# 6 Speed (V8 Engine) Transmission control module



## seawind3000 (Sep 17, 2010)

How hard is it to find the transmission control module. My new Vag com fault code scan bought up a bunch of systems codes... all pointing to 

01315 transmission control module 004 no signal/communication

is it a broken wire or a $1200 module. 
I am new to the Vag com, can it look further into the problem.

Mike


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## johnt26 (Dec 3, 2009)

Hello Mike,

I'm fairly new to the Vag-Com as well. Do you have the service manual? You may be able to look up some codes or tests there.

Best of Luck!


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## WillemBal (Nov 20, 2010)

seawind3000 said:


> How had is it to find the transmission control module. My new Vag com fault code scan bought up a bunch of systems codes... all pointing to 01315 transmission control module 004 no signal/communication is it a broken wire or a $1200 module.
> I am new to the Vag com, can it look further into the problem. Mike


Hi Mike,
What DTC code did you get for this module? And what engine & code do you have?
There are a few tricks to speed up the process of fault finding which are handy to know. First, you may want to look at each individual fault code, but very often one fault code is the result of another. What I do most of the time is to "Clear All DTC's" after making and saving a full scan. After that, the program again makes a full scan. Of course, with ignition on and engine running or with charger on the convenience battery.
After this second scan, you may want to look in detail what the transmission module has to say. Just press on the top line (marked read in case a DTC is present). This leads you to a detail menu, where you can see what errors are generated. It should be a 5 digit number, with an additional 3 digit code, specifying what might be wrong. The 004 code actually occurs quite often as a "sporadic" error. In this same menu, you can clear the module's DTC's as well, without going through the time consuming process of scanning all modules. So you might clear them a couple times to see if they return. You can press "add to log" at any time, to save the results which are generated.
Good luck!
Willem


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## seawind3000 (Sep 17, 2010)

Here they are,

Address 01: Engine 18034- Powertrain Data Bus: Missing Message from TCU
P1626 - 008 Implausible Signal


Address 03; ABS Brakes: 01315 - Transmission Control Module
004 - No Signal/ Communication



Address 05 Acc/Start Auth. 01315 - TCM
004- NS/C
01299 - Diagnostic Interface for Data Bus (j533)
013 - Check DTC Memory


Address 17: Instruments: 01315 - TCM
004 - NS/C


Address 19: CAN Gateway: 01315 - TCM
004 - NS/M


Address 76: Park Assist: 01299 - Diagnostic Interface for Data Bus (j533)
013 - Check DTC Memory



That's it!!

Thanks, Mike


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## WillemBal (Nov 20, 2010)

Hi Mike,
I guess you didn't yet "Clear all DTC's". I checked again with my own logs, and 004 occurs quite often during the first scan after some driving, but disappears in the rescan after clearing the DTC's.
The P1626 error is not a fault caused by the module itself.

Possibly the coding of the TCU is wrong or erased. This is address 02, which is strangely missing in your listing.

The report of my TCU (5-shift gear) is:
Address 02: Auto Trans Labels: User\3D0-927-156.lbl
Part No: 3D0 927 156 C
Component: AG5 01L 6.0 W12 RdW 0911 
Coding: 0000101
Shop #: WSC 00999 444 64523
VCID: 2854FAFEA4A90D5C

No fault code found.

As you can see, the coding is 0000101, which means 4WD - Germany.
Yours is probably 0001102 (4WD, USA & Canada).

When you not yet cleared all DTC's, you might want to hook up your VAG diagnostic tool once more and choose the option which allows you to directly go into a particular module.
The first module I would check is #05 Acc/Start Auth. 01315 - TCM. When you have pressed the button for that module, also the DTC memory will be shown. Just copy to a log file (an existing or a new one), then clear all DTC's. Hopefully no DTC will return, which you can check just seconds later, as it will report again whether faults are found.
Then close the module (click you way out of that menu) and select module #2. Same process. Also check the coding, which is probably 0001102.
Next, you can enter all other modules and follow the same procedure. The purpose of all this is to check persistent faults, get detailed information and to erase sporadic fault codes which may prevent the TCU from operating normally.
Finally, make a new scan with a new log file, whether or not the previous actions solved your problems. For a complete diagnosis, it is important to see the information of the coding and the firmware/hardware revision status as well. It might be interesting for you to see some other scan results in this link: *VAG-COM-Controller-Lists-from-Phaetons*. This is where you could post your complete log as well.

