VW Caddy Auto Gearbox Sensor Failure Symptoms & Fixes

As someone with some experience working on VWs, I had a very similar issue with my 2012 VW Golf, also with an automatic transmission. The symptoms you describe match what I experienced, especially the poor gear shifting and transmission warning light. After taking it to my regular workshop, they diagnosed low gearbox oil as the root cause. The gearbox sensor was giving false readings due to insufficient oil levels, which triggered the warning light and limp mode. When oil levels drop too low, the temperature sensor can also give incorrect readings, making the transmission behave erratically. The total repair cost was 365€, which included a complete transmission oil change and diagnostic work. The fix took about 3 hours at the workshop. Before giving more specific advice, could you share: What engine size does your Caddy have? How many kilometers on the transmission? Have you noticed any oil spots under the car? When was the last transmission service done? This information would help determine if your issue is identical to what I experienced. While low oil is a common cause for these symptoms, a failing gearbox sensor or temperature sensor could also cause similar problems.

Last service was 3 months ago and transmission oil level is fine. After checking with diagnostic tool yesterday, error code points to a faulty transmission temperature sensor. Looking at 485€ for parts and labor based on workshop quote. Before committing to repairs, wondering if temp sensor replacement alone will fix the grinding noise or if there might be additional transmission issues to address. Not keen on throwing parts at the problem without being sure. Transmission otherwise worked flawlessly until this started happening last week.

Based on my Golf repair experience, the transmission temperature sensor was indeed the core issue in a very similar situation. Once replaced, both the grinding noise and erratic shifting completely resolved. The symptoms match exactly, when the sensor fails, it sends incorrect temperature readings to the transmission control unit, causing it to shift incorrectly. The automatic transmission relies heavily on accurate temperature data to adjust shift timing and pressure. When the temperature sensor malfunctions, it can cause the transmission to shift too early or late, leading to those grinding noises you hear. The price quote of 485€ actually sounds reasonable for the sensor replacement including labor. Just make sure the workshop performs a full transmission control unit reset and adaptation after installing the new sensor. Without proper adaptation, the transmission might not shift optimally even with the new sensor. In my case, fixing the temperature sensor eliminated all symptoms: Warning lights disappeared, Grinding noise stopped completely, Transmission shifted smoothly again, No more emergency mode If the transmission worked perfectly before this and oil levels are good, the temperature sensor is most likely your only issue. Watch for a week after repair, if any symptoms persist, then deeper transmission problems might need investigation.

Thanks for the detailed info about the sensor replacement. Hearing that it fixed similar grinding issues on your Golf is reassuring. Think I will go ahead with the repair since the symptoms match up perfectly with what you experienced. The price seems fair for the fix, especially if it solves both the grinding and poor gear shifting. Good tip about making sure they do the control unit reset, will definitely ask the workshop about that when I bring it in. Given that my transmission worked fine before and the diagnostic clearly shows the temperature sensor, I feel more confident now about getting this fixed rather than worrying about bigger transmission repair issues. Will watch how it performs after the sensor replacement just to be sure everything is sorted. Thanks again for sharing your repair experience. Really helped clarify what I'm dealing with and what to expect from the fix.