Weird tiptronic issue - advice?
03-27-2014, 07:41 PM
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Weird tiptronic issue - advice?
Hi everybody! This is my first post here, nice to meet you all.
About a month ago, I purchased a tiptronic 97 Boxster with 78k miles. The second one I've owned. It drives like a dream 80% of the time...the rest of the time, well...
I have a long commute that involves a good deal of rush hour traffic, so I didn't intend to use the Boxster as a commuting car because that's no fun + hard on the car...But I decided to take it to work one day, and on my way home, after being in traffic for about 20 minutes, its downshifts got really really rough. The worst was downshifting into 2nd, every time it slipped and lurched forward so badly that it felt like I was getting rear-ended every time. Basically undriveable in automatic, so I drove in manual the rest of the way home and it was fine, went through all the gears, no problem.
Indy Porsche mechanic #1 couldn't diagnose it because he doesn't work on tiptronics
Indy Porsche mechanic #2 said it wasn't throwing any codes and just needed a good transmission service, so we did that. Seemed better initially but then a few days later, exact same scenario. Driving in auto, 20 minutes or so of stop and go traffic, and then downshifting into 2nd becomes a nightmare. Drove it manual the rest of the way home.
Obviously I'll be taking it in again, but this problem is so hard to replicate because it only seems to happen under certain conditions and drives just fine the rest of the time.
ANY idea what could be going on, Porsche geniuses?? I know I react angrily to rush hour traffic but I don't know why my Boxster is too..
About a month ago, I purchased a tiptronic 97 Boxster with 78k miles. The second one I've owned. It drives like a dream 80% of the time...the rest of the time, well...
I have a long commute that involves a good deal of rush hour traffic, so I didn't intend to use the Boxster as a commuting car because that's no fun + hard on the car...But I decided to take it to work one day, and on my way home, after being in traffic for about 20 minutes, its downshifts got really really rough. The worst was downshifting into 2nd, every time it slipped and lurched forward so badly that it felt like I was getting rear-ended every time. Basically undriveable in automatic, so I drove in manual the rest of the way home and it was fine, went through all the gears, no problem.
Indy Porsche mechanic #1 couldn't diagnose it because he doesn't work on tiptronics
Indy Porsche mechanic #2 said it wasn't throwing any codes and just needed a good transmission service, so we did that. Seemed better initially but then a few days later, exact same scenario. Driving in auto, 20 minutes or so of stop and go traffic, and then downshifting into 2nd becomes a nightmare. Drove it manual the rest of the way home.
Obviously I'll be taking it in again, but this problem is so hard to replicate because it only seems to happen under certain conditions and drives just fine the rest of the time.
ANY idea what could be going on, Porsche geniuses?? I know I react angrily to rush hour traffic but I don't know why my Boxster is too..
03-27-2014, 07:55 PM
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I can tell you what I experienced recently with my Volvo and perhaps you may see some similarities.
Volvos are notorious for developing rough shifting, shift flairs and hard downshifts in model years from 2000-2002. The problems do not occur when the transmission is cold only after it gets hot. It is the result of contaminants in dirty ATF that cause three key solenoids to stick. The solution is to flush the transmission and replace the three sticky solenoids. I did min end it shifts like brand new.
I would venture that your car is exhibiting similar symptoms and would recommend a flush, not a dump and fill but a flush, filter change and see if that helps, also check your Trans cooler to see that it is cooling the ATF properly. I had a range rover that fried the Trans because of a $0.12 spring that stuck in a thermostat for the Trans cooler. I don't know if the tip has one because mine is a manual but check the system thoroughly.
Volvos are notorious for developing rough shifting, shift flairs and hard downshifts in model years from 2000-2002. The problems do not occur when the transmission is cold only after it gets hot. It is the result of contaminants in dirty ATF that cause three key solenoids to stick. The solution is to flush the transmission and replace the three sticky solenoids. I did min end it shifts like brand new.
I would venture that your car is exhibiting similar symptoms and would recommend a flush, not a dump and fill but a flush, filter change and see if that helps, also check your Trans cooler to see that it is cooling the ATF properly. I had a range rover that fried the Trans because of a $0.12 spring that stuck in a thermostat for the Trans cooler. I don't know if the tip has one because mine is a manual but check the system thoroughly.
