extremely hard shifting on automatic!! need help!!

[mbz03]

hi guys so my wifes beetle its ben on limp mode for a year now i took it to a tranny mechanic, and they found that the reason it didnt shift is because the wiring harness for the tranny had 2 disconected wires and a couple corroded, so they put a new wiring harness, it shift now but it shift really hard and my wife its scared of it because she thinks something else will brake what do you guys think i have another tranny how hard is it to put on. Any opinions and suggestion would be most appreciated since i dont know to much on beetle. Thanks. Its a 1998 2.0

[beej]

Ok, before we can answer we need a little more information.

Year of car. (The transmission changes)
Which engine you have?

Did you do any services to the transmission yet? The 01M style automatic needs a full fluid and filter swap every 50-70K. They call it lifetime fluid and that's the lifetime of the fluid. Drop the pan for this one.

The newer automatics are DSG, services on it are due every 40K.

The two transmissions do not install the same, and mounting varies a bit with the engine involved.

[MOONDOG316]

It looks like he has a 98 with a 2.0 its at the end of the message i got a 99 which hangs up once in a blue moon n shifts hard it was changed at around 50-6- greand at the dealer if they really did it cause it was there for a bit of work and was told it will be dimne mon or tuesday i dropped it off sat am and had a call in the afternoon to come get it it was done so i really have no idea cause u really cant get under it or check the fluid to see ours is a 99 2.0

[rawrjur]

my car had the same problem. basically since limp mode keeps you in 3rd gear. you put a bit more strain on the gear. (if you been driving around for a bit) I think the car needs to get used to the new oil. mine went completly away. I think there was too much tranny oil in it. the mechanic I took it to did the tranny oil change as if it was a regular motor oil change... yeah hope any of my inputs make sense. please if anyone knows more just correct me.