Willem


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## seawind3000 (Sep 17, 2010)

I cleared all the codes from each red line in the report and all cleared except the transmission ones and you are right, address 02 is missing from each scan I did. So can I go into 02 and change the coding to 0001102?? This Vag Com is all new to me.

Thanks again for your help, Mike


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## WillemBal (Nov 20, 2010)

seawind3000 said:


> So can I go into 02 and change the coding to 0001102??


I hope you can go into address 02. Apparently, you can't do this after making a scan because of the missing module information, so then the only possibility is by pressing "Select" or "Select an individual control module" from the main menu (depending on the software you have), next search for the button 02 - Transmission from one of the sub pages. Then simply press it and the software will try to get access to the module 3 times. After gaining access to the TCU, you can clear codes (DTC) in a similar way. Hopefully, you can now get access to the TCU, otherwise it may be defective. Just make sure that you have the ignition on at all times during the use of your VAG and try the above again with engine on when it doesn't work with ignition on -engine off. Remember that you have to eliminate the battery voltage as possible source for all kinds of gremlins.
Note that the option of "Clearing DTC's" is just clearing the Diagnostic Trouble Codes and has nothing to do with the coding of the modules. So all I wrote is not going to harm anything. Anyway, I don't suggest to try to recode this module. First priority is to gain access to this module and then to see what DTC's you are getting, to clear them and to see how it has been coded.

What you further might want to do, prior to the above, is to dive into the directory structure and look for the program files where the program is installed. Then look for a folder called "Labels" (mine is in C:\ROSS-TECH\VCDS\Labels). Next, locate the file called 3D0-927-156.lbl.
This is the label file for the transmission module. Copy and paste it in the subdirectory of the same folder, called "User". This is the first folder in which the program will look for information about the modules prior to searching in the label folder itself, which contains a lot of other label files, for other VAG group cars. This may help to find the TCU module with the program.

Finally, did you try to start the engine or to drive after successfully clearing the DTC's? Since I get the impression that you successfully cleared them, I would be optimistic about the desired end result, despite of the missing 02 module. After doing the above, I would go out with the car for a test drive! :facepalm:

Willem


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## seawind3000 (Sep 17, 2010)

The scanner says: 02 controller not responding! I've gone into the "select" and 02 transmission and still no responce :facepalm:

Mike


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## seawind3000 (Sep 17, 2010)

I copied the label file to the user file and still no go. "no response from controller" is still the error.:banghead:


Thanks for all your time, I really appreciate it, Mike


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## WillemBal (Nov 20, 2010)

Hi Mike,
Since your program is working OK and the TCU just refuses to communicate, most likely the power to the TCU is interrupted. As I remember that your dealer’s technician shorted out the disconnected battery pole to the chassis, there is a chance that the TCU’s internal power capacitor was discharged rapidly, causing its fuse to blow. It is a small chance, but since it is so likely to be a probable cause for your problem, I suggest that you check the fuses first before removing or even replacing the module.
Fuses to check are:
SB20. This is fuse 20 on fuse panel B, either 10A or 15A fuse depending on engine code. The fuse panel is under the steering wheel, easy to open when you can find the little handle, just above the driver side footwell light. There you will also find a little map, showing the location of the fuse. Fuse 20 has a diagnose plug icon. Would be great when this one is blown. While you have the fuse panel open, please also check 57, 67 and 68 on the same fuse panel. 
Good luck!
Willem


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## seawind3000 (Sep 17, 2010)

Is there a login code I can use for the controller? If there is, I might be able to see the code to see if it is the correct 0001102.

Mike


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## seawind3000 (Sep 17, 2010)

Fuse 20 is empty, 57 67 68 all checked out fine....... I was hopeful.


Mike


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## WillemBal (Nov 20, 2010)

seawind3000 said:


> Fuse 20 is empty, 57 67 68 all checked out fine....... I was hopeful.


Hi Mike,
It sounds strange, but fuse designation seems to depend strongly on engine code (i.e. BAP, BAN, BHJ etc), type of transmission (5 or 6 gear etc) and month and year of construction. Fuse 20 is not there for some models. 
Since it is not there, you might still be lucky, because in that case the fuse to look for is SD15, which is on panel "D", in the right plenum chamber. The actual TCM is located pretty close, i.e. behind the passenger side wiper motor. If you search for posts with the text "right plenum chamber", you should be able to find threads describing how to get access to it.

