Common Faults in the 6-Speed DSG Automatic Transmission

John is a fervent writer, gamer, and guitar lover. Former automatic-transmission repairer, welder and hobbyist game developer.

The transverse six-speed DSG transmission, also known as DQ250, is a dual-clutch automatic transmission that is found in vehicles by a number of manufacturers. These manufacturers include Audi, Volkswagen, Skoda, and Seat. The DQ250 is a dual-clutch transmission that employs a combination of manual transmission gears and automatic transmission clutches in order to gain the benefits of both.

This particular transmission is old news, having been replaced by newer versions, but it has been used in so many vehicles that are still on the road today that it is most definitely still relevant.

So, what happens when this very popular transmission goes bad?

How the DSG Transmission Works

To defeat your enemy, you must understand your enemy. So it is with transmission faults.

Before we get into the faults, we’ll briefly touch on how the DSG transmission works, and how it’s different from other transmissions.

A traditional automatic transmission uses a number of clutch packs to produce the desired output ratio. This works fine, but it has drawbacks, one of the biggest being fuel efficiency. Conversely, manual transmissions use solid metal gears and a single manually operated clutch. This setup creates less resistance and better fuel efficiency, but it means the driver has to deal with pesky clutch pedals and gear levers.

DSG 6 Speed Demonstration

DSG stands for Direct-Shift Gearbox, and it incorporates the best of both worlds into its design. Using an advanced electro-hydraulic control module to control clutch application and gear shifting, the DSG can bring the driving comfort of a full automatic to the table while still getting the greater efficiency of the manual-style gears. Furthermore, it makes use of a dual clutch assembly, where one clutch is responsible for even numbered gears and the other for odd-numbered gears, improving shifting quality further.

Note: This article is concerned specifically with the DQ250 variant of DSG transmission. There are other variants, such as the 7 speed DQ200, and the inline 0B5 transmission.

DSG (DQ250) Common Faults

The most common faults I have experienced with this particular transmission.

Juddering/Shuddering

Before we get into the transmission fault here, there is another cause of juddering which is far more common, and it is outside of the transmission itself. If you experience the juddering mainly when you start the engine and when the car is idling, often accompanied by a loud clattering noise, the problem is likely in the dual mass flywheel which sits between the transmission and the engine. The flywheel consists of two plates that can move a small amount in relation to each other. This provides a cushioning effect when torque is transferred from the engine to the transmission. When that flywheel wears down, and the amount of movement is too great, you get a juddering/shuddering sensation.

It’s important not to leave this fault for too long. If the two flywheel plates sheer off from each other, your vehicle will lose drive entirely.

If your flywheel is fine, however, and the juddering sensation is most noticeable on gearshifts—particularly at lower speeds—the problem likely lies in the dual clutch assembly. Unfortunately, it’s a simple matter of wear and tear, and there’s not much to be done for it other than replace it.

There are kits available that allow for the replacement of many of the components of the clutch assembly, and oftentimes that will cure the fault. However, sometimes the wear and tear is in the non-replaceable components, and a new assembly is needed. In my experience, it’s much more practical to just replace the whole assembly. You might save money by getting a repair kit rather than a clutch, but if the damage ends up being in the non-replaceable components, you’ll still need to buy a complete assembly and that money saved becomes money wasted.

Mechatronic Failure

Default Mode—also known as limp mode and failsafe mode—is a failure state of the transmission where it detects a fault and limits itself to one gear (typically third) to limit damage to the transmission. This will often be accompanied by an indicator on the dashboard, such as flashing “PRNDS” lights. If your transmission has gone into default, there will be trouble codes in there to explain why it’s done this. You’ll need to get your vehicle scanned with a good diagnostic machine to find out what those codes are.

If the codes mention “clutch limits reached” (or something similar), there’s a good chance the problem is your clutch. Typically (though not always) this won’t occur until after the aforementioned juddering/shuddering fault. If the codes mention “adaptations,” it’s possible that your problem may be fixed with an adaptation reset. You’ll need to find someone with a good VAG diagnostic tool for this.

If the codes mention any sensors, gear ratios, or unexpected mechanical disengagements, the problem is almost certainly your mechatronic. The mechatronic is the name given to the electro-hydraulic control unit that is responsible for controlling the gearbox, and it’s a very expensive lump. Fortunately, there are many companies that can repair this fault, and a quick search of “DSG Mechatronic Repair” should yield plenty of results. It should be noted, however, that these companies are limited in what they can test for and repair in these mechatronic units. I have been involved in a number of situations where the repair company tested the mechatronic and found to be “ok,” yet the fault was eventually cured with a replacement mechatronic. Bear in mind, with these repair companies, “tested ok” means they couldn’t find a fault. Not that there’s nothing wrong with it.

One particularly common symptom of a faulty DQ250 mechatronic is a partial or total loss of reverse, so be on the lookout for that as a strong indicator that the mechatronic is failing.

