New guy with a quick question

[jayfire]

We just purchased a 2001 beetle with the 2.0L engine and automatic tranny. My question is: My tranny feels like it is speed shifting between gears. Like when you manually shift from 1st to 2nd without letting up on the gas pedal, the rpm's go higher. Is this normal? Thanks

[dnyed]

The VW auto tranny is something I would never buy. I just wish you had found us before you bought....

[Smileybug]

How many miles on the car?

[jayfire]

The car has 109,000 miles. I live in Carson City, Nevada. These cars are hard to find under $5000 around here. We looked at 3 other beetles from 99 to 01, all manuals, all tore up, and all over $5 grand. I got this one for $3500. I would have rather had the manual, but this is what the wifey wanted. Does this sound like a tranny problem?

[Tico4Life]

Hate to tell you this but It does sound like a valve body problem. If you a search here you'll find the answer to your question. I would do a transmission service right away (new filter and fluid) which sometimes helps, as long as the internals of yhe tranny are ok still. If you read the transmission posts you'll see some ppl have good feedback from servicing the transmission.
I had a hard shifting problem that developed into somewhat what you described above, only it was my dodge RAM which I ended fixing myself. I didn't have to replace the valve body but rather a defective high pressure solenoid, mounting base and transducer. After doing that and adjusting the bands it was as good as new.
Beetle auto trannys are problematic, I too learned after buying ours go figure.

[walnut]

I have the same NB as you, an '02 model, bought used 6 yrs ago. It has a little under 117K miles on it now. I just yesterday did the fluid and filter change, refilled w/Amsoil Universal A/T fluid. While I was in there I did a line pressure mod as per this thread from several years ago adjust auto transmission line pressure - TDIClub Forums. Then reset the xmsn basic settings. It was in pretty fair shape, just a little clutch wear sludge in the bottom of the pan.....no metal. And the shifting now feels really good. It never was very bad, just a little funky every now and then. You need to definitely do the fluid/filter change, (you'll need a means of reading the xmsn temperature, preferably a Vag-Com), and try resetting the transmission to basic settings (key on, don't start engine. depress accelerator pedal to floor, hold 10 seconds, release accelerator pedal, turn key off) It will take a bit or driving before the tranny has "relearned" it's shifting. This might help your shifting problem, or not. But it's worth a try. Get that fluid changed!