[Touareg2004V6NOESP]

Hello VW Vortex - I have same problem as described by EODGuy waay back in July 05, 2009 -- where he posted here the following: I have an '04 V6 T'reg with approximately 60K miles. Recently the shifter / trans may be experiencing some issues.
When putting the trans into D the dash indicator goes into 6 5 4 3 2 1, even when not in the "manual" shift mode. If I do move the shifter over into the manual area I can't get the transmission to change gears manually and the rpm's will almost redline before shifting automatically. However, if I drop the shifter into the Sport mode the monitor changes back into PRNDS*. (* being whatever gear the vehicle is in when running at speed.)
When in Sport the transmission shifts without issue and the vehicle runs like a champ. When cruising if I move back into the D position the monitor will change back into 6 5 4 3 2 1 and the gear that the vehicle was in will be highlighted. When slowing the gears will drop as normal, but when accelerating the gears will not change up.
After driving for between 10 - 20 minutes if I come to a stop and put the vehicle back into D the monitor will revert back to normal PRNDS* and stay in this configuration until my next stop than will go back into the 6 5 4 3 2 1 .
Is there a sensor in the shifter that maybe 'skipping'? Has anyone heard of this and is there a fix? Thanks in advance
Today, I tried to send him this private message: Hello EODGuy -- I have EXACT SAME PROBLEM as you described back in 2009 on VW Vortex forum. However, I did NOT see a 'solution' posted. 1.) hope ur still 'on this side of the grass'; 2.) do you remember the problem ? 3.) did you get it fixed ?
4.) could you please send me HOW you fixed it ? <[email protected]>
I took apart shift lever and removed green circuit board and white 'housing' that holds the 2 magnets. My car has the 'round
cylindrical' magnet mounted on top of [close to center] of the black rubber layered sheet that slides back & forth when shifting.
The 'rectangular' shaped magnet is contained in a small black plastic housing at the SIDE/EDGE of the rubber layered sheet adjacent to the edge of large white housing. I checked both magnets; they still have good magnetic strength. And the multi-layered rubber
sheets seem to move quite easily in the white housing slots. As I am NOT a mechanic, I do not know how/why the rectangular
magnet is supposed to work, as it's small 'housing' has 'legs' on it that look like an insect and 'fits' rather oddly in the rubber
sheet. (I can send photos if you care ). Please get back to me, if possible. Thank you.
Can anyone help diagnose/resolve this shifting issue, please ? Thank You.

 

[g60racer]

I had the same thing happen on our 2003 tiptronic. The surround plate that contains the shifter indicator lights on the shifter itself had become damaged in two ways:
1) the surround plate itself had come loose and lifted on one side. When it came up away from the console, we experienced this weird behavior.
2) when we removed the surround to figure out how to repair it, we saw that the sliding cover that is supposed to protect the internal mechanisms from dirt & debris had deteriorated, and the magnet that is discussed in your post that activates the different shift modes is attached to that sliding cover. I saw that that magnet was popping up and away from the sensors it needs to activate, when the surround was lifting away from the console, and randomly as the sliding internal cover either did or didn't slide in its correct place.

I replaced that sliding internal cover with one from a junkyard, reinforced with some additional flexible plastic that I cut from a plastic binder cover, and reinstalled the surround, using contact cement to secure the tabs that had become broken. Fixed the problem.

 

[Touareg2004V6NOESP]

Thx for response! - QUESTION -

Did the LEDs on the green flimsy circuit board that illuminate the various Shift Selector positions STOP working (fail to light up) while this problem occurred ? Mine
do NOT light up, now, and I am wondering if my problem is with the circuit board and/or with the small 8-pin connector ? Please let me know. Thanks again.

 

[Touareg2004V6NOESP]

One more item - g60 - please -

It just dawned on me that those magnets MUST function to 'complete a circuit' for that green circuit board, which, in turn, must then send signals to the transmission to activate/change various transducers/solenoids IN the transmission making it run correctly. (I am an idiot and NOT a mechanic; however, what else would those magnets be doing ?? ) If my LEDs are NOT lighting, then I would guess that either 1.) there is NO power getting to the entire green circuit board; 2.) the circuit board is bad;
3.) as with YOUR situation, my magnets are misaligned and I need to re-adjust as you did. Does any of this make sense ? Thanks again.

 

[Touareg2004V6NOESP]

Hello again g60Racer - Touareg Tiptronic shift malfunction

Sorry to be bothersome - however, I decided to take ONE MORE look at the magnets & green circuit board & white assembly w/black rubber & plastic sliders w/magnets.
Take a look at what I finally discovered. The END of 'middle' plastic piece that 'normally' holds the rectangular magnet had BROKEN off and was lying SIDEWAYS in
white assembly box !! (I had seen this 1st time, however, the 'broken off piece' looked like a small insect that held the rectangular magnet and somehow --- with the
little plastic 'feet' --- appeared to me to 'slide under' that middle layer plastic piece. It never dawned on me that my replacing magnet in SIDEWAYS like that would
be incorrect, with magnet surface facing SIDEWAYS !!!! -- Remember - I TOLD you I'm an idiot !!!! ) Soooo, you can see that I rotated little plastic piece & saw where
it 'fit' on the MAIN sliding plastic piece & then superglued it in last picture. At least I believe this is now CORRECT configuration. Will put it back together later & let u know
results --- not that u GAF; but I would guess that this little set of items in MANY vehicles over MANY years has caused innumerable problems and HUGE costs to consumers with this abominably designed shift mechanism. Also, my LEDs are lighted again and hope green circuit board is functioning. Thank you.