Replacement Transmission VW Bora

[Bora03]

Replacement Transmission VW Bora

Hi everyone, MIG has suggested posting this on the Mk4 Forum to see if somebody can help, so thank you for any help.

I am new to the Forum, just joined so pretty excited to be part of the group. This is my first car group forum so forgive my lack of knowledge. I have a 2003 VW Bora v5 2.3L , which i have owned for 15 years, it has served me pretty well, bar a few cheeky problems and electrical gremlins along the way and still really enjoy driving it. Recently though the Auto gearbox has given me much trouble, it started with intermittent loss of reverse gear, which then developed into permanent loss of reverse gear, and now it is slipping in forward gear. I wanted to keep the car so i hunted around for a used transmission and have finally managed to find a compatible unit from a wrecking yard. I have called around a few auto trans mechanics about remove and replace costs and am getting varied costs and varied answers regarding the need for re-calibration. Quotes have ranged from $1100 - $3000 and some mechanics have said it should be a straight changeover ( plug and play ) where others have said it will need a new module and re-calibrating ( re-programming )...forgive my lack of tech knowledge here can anybody shine some light on this subject for me please, before i proceed? Thank you very much everyone

[beale187]

hi mate and welcome
The most common issue with the 09A is typically solonoids fail and this can cause all sorts of crazy stuff to happen.
Gears don't shift smoothly, rev hang, no reverse, can't get it out of Park etc..

The 09A box found in the AQN 2.3 V5 is made by Jatco in Japan. They make the box for a heap of manufacturers, Nissan, Jeep, VW, etc.. Which means parts are available and you can buy them without paying VW tax.

Rather than throwing a used box in and potentially having the same issue i would suggest getting it scanned with VCDS or VAGCOM (VW specialist will have this tool) and confirm what the exact issue is.

If it turns out you need solonoids, look for a repair kit to suit JATCO JF506E
JF506E, JA5A-EL, 5F31J, 09A - Jatco | Transmissions

I also have access to VW repair manuals if yourself or the mechanic doing the job gets stuck, just flick me a pm.

$3k supply and fit I could understand.
$3k just to fit is too much, it's not a new VW with mechatronics and all that bs- doesn't need hours of coding, it may not need coding at all if the old TCM (Transmission Control Module) is retained.



Good luck!

[Bora03]

Hi beale187, mate thank you so much for providing me with all that information and offering to help out with manuals, that's awesome! It's interesting, I had asked a couple of mechanics about the scanning tool to see if it was worth repairing, but was told it wouldn't have been worth any repairs given the car was found to have other repairs needed and would probably exceed the value of the car. I was honestly going to scrap it, but then came across a used trans to match mine with only 100k on it for $550 so i took a chance, hopefully i can find someone to install it for me at a reasonable price, under $1000. I will definitely keep in mind the repair manuals if the mechanic gets stuck. Really appreciate your help, cheers!

[Bora03]

Hi beale187, I thought i would keep you updated with the progress of the transmission changeover. So, i had the used transmission ( purchased from wreckers ) installed by my mechanic, however it is not shifting properly, it jumps first gear then revs out second before shifting, then third gear is a very harsh shift and shudders and vibrates through the car, on a positive note at least i have reverse in this one...LOL The mechanic has an auto electrician perform a full scan and rest of the elctricals with a specialised VW scan tool, but it didn't show up anything, no fault codes or anything, he said he reset shift points as well, but no difference, he did suggest to perhaps try an additive as a cheap try before spending $ on costly repairs. Could it be a faulty clutch system or solenoids or other? Now i'm not sure what to do, i don't want to spend anymore money getting diagnostics and repairs done on it, because it's an old car and the repairs will be more than the cars value. Should i call the wrecking yard where i bought the transmission from ad see if repairs to a faulty gear box would be covered under their 3 month warranty? Thanks for any suggestions you have

[MIG]

I am sorry to hear you still having issues Bora03.

