# Transmission In Emergency Mode



## Eleos82 (Nov 28, 2017)

First post, new member here. 

I leased my 18' Tiguan SEL 4Motion back in mid October. Really loved the car but it sadly has been coming into a lot of issues. 

Biggest issue of all happened this past Saturday evening, December 2nd when while driving on the interstate the car started to jerk while accelerating. Soon after dash board indicator lights came on with a message saying "Transmission in emergency mode. You can continue driving." I drove it straight home. Eventually the check engine light also came on shortly after while driving home. Has anyone else had this happen??

Didn't drive it on Sunday as my dealership service center was closed so I took it in first thing Monday morning. They got me a rental car as they said they will need 2-3 days at least to see whats wrong with it. I'm about to call them here shortly to see if they have found what the issue is. Really frustrating and worrisome as a new car with only 2k miles on it having transmission issues...


----------



## Eleos82 (Nov 28, 2017)

Here's a image from the infotainment center:
<img src="https://vgy.me/0Kbsqb.jpg" alt="0Kbsqb.jpg">

One of the dash:
<a href="https://vgy.me/pqkVrk"><img src="https://vgy.me/pqkVrk.jpg" alt="pqkVrk.jpg"></a>


----------



## vdubs kopfschuss GLI (Sep 25, 2014)

i would just wait to hear back from the service department. 
honestly, without any codes from the car, all we can do is guess.

sorry about your car though...hope it all works out and is covered under a warranty.


----------



## Eleos82 (Nov 28, 2017)

Thanks! And yes.. warranty def covers this which is always good in that respect.

I have heard back from VW.. seems a hose came loose on the transmission because of a clamp failing. They reattached the hose and clamped it again... say it's working properly now. I'm picking up my car this afternoon. Glad it was a quick fix and not a major mechanical failure of this 8-speed transmission.

I was also having other minor issues with the driving assistance indicator lights coming on inappropriately (blind spot monitoring when no car in other lane and forward collision warning coming on when at a stoplight). Service tech said they believe it was all related to the transmission having that loose hose failing other systems. We shall see if this is true...


----------



## ice4life (Nov 6, 2017)

Eleos82 said:


> Thanks! And yes.. warranty def covers this which is always good in that respect.
> 
> I have heard back from VW.. seems a hose came loose on the transmission because of a clamp failing. They reattached the hose and clamped it again... say it's working properly now. I'm picking up my car this afternoon. Glad it was a quick fix and not a major mechanical failure of this 8-speed transmission.
> 
> I was also having other minor issues with the driving assistance indicator lights coming on inappropriately (blind spot monitoring when no car in other lane and forward collision warning coming on when at a stoplight). Service tech said they believe it was all related to the transmission having that loose hose failing other systems. We shall see if this is true...


Convenient arguments lol. I saw a thread where someone else was getting false readings with front assist. That's dangerous!


----------



## vdubs kopfschuss GLI (Sep 25, 2014)

glad this was a quick fix for you and didn't have too much of a headache with this.
yeah...the false readings on the mirror are a common issue, i have the same issue as do others.

unfortunately, i do not think there is a fix for it yet.

do you know if they replaced your reverse lights? there is an open recall for that now.


----------



## Eleos82 (Nov 28, 2017)

My car is still in the shop as there was a rattle (not B Pillar related) from the driver side door panel that was amplified when bass came through the speakers. Securing the door panel and some added insulation was the fix they said. Should be picking it up today hopefully.



> do you know if they replaced your reverse lights? there is an open recall for that now.


I called and asked if the recall can be fixed while my car is in the shop but unfortunately the recall "invitations" have not been mailed out to the customers yet so the repair cannot be done at this time. Once they are mailed out (sometime this December) and I receive it in the mail, then I can come back to have it fix/replaced. This is what my service tech told me (seriously??)... Oh well, seems it'll be back in the shop then after the holidays and when I find it more convenient on me.


----------



## CC'ed (Dec 1, 2009)

Eleos82 said:


> Thanks! And yes.. warranty def covers this which is always good in that respect.
> 
> I have heard back from VW.. seems a hose came loose on the transmission because of a clamp failing. They reattached the hose and clamped it again... say it's working properly now. I'm picking up my car this afternoon. Glad it was a quick fix and not a major mechanical failure of this 8-speed transmission.
> 
> I was also having other minor issues with the driving assistance indicator lights coming on inappropriately (blind spot monitoring when no car in other lane and forward collision warning coming on when at a stoplight). Service tech said they believe it was all related to the transmission having that loose hose failing other systems. We shall see if this is true...


Dealer diagnosis smells like BS.....if a hose came off, you would have had transmission fluid all over the floor...and the car would not have been driveable......


----------



## JSWTDI09 (Feb 22, 2009)

CC'ed said:


> Dealer diagnosis smells like BS.....if a hose came off, you would have had transmission fluid all over the floor...and the car would not have been driveable......


It could have been a vacuum hose. Not all hoses flow fluids. However, I'm no expert on this transmission, so who knows?

Have Fun!

Don


----------



## Eleos82 (Nov 28, 2017)

Don is correct that it was a vacuum hose, sorry for not specifying that earlier. It also made sense for that when I was driving home the night of the incident I would hear the engine suck air when I pushed the gas pedal 1/4 way down accelerating.