Noisy Bearings

The mechanical workings of the DSG—the physical gears and syncros—don’t tend to fail very often in my experience. I have seen a number of instances of bearings wearing down, however. This typically results in a metallic noise when driving.

I have known DSG transmissions with this symptom to be driven for quite some time with no ill-effects other than quite irritating driving noise. However, I most definitely wouldn’t recommend you leave this problem unattended. If the mechanical components of the DSG did fail, it would be pretty catastrophic for the transmission.

The fix is a bearing kit, assuming the problem is dealt with promptly, and no other damage has been caused.

Also...

One or two other useful bits of information about DSG transmission faults.

Five Things You Shouldn't Do With a Dual Clutch Transmission

It’s also worth noting that, on occasion, a simple adaptation reset can fix a number of minor issues, such as poor shifting quality. Adaptations are little adjustments that your mechatronic makes to things like how much pressure it applies to the clutches to compensate for wear and tear or driving style. Sometimes things can get a little out of whack, and in those cases, a reset of the adaptation values—followed by a proper drive cycle—can sometimes be enough to clear the issues up.

One fault I have seen a few times in DSG vehicles is the loss of ability to start the vehicle, accompanied by a fault code relating to the park/neutral switch. The problem is that the mechatronic is getting bad information regarding the position of the gear selector, and won’t let you start the car because it can’t be sure you are in park or neutral. The affected part here is actually in the gear selector itself, rather than the transmission. Though it could also be a wiring or communication fault.

And that’s the end of my six-speed DSG faults hub. I hope you found this information helpful, and if you have anything to ask (or add!) please drop a comment below.

This article is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge. Content is for informational or entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for personal counsel or professional advice in business, financial, legal, or technical matters.

Comments

Lee Bowker on August 11, 2020:

hi i have a 2005 t5 transporter lwb 2.5tdi automatic driving along and doing 70 then no power no gears and wouldn't change even in reverse. any ideas for what is going on

helen on August 04, 2020:

my automatic just jammed and I could not reverse the car but could drive forward any ideas, simultaneously the spanner light came on followed by d3 d3 d4 and d5? any ideas

Jim on July 22, 2020:

What is mechatronic/valve body part number for a ‘06 Jetta DSG ?

Terry on June 28, 2020:

Hi. I am looking To purchase a 2015 Sharan DSG sel 2015 and wonder what i shoukd look out for or ask about frombthe seller?

Thanks.

Chris on June 25, 2020:

Hi,I do have a golf5 2.0l fsi,the car moves in reverse gear well but only moves forward on it is on high rev but stops again,what is the problem

Reinhard Arnold4 on June 22, 2020:

It is a 7 speed

Reinhard Arnold4 on June 19, 2020:

I have a 2011 VW Passat 2.0 TSI with a rattle noise only when I switch of the engine.

Note: The last time I drove it from a shopping mall, It didn't move at all and I accelerate slightly twice then it starts moving. I drive it home and park it. What could be the problem?

VIN # WVWZZZ3CZCE052980

Darren Russell on June 04, 2020:

Very useful information

stefan agius on June 02, 2020:

i have a vw golf rline 2011 20tdi dsg sometimes when im driving it misses a gear for a second and soon after an error traction control warning comes up and goes to false neutral. iswitchoff the engine and start again and its back to normal.could it be the mechatronic. it has 30000 km on the clock.

FRANKLIN SHANE HLABANE on May 25, 2020:

My gear shift lights are not indicating on the gear after changing the gearbox and mechatronics. And we are failling to start the car Golf 5 1.9 TDI. On the diagnostic machine it says Serial communication Link.

Help me please

FRANKLIN SHANE HLABANE on May 25, 2020:

My gear shift lights are not coming on and it makes the car not to start since a i replace the gearbox and Mechatronics. Golf 5 1.9 TDI

Gopy on May 12, 2020:

Hi my dsg 02e threw me a code saying seleter lever in n upper limit still driving.

Limp mode activated

Paul Eccleston on May 06, 2020:

Hi. I got a 2006 jetta gji i replace the mechtronic and it is still the same flashing light come to a stop it goes in neutral turn the engine off restart and it worked fine until I come to a stop i replace all the selenoid same thing

Cristian Oprea on May 05, 2020:

Hello, in my case I experience shocks from DSG when shifting from P to D. This also happens when shifts from 3rd gear to 2nd gear. I'm trying to find solutions, but nobody can give clear explanation and resolution. One example is: replace gear kit and or flying wheel. There are no codes when scanning Transmission.

hardlymoving from Memphis, TN on April 30, 2020:

Bottom line ... buy a car with the bullet proof Aisin transmission.

cesare560 on April 26, 2020:

Ciao Molto Chiaro Spiegato è molto Professionale . Grazie Tanto. Ciao.

Richard on April 16, 2020:

Not sure if you're still answering here now, but certainly like me, a lot of people like your article.

My enquiry is very simple and you may know off the top of your head. My DSG (02E) in 2.0 TDI whines in fifth gear and a little in 6th when cold but much less when warm.