Willem


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## seawind3000 (Sep 17, 2010)

I'll find it!!!! If it is the small fuse panel on the passenger firewall under the plastic screen for the cabin air intake, I found it..... and all the fuses checked out.:what: Any where else I can look??

Mike


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## WillemBal (Nov 20, 2010)

seawind3000 said:


> If it is the small fuse panel on the passenger firewall under the plastic screen for the cabin air intake, I found it..... and all the fuses checked out.:what: Any where else I can look??


That is the one! It is fuse 15 (SD15), which is a 15A fuse. If it is not blown, then please check the voltage against the chassis on both contacts of the fuse holder, sequentially. Plus of your DVM to the fuse contact, minus of your DVM to chassis. But be careful to avoid shorts.
One of these fuse contacts must be carrying 12 Volt, the other zero. (of course when ignition is on). When they are both dead, even when the engine is running, then the power problem is located somewhere else. For instance in the back of the car, where the LH battery is located. That fuse panel has some bigger fuses, giving power to groups of smaller fuses.
By the way, the ECM (engine) and the TCM (transmission) are both located in the right plenum chamber as well.
What else? Just recheck fuse SB67 and SB68. Fuse 67 gives additional power to the TCM, the tiptronic, selector lever park position lock switch and fuse 68 is for the shift lock solenoid. My guess is that fuse SD15 gives power to the mechatronic unit (bolted underneath the transmission) via the TCM and fuse SB67 gives power to the CAN section of the TCM. But perhaps I'm wrong and some other fuse on the D fuse panel gives power to the CAN controller of the TCM, so it might be a good idea to check all these fuses.


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## WillemBal (Nov 20, 2010)

Hi Mike,
Is your engine code BGH or BGJ, MY 2004 -> 2006? Is it 4.2L V8? In that case, the TCM is part of the mechatronic unit, the big assembly with a lot of solenoids and valves. If all fuses are OK, then you need to check power on the 16-pin connector attached to the mechatronic unit. The procedure is documented, so just make a post when you feel that all fuses are OK.
Willem


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## WillemBal (Nov 20, 2010)

WillemBal said:


> Hi Mike,
> Is your engine code BGH or BGJ, built between 2004 and 2006 (correction: MY2004->2006)? Is it 4.2L V8? In that case, the TCM is part of the mechatronic unit, the big assembly with a lot of solenoids and valves.


Hi Mike,
After checking fuses, further diagnosis of the problem may be focused on the actual connector going into the mechatronic unit. Since it is located underneath the car, about a foot above the ground, it is prone to corrosion due to richly salting of the roads during winter time.
It should be easy to access, you just need a lift or something to get the car off the ground so you can reach the connector. The location is shown here (4.2L V8 engine):










Just twist the connector. There is *no need to drain the oil*, by the way!

Another picture shows the same connector, this time you see that also the oil pan has been removed. No need to take that off either, for just the purpose of checking the connector.










When you take it off (by simply twisting its housing), you will see 16 pins. It should be easy to see whether there is corrosion. If this is the case, you can clean it with an old tooth brush using some distilled water. When you don’t have DIW, then tap water will do too, just wipe it dry, then use ethanol to take away the last bits of water and again dry. Do this with both the connector and the jack on the mechatronic transmission.
It is important that all pins are clean, since 4 of them are used for CAN, 3 of them for the Tiptronic and the shift lock and at least 2 are used for power supply. Pin 14 is the plus, which is the one which is most prone to corrosion.
Next, whether you cleaned it or not, please check whether 12 Volt is available on pin 14. It should be with ignition on / engine off but please make sure that you have all unnecessary power consumers off and a charger connected to the LH battery. Power must be more than 12.2 Volts, says the book.
When this test is positive, turn ignition off and reconnect the connector, then try again to communicate with the transmission.
If this is successful at last, you seem to have fixed the problem. Then just erase the DTC memory of the transmission. Then you can give it a try to see whether the transmission is again functional.

