VW Polo 2013 transmission failed - garage prices reasonable?

[Aakash]

Hi,

I have an automatic VW Polo 2013 match 1.4 with the DSG transmission. Mileage 65k miles.
One day I went to start the car and it wouldn't engage reverse gear, showing a spanner icon which I've read online is a known fault with these cars.
It can drive forwards but skips 2nd and 4th gears.

Took it to a garage recommended by other garages and they charge £1200 + vat flat rate for a "gearbox repair". They asked if I wanted the clutch replaced at the same time for additional £300+ vat so I said sure.
Then today I get a call after it's meant to be ready saying actually now another part needs changing - the TCM (Transmission Control Module) which will be another £300+vat.
This seems excessive to me since the original price was meant to be inclusive of whatever it took to repair the gearbox. They explained that this part is separate to the gearbox which makes me question why I'm paying £1200 for a gearbox repair if the gearbox itself was fine and this TCM was the real issue?

Let me know your thoughts, thanks.

[stevemcs]

Ah the 7 speed dry clutch, the gearbox company we use charge around £3500 for remove, refit, replce the clutch pack and replace the mechatroincs unit, its perfectly normal for them to break without