99 Cabrio no tach, flashing oil, no gear selection indicator, drives in 3rd gear only

Looking for assistance.

The car is a 1999 Cabrio ABA 2.0l with a 01M automatic transmission with 123k miles. The car is new to me to work on.

Here're the symptoms...

Clear Codes. Start car, watching instrument cluster the tach moves up to around 20 then comes down to 0 (takes about 1 second), at same time oil light comes on and flashes. Also I don't see any gear selected.

Shut off car, turn ignition back to on (but do not start car), do a scan, here's what I get



If I drive the car, the speedometer works so my initial thought is this is not a cluster issue as I've read about online. The car seems to always be in 3rd gear if selector is in "D", but I believe I can put the selector in "1" and the car goes in first.

It is very difficult to get the Vag Com to work when the car is running, but there was a time when I was able to see RPMs and they showed good data even thought the instrument cluster tach was showing 0.

If I do drive the car I get the following code as well.

===============
00652 - Gear Monitoring
30-10 - Open or Short to Plus - Intermittent


Thanks for considering,
Craig
95 ABA Passat 230k
97 TDI Passat 57K
93 Cabby 103K

TCU didn't respond to VCDS. First thing to check is power and other connections to TCU.

-Uwe-

Because it is a Cabrio make sure you use the proper manual and not one for a golf or jetta.........they are slightly different.

I would immediately pull rear seat up and look for water damage/corrosion at the controller directly and internally.
Observe all fuses first and PNR relay function if current not present at the TCU as Uwe stated to check.
In addition the ignition switch.

Looks like a bulb issue and maybe a back feed to cluster for MIL circuit or faulty ground.
Check battery connections and for acid overcharge that damage harness by trans location/battery or multifunction switch of trans............causing know errors for this chassis.

Locate TCM see if you have power and grounds to the module. (Or water as Jack stated)
TCM not showing up on scan is problem. 3rd gear only and no PRND displayed is telling you trans is in safe mode 3rd gear only so as not to over heat and kill trans.
Had a tach and oil light same symptoms on a Passat once turned out to be a back ABS module causing feed back to cluster.
Disconnect ABS module to see if tach and oil problem goes away. You will of course get ABS and brake lights.
Good Luck

All fixed! This issue was a very loose TCU ground wire under the rear seat. I inspected. Very clean, no corrosion. I applied CRC Di-Electic grease and reassembled. Car not equipped with ABS.

Tach works, oil light no longer flashing, gear selection indicator working and I can even watch measuring blocks when the car is running now.

THANKS ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


After clearing codes, I believe this represents a clean bill of health.

VCDS Version: Release 12.12.2
Data version: 20140212

Monday,18,August,2014,22:29:43:21227

Chassis Type: 1E - VW Golf Cabrio (1993 > 2002)
Scan: 01 02 03 08 15 25 35 56

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 01: Engine Labels: 037-906-259.lbl
Part No: 037 906 259 Q
Component: MOTRONIC M5.9 AT V02
Coding: 00003
Shop #: WSC 00066
VCID: 2A50B38AD6ADC24EE53-4AE6

No fault code found.
Readiness: 0110 1101

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 02: Auto Trans Labels: 01M-927-733.lbl
Part No: 01M 927 733 DL
Component: AG4 Getriebe 01M 3531
Coding: 00000
Shop #: WSC 00000
VCID: 7DFA48D677A385F6F01-095A

No fault code found.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 15: Airbags Labels: 1J0-909-60x-VW3.lbl
Part No: 1J0 909 608 J
Component: AIRBAG VW3 S V04
Coding: 00074
Shop #: WSC 00066
VCID: 356A90F60F139DB6781-4AE6

No fault code found.

End ---------------------------------------------------------------------

Readiness: 0110 1101

Now do force readiness procedures to verify all is well.
Check 0x01-08-098 for ADP-ok of TV.
The first three here at idle.
0x01-04-150 EVAP
0X01-04-153 LDP
0x01-04-160 SAI
0x01-04-036 CAT This one at steady 460C EGT and 2900 RPM steady.
0x01-04-103,020,021,030,031,035 for OXS, aging and Slope These at steady sweet spots of RPM from idle to 2500 and 2800 RPM.

The result of field 4 for each is last 3 bits at 100 means passed test.
Readiness is complete when all are zero.