Hi everyone, I've been looking for a used Cayenne for my wife. In my search I came across a 2006 that just had the transmission replaced. Here's what the seller says, "I bought this SUV with a bad transmission, so i put another transmission in it and they told me it needs to be driven daily for 3-4 weeks to break it in.. the truck runs and drives fine, can drive cross country right now.. but sometimes when going through the first few gears it acts up like it doesnt 100% know its shift points but other times it will shift right through the gears fine... i lost my license and just dont need it anymore".

Does this sound like the computer relearning your driving style or something more serious? Are there other symptoms/sounds I should ask about? I have plenty of mechanical knowledge just new to high end foreign vehicles.

Thanks for the help!

 

My concern would be the "they" who did the transmission swap, was it coded correctly and was the correct transmission fluid used. Transmission "learning" should not take weeks.
That being said, changes in behavior as you describe are normally due an an intermittent sensor of some sort, this would normally show up in the fault codes, and may not cause a warning on the dash.
You need to check fault codes with a Durametric or PIWIS to be sure.

 

Thanks for the response. The vehicle sold quickly, sounds like maybe for the better.

Here's another question for you. I originally started looking at the Porsche due to the fact that the v6 version is practically a Touareg and any services could be done at the vw dealers close to me. The closest Porsche dealer is just over an hour away. Are the v8 any less reliable when they start to get mileage? I've owned American vehicles most my life and have been able to wrench on them myself. German engineering is new to me.

Thanks again,.

 

Have you checked with the VW dealers to see IF they'd work on the Cayenne? In the US they normally won't - and pretend total ignorance about the Cayenne even existing.

I think if you want a vehicle VW will service - it better have a VW badge on the hood.

 

My CS V8 has 274 000 km on it. The normal services (oil changes, filters, brakes etc) are all fairly straight forward DIY jobs. You will find lots of info on this forum and others (like Pelican Parts)for most of them.

I have had to replace primary oxygen sensors (at 200 000 km) and I am about to replace the crank position sensor and probably the thermostat in the near future.
There are no "easy" jobs and you should have access to the repair manual and a diagnostic tool like Durametric or PIWIS to do them properly.
The Cayenne is in no way "unreliable" but must be serviced properly ie use the right fluids.

The Cayenne 955 shares some suspension/drivetrain (diff/driveshaft) components with the Touareg, but the engine and transmission are all Porsche. That being said I have been able to source engine air filters, cabin air filter and brake pads and disks (350mm) from a VW parts supplier. (Be sure of the brake option fitted on the Cayenne as some sizes (like the 368mm disks on my 957 CTT) are only available from Porsche dealers.)

You will never regret buying the V8 !!

 

I rebuild transmissions on these trucks. This sounds like it could be a fluid level issue, if you were local id throw it up on the lift for you and check. These transmissions are happy with many different fluids, so I would not believe its that issue unless they used the LT fluid which is a little thin.

 

Nitrorocket: I'm curious about your comment. Which is more like to cause issues: overfilled or underfilled? And what are the usual symptoms of each?

 

They can both cause equal problems believe it or not, the problem with being under filled is that you can starve the sump because the transmission pump pulls a lot of fluid while the truck is running. This can cause cavitation and aeration. This will make the transmission shift completely goofy at certain times and be very inconsistent.

The same thing can be said though for overfilling, but not just buy a little, overfilling by more than a quarter or two is where problems coming to play with the same problem because now you have so much fluid in there that they can get up into the rotating assembly of the transmission and it will aerate itself.

 

Thanks. Makes sense. Would love to know if you have any other tips/tricks for this trans including for the valve body and any recommended ATFs other than the factory T-IV/3309.