I found my thermostat might be opening too early and looking to replace that. But should I be otherwise concerned about the whine. Its not a grating or metallic grinding noise. Its more like the noise of an underground train motor. It comes in just as the box changes to 5th and largely goes away in 6th. When the car is warm, the noise is barely detectable in 6th and only slight in 5th. Do you know what's going on.

An Auto Trans shop told me the whole thing needs to be stripped down for new shafts and bearings. They say the gears are worn out and the bearings are breaking up. They say if I don't deal with it that one day it will just suddenly lock up or sending a gear shaft our through the side of the box and could write off the engine. its around £1700 +VAT. Naturally I don't want to drive anywhere near that shop for as long as possible and would look at perhaps a low mileage box if that was the best solution. But someone else I was reading a thread from somewhere else said their DSG made this underground train noise for last 50,000 miles and they got used to it and eventuially even quite liked it. Unfortunately I don't really like it very much. My mechatronic is working fine and I added a small amount of metal treatment ZX1 when I last changed the box oil. ZX1 penetrates into the metal at the particle level and changes it putting a super slippery coating on it. Well, actually I have that wrong. Its not a coating but it makes the metal extra smooth shall I say. The oil that came out was like white whine which surprised me. There were no bits or metal. I couldn't see anything that looked like the results of wear and tear. The new oil going in is actually darker than what came out. Mind you I have elected to buy a premium third party oil from Millers. Apart from these issues the car is great. The performance is great, The gear changes are good - just dont do a manual shift from 2 to 1! That's never great even with foot on brake or accelerator. Very bad on overrun alone. Not mechanically considerate action in my opinion.

I hope you are doing fine and still answering here. Looks like quite a few people are looking for a little advice.

Charles on March 10, 2020:

My wife has a 2017 Alltrack Allwheel Drive . Upon coming to a stop are nearly stopping the transmission does not downshift into first and upon accelerating the transmission hesitates then drops into first gear making the car scary to drive. After taking it to dealer twice they say it drives just like the other ones on the lot and is ok! Being a mechanic I know it’s not. However the last time we took it in and complained again they said that if they found nothing wrong we would be charged . This car was new at the time. Anyone had a similar problem , I’m assuming this is tied to the all wheel drive .

Danno44 on February 11, 2020:

Hi john I have a 2009 Vw t5 caravelle. The box works fine up down no odd noises. The problem I have is the manual selection side of it doesn’t work and the gear numbers in the dash don’t show.

Would you have any ideas please.

Thanks karl. Rangerservices247@gmail.com

Barry Curran on February 10, 2020:

Hey John,I have a 2009 Passat cc,it’s a 190bhp and is a cracking car......

We have had the oil and filter changed but before it was done,the car would stall before selecting reverse and take more than a few seconds. Sometimes needing to turn off the ignition and then back on again. I truly hope the problem isn’t terminal as it’s my baby!!! Any help or assistance would be very much appreciated!!! My email address is yrrab111@hotmail.com. Look forward to hearing from you,kind regards,Barry and Sally.

cht 4848 chifubu ndola on January 22, 2020:

hi i have a vw polo it does not move when i put in drive or revere and it doesent have revs in drive or reverse what can be the problem its a dsg 7 250

robert burnett on January 19, 2020:

Hi I have a 2014 a6 ultra black edition Auto 50k on clock. Iv noticed over last few months a slight judder wich now seams to be happening more especially when cold when setting off. Sometimes if i start it then set off straight away for work it almost stops for a Split second Then picks back up almost instantly and Carey’s on as normal more In lower speeds 1st/2nd Gear. Seems to happen in reverse sometimes as well if on a slight incline usually as it’s trying to compensate for the hill or incline Almost. I thought it could be to do with the start stop Function as on a handful of occasions has stopped completely when my girlfriend has been driving when setting off from a hill and says something like stop start disabled even though it’s not been on then won’t start till turned off ignition and then on again... then it’s fine

Sifiso Sambo on January 19, 2020:

Good Day.

I have a 2005 2.0 tdi VW Touran auto transmission. The problem started after changing the flywheel because it had started making noise, the vehicle drove well for a little while and suddenly never changed gears and will not take the reverse at all.

Could this be a mechanical or diagnostic problem as the car was never diagnosed after changing the flywheel.

thanks

SIFISO on January 19, 2020:

Good day.

I have a 2005 VW Touran 2.0 tdi auto transmission DSG . The problem started after I had changed the flywheel, it drove nicely for a while and now am encounting a bigger problem because it no longer changes to the next gear (auto) and will not take the reverse at all. Could this be a mechanical problem or a simple diagnostic problem being that it was never diagnosed after changing the flywheel. Thanks

Temitope on January 13, 2020:

Good evening sir, I have a Volkswagen scirocco with a 6 speed DSG transmission and I live in Nigeria. Pls is there a way I can order for a new Mechatronic or partially good one to replace my current one as this one keeps slipping and flashing. Thank you.

