stuck in 3rd

[maxim240sx]

ok guys I just bought a 91 TSI AWD yesterday. The car is in great shape except for the stuck tranny. The guy I bought it from said he replaced the tranny computer with a new,non rebuilt one. He said he took it to a tranny shop and they hooked it up to the computer and it came back with a bad solenoid code? So I bought it and drove it home. Today I had a tranny tech take a look, he said he tried to hook it up to the computer to pull the code and nothing came up. He said they are a pain in the ass to work on and said it would need a rebuild( $1400) and no warranty because it's a high performance car and he thought I'd be doggin it all the time. WTF? It will go only in 3rd and reverse,no 1st 2nd or OD. But I drove it all the way home from texas to oklahoma last night. Any ideas guys?

 

[StyleElements]

if its stuck in 3rd the trans is in safe mode. the car prolly would have been fine just replacing a solenoid, but since you drove it all that way chances are you fried it from takeing off from a stop in 3rd gear.

 

[91Bomb]

You can pull trans codes yourself using an analog voltmeter. I would definately look for a place that specializes in DSM transmissions (if you need trans work to begin with) and don't even thinkk about Aamco or any other chain shops if you value your time, money, and car

I had a 'limp mode' problem awhile back that no one could solve. It wound up to be a bad connection to the trans computer which I stumbled across and solved by cleaning and tweaking a few of the contacts.

I wouldn't assume you did any further damage to the trans by driving it if you were taking it easy on the road.

 

[91Bomb]

Today I had a tranny tech take a look, he said he tried to hook it up to the computer to pull the code and nothing came up. He said they are a pain in the ass to work on and said it would need a rebuild( $1400) and no warranty because it's a high performance car and he thought I'd be doggin it all the time. WTF?

Ignore that guy -- he sounds like a crack addict.

 

[Froyd79]

Was the trans recently replaced? If so the plugs are prolly backwards. Usually disconnecting the battery will reset it out of limp mode until whatever caused it to go in limp mode happens again. If it is the solenoids they can be checked fairly easy.

 

[booosting92tsi]

GET A NEW TCU THAT WORKS, THAT COULD BE ONE OF MANY PROBLEMS.......IN MY CASE IT WAS THE TCU.............