Intermittent Tiptronic fault

I've recently purchased a 2003 Targa S, which appears to an intermittent fault on the Tiptronic gearbox. When setting off from cold, it will shift up to third gear and then stick - neither shifting up or down in auto or manual. If I pull over and take the keys out of the ignition and restart the car, the issue goes away. The car is generally ok for the rest of the day unless I leave it a few hours and start cold again. Gearshifts seem to be smooth and quick (it's my first Tip so don't have much to compare it to). Has anyone else experienced this? I'm going to take it in to my Indy next week, but hoped I could draw on some other experiences in the meantime. Thanks.

I would start by getting the tip box fluid and filter replaced .. the indy will also check for fault codes but gut feeling is a fluid change should improve it .

Thanks mate. I've been through the service history and there's no evidence of having this done, so will start there. All the best.

Quick update for anyone that may be interested. Gearbox was serviced a few weeks ago. Initially the fault cleared and car ran fine. The garage (a Porsche Indy) road tested it again the following morning, and the fault returned. Codes were read and the following came up: - P0701 tiptronic (gear implausible, transmission slips) - 51 transmission slips or gear implausible The garage haven't been able to pinpoint the fault exactly, but following discussions with their auto transmission specialist a rebuild has been recommended due to suspected faulty 3rd gear clutch pack. This is a bit of a tricky one for me, a rebuild isn't the cheapest of jobs, and it doesn't come with a guarantee the fault will go away. The car drives and feels pretty much the same as before, perhaps a little better. Usually (but not always) during the first drive out for the day, it'll stick in 3rd. I turn the ignition off and on and it's gone - although I've noticed the change from 2nd to 3rd can feel like it's 'snatching" a little. Also quite bizarrely. The fault doesn't come at all on those milder days (>11c). If this sounds familiar to anybody, I'd be interested in your thoughts. In the meantime, drop me a PM if you know anybody selling a good 3.6 tiptronic unit!

Try douglas valley for a box.In honesty its one of the most reliable parts on a 996 so I wouldn't of thought they would be in much demand secondhand.

Folowing on from this, could anyone guide me as to the filter part number/info and also what type/spec and quantity of transmission fluid I need (2001 996 Turbo Tip) Thank you :thumb:

Ive not seen this but im afraid the code indicates many different items that could be at fault .. i did a basic search .. generic if you like but this .. https://www.yourmechanic.com/articl...rol-system-range-performance-by-cheryl-knight if this is an intermitant fault then its a bit of a nightmare to fault find im afraid .

If it helps, the Tip box on my 996T was getting quite 'snatchy' between gears. Actually, 'clonky' would be a better description! It would throw a warning light on the dash (i forget the actual code - might have been 'Gear Implausible'). I also got the "speed comparison between n2 and n3 implausible" error. I trawled a lot of forums and noticed a few folks in the US had had issues with the speed sensor on the Conductor Plate (underneath the gearbox). I bought a new Conductor Plate for about £150 and got that fitted. Problems went away, gear shifts are smooth again, no warning lights. Before you go the rebuild route (which sadly sounds like it might be needed if the clutch error is popping up) you could do worse than check out if the issue might be related to a faulty speed sensor or ATM temp sensor (both part of the conductor plate) or maybe it's just low-fluid level even after the service (is there a leak/any fluid below the car at all after it's been used?) https://www.renntech.org/forums/topic/39861-tiptronic-problem/ Rgds

When a car locks itself in 3rd gear isn't it usually cos the ECU has diagnosed an engine fault, therefor locks the car in 3rd and limits the revs to prevent further damage to the engine. My 850i used yo do it quite regularly.......diagnosed as a MAF fault in the end. I always used to call it Limp D*** mode.

There are a couple of limp home modes .. locking in a gear , few gears available and harsh gear shifts .. it depends on what the fault is that the car has seen. Either way a limp home is not good news ... yes it can be dme related on the Load side . You check dme and tip fault codes basically .