Success again!:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:


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## seawind3000 (Sep 17, 2010)

WOW . You have great info, i will get under the car as soon as my work day allows. I'll get back to you with the results.

thanks, Mike


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## seawind3000 (Sep 17, 2010)

The engine is a V8 4.2 BGJ built on 08/03

Mike


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## WillemBal (Nov 20, 2010)

seawind3000 said:


> The engine is a V8 4.2 BGJ built on 08/03
> Mike


Then yours is MY 2004, engine code BGJ which has the TCM built inside the mechatronic unit. In that case, the above (from post 13 on) is all correct, after some corrections I made. I also checked whether there are additional fuses in the trunk to be checked. There is none. Just SD20 in the right plenum chamber. 
When this one is OK, then corrosion of the connector is the next possible culprit.
BTW, the TCM module code is 09L 927 760, so the corresponding label file is 09L-927-760.LBL

Willem


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## seawind3000 (Sep 17, 2010)

Thanks for all the info, hopefully it is a corroded wire , if not , there was a great thread a while ago of the valve body swap out. I am very busy at work so it will be Thursday or later before I can get at it. 

Mike


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## WillemBal (Nov 20, 2010)

seawind3000 said:


> Thanks for all the info, hopefully it is a corroded wire , if not , there was a great thread a while ago of the valve body swap out. I am very busy at work so it will be Thursday or later before I can get at it.
> 
> Mike


Any luck twisting the connector off? Transmission still in limp mode?


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## seawind3000 (Sep 17, 2010)

I have had the connector apart twice and cleaned. I found no wires on the plug side with 12v. All the fuses check out ok so I don't know why I cant get 12v on the plug side.:banghead:

Mike


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## WillemBal (Nov 20, 2010)

seawind3000 said:


> I have had the connector apart twice and cleaned. I found no wires on the plug side with 12v. All the fuses check out ok so I don't know why I cant get 12v on the plug side.


Possible causes for not getting 12V on the connector are:
Engine must be on. I don't know this, but it COULD be. Wiring diagram does not provide the answer.
One fuses may appear OK on visual inspection but is blown in reality.
Poor contact in fuse box.
Broken wire in fuse box.

I would be tempted to take out the relevant fuses and measure them each with a DMM in the most insensitive ohm position, i.e. 200 ohms. Next, while the fuse is out, I would measure the voltage against chassis on each of the two fuse contacts in the fuse box. Just to make sure whether the problem is downstream or upstream of that fuse box. Also check whether the fuse contacts metal is perfectly clean. If it has burn-in traces, then replace that fuse.

It is important to work systematically, ruling out possible causes. I.e. first make sure that the voltage is present on the fuse box on one of the two fuse contacts with the fuse removed. Find out whether the 12V is present with ignition on and engine off or whether you need to start the engine as well. Check whether the fuse is 100% OK and all contacts of fuse and fuse boxes are all OK.

These checks shouldn't take a long time and save a lot of more difficult trouble shooting.
Assuming that 12 V is present in the fuse box and fuses are OK, then check whether the corresponding wire is not broken or corroded. When it was not fully closed before you opened it, water ingress may have occurred in the past, causing corrosion right there where the wire is crimped to the fuse contact pin. Also make sure that the 12V is present on that wire. Then also check that it is still present with the connector in place down at the transmission end. If you still see 12 V there, chance is high that the wire broke inside the connector itself. If that is the case, it may be very difficult to repair it, as it is probably potted. A new wiring harness including this connector needs to be installed then.

Willem


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## seawind3000 (Sep 17, 2010)

Do you know the colour of the #14 wire and the other 12v wire in the transmission connector. I will start the hunt for the int interruption . 

Mike


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## WillemBal (Nov 20, 2010)

seawind3000 said:


> Do you know the colour of the #14 wire and the other 12v wire in the transmission connector. I will start the hunt for the int interruption . Mike


Mike,
These wires are all red. There is one thick one going into the fuse box in the right plenum chamber. A smaller wire, also red, goes from fuse #SD15, which happens to be also red, to "T10, pin 7". This is a 10-pin connector, connector station 2 / transmission. Theoretically, the 12V could end there as well, when this contact is corroded.
This particular connector station (lots of wires coming from different sources to be redistributed to other different locations) is most likely located near the fuse box, in the right plenum chamber. Hopefully, you can find that black 10-pin connector by following the red wire, literally. All of the wires of the counter connector then go directly down to the connector on the transmission pan, 12V again being red.

