DSG on the blink

[Grey_Polo]

For the second time in the last two weeks the Polo's 7-speed DSG gearbox stopped functioning.

Once when leaving a shopping car park at about 20kph and today at about 60kph. Each time the electronic gear number flashes and the box drops into neutral while the sift stays in D. It's the same in S mode. I didn't try manual. At 60kph, it was the sudden engine revving that alerted me.

Stopping and switching off the engine and restarting clears the problem. But it could be dangerous. My dealer is closed until tomorrow, then I'll see what he has to say on the subject.

The 1.4 petrol Polo is 2 years old and has covered 35,000Kms...

Any other reports of this??

[AJ_7]

I've not seen many but there are 2 or 3 people on these forums that have had similar issues with their DSG.

[biff+]

I gave my gti back because of a similar issue. Mechatronic unit was meant to be problem - I don't know he exact issue because the dealer replaced the box and unit on VW's instructions. In all honesty, I not think they knew the exact issue, just chucked new bits at at it.

I stuck some videos on YouTube and there's a thread on it somewhere,

[NotRich]

http://www.dsgproblems.co.uk/

[Grey_Polo]

Thanks for responses so far.

Update:
went to VW dealer where car purchased 25 months ago. They acknowledged this is a known fault and offered to take the car in at once. I need it until Friday, when it goes in for the day.

Tip:
I found that although the car won't start except in 'P' whe stopped, it will while moving. So if I'm in trouble when the DSG goes into self-appointed neutral, I can select 'N', tehn switch off the ignition and restart and go back into 'D' - this clears the problem.
This is dangerous, as power steering and brakes go without the engine. But just as dangerous is a car suddenly in neutral...

[NMavs]

Well i wish you the best off luck sorting it mate. My gti does exactly this, and has spent over a month in the dealership. VW have said that this is a safety feature called shiftlock and theres nothing wrong with the dsg box. How in the right mind is leaving you sat like a sittin duck in the middle of a crossroad is safe i do not know. Ive had customer services try to get it sorted but no luck. I now have a solicitor fighting my case and also trying to get finance company involved. Nightmare. Just out of curiosity mate, which dealership did you buy yours from? Mines only 7 month old and has been doing this since the 2nd week of owning it.

[Grey_Polo]

Just out of curiosity mate, which dealership did you buy yours from? Mines only 7 month old and has been doing this since the 2nd week of owning it.

I'm in Switzerland! http://autorama.ch

I ordered the car in July 2009 and it was deliver in December - and is now neatly over 2 years old...

[Grey_Polo]

UPDATE:

After 24 hours with my local VW dealer (and supplier) of my Polo, they have concluded the problem is the 'Metatronic' system/box. The part is on order (apparently it comes from Germany and will here on Tuesday).

This required a physical part of the DSG box replacing. The dealer admits it's a 'known fault' and although the car is 24months old and has covered 35,000kms, VW have authorised the dealer to replace it free of charge for parts and labour.

[CTCELT900]

UPDATE:

After 24 hours with my local VW dealer (and supplier) of my Polo, they have concluded the problem is the 'Metatronic' system/box. The part is on order (apparently it comes from Germany and will here on Tuesday).

This required a physical part of the DSG box replacing. The dealer admits it's a 'known fault' and although the car is 24months old and has covered 35,000kms, VW have authorised the dealer to replace it free of charge for parts and labour.

This DSG gearbox problem sounds serious, surley VW should start recalling them, as this could lead to a serious crash. I was thinking of going for a VW Polo or Golf DSG this year to replace my current VW Polo Auto, might be put off though due to this problem. Does it only happen in manual mode or does it happen in Auto mode as well?

[NMavs]

When you say that your dealer said its a known problem, do you think you could get ahold of a copy of the technical bulletin from them and send it me. I need something to throw at my dealer. This would greatly help me mate.

