Budget M3

Oh, oh...sounds very much like my transmission before they replaced the entire trans control unit. After a full day to diagnose it, it took another 3-4 working days to get the part out here at the end of the Pony Express, then an hour to install. I was without the Pepper for a full week, too, and got another CV6 as a loaner. Driving the loaner made me understand how my trans SHOULD have been shifting all along, AND made me realize that I should never "go naked" (sans warranty for newbies) with this particular vehicle...

EW--looking forward to hearing the full story on yours!

EnigmaWmn

Hey, M3, if I remember correctly, without rereading your post, you weren't able to shift out of 4th/5th? gear in auto & manual. My car started clunking in reverse, then in both directions, but shifting is fine. Except, since the dealership remapped the DME after the regional rep said that this should take care of the clunk, which it didn't, it started shifting "funny". If I need to accelerate quickly, it'd drop from 6th to 3rd, rev up, idle a bit, but then go down. This, I was told over the weekend, is a normal occurence and does appear in a slightly milder form on this '06 CS loaner. But this isn't even the problem, clunking is and we'll see what they come up with. I'm happy that we were able to replicate the clunk for the tech, but asking if a new transmission is in our future the tech said that he NEVER heard of cayennes getting new transmissions. So, you, my friend, must be fibbing about getting a new one :-D

To be continued ...

ltc

Ask the tech to ask the PCNA rep if they have ever heard of "!" Check Trailer Light issues with Cayennes as well.

I already know the answer, but you will enjoy the look on his face.

PCNA will never, under any circumstances, make it easy to instantly 'do the right thing' if it involves $$$. You don't get to be the world's most profitable car company by being 'charitable' with existing customers.

Trust me....been there, done that.....

EnigmaWmn

How about this one from a tech at Pepe Porsche: "Maybe what you thought was clunk was really abs kicking in when you're driving in the rain?" :-D

ltc

To which my reply would have been....

"Could you please turn around so I can see the back of your head?"
Why?
"So I can see the flat spot left when you were dropped at birth".

EnigmaWmn

This dealership makes sure to ask you several times before you leave if you'd rate your experience with them as a 10. So, my reply to them was, "OF COURSE I will". Not sure if this rating thing really matters, but hey .... that's the least I can do :-D

ltc

Oh, but it does make a big difference.

The mothership in Atlanta takes those numbers very seriously, and it affects the dealerships ability to get high margin cars (GT2, GT3RS, TT, etc) and allocation positions........if not, then they get whatever leftovers PCNA has and forces them to try and sell them.
You may be 'discounted' a bit by going with all 1's, but with a little time, well thought out low scores WILL get the attention of someone in Atlanta.

EnigmaWmn

What do you know, just got word that control unit transfer case is being replaced. What dat be? Please explain, but slowly and using terminology that a woman would have no problems with :-D

Oh yeah, and just got quoted $1700 for brakes, lol. According to the tech light for them will come on in few hundred miles.

Upd: Found a picture

Budget M3

Mine would not shift out of 5th, but that was only after it went into "limp mode". Before the huge CLUNK at 80mph, it shifted fine, but there were smaller clunks that sound just like your symptoms--intermittent in both reverse and forward gears. I've not had any recurrence of the problem since they replaced (REPLACED, not reprogrammed) the TCU. In both our cases, I just hope there was no damage done to the actual ($5000+) transmission itself.

I know what a transfer case is, and I know what a transmission control unit is, but a "transmission control transfer case" is a new one on me...

...and $1700 for brakes? What in the world are they replacing--rotors, calipers, pads, ABS control module, liquid gold brake fluid, ...etc...? They clearly think they've got a live one on the line. Fortunately we (and you) know better...

Budget M3

Mine would not shift out of 5th, but that was only after it went into "limp mode". Before the huge CLUNK at 80mph, it shifted fine, but there were smaller clunks that sound just like your symptoms--intermittent in both reverse and forward gears. I've not had any recurrence of the problem since they replaced (REPLACED, not reprogrammed) the TCU. In both our cases, I just hope there was no damage done to the actual ($5000+) transmission itself.

I know what a transfer case is, and I know what a transmission control unit is, but a "transmission control unit transfer case" is a new one on me...

...and $1700 for brakes? What in the world are they replacing--rotors, calipers, pads, ABS control module, liquid gold brake fluid, ...etc...? They clearly think they've got a live one on the line. Fortunately we (and you) know better...

EnigmaWmn

It's a control unit transfer case that's being replaced. Nothing regarding a transmission (yet ... or ever? :-D).

I did, out of curiousity, call a few places around NY (PA & NJ too) to find out about brakes (front & back) & rotors. Sounds about right, so they'll end up doing everything for me, including tires, including a cracked windshield and a few cosmetic things. And next time I won't be lazy and just do everything myself :-D

955 GUY

I have a 2003 Cayenne S with 30k miles. I have just come back from the dealer this morning, as i have had the really big 'clunk' for a few weeks now.

Symptoms are accelerating hard through the gears and when it gets to 5th, "BANG!". Or on kickdown from 6th to 5th. Anyway, the technician took us out for a spin and it was easy to replicate for him.

First he checked that i had the updated control unit / software (Mine was done already to cure the infamous 'hesitation'). So now i am booked for a "valve chest" !? Anyone here know what that is? So the guy says its a whole day job, and if that doesnt fix it, a whole new gearbox!!!!

He did a lousy job of looking suprised, and i just wonder how many cases of this he has seen already?

Would you be concerned that any damage has occurred to the gearbox / driveshafts etc from these clunks?

Many thanks

Guy

btw: I paid the £785 to extend the porsche warranty last year (phew!)