Huseyin Keskin on January 13, 2020:

Hi

I have a gearbox mechatronic problem (according to my garage) my VW Sharan (2015). Engine start normaly, I can change the gear (Automatic) but only problem car is not moving. I have called the AA, they delete all faults, car moving for 10-15 minutes but problem coming back.

Anyone have same problem? or anyone knows the problem?

CasMac on January 09, 2020:

EJS did you ever get a reply, I have same problem.

Raj. Kanowjiya. on January 07, 2020:

In my vw passat 2.0 there is some error code like p0747 and p0777

Itumeleng on January 06, 2020:

I have an Audi A3 2006 DSG gearbox,it won't select any gear.what could be the problem?

Abdul Hamid on December 22, 2019:

Automobile nice knowledge

Sibusiso Bulunga on December 09, 2019:

Thanks very much for the leasens,it help us a lot...

TalonHawkins on December 09, 2019:

Hi

I test drove a SEAT Leon 1.6Ltr Auto with a DSG box, as I was pulling away it just seemed to rev really high, I took my foot off and back on and it did the same, a second go found it pulling away fine after, it didn't do this again during the test drive, is this something to be worried about?

Saravana on December 06, 2019:

I have skoda superb automatic in that reverse gear is not working properly if i off the car nd again start the car it is working what will be the problem

EJS on November 28, 2019:

Have a 2012 GTI that experiences the shuddering at low RPM only when the gear box has reached temp...took the car to dealer and they claimed it was clutch packs...had them changed and the problem although slightly better when picked up is back after less then 100 miles....took the car back and now dealer claims its the mech unit...spoke to the tech that actually did the clutch pack and he stated that the clutches were in extremely good condition...car has only 86000 miles.

Question...they never mentioned the flywheel ... would the flywheel get worse when hot....

This is my 2nd dsg with the same problem...1st one had mech unit replaced and within 500 miles same issue returned...adaptations were done on both cars multiple times and yet issues remains ...rather frustrated and would love to know your opinion....the car shits perfect under heavy power on up shifts but bangs hard on downshifts only in 3rd and 2nd in low rpms....then feels like its just confused when trying to start from a stop under normal.to.light acceleration...pause engage with a bang.. pause ....engage with a bang...again if your extremely hard almost launching car if shifts fine and if cold runs fine...cpuld this be the flywheel?????

Your opinion would be very much appreciated

Victor on November 18, 2019:

Have you ever had front assist not available and my caddy stays in first gear but after turn off engine it goes back to normal

Matt Cooper on November 08, 2019:

Hi John

Great article.

Im wondering if you have ever heard of transmission fluid leaking from around the connection plug of the mechatronic. I have a late 2008 skoda superb with 6speed dsg which has covered 115000 miles. Gear changes arent effected yet but ive been told that a replacement unit is required.

Any thoughts

Thanks

Matt

henri bence on November 07, 2019:

I have a VW Golf 7 with seven speed dsg. While driving goes into neutral. I then move gearlever to park, reverse and drive, it goes again. Fault code P0841 Transmission Fluid Pressure Sensor/Switch A Range/Performance

Any help out there?

Brad Arnett on October 29, 2019:

Good afternoon,

I need to know how far has anybody Wet without changing their tiny bell on their jetta diesel. Mine currently has not been changed it has 81000 miles on it and it has never had a transmission flush. Please respond with any thoughts of what damage I get Cause and how far I get actually get away with it because I cannot afford to maintain this vehicle?

Brad on October 28, 2019:

I bought a certified 2014 jetta TDI with the DSG transmission and there's no record that the transmission fluid as ever been changed and when I bought it it had 56000 miles on it now it has 80k. I was just informed of this is a very expensive service. Will Volkswagen still cover my bumper to bumper warranty, if something happens to it after I Get the service done immediately?

Jaimie on October 07, 2019:

Hello.

I have to get a new dsg box for my 2009 mk5 golf r32. The code on my box is "KQA"which happens to be the rarest box to find.

I've been told that the code has to match the original on the car or it will not work electronically, even though there is a few other gearboxes that will bolt on.

Any help will be highly appreciated as I really don't know where to go for now :(

Thanks!

J.

John on October 06, 2019:

My tdi passat does not communite with dashboard.

Jaco Bezuidenhout on October 01, 2019:

Hi,

If I can get my hands on a 6 speed DSG gearbox with mechatronics to build into another project, would I be able to get it to work?

What additional items would I need?

Baion on September 29, 2019:

Any luck in repairing this guys?

I have an Audi RS3 2012, and it has started to give me this error message that "Clutch overheat. Pleasfe stop vehicle"!

Leslie spedding on September 29, 2019:

Hi my vw t5 semi auto gearboxwill only go in reverse when warm and when in first will not engage van has 260000 miles

Mark leeson on September 27, 2019:

Very helpful

John Bullock (author) from Yorkshire, England on September 18, 2019:

Hello Ernest,

I would definitely not advise buying a complete new gearbox without diagnosing the issue myself. My advice would be to have it diagnosed professionally before doing anything as drastic as that. It could just be short on oil, or need a replacement clutch pack. Also, depending on the OBDII scanner you are using, you might not be seeing all the fault codes.

Lindo on September 16, 2019:

I have a a problem with my dsg (DQ250) it changes from 1st gear until the 4th gear it doesn't take the 5th and 6th gears what can be possible be a problem?

Ernest Ikowa on September 13, 2019:

I have read through the post and i want to acknowledge that i have learnt a lot.

However, my concern is i have a VW Tiguan 2.0 TSI 2009 model. Recently it started misfiring. I changed the ignition Coils and plugs and the misfiring stoped. But sadly it has a "hard start" and it can't pull. The pick-up is so slow and dragging. I have tried to diagnise the problem with my OBDll but nothing is being detected. So am being advised to buy a complete gearbox, is it necessary to buy the complete gearbox?

Jim on September 05, 2019:

Hi, I have 2008 Skoda Octavia. Gear change is perfect but very difficult to start off from the stop position without a chuck. I also notice a slight shudder (like wheel balance off) at around 80Km/h. I have had the wheel balance checked on all four and they are perfect. Could the two be gearbox related and if so any ideas where to look.

Robert Sokolowski on September 03, 2019:

Hi,good day for all. I read Your comments on possibility DSG faults and I would like to find out if You can possibly help me identity mine . I have Audi A3 Tfsi 2009 85k miles automatic transmission running very well no problem at all changing gears properly. Up to yesterday when after day tip I decide quick car hand wash . No power wash just simple water from hose. After this within 2 hours I was try start engine and when i turn ignition on dashboard shows ESP fault and my car loss ability to start and on Park P position gear selector is motionless to position D and P letter just flashing pulsing read. My opinion that water caused problem One fuse from the engine compartment was gone so I replace a fuse next day after all day drying a car in full sunny day and new fuse gone as well.I read all Your suggestion and the loss ability to start the vehicle when mechatronic is getting bad information and won't let me start the car it is Yours words.

What would your advice be electrician first or seeking a specialist for DSG

Thank You

Best Regards

Robert

Isaiah on August 31, 2019:

I have a 2008 WV Passat 6 speed trains and its puck oil out of one of the fake ports. What can I do to fix it. ??

alfon on August 27, 2019:

hi ,

my gti mk6 have a problem...

first problem my car cant basic setting the DSG, then i found the problem, my fork bearing was spoil

then i change a new fork bearing and now can basic setting..

after that 2nd problem after changing new fork bearing, now my car shifting jerking and cant shifting from 1 to 2 by Tiptronic...

why should i do ???

please help

thanks

Aamir Malik232 on August 25, 2019:

Hi

I have a ford galaxy 1.9 tdi automatic 2006. I am a mechanic but i dont have much knowledge about automatic transmission. I replaced the mechatronic. There is a long green rod that is connected to the gear lever and its wires behind the mechatronic. Somehow the rod turned to the opposite direction and because of this when i start the car and shift gears (2,3,4,D,N,P) it doesnt let the car move and no gear engages. When i move the rod, which has different round edges for each gear to lock in place, to the right position the gear lever above that doesnt connect to the wire properly as there is a difference in length between the screw and round rubber part connected to the gear lever wire.

Bledi on August 12, 2019:

Hi there I have a Ford Galaxy tcdi 2012 it has a 6 speed PowerShift gear I have a problem with my reverse gear sometimes it will take the reverse gear most of the Times it doesn't take it I have to shift the lever up and down until the reverse gear is engaged can somebody please tell me what the problem could be thank you

Tony Laranja on August 08, 2019:

Good Day

A GF of mine have a 2012 Jetta 2.0 Fsi tiptronic

How ever the problem is it only goes to 1st and 3rd gear

Any suggestions of where to start at looking for the problem

I Have a VW Problem on July 29, 2019:

Just bought a 06 GTi for my daughter. PO advised has had jerky starts and judder shifting in lower gears for years. Also said that it was not noticeable during colder months. In the States so cannot confirm due to summer time.

There are no transmission faults. I previously owned a 06 GLI w/DSG and never had these issues.

If a Mech goes bad, it should throw a code, correct?

So far, I have not been able to locate a decent US supplier of mech's or re-manufacturer's.

Do you have a link to a source that you trust?

Regards

Frank on July 29, 2019:

Thanks John for that insite. My 2010 VW Jetta is at the dealer with a transmission fault. The service representative said it will cost CAD$7500 to replace after importing from Germany. My question was, "What happened to the old crusty mechanics who used to take them apart and replace with various cogs, crowns and pinions?". The answer I got was technicians for this work are not qualified to repair them. I like the mechatronic replacement idea. I'll suggest it as a plonker with five minutes of internet instruction. :)

Liz on July 27, 2019:

57 reg Golf plus TDI

Hisham on July 26, 2019:

How can we avoid facing problems with the dsg gearbox ??

Martin sephton on July 19, 2019:

Just bought a golf gt tdi 2.0 liter auto and drove it away and the kickdown was working fine one minute then about 10 minutes later poor revs no kickdown at all very slow acceleration until I managed to pick up speed but struggled to attain speed in low gears from 2nd to 3rd any ideas on what the problem might be No warning lights or error codes present on dashboard.

GF on July 18, 2019:

I a VW with a seal leak. Is a 6 speed dsg gear. this may damage the gear Box?

John Bullock (author) from Yorkshire, England on July 15, 2019:

Perishable parts (seals, pistons, etc) wearing is a common cause of oil leakage, yes.

Azmi Ab Rahman on July 14, 2019:

Transmission damper wearing out and causing transmission oil to leak. Is this a valid observation made by mechanics?

Kai on June 16, 2019:

Hi I’m having bad issues with my 2014 a3 tdi s line, I’m experiencing really bad shuddering/vibration on acceleration in sports, dynamic, manual mode from 30-70mph I’m 4th, 5th, 6th, but in economical mode I don’t experience any of this but now the transmission is making a really loud rattling noise under acceleration same gears in economical mode but no shuddering/vibration until sports, dynamic, manual mode is engages can anyone help me please

peter smith on June 14, 2019:

I mistakenly omitted this info. I am driving a 2014 VW Passat 1.8TSI.

Peter

peter smith on June 14, 2019:

On start up in the morning i get a bad shuddering when driving for about the first 1/2 mile. After coming up to temperature everything smooths out and i have no further problems. I took it in to the VW agent here and after diagnostics they told me i have to change clutch and flywheel. I asked the senior tech how does he explain the problems going away when the car comes up to temperature and he says he cant explain. What can i do. This is very costly if i have to change clutch, flywheel and pilot bearing.

Thanks in advance...Peter

Maj on June 14, 2019:

Hi, I have problems with my Audi TTS 6 speed automatic. The PRND lights occasionally flash when it won’t go into reverse. When starting the car from cold there will be a clinching noise twice and won’t engage into park, I have to turn the engine off and back on for it to behave. Would this be a mechatronic problem or clutch pack issue?

Al on May 28, 2019:

Is the S-Tronic on a 2011-12 Audi A3 a good unit? Any specific reason to avoid?

Amit on May 28, 2019:

Hi..I got dsg skoda rapid.yesterday I observed clattering sound and also just once from neutral to pick up it went to Straight to d2.i switch off the car and wait for two minutes and restart again.it went well. But today again noise came. Normally my engine temp is sound 90 degree but twice it went to 95 degree. I have drove my car to 103000 kk

Jitender on May 23, 2019:

Hi I have skoda Laura and I’ll sown fault code in gear box C06E4 what is checking

nuno on May 20, 2019:

hello, my car has no strength between 1300 and 2000 rpms, the problem has been increasing over time.

it's a dsg dq250

Thank you very much.

nuno on May 20, 2019:

hello, my car has no strength between 1300 and 2000 rpms, the problem has been increasing over time.

it's a dsg dq250

Thank you very much.

giveus mathe on May 18, 2019:

i have a gti 5 ,its rejects other magtronics

Gordon B on May 13, 2019:

I have a 2009 VW Passat CC TDI 2-0lt i have had a problem with Limp Mode when you kick it back mainly with uphill driving and also it is hesitant to start when the engine has warmed up after turning it off, the DSG transmission has been changed but the engine management light stays on since i kicked it back to pass another car so could you tell me what the problem could be. ?

Zack on May 11, 2019:

I have an 08 jetta 2.0 wolfsberg, it stalled 4 times the other day, when it stalled the EPC light would flash when it lost power. But would start right back up. I noticed that the prnds was flashing when i started the car and put it in gear. But was not doing any of the shakking or symptoms that were listed above. Had a code for mass airflow sensor. Replaced it. Seems better well at least the car did not stall or loose power, it did act like it was going to stall twice but did not. Drove about 10 miles with no stalls or loss of power.

Michrolgatgmaildotcom on May 05, 2019:

I have a 746 code: solenoid a off . Icar was recently purchased and i serviced tranny. 4k miles later limp mode only when warm and code. Wirks fine if cooled down. What u think? Fresh oul loosened dirt and needs additional flush?

Rolando m on May 01, 2019:

P0746 code solenoid a off. Is it possible debris from contaminated fluid is obstructing s passage and can be fixed by a flush? 2007 eos 6 dsg Michrolg@gmail.com

Ahmed on April 19, 2019:

I have a ford galaxy titanium 2016. When I put into drive. It's move but within 20 second its loose power.

But when I drive Manually 1st gear works. 2nd gear not work losses power. 3rd gear works, 4th gear not work, 5th gear works, but 6th gear lose power.

Other wise everything is perfect order.

What is the problem could be.

Thank you

Charles Mhlongo on April 05, 2019:

Hi I'm driving 2013 audi a4 2.0t quattro stronic when i revers is got scratching

noise what can that be.

Dayalan Dean gounder on April 04, 2019:

Hi I’m wanting to purchase a 2011 Vw Passat 1.8 tsi dsg . Anything I need to know about this car ? It has 133000km on the clock

tony chirita on April 02, 2019:

buna seara am o problema la un passat b6 2010 dsg automata cand se schimba viteza nu mai apare in bord cand se schimba vitezele.care ar fi problema

Trevor Naidoo on March 26, 2019:

Hi

I have Golf 5 GTI GSG box. and it was replaced exchange unit.does box need to be bleeded it like the brakes???

Natram2012 on March 23, 2019:

Hey John i have a 2010 Passat tsi with the 6 speed dsg trans. My car has a weird problem. Car will drive fine some times, i will be able drive in all six gears for a time, then the car will down shift to 3rd and not go pass that gear. i had no codes when this happened. Now i get a code 17106 the prnd flashes When this happens i cant get pass 3rd gear as well. But again will drive fine Dont know what do right now. Please help

Idris on March 23, 2019:

Hi John, thanks for this piece. I have a 2010 passat with 2.0 TSI engine and DSG transmission. Suddenly the transmission stopped. I diagnosed and got these codes

17106, 18201, 17100, 18222, 18227 and 16988. Am being advised to replace the transmission. Is this correct and what could have led to this so i can prevent subsequent occurrence. I just bought the car into Nigeria about 2weeks ago.

Thanks

Rick VR on March 21, 2019:

Hello John, Thank you for your clear explaination! I have a question though. I have an audi tt 3.2 with the dsg DQ250. The old mechatronic was broken (the ECU in te mechatronic itself). Now i placed another one but the car drives only in reverse and 1st gear when its about to shift it goes in limp mode PRNDS flashing. Is it maybe the coding that is wrong? it gives two databus faultcodes in vcds. and if so, is it possible to code it the rightway without the need to acces and retrieve data (coding) from the old Mechatronic?

I look forward to your insight.

Kind regards

Simon on March 16, 2019:

Hey there my car revs by itself plus it sometimes hesitates to drive smoothly

Martin on March 14, 2019:

Hi there the problem i have is when driving my 2013 powershift Ford galaxy when driving for 5 minutes i get a transmission error and lose all gears and have to pull up on recycling the ignition it disappears and car drives fine until the next time I have t o use it once its been stood for a while

Cassim Banda on March 13, 2019:

Hello, I need some help with a VW T5 DSG 6speed. I changed the head on the car couple of days ago, yesterday the car started stalling when I put it on drive or reverse. It even drops the revs when I move the car from park to drive. It’s like it disengage the accelerator when I put on drive or reverse as it does not accelerate at all.

John Bullock (author) from Yorkshire, England on March 12, 2019:

Hello Ramon. The cable is unlikely; if the transmission had somehow been pulled into neutral by a faulty cable, you wouldn't have been able to drive it home without physically getting it OUT of neutral first. It is possible the selector itself could be the problem although that is not a very a common fault. I would recommend letting an electrician poke at some wires before spending any serious money on new selectors or mechatronics.

John Bullock (author) from Yorkshire, England on March 12, 2019:

Hello again. I'm sorry I couldn't tell you if the flywheel on the Caddy and Golf are the same. If the transmission and engine match up (same codes) I can't think of a reason why the flywheels wouldn't also match, but I just don't know for certain.

Clemesha from West Australia on March 12, 2019:

Hi and thank you for your replies.

With the cost of parts so high in Aus A$1900 for ta dual mass flywheel.

We are now looking at doing a replacement of the whole DSG system.

I agree the dual mass flywheel needs to be replaced the mechatronic. and the wiring are the possible all the faulty parts. We have found a very low milage Sports 2L Golf of mid 2007 as our parts donor. The dual mass flywheel in the golf and the caddy measure exactly the same as each other but have one digit different part numbers. Every thing else seems the same like 02E 301 107 gearbox numbers. If this exchange works out a going car that will be great. Of course over our winter months in Australia. (Your Summer) I intend to test and rebuild the mega replace the wiring and order a dual mass flywheel on line.

Have you any warning about the dual mass flywheel for the 2L Golf being different to the Caddy one. The Caddy is Dec 2006 and the golf May 2007.

Best Wishes

Peter

John Bullock (author) from Yorkshire, England on March 11, 2019:

Hello. Sorry I would need to know which transmission is in your vehicle before taking a guess at the problem. However if you have the aforementioned DSG 6 speed and are getting a solenoid fault, the quote you were given may be to replace the mechatronic unit as a whole, rather than waste time and money trying to pin point the specific problem, which can sometimes end up more expensive in the long run.

John Bullock (author) from Yorkshire, England on March 11, 2019:

Hello. If there is nothing mechanical broken in the transmission (ie; bits of metal in the oil) then the speed sensor fault would indicate a faulty ECU/Mechatronic. However the ECU doesn't typically cause a noise like you described, so it's possible you could have multiple faults on your hands. The dual mass fly wheel would seem to be the most likely culprit for the noise you described. The state of the flywheel can be checked before replacing... though you would need to remove the transmission to do so.

John Bullock (author) from Yorkshire, England on March 11, 2019:

Hello, it sounds like an adaptation issue. If you have not had the adaptations reset, I would try that first.

Pasat cc 2010 on March 05, 2019:

Can Someone pls hello me, I just bought a used Passat And sometimos ir doesnt shift at all from first speed, then You change it to auto stick And change to third, put it back to drive And it works just fine until you turn it off again. Passat cc 2010 2.0 T

Jacob on February 27, 2019:

Just bought 1.6Tdi 2009 plate..automatic. It was gone for a day and now had ‘service now’ and shifts horribly between D1/3/5/7 only...ok in tiptronic but sports mode it won’t shift at all...I’m taking it back to the dealer but is this something I should walk away from?

Clemesha from West Australia on February 26, 2019:

Hello And Best wishes.

These DSG boxes for me are not at all straight forward. And my friend doing the work is in the same boat.

WE have a big problem in finding the fault from the symptoms we have found in 2006 1.9 Diesel Caddy 02E box. That went into limp mode.

1 When the box is cold it works fine in all gears.

2 when it gets hot then no reverse. but still travels at 80kph or 50mph.

3 Then a little further Limp Mode.

3 We had a 2 solenoid faults in Mega unit and replaced them. and those faults cleared. one had a low elect power.

5 We put in new oil and filter 2 years from last oil change.

6 We have a 18154 fault that does not go away. Autel

On my friends Scanner it gives a 0609 ECU speed sensor fault

7 When I listen to the box in Park engine on I can hear some thing like a kitchen sieve and Cutlery Knives, Forks, rotating. Not as loud as the engine. The stethoscope cannot narrow down the area of the sound because of the engine sound is too strong. So i think it is in the clutch area. away from the outside of the Engine & gearbox. One cannot hear this sound with the window open sitting in side the cab.

I think we will need to do a clutch job. and Not the flywheel job.

But we would like to make shore it is not a flaky relay or some dumb thing causing it. The thing that comes to mind is the internal wiring in the box that may be the fault this was a known problem in earlier VWs. No thing hurts like throwing parts and money at something we are not shore is the problem!!!

Here is the limp mode description

1. When it first occurs you are traveling at 60kPH

2. engine flared to 5000RPM

3. Speed dropped to 20kPH.

4. In this state it could flare to 5000RPM but would not go faster than 20 kPH.

5. The whole multi-function Display flashing

Any ideas

We are in Perth West Australia.

Clemesha from West Australia on February 26, 2019:

Hello And Best wishes.

These DSG boxes for me are not at all straight forward. And my friend doing the work is in the same boat.

WE have a big problem in finding the fault from the symptoms we have found in 2006 1.9 Diesel Caddy 02E box.

1 When the box is cold it works fine in all gears.

2 when it gets hot then no reverse. but still travels at 80kph or 50mph.

3 We had a 2 sensor faults in Mega unit and replaced them. and those faults cleared. one had a low elect power.

4 We put in new oil and filter 2 years from last oil change.

5 We have a 18154 fault that does not go away. Autel

On my friends Scanner it gives a 0609 ECU speed sensor fault

6 When I listen to the box in Park engine on I can hear some thing like a kitchen sieve and Cutlery Knives, Forks, rotating. Not as loud as the engine. The stethoscope cannot narrow down the area of the sound because of the engine sound is too strong. So i think it is in the clutch area. away from the outside of the Engine & gearbox. One cannot hear this sound with the window open sitting in side the cab.

I think we will need to do a clutch job. and Not the flywheel job.

But we would like to make shore it is not a flaky relay or some dumb thing causing it. The thing that comes to mind is the internal wiring in the box that may be the fault this was a known problem in earler VWs.

Any ideas

We are in Perth West Australia.

Manpreet Puri on February 15, 2019:

Hi

I have VW polo 2009 1.4 recently I been having a problem with it as PRNDS starts flashing with emissions sign ,took it to gearbox specialist and it is dignosed as solenoid valve V6 is open or Short .

Please help me as been quoted £1400-1800 .

John Stafford on December 29, 2018:

I have bought a 2012 golf R with a stage 2+ tune. The car goes well with 0-100 klm/hr in about 4 seconds. The shifting is very precise and no issues with maximum effort fast driving on a dirt track. But, on start up before the engine and gearbox comes to normal operating temperature it can be jerky sometimes when you pull off, particularly in reverse and sometimes even kangaroo hops, so that I have to bring the car to a full stop and start off again. Is this a clutch pack issue or is it the flywheel issue?