Triptronic / Transmission Issues - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

martinef1963 · 07-15-2015, 06:26 PM

Don't know if this has been covered, but I can not find any topics that covers my problems.

I have a 2000 Boxster that shifts when it wants too and downshifts when it wants too as well.

When the car is warmed up the shifting is normal, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th. However, at times, the car down shifts by it self (5th to 4th) during highway speeds?????

Sometimes it will shift from 2nd to 1st or it doesn't want to shift out of 2nd???

At times during automatic drive I have to use the steering wheel paddles to shift her out of the wrong gear. I don't know if this is normal, but when the trans is in automatic (D) and I use the paddles it shift into manual while the shift stick is in the automatice (D) position?

Can anyone assist me with this problem? I would appreciate any help.

thanks,

martinef1963 · 07-15-2015, 06:27 PM

Forgot to mentiion, when the trans issue started - I had the transmision oil / filter changed.

healthservices · 07-15-2015, 06:30 PM

Change it back...

Retroman1969 · 07-16-2015, 01:59 AM

I had the exact same issues many years ago with my 2002 Dodge Stratus, right after a fluid change. In that case, an air bubble had gotten trapped, starving a valve body of fluid pressure. The dealer flushed and refilled free of charge, and he problem immediately went away. Not saying that's the issue here, since it's a totally different setup, but that just popped to mind.

martinef1963 · 07-16-2015, 06:55 AM

I had the symptoms prior to the fluid / filter change. I thought that it might fix the problem, but it has not.

If anyone else on the board has other suggestions i would be much obliged. Is / are there sensors, etc. that might cause these problems?

thanks,

Luv2Box · 07-16-2015, 09:09 AM

First I would ask you if whomever changed the fluid and filter knew the correct procedure for changing it and did they use a pressurized hose to remove the fluid from the torque convertor and replace the fluid in the torque convertor?
Yes there are many sensors connected to the Tiptronic including its own ECU. The Tip ECU has fuzzy logic meaning it can learn from your driving habits i.e. if you are the jack rabbit driver who likes to race between stop lights the ECU will change the shift rpm allowing the rpm to go to red line before shifting. Conversely if you like to piddle around town the ECU will respond by shifting quickly into 5th gear to maximize mpg.
There is a sensor at the base of the shift lever to tell the ECU the position of the lever and there is a sensor on the Tip whose purpose I can only guess at and that is to measure the temperature of the coolant.
Hope this helps.

martinef1963 · 07-16-2015, 12:34 PM

Thanks Luv2Box,

I took the vehicle to my Porsche mechanic. He has been working on Porsche's now for some time. I will engage and ask the pertinent questions, but feel, based on past performance - he has done the correct work.

I just would hate to take the car to a stealership and find out it was something as small as a sensor, which I am more than capable and happy to change myself.

I might look into the shift lever sensor first and then move on to the more complex stuff.

thanks for the response.

mikefocke · 07-16-2015, 03:38 PM

Auto Transmissions need their own specialty when it comes to mechanics. A good one can diagnose and save you a bundle. (Dealer wanted to rebuild, transmission place found bad sensor, $3k saved)

Ask your mechanic who he recommends for rebuilding your ZF and get the car to them and let them diagnose.

TIPs are pretty durable and there are few problems reported compared to the number of cars out there with TIPs. But there are many getting getting long in the tooth.

martinef1963 · 07-16-2015, 04:24 PM

Thanks Luv2Box,

I took the vehicle to my Porsche mechanic. He has been working on Porsche's now for some time. I will engage and ask the pertinent questions, but feel, based on past performance - he has done the correct work.

I just would hate to take the car to a stealership and find out it was something as small as a sensor, which I am more than capable and happy to change myself.

I might look into the shift lever sensor first and then move on to the more complex stuff.

thanks for the response.

Galway · 07-19-2015, 12:25 AM

Do you have a durametric diagnostic cable ? To plug in and see if there are any fault codes coming up. If not bring it to an indy for checking.