Good luck!
Willem


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## seawind3000 (Sep 17, 2010)

Thanks again for the info, Ill check it out as time allows, between work and a home reno and living as my sister-in-laws, I don't have much time left.

Mike


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## seawind3000 (Sep 17, 2010)

Ok, I rechecked all fuses and I disconnected the cable on the transmission and then tried to start the car to maintain the 12.2v needed for the test and car would not start because the transmission thought it was not in park . So the transmission is getting some feedback with the cable connected. The voltage on the cable was, 4 pins were 0.12v, 4 were 0.86v, 2 were 0.0v, 2 were 0.17v, and 2 were 9.78v, the lh battery was at 11.78v for this test. The VAG-COM could not clear the codes.

This tells me that the fuses are fine and the cable connection is good. My problem looks like it is the TCM in the transmission valve body.

Mike


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## WillemBal (Nov 20, 2010)

Did you get this 9.78 V at the disconnected cable connector which goes into the transmission module, by any chance? Or at the fuse, with fitted transmission connector?


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## Jxander (Aug 5, 2008)

Willem & Mike:

Mike:


> ....the lh battery was at 11.78v for this test


Isn't 11.78 volts for the accessory (lh) battery too low or is it a matter of where it is being tested? I'll certainly accept that it is OK if Willem says so - I'm not foolish enough to question his electronics knowledge. 

Jim X


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

Jxander said:


> Isn't 11.78 volts for the accessory (lh) battery too low...


Jim, Willem, Mike:

I have not been following this discussion, so, my comment here might be out of context... so please take it with a grain of salt.

The nominal voltage for the accessory (left hand) battery at full charge is 12.6 volts. Past experience has shown that if the LH battery bus voltage drops below 12.0, problems begin to appear in various controllers (spurious warnings, etc.) - as you folks know, certain controllers tend to be the 'canary in the coal mine' during low voltage conditions.

So, if you are doing troubleshooting of a system, and you can't easily leave the engine running to keep bus voltage up at the normal 14.2 volts that you get with the engine running, hook up a battery maintainer. You will need to ensure that the battery maintainer has sufficient capacity (amperage) to keep the bus voltage above 12 when the vehicle is powered up and there are loads present on the bus. Not all battery maintainers are capable of supplying sufficient current to operate the vehicle - most 'trickle chargers' are only designed to supply a little bit of current into the battery to charge it up overnight with no loads present, they are not designed to operate the vehicle systems when the ignition is turned on.

Michael M.


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## WillemBal (Nov 20, 2010)

*Connector station - transmission*

Jim, Michael,

I agree that 11.78V is a bit low, and we of course would like to have at least 12 Volts. Apparently Mike didn’t hook up his charger. It is indeed a good recommendation, as the power drain with ignition on and engine off is something like 20 Amps, perhaps a little lower when internal lights are all off. It could be that Mike has a charger of 10 Amps, with which the battery would still discharge.
However, the 11.78 is not too low in this case. What really concerns me, is that there is only 9.78 Volts present at the end of a wire which is directly connected to the LH battery through some fuses and connectors only. And I suspect the transmission connector (on which Mike measured this voltage) isn’t even connected, so there is no load other than the (high) internal resistance of the DMM. This leads me to the conclusion that Mike might be just another victim of water ingress in the right plenum chamber. Water may have found its way to either the fuse box or the connector station and corroded wires and/or connectors, especially those which carry higher currents. I suspect that one of the contacts is completely eaten away, and that the remaining water or debris supplies just enough current to make the DMM read some voltage. With all good contacts and wires, you should have seen EXACTLY the same voltage as on the LH battery. I am confident that Mike knows that not all the metal parts of the engine are GND (ground or chassis) and therefore the negative lead of the DMM must be connected to the threaded stud right under the hood.

Mike,
Most of the wires are for CAN-buses, OBDB and check wires. So it could be OK that you got those fairly low voltages. One of the wires goes to the KESSY, so it sounds OK that you could not start the engine with disconnected transmission connector. Still, you measured no more than 9.78 V on this connector where it really should have been the same as the LH battery supply. Ohms law learns us that with a very low current (Voltmeter has high internal resistance) and a 2 Volts drop in the line, there is a high resistance in the line. As mentioned before, this high resistance may well be a completely corroded connector, with only the water which caused the corrosion as conductor.