[Grey_Polo]

When you say that your dealer said its a known problem, do you think you could get ahold of a copy of the technical bulletin from them and send it me. I need something to throw at my dealer. This would greatly help me mate.

The dealer answered 'Yes' when I posed the question 'is this a known fault?' So he didn't come out with it willingly. The dealer had to get authorisation from the VW importer before going ahead.

Odd that there does not appear to be a Mechatronic box in the country (Switzerland). Are failures so rare that it's not worth stocking them? Or have so many been replaced that they are out of stock??

Here is an American perspective on the DSG problem:
http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.p ... ure-Update

[Tyler Owen]

Having experienced this problem personally with my GTi, I can understand the frustration, but I also work for a Main Dealer for another Franchise, the shiftlock feature is perfectly normal. Its fitted to all Automatic transmission units to prevent the vehicle moving when started up, imagine if the car jerked forward because it was left in drive and hit someone just as you were turning the key. So its there for that reason amongst others.

I admit in these circumstances when the Gearbox is having a hissy fit the feature is not as helpful but that is a separate issue really and if the box was working as intended then that situation wouldn't arise in the first place.

Also the reason why a dealer or the Distribution centre (thinking about the Swiss situation here) wouldn't stock a mechatronics unit for the 7 Speed DSG box, is likely down to supply and demand, No Dealer will put a part that only fits a very small percentage of the cars within their vehicle parc, that cost hundreds if not thousands of pounds, on a shelf gathering dust. Its just not a profitable way to run a Parts Dept. That part could be sat there for years before it is fitted and could be potentially super ceded in that time rendering it worthless. It makes much more sense to order the part from VW, if / when it would was required.

There are "known" issues with the brand I work for, but we don't keep stock of the required parts for the reasons I've mention above, especially when 99% of the time they can be ordered and delivered next day.

[NMavs]

Yes, I can totally understand the whole shift lock feature, but surely, this shouldn’t ever be kicking into place when the cars already been moving, and the gear stick hasn’t been moved out of D,S or D+- ?? Surely that indicates that there’s maybe a faulty sensor or control unit within the mecatronics unit that’s detecting a fault? Every time I drive my car, I get in, put foot on brake pedal, start engine, move it slowly down to D, and across to manual shift, then it stays there until my journey is complete. I never move it, but yet it still cuts out on cross roads, pulling out onto main roads, all the most dangerous of times, and hardly anybody else has experienced it. To me, that says something is not right.

[Grey_Polo]

@ Tyler Owen:

Thanks for your response. I think we are at slight cross purposes here.

I have not referred to 'shirt lock'. In fact I don't know what it is!

My Polo's problem is that the DSG box goes effectively into neutral. ie total loss of drive power while in 'D' or 'S' (I have not tried the numbered gears). The indicator still shows 'D' or 'S', but blinks when this occurs.
This happened twice while travelling at 20kph and at 60kph. It is resolved by stopping and restarting the engine. On both occasions I stopped to do this, although it is probably possible to select 'N' while still moving and switch off the ignition and then restart. This temporarily cuts the power steering and brake servo.

Either way this is potentially very dangerous on motorways, in tunnels, or heavy fast-moving traffic, or as NMavs says, pulling out into traffic.

My problem is being resolved. My mention of delivery of the replacement Mechotronic unit is that normally VW parts that are not stocked by a dealer are available the same day from the Swiss importer. They appear to have to source this from Germany, suggesting to me that there were none in the country at all.

Yes, this is an expensive unit. I have seen US estimates of $2000 to $2500. That's without fitting, which I fear is a dog of a job...

[Grey_Polo]

This DSG gearbox problem sounds serious, surley VW should start recalling them, as this could lead to a serious crash. I was thinking of going for a VW Polo or Golf DSG this year to replace my current VW Polo Auto, might be put off though due to this problem. Does it only happen in manual mode or does it happen in Auto mode as well?

I have never tried it in manual mode. Only 'D' and 'S'. When it happened I simply wanted power back asap and didn't think to experiment!