPM torque anyways, you won't go that fast. I do this everyday in front of cops going to school (high revving low gears) and they don't even blink. I can do this and it'll stay at about 35mph in 3rd without jolting at shift points.

Maybe this only works for me, but I hope it helps. If it still happens, get it checked out. It's the logical thing to do.

[Carib-Jetta]

Originally Posted by jdedgewood

My 2000 GLS 2.0 with automatic transmission will suddenly shift down (you can definitely notice the shift) when decellerating between 30-25 MPH, and shifts up hard under moderate throttle about the same speed. Is this normal behavior? I thought the transmission was supposed to be an "intellengent" transmission, that developed its patterns from the driver's habits.

I had a simmilar prob but I have the tiptronic option on mine. if it is a little hard thats probably normal but if it is a a very hard shift take it to the dealer it could be a vacume line on the tranny. Mine was shifting violently felt like some one rear ended me.

[2001bluejetta]

I am having the same problem in my 2001 Jetta ! This is the first foreign car I have ever owned..
Now my problems are..
1.) airbag light on
2.) eratic idle when cold or wet out (possible bad coil$$$)
3.) drivers door -door switch not working
4.) shifts hard through the gears and back down again.(its an automatic).
my car has 40,600 miles on it and I dont know where to start and my money is very tight.
I wanted to change the plugs and wires and that looks like a pretty tuff job... there is no room!
PLEASE HELP ME!!!
Chris from Chicago

[ctuagent117]

yea that sucks i have a 97 5spd. next time get the manual. shift the way you wanna shift so you can drive the way you wanna drive. in my oppinion vw doesnt pay as much attention as they should to there automotic trannys

[*Wishes*]

this is soooo... sad i juss bought this 97 and it does the same thing... shifting hard no other probs at the moment but from the way yall are goin ima be in for it. guess ill try to take it to the dealer. it has less than 38000 and has been very well taken care of... this is so sad. i miss my manual civic

daggit

Originally Posted by 2001bluejetta

I am having the same problem in my 2001 Jetta ! This is the first foreign car I have ever owned..
Now my problems are..
1.) airbag light on
2.) eratic idle when cold or wet out (possible bad coil$$$)
3.) drivers door -door switch not working
4.) shifts hard through the gears and back down again.(its an automatic).
my car has 40,600 miles on it and I dont know where to start and my money is very tight.
I wanted to change the plugs and wires and that looks like a pretty tuff job... there is no room!
PLEASE HELP ME!!!
Chris from Chicago

[PINKBACARDI]

i have a 97 jetta and it fulls it self really wierd when the 2 or third gear go in, but im talking about an automatic. when i bearly got it they told me that it was beceuse they had just repaird the transmision that it would eventully go away, but i dont see any diffrence since than and it been 6 months.
i also have a problen with "i dont know if its tha battery" but last night i had to charge it with jumper cables and it worked, but this morning i couldnt start the wierd thing is that the battery light is not ON in the dash bord its the "check engine" light the one that is on.
do you think that this be beceuse a couple of week ago they changed the spak plugs and the "mechanic" messed up one of the cable he says he changed it but im not sure if he replaced it with a wrong one.

[*Wishes*]

this is how i am driving it these days... juss sucks though... ima sell a couple of houses and then im getting rid of this thing!

[Lexi07is]

Hello, I just purchased a 2007 Lexus IS250 in May and am concerned my transmission is bad. Recently, while stopped at a light, I feel my car shift and then it seems it loses power. It's happened at least five times now. Hoping it's not the transmission but something else that can be fixed and that is less expensive. If it is the transmission, can the lemon law protect me despite the months that have elasped since purchasing the vehicle? The dealer only had the standard 30 day warranty. I'm concerned the dealer did something to mask the transmission problem. I did bring it to a mechanic to check it out prior to purchasing the car but it's not like he did an extensive check of the transmission.

Thanks for any input. Romans 8:28-39