If your sisters in law do not prevent you to spend an hour on your car, please do some checks at the connector station. I managed to find some pictures showing the location of the connector station of the transmission. The two photo’s below should be able to guide you in the right direction.
*
General location of connector stations in V8*









*connectors T10ga (indicated by red arrow) and T10gb (white arrow)*









Next, please check the connector which I marked with a *red arrow*. (not the one with the white arrow). When this connector has the following wires, it is the right one:
1.)	Red wire, 1 mm (the thickest one), pin 7
2.)	Brown/white wire, 0.5 mm, pin 2
3.)	Orange/black wire, 0.5 mm, pin 4
4.)	Orange/brown wire, 0.5 mm, pin 6
5.)	Black wire, 0.5 mm, pin 1

The red wire should be reading 12 Volts. Also the black wire, which is fused via SB67.
Please disconnect the connector and thoroughly inspect the contacts of both female and male connector.
Check that the wires are properly seated and none breaks off when you pull them gently.
Next, clean the contacts, either with IPA or with a contact spray. Then measure again the voltage on both connectors (only pin 1 and pin 7). It is a 10-pin connector by the way. Of course, only one of the connectors will measure LH battery voltage on the red wire.
Next, reconnect the connector and try to measure the voltage at the side which earlier was zero. (This is the one going to the transmission connector). At least the contact of the red wire should now read same as LH battery voltage.
Hopefully, you will find that this connector is the culprit. After you think you have fixed it, you may again measure the voltage at pin 14 of the transmission connector and check that it is really, really same as the LH battery voltage. If so, give it a go.

One last hint: to facilitate easy and accurate measurement of voltages, please thoroughly connect the negative lead of your DMM to the threaded stud with a clamp. In this way, you are sure that at least you - lead is properly connected and you will have both hands available to do whatever you need to do.

Willem


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## seawind3000 (Sep 17, 2010)

I'm back to the office to hook up a battery charger instead of a trickle charger and to pull some connectors!!

Mike


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## seawind3000 (Sep 17, 2010)

I found the connector and cleaned it ( it looked good and clean to start with) and checked the voltage at the red pin, 11.66v but that was with the cooling fans running, first time I have ever heard them run. I guess 11.66 is good with the fan screaming. Now my computer will not recognize my VAG cable, so I can not clear the codes and try again.:banghead:

If its not one thing, its another.

Mike


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

How the heck did the radiator cooling fans start working when (presumably) the hood was open? I have always had the understanding that the radiator fans would not work when the hood was open - this for safety reasons.

Michael


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## seawind3000 (Sep 17, 2010)

Shock to me as well.... and they are LOUD. 

My v8 only has 1 connector where Willem,s photo shows 3. I had it disconnected to check the voltage, so it might have been the wrong connector for the transmission but the right one for the hood sensor.

Mike


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## WillemBal (Nov 20, 2010)

Mike,
Then you probably disconnected T10gb/3, which is an identical connector and also located on "connector station 2/ transmission" as indicated by the repair manual. Possibly the controller got corrupted after reconnection, which switched on the fan because of that. I hope that the fan doesn't turn on next time you switch the ignition on. 
It is pretty hard to understand where the one you should have is located. One thing for sure is that VW changed some connectors and wiring in June and Oktober 2003. I will try to find the correct by searching again in the repair manual. Meanwhile, when you wish to look for yourself, please check whether you see the same wire colours, so you are sure you don't pull the wrong one.

Willem


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## seawind3000 (Sep 17, 2010)

I figured the photo was the W12, Ill wait to see if you can fine the V8 counterparts.

Thanks for all your help, Mike


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## WillemBal (Nov 20, 2010)

seawind3000 said:


> I figured the photo was the W12, Ill wait to see if you can fine the V8 counterparts. Thanks for all your help, Mike


Yeah, I checked the wiring diagram from which I got the information from. It is called:
*4.2L –Engine Motronic Multiport Fuel Injection (MFI)/246 kW, code BGH, BGJ, from June 2003.*. This must be the one. The W12 is a lot different at least.

One word of advice. I strongly recommend to switch the ignition off before you disconnect AND before you reconnect. Although modern electronics are designed such that no harm is done to electronics when connectors are disconnected and reconnected when circuits are alive, these connectors have wires for feeding both sensitive circuits, like CAN bus and sensors, and high power lines.