Was the fluid changed when the box was moved across to your car? or at least the level checked? (I believe it also has an internal filter that can be replaced)

I would think most auto Bora's would have these issues at some point, at this age unless you want to DIY stuff, you are going to sink money into labor.

If you want to take a chance, measure the solenoids like in beale187's post and replace them, or swap the 3rd gear shift solenoid from you old transmission to check, few hours labor and fresh fluid (Penrite's ATF FS meets Jactco's specs) remember to doublecheck the drain bolt is right; one secures the reverse band, and will cause your original fault again.

otherwise, get your warranty if you can.

[Bora03]

Hi MIG, thanks a lot for replying to the post mate. The mechanic did put in new transmission oil when he installed the other transmission, I think he used HI-TEC Multitrans fluid, from the invoice i received. I'm still not clear what the Auto electrician was able to determine with his diagnostics. From what i understand he used a VAGCOM scanning tool, but didn't find anything. Do you know if these scanners detect faulty solenoids or other issues within the trans? I am definitely not going to attempt any mechanical work myself, as i have no skill in this area whatsoever, so it would have to be done by a mechanic. The wrecking yard said they would honour the warranty, but they would require some sort of report or proof from the mechanic that the transmission is faulty, and then it would require removal and returning it and i would need another transmission again, the other option they would consider is if it is proven to be faulty inside they would contribute to half of the repair costs, so I am stuck either way, i guess for more outlay if i want to get the car functioning. Should i contact a specialised transmission mechanic and get it diagnosed properly and proceed, do you think? Thanks a lot

[MIG]

Well, they used the correct transmission fluid so that's good.

Scan tools will pick up and completely open or shorted solenoid, but a transmission computer of that age, won't have the logic to detect a weak or stuck\sticking one, that's where the multimeter and current test shows better results.

If the current transmission gets better after warming up for a bit, there is a good chance it's just that, if I were in your position, I would call around a few transmission specializes and see if any would test them (this can be done on the car, but fluid needs to be drained again), here is a video rundown of all the parts of the transmission https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DprhBpYrZc

And if you go with the warranty option, get the wrecker to come for a drive with you, that should be plenty of proof if it's not shifting right, they want you to put it in the too-hard basket.

[beale187]

ah that is unfortunate mate but not surprising. These auto boxes are problematic.

The shifting issues and revs are certainly indicative of faulty solonoids, can be low or poor oil as well though but it sounds like you have eliminated that as an option. On the plus side, the wrecker has come to the party somewhat.

Personally I think you're at the point of no return, I would opt to have the wrecker's box repaired and see if they'll contribute to the repair.
Paying someone to pull it out then return it doesn't really solve the problem, you'll still need working another box.

Additionally if the repair is say a $1000 fix (parts+labour) I can't see the wrecker outlaying 1/2 the bill when the original box was only $550.

I've message a friend of mine that had an identical issue in his V5. I'll see what he says and let you know.

Random thought, might be time for a manual swap

[Bora03]

hi beale187, thanks a lot for replying mate. I agree with what you have said, i have booked in the car with a transmission specialist tomorrow, his thoughts from what i explained over the phone pointed to the same thing as you have said, Solenoids or valve body more than likely. I will see what their diagnosis is tomorrow and then get an estimate for repairs and hopefully recover some costs from the wrecking yard. I hadn't even considered a manual box, might have to look into that one a bit more for sure. Thanks again for your insights.

[Bora03]

Hi MIG and beale187, I ended up taking my car to a specialised reputable auto transmission shop, here in Adelaide. They have done a thorough check on the trans and diagnosed a faulty clutch and/or clutches and advised repairs would be very costly. The advice is to try and get a replacement transmission from the wreckers, that is for them to source another replacement used transmission to match ( very unlikely ) or a refund for the return of this one, but that would mean additional expense to remove and return, then i'm left with no transmission, and it's highly unlikely he would cover all this. So i am thinking the best scenario might be to try and get a wrecking value on the car from them, including the transmission and leave it there, otherwise this may drag out and become messy.