----------



## Marzm15 (Oct 12, 2019)

2018 Tiguan S fwd here. I started getting the transmission warning at around 14,000 miles. The other day while washing it and cleaning the the front, driver side wheel I heard the hissing/sucking sound (car was on). Gonna get it into the dealer this week. Also, I have been getting the side mirror, blindspot warning light come on but only at night with car's headlights in the rear distance.


----------



## Marzm15 (Oct 12, 2019)

So update, my local dealer inspected the vehicle and said it needed the shifter replaced. That was right before Christmas, haven't had a chance to take it in but the light hasn't come on since. It's been like 45 days and 800 miles.


----------



## cahrens (Jun 5, 2018)

I get that warning all the time. It just goes away. I just ignore it. Transmission seems fine. I took it to the dealer, and they couldn’t reproduce it, even though I showed them a picture I took on my phone.


----------



## oldaere41 (Feb 11, 2021)

I have a 2018 Tiguan with 118,000 km on it. Have had the same issue, it started occurring after VW updated the Engine and Transmission software. Emission Recall 24GB, Engine and Transmission Control Modules (ECM/TCM). I just restart the Tiguan, and the warning goes away, no codes have been registered so far. Issue occurs a few times a month. I figure it is a software glitch that VW will eventually fix.


----------



## chalms04 (Jul 10, 2012)

Had this happen with my wife’s 2019 Highline R-Line. 

Dealership stated it was due to low battery voltage due to the recent polar vortex, along with not driving much with a short commute. Battery was charged and now it’s good to go. 

Will pick up a battery charger/tender and hope that prevents it from happening again!


----------



## Tig2 (Feb 11, 2019)

oldaere41 said:


> I have a 2018 Tiguan with 118,000 km on it. Have had the same issue, it started occurring after VW updated the Engine and Transmission software. Emission Recall 24GB, Engine and Transmission Control Modules (ECM/TCM). I just restart the Tiguan, and the warning goes away, no codes have been registered so far. Issue occurs a few times a month. I figure it is a software glitch that VW will eventually fix.


Similar thing with mine. 37k miles on mine. I live in cold climate and that seems to trigger it for some reason. Don’t see it that much in summer. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Former Audi owner (11 mo ago)

Eleos82 said:


> First post, new member here.
> 
> I leased my 18' Tiguan SEL 4Motion back in mid October. Really loved the car but it sadly has been coming into a lot of issues.
> 
> ...


After driving Audis for 25 years I bought my first VW, a 2017, 8 months ago. All was fine until a week ago when the trans was acting stupid. Not shifting until about 4k rpm. Then the Trans in Emerg mode safe to drive warning light. Dealer has the car now. Called and told me they were baffled by this. Really? Baffled when I read so many posts that others have tis same issue. I am ready to go back to Audi if this isn't resolved correctly.


----------



## Viking01 (Dec 29, 2021)

Brought my 2018 tig in today told shifter needed replacement cost about 1400 Canadian dollars. No symptoms just message that occasion ally came on


----------



## visimp17 (4 mo ago)

Just took my 2018 Tiguan with less than 60,000 kms in for the Emergency Mode issue. Was told it was the park lever switch acting up. A known problem based the experience of the lead technician with other VW's. However it is inside the transmission and yes they want over $1200 to replace it. Not under warranty as it is declared not a part of the power train. How can a critical switch inside the transmission not be a part of the power train. I was told there have been five (to be confirmed) different versions of the replacement switch. Is that not an admission by VW that the switches are defective and should be recalled and replaced for free in all Tiguans with this switch. Is there a hidden safety issue that Transport Canada should be notified about. My investigation will continue. I am totally disappointed with corporate that they disrespect their customers with this garbage policy.


----------



## Tarik (Jun 21, 1999)

visimp17 said:


> Just took my 2018 Tiguan with less than 60,000 kms in for the Emergency Mode issue. Was told it was the park lever switch acting up. A known problem based the experience of the lead technician with other VW's. However it is inside the transmission and yes they want over $1200 to replace it. Not under warranty as it is declared not a part of the power train. How can a critical switch inside the transmission not be a part of the power train. I was told there have been five (to be confirmed) different versions of the replacement switch. Is that not an admission by VW that the switches are defective and should be recalled and replaced for free in all Tiguans with this switch. Is there a hidden safety issue that Transport Canada should be notified about. My investigation will continue. I am totally disappointed with corporate that they disrespect their customers with this garbage policy.


Did you try calling VW corporate and opening case? Maybe, just maybe, they may decide to cover it.

Sent from my LG-H932 using Tapatalk


----------



## visimp17 (4 mo ago)

Tarik said:


> Did you try calling VW corporate and opening case? Maybe, just maybe, they may decide to cover it.
> 
> Sent from my LG-H932 using Tapatalk


Yes, I am waiting for the direct contact info for the CEO of Volkswagen Canada from my dealer so I can ask him about this policy. I did some research on the Internet and I see several people with VW's in Australia had their expensive transmission defects fully covered by VW even those out of the warranty period. As for Transport Canada, back in 1997 I told them about Honda's defective ignition switches which they doubted but after I did some campaigning on the Internet, Honda eventually recalled over two million cars around the world. I will make sure I discredit VW with a similar campaign until they relent.


----------

