General Repair Notes

The maximum possible care, cleanliness and proper tools are essential to ensure satisfactory and successful transmission repairs. The usual basic safety precautions also, apply when carrying out vehicle repairs.

A number of generally applicable instructions for individual repair procedures, which are otherwise mentioned at various points in the article, are summarized here. They apply to this article.

Special tools and equipment

For a complete list of special tools used in the article Special Tools.

Manual release of selector lever

If the battery has been disconnected or is discharged and the vehicle must be towed or pushed, it will be necessary to push the shift mechanism emergency release to shift selector lever from position "P" to position "N" → Selector mechanism, manually releasing from "P" position .

Transmission

Rules of cleanliness for working on automatic transmissions → Rules of cleanliness for working on automatic transmissions .
Do not run engine or tow vehicle with oil pan removed or when there is no ATF in the transmission.
If the transmission is removed from the vehicle, secure torque converter to prevent it from falling out.
Carefully clean all joints and adjacent areas before disconnecting.

Check installation dimension of torque converter before installing transmission.
When installing transmission, make sure that the alignment bushings are installed correctly.
Carefully cover or plug unpacked components if repairs cannot be performed immediately.
When replacing the automatic transmission, check the following fluid levels and top off if necessary: ATF in planetary gearing → ATF level, checking and topping off , gear oil in front final drive → Gear oil level in front final drive , gear oil in transfer case → Transfer case, gear oil level . Capacities and specifications → Capacities .

When installing a new rear final drive unit, check oil level in the rear final drive and top off if necessary. Capacities and specifications → 00 GENERAL, TECHNICAL DATA for 01R or 00 - GENERAL, TECHNICAL DATA for 0AR or → 39 FINAL DRIVE, DIFFERENTIAL for 01R or 39 - FINAL DRIVE, DIFFERENTIAL for 0AR .

O-rings, gaskets, seals

O-rings, gaskets and seals must be replaced.
After removing gaskets, examine contact surface on housing/shaft for burr resulting from removal or for other signs of damage.

Fig 1: Identifying Space Between Oil Seal Sealing Lips

Courtesy of VOLKSWAGEN UNITED STATES, INC.

Before installing radial shaft seal, fill space between sealing lips - arrow - halfway with grease G 052 128 A1 .
Open sides of oil seals face fluid side.
Before installing, lightly lubricate outer circumference of seal and sealing lips with ATF or gear oil, depending on installation location.
Coat O-rings with ATF before inserting to prevent crushing rings during installation.

Only use ATF for automatic transmission components. Other types of lubrication cause malfunctions to occur in the transmission hydraulics.
When pressing in new gaskets, make sure the sealing lip does not run on the same point as the sealing lip of the old seal (use insertion depth tolerances).
Replace paper seals, always clean sealing surfaces and remove old seals completely.
After installing, check the relevant fluid levels and top off if necessary: ATF in planetary gearing → ATF level, checking and topping off , gear oil in front final drive → Gear oil level in front final drive , gear oil in transfer case → Transfer case, gear oil level , gear oil in rear final drive → 39 FINAL DRIVE, DIFFERENTIAL for 01R or 39 - FINAL DRIVE, DIFFERENTIAL for 0AR

Capacities and specifications → Capacities .

Bolts and nuts

Loosen bolts in reverse order of tightening.
Loosen and tighten bolts and nuts for securing covers and housings in a diagonal sequence and in stages, when no tightening sequence is specified.
The tightening torques stated apply to unoiled bolts and nuts.
Replace self-locking bolts and nuts.

Clean threads of bolts that were applied with locking fluid using a wire brush. Then insert bolts with locking fluid AMV 185 101 A1 .
Threaded holes into which self-locking bolts or bolts coated with locking fluid are installed, must be cleaned (e.g. tap). Otherwise there is a risk that the bolts will shear next time they are removed.

Circlips

Do not over-stretch circlips.
Always replace circlips which have been damaged or over-tensioned.
Circlips must be properly seated in base of the groove.

Bearings

Insert bearing with axle oil or ATF, depending on installation location.

Mechatronic unit

CAUTION:

Before touching or removing the mechatronics unit, you must first discharge yourself of any static electricity by touching (bare handed) some grounded metal object (e.g. car, lifting platform).
The 16 connector terminals in connector - B - must not be touched by hand under any circumstances because control module and therefore Mechatronic may be destroyed by static discharge.

Replace transmission if any of the shift elements are scorched.

Guided Fault Finding, On Board Diagnostic (OBD) and measuring technology

Fig 2: VAS 5051 Vehicle Diagnosis, Testing & Information System

Courtesy of VOLKSWAGEN UNITED STATES, INC.

Before repair work is carried out on the automatic transmission, the malfunction cause should be determined as accurately as possible using vehicle diagnostic, testing and information system VAS 5051 in modes of operation "Guided Fault Finding" , "Vehicle Self Diagnosis" and "Test instruments".