Re: OT - 91 2.0 16V Passat - no shift into Drive

[Daun Yeagley <vwdaun@yahoo.com>]

--- Mike VanAmburgh <E30@iLand.net> wrote:
> What's your opinion - 91ish Passat GL wagon with
> automatic (ack) for
> $800.  Dealer claims only problem is that it won't shift
> into Drive.  It
> goes through 1st, 2nd and 3rd, but refuses to shift into
> Drive (4th). 
> Any ideas?  Could it be a simple fix?  I know VW auto
> trannies generally
> have a tendency to break.  I might take the thing for a
> drive tomorrow
> to see if it's worth it and see if there any nasty noises
> coming from
> the tranny area.  If not, maybe it's a quick fix -
> vacuum?  Even if it
> doesn't shift into Drive, it would be a good around-town
> car.  The
> interior and exterior look to be in great shape.  The
> front fascia is a
> bit chewed up, but other than that, it looks ok.  It has
> 190k miles.

I bought my first Passat a little over a year ago with the
same problem.  Mine ended up being a couple of wires had
broken at the point they entered the tranny case - not easy
to find.  Once fixed though I never had another problem
with the tranny in the 15k I put on it.

Basically, the transmission computer is now in "limp home
mode" and needs to be cleared.  This is how:

-turn the key to "on" but do not start the car.
-hold accelerator to the floor for a good 10 seconds.
-turn off key, release accelerator pedal.

If you've got an intermittent problem, that should clear
the fault memory until the problem comes back, then it will
revert to limp-home again.  In my car's case, as soon as I
started the car it went into limp-home because the wires
were broken.

Take it for a spin, try clearing the memory, and see how
smooth it shifts otherwise.  Regardless, $800 for a Passat
WAGON isn't too bad - in fact I know a couple people that
would LOVE to have it.  (I've had 3 people beg me for mine
and I've only had it a couple months, still working out the
bugs.)  And hey, you could always swap in a 5 spd!


=====
Daun Yeagley - Wilmington Ohio
'80, '85, & '88 Sciroccos
'82 Pickup
'90 Passat Wagon

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