VW "Transmission in Emergency Mode, You Can Continue Driving"

Currently, cars are getting more and more technological and this leads to even more tricky messages popping up on their dashes. Unfortunately, very often, warnings in the new Volkswagen cars don't correspond to actual problems and are very misleading, so you just can't understand what needs to be repaired.

Transmission in emergency mode message highlights

• Common reasons:transmission control unit problem, low voltage, transmission problems
• How to fix:check the battery, check hoses under the hood, take it in for inspection
• Possible consequences:transmission may fail
• Priority level:High
• Can you drive?Carefully
• DIY repair:Impossible
• Repair price range:$200-$4,500

Symptoms along with the "Transmission in emergency mode" message

Usually, this happens with pretty fresh cars of the 2017-2022 model years. Surprisingly, I've seen this happening mostly in VW Tiguan, but other mechanics also told me that almost all modern VW cars sold in the US are prone to this issue.

In most cases, this happens the following way:

• you start your car in the morning and after shifting to D or R you see the warning message;
• the dash beeps and says "Transmission in emergency mode, you can continue driving";
• the message may clear right after you start driving or it may stay until you turn the engine off and then on;
• if you keep ignoring the problem, the transmission actually goes into emergency mode;
• also, the message will not be cleared even when you turn the car off and then on again.

Emergency mode for VW transmissions means that it can work in different strange ways. It may only shift to the third gear whenever you go to D and only stay in this gear. Or it may start shifting at the exact RPM without flexibly adjusting to your driving style. Or, as it very often happens, it may just work as it usually works. The only difference will be the warning message and light.

This problem is not always connected with the transmission itself. In fact, it's almost never connected with the transmission, so the repair shouldn't cost you a fortune.

It's commonly thought that this issue happens with the 6-speed conventional automatic transmissions only, but I've seen this happening with several dual-clutch transmissions (DSG), so it may happen in almost any VW car.

What are the common reasons for this problem?

Although there are several possible reasons and I won't even name all of them in this article (I'm sure there is something I don't know about this problem), I've managed to find several of the most common problems.

Unfortunately, there is no recall or even an official service bulletin on this problem from Volkswagen. If your car is out of warranty, you will need to pay for all the repairs and parts.

Let's see what exactly can cause the "Transmission in emergency mode, you can continue driving" error message:

1) Bad shifter assembly

Although I think there is some wrong sensor in the assembly, VW dealers view this unit as a single part that shouldn't be repaired - only replaced. That's why if you go to the dealer, they will just offer you to replace the shifter. Unfortunately, it may cost you about $2,000 in the dealership and over $1000 in one of the independent shops.

The shifters in Volkswagen parts are really faulty. I've seen dozens of new cars with just several thousand miles on them throwing all kinds of different scary messages and lights just because some sensor in the shifter assembly didn't work.

2) Vacuum hose on the transmission

Sounds strange but it has proven to solve the problem. I spoke to a VW dealership mechanic and told him about this problem. He smiled and said that he had several cars with this message and all of them were cured by reattaching the vacuum hose on the transmission. The thing is that the clamp holding this hose may be faulty in some cars and it makes the transmission go crazy.

You will most likely need the new clamp and an understanding of where this hose is attached to your transmission. Or you will need some help from a professional.

3) Low 12V battery

I'm pretty sure, you can see all kinds of different messages in a modern Volkswagen just because the battery is low. Modern vehicles, on average, use AGM batteries and they will not drop in voltage till they are completely bad. So, if you see that when your car is off the battery shows 12.1 volts or less, this means that the battery is almost dead.

Even if it starts the engine, it may trigger immediate problems with the electronics and the charging system which may, in turn, activate almost any error code in the ECU. Sometimes, this is the transmission problem message.

4) Actual transmission issues

I was surprised to know that quite a lot of VW owners managed to get a completely new car after the dealership couldn't efficiently repair the "Transmission in emergency mode" message. Usually, you need a lot of time and effort to make a manufacturer give you a new car instead of the faulty one you bought from it.

But in the case of the transmission error message, Volkswagen surprisingly easily agreed to give new cars to people who got this issue during the warranty period. So, I believe, Volkswagen understands that there is a pretty serious problem that they don't know how to solve.

5) Software problems

Although this is one of the most common thoughts on forums, I don't think this is the number one culprit for this issue. In most cases, the software upgrade won't do the trick and the problem will reappear after some time. Also, this will cost you pretty much money, so I only recommend this when you can get it for free from the dealership.

Fixing the problem on your own

Well, if you don't have any technical skills and knowledge, you better avoid digging in your new Volkswagen. This may lead to pretty bad issues. I won't describe the process of replacing the shifter or some other unit in your vehicle - I strongly recommend you do this in the dealership or at least in a good independent shop.

But here's what you may try doing:

1) Turn the car off and then on again

This won't help you solve the problem forever. But at least, you have the chance of getting rid of this nasty error message.

2) Disconnect the battery and then connect it back

This is the reason why so many VW owners report that the dealer could only solve this problem for some time. When the dealer mechanic does something with your car, they disconnect the battery. This allows the control units to reset and things may work well for some time. So, you may try doing this on your own.

Don't forget, the negative cable is first to disconnect and last to connect!

3) Recharge or replace the battery

Very often, such problems are solved just by jumping the battery. It will get normal voltage and will eventually work well.

4) Use the OBD2 scanner

You can plug in the OBD2 scanner and check whether there is a certain transmission code stored in the ECU. Or any other code. Sometimes, this will help you understand the actual culprit and avoid spending money and time on the wrong things.

Can you still drive when you see this message?

Well, obviously, the message says that you can continue driving. But depending on the actual issue, driving can lead to several complications. I strongly recommend driving only the needed distance when you see this message. If it's possible to avoid driving your Volkswagen when it shows the error message, it would be much better.

Also, I would stop my car if along with the message I felt some jerking, power loss, poor shifting, or other transmission problems.

What if this message reappears after repair?

Mechanics in the dealership may not exactly know what the culprit of this message is. It pops up and then it clears and leaves no codes. So, they may just make a wild guess and repair something they consider a common problem for this issue.

Also, in the process of repair, they may disconnect the battery or control modules allowing them to reset. So, when they assemble everything, the car will obviously work well. At least, for some time. After several weeks, you can see this message again.

It only means that the actual culprit for the problem wasn't solved and you need to go to the dealer again and let them know that the issue is still there.

If you have experience in dealing with this problem, make sure you share it in the comments below and help other Volkswagen owners solve the problem easily and with no extra costs!