Searching the manual, I found the location of the appropriate connector at last. It is, as I suspected, the one I marked earlier with a red arrow. 

*This picture is from the original repair manual:*









When you look carefully, you can see that the wiring harness in the bottom RH corner is branching to two almost identical connectors. One is T10ga and the other (left) one is T10gb. From there, the combine to one cable harness again, leaving the scene in the bottom LH corner. The wiring diagram confirms this branching and recombining. Apparently VW uses dozens of this 10-pin connectors and when there are more than 10 wires to connect, they simply branch to a second one. 

When your connector station has no left (T10gb) connector, perhaps it got dislodged and is now hanging somewhere under that panel. There is zero indication in the repair manual that this connector was replaced by something else.

Willem


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## seawind3000 (Sep 17, 2010)

My VAG-COM cable has stopped working, the green light on the car interface comes on but the usb wont respond to the computer. So I dropped the car off to the dealer to recheck the TCM connectors from the fuse block down. Hopefully it is a dirty connector and not the $2600. TCM.

Mike


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## WillemBal (Nov 20, 2010)

seawind3000 said:


> My VAG-COM cable has stopped working, the green light on the car interface comes on but the usb wont respond to the computer. So I dropped the car off to the dealer to recheck the TCM connectors from the fuse block down. Hopefully it is a dirty connector and not the $2600. TCM.
> Mike


Hi Mike,
I'll keep my fingers crossed that it is just a wiring harness which needs replacement because of a bad connection. 
Regarding your VCDS problem: The green light is a good sign, as it would be red when it would receive power without communication. During the time I've been working with it, a couple of things can prevent it from operating correctly. You have to put it in the car socket first, and when the green light comes on, then insert the USB connector in the laptop. Then start the program.
Also make sure that there is a service running on your laptop, called "ChangeModemDevice". I had it disabled once with a PC maintenance program and that made if stop recognizing the device.
Sometimes, a communication could not be established because I did things in the wrong order, like booting the program without the cable connected to the car. Killing the program in the task or program manager, together with a restart of the ChangeModemDevice then does the trick.
So sometimes, it is a "plug and play around" type of device to get it started. :banghead:
But since I know what can prevent a proper operating, I haven't had any issues.

Hope your dealer soon sorts out your TCM issue.

Willem


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## seawind3000 (Sep 17, 2010)

I just got back from the Indy 500......OMG what an experience. 

I called the VW dealer and the service adviser said they are closing in on the controller or the harness. You are good, I'm hoping it is just the harness and with a 2v drop, it probably is. They will call me in the morning. If it is the harness, how much should it be and should I ask them to flush and refill the transmission while she is on the ramp?

Mike


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## WillemBal (Nov 20, 2010)

seawind3000 said:


> I just got back from the Indy 500......OMG what an experience.
> 
> I called the VW dealer and the service adviser said they are closing in on the controller or the harness. You are good, I'm hoping it is just the harness and with a 2v drop, it probably is. They will call me in the morning. If it is the harness, how much should it be and should I ask them to flush and refill the transmission while she is on the ramp?
> 
> Mike


 Hi Mike, 
Looks like they are at the same stage now as we were in post #34 of this thread.  
Anyway, the cable harness may cost you anything between 250 and 500 US$, but I have a feeling that replacing the harness is a lot of work. If it can be replaced without taking the engine out, costs could be limited to perhaps 750 to 1000 US$, that would be my estimate. This wiring harness is connecting to some other parts of the engine too, and thus make replacement more difficult. 

I hope that your dealer has an experienced technician, who is able to measure the pin-to-pin resistance of each wire in the harness. He would need a helper, who connects one side of the cable harness connector in the engine compartment to one side of his ohm-meter (or continuity meter), while he connects the other side of the ohm-meter with the corresponding pin on the disconnected transmission connector. 
Another method would be to connect a small light bulb (15 Watt) to pin 14 of the transmission connector, with the other side of the bulb connected to chassis. Of course while ignition is on and the connector at the connector station must be fitted. Only when it is lit, the wire is OK. 
If not, perhaps this experienced technician can peel of the harness sheath at the transmission side (ignition off), then pry out the red wire, cut it and see if the problem is in the wire itself or the connector. If it is in the wire, then it should be easy to apply a repair wire from the connector station down to the wire which is still in the connector, then seal the wire plus harness with self-vulcanizing tape. When the connector is faulty, then the wire is probably broken inside the connector, which is impossible to repair when the connector is a potted type. 

I hope for you that the wiring harness is defective, cheap, and easy to replace, because that is by far the cheapest fix. I'll keep my fingers crossed!:facepalm: 

Willem


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## seawind3000 (Sep 17, 2010)

The shop called today and said I need a new connector and wiring plus install. $800. total. It should be about 10 days untill the parts arrive.  

I miss my Phaeton. 

Mike


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## WillemBal (Nov 20, 2010)

Great, especially when it is a fixed price! Did they take the defective wiring harness one out already? I'm curious to know where it has gone defective. 

Willem


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## seawind3000 (Sep 17, 2010)

I will ask for the old one to see where it failed, to pass on the info here. 

Mike


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## seawind3000 (Sep 17, 2010)

Well ... the shop called with the new harness installed and the transmission works again, but during the road test they noticed the "triptronic" function only works for a short time then they have to shift back to "D" . I haven't used the triptronic shifting only to slow down in a speed zone, so I might of had this "problem" all along. Or is this a sign that the controller is on the way out.

Mike


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

The Tiptronic function will operate for 15 seconds, then shift back to D - that is by design and there is nothing wrong with the car.

The idea behind this is that if you are 'actively driving' the car, the car will hold the gear you select manually, but there is an underlying assumption that if you don't change gears again within 15 seconds, you no longer need/want the manual selection capability.

Same thing works with paddle shifters (if installed) - activate either paddle, the car will hold the selected gear for 15 seconds, then revert back to fully automatic operation.

Michael


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## WillemBal (Nov 20, 2010)

That sounds great, Mike. Congratulations! It looks like it is working according to the book.
:thumbup:
Willem


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## seawind3000 (Sep 17, 2010)

Yes....Yes...Yes This is the ONLY phaeton this shop has seen, they asked me if I wanted them to look deeper but I said I would ask the Professionals about the issue. I will call them in the morning and arrange to pick up my car......I miss my car

I'm very pleased to have this forum as a great resource, you folks are worth your weight in gold.

I'll see if I can get the "bad" cable to see where things went south.

Thanks again, Mike


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## seawind3000 (Sep 17, 2010)

Part2 I picked up the car yesterday and the transmission works fine BUT the display in the middle of the dash turns all yellow and the gear number disappears after about 2 minuets, restart the car and it works again.... for 2 minuets. Is their another wire I need to check?

Also the shop called this morning to tell me they left off the engine belly pan.

Mike


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

seawind3000 said:


> ...the display in the middle of the dash turns all yellow and the gear number disappears after about 2 minutes...


Do you mean the ENTIRE display in the middle of the dash, or just the vertical strip along the right hand side where the various gear positions are displayed?

If the latter, go read this post: PRNDS Lights up, or; Unwanted "Move Selector to P" message

Michael


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## seawind3000 (Sep 17, 2010)

It is just the PRNDS strip, I will check to see if the shift plate is damaged.

Thanks, Mike


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## EnglishPhaeton (Dec 6, 2010)

seawind3000 said:


> It is just the PRNDS strip, I will check to see if the shift plate is damaged.
> 
> Thanks, Mike


Mike,

if you need a new one check eBay UK there's a new one for about $40 

Stu


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## seawind3000 (Sep 17, 2010)

Thanks stu. It will be a few days to look at the plate, I'm very busy at work.

Mike


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## seawind3000 (Sep 17, 2010)

If I start the car and don't move it the display will show normal, it won't "freeze" untill I drive about .1k, restart and all is ok untill I drive .1k again. The display will work through all functions for that .1k . I'm sorta thinking "software"??

Mike


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

I'm thinking 'vibration'. 

Michael


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## EnglishPhaeton (Dec 6, 2010)

PanEuropean said:


> I'm thinking 'vibration'.
> 
> Michael


Michael,

sounds as though you are familiar with "Essex Girls" :laugh: I couldn't possibly enlighten such an audience but I believe you have Google in the dependencies nowadays :laugh:

Stu


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## seawind3000 (Sep 17, 2010)

It almost seems too precise for vibration, (.1k) but I won't rule it out:facepalm:

Mike


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