# 01M Transmission problems



## hcanipe (Jul 29, 2010)

The details on my car problem are as follows: 

1.	I am the original owner of a 1999 New Beetle GLS, 2.0L w/ 01M automatic. This car has 81K but nearly all miles were in-town driving.

2.	The car currently wants to start in 3rd gear. (I can manually shift to 1st, 2nd and 3rd but cannot get the car to go into 4th.) This symptom only started within the last few days and I took it to my local dealer on Tuesday.

3.	The dealer tech advises that he found clutch material in the fluid and that the hydraulic pressure is low. He indicates that there are no transmission codes stored (although I am not convinced that he even checked.) However, I do not have a ‘check Engine” light on. He indicates that I need a new transmission based on the above the presence of clutch material, low pressure and the shifting behavior (or lack thereof.) I received a quote of $3,800 for the work, which reflects a decent discount amount since I bought the vehicle new from this dealer.

4.	After retrieving the Beetle for the dealer, I took the car to a local transmission specialty shop for evaluation. They are an ARTA member and seem to be a reputable firm. The guy I spoke with seem competent but I am concerned about how familiar these guys are with the transmission. I am waiting on their call with the results of their assessment and repair estimate. 

5.	Based on my reading of various TDI/Vortex forums, am willing to “take a shot at having the valve body rebuilt in hopes that it will fix the problem. Do you think it makes sense, should I invest in a VW transmission code reader before doing anything else, should I accept the VW dealer’s quote or would you trust the job to a local transmission firm?


Thanks,
Henry


----------

