Tiptronic Transmission Question/Problem
 

My transmission had been slipping (occasionally) over about the last month. I don't drive the car all that much.

Today, it wouldn't shift into 5th gear. I stopped at a stoplight and it wouldn't go past 3rd. I parked the car for an hour or so before making the 2 mile commute back home and it shifted fine, except for one time it didn't want to go into 5th again. I put it into "manual mode" and shifted it up and down and all through the gears jus to see if it'd work. After that, it was fine again. It has about 100k on it and never a transmission fluid change. Although, it was my impression these transmissions were supposed to be maintenance free. Either way, I'm looking at changing the fluid tomorrow (maybe).

Any thoughts? Am I wasting my time changing the fluid? Is the tranny pretty much gone?

Very few issues w/ the TipS tranny. Porsche did market the cars as a lifetime fluid, but not so.

ZF, the tranny Mfgr. says a fluid/filter change every 45k mi. Pretty simple DIY.

One caveat - ZF says ONLY fluid to use is ESSO LT 71141 which is the same fluid branded as 'Porsche'. Says there have been numerous issues with other fluids claiming compatibility - says there are no compatibles.

Porsche only sells in 20 Ltr. containers which is about twice what you need. BavAuto sells LT 71141 in Qts.

You need the filter, pan gasket and 9 Qts. fluid. Procedure is outlined here - do a search.

Cheers!

Ok...I've ordered the materials I need to do the service. I took it out for a drive again and the same thing happened. Trouble with 5th and then 3rd, but when I put it into "manual mode," it shifts through any gear I want just as it always has. What does this suggest?

The trans computer?

Hmmm...Is that easy to fix or replace? I was more fearful of the torque converter.

Update:
Took the car to the local p-car shop and there were no fault codes for the transmission. He said the next step is a transmission service (fluid/filter change). If that doesn't work, I guess its supposedly something internal in the transmission and i'd have to get a new one. ...or in my case, scratch the car :(

I just can't understand (and I don't know much about transmissions) how it would be an internal problem if it shifts fine in manual mode though. Any thoughts?

A Tip replacement is not the same as an engine replacement. Things cost more when they break alot. Tips are fairly bullit proof so there are many used ones around. Good Luck on the fluid change and hope for the best. Ed

transmissions
 

Im thinking about doing a used automatic transmissions swap

While I understand that you wouldn't want to drive the car with what's clearly a problem, why not just drive the car in manual mode from now on anyways? A little button push isn't a whole lot extra work, and you'll get to keep the revs from going too low. :)

I'm curious to see what the problem does turn out to be. Somehow I don't think it's related to fluid if you're able to row through all of them in manual.

I don't think you covered this in your previous posts, but you mentioned that there's slipping happening when you're in drive. Does the same slipping happen in manual? If so, your suspicion of the torque converter may indeed be on target. :( Also, is this slipping you're experiencing resulting in the car trying to shift to a different gear, or is it slipping and staying in the same gear in which it occurs?

Slipping Tiptronic
 

I recently purchased a 986 and found that when in auto mode and shifting from fourth to fifth the engine will race followed by a slight lunge similar to a clutch slip. I am not calling this a tranny slip since it does not happen in gear; however, I am seeking a solution. It does happen in either automatic or manual mode.

Anyone have any suggestions?
Thanks!

First thing I would do is take it to somebody who specializes in piracies and hook it up to see if there are any transmission codes (I don't know if a bad tcm will throw codes or not) & to see if the ATF level is correct. Other than that (somebody correct me if I'm wrong) slipping points a lot of times to a torque converter problem, but may be as simple as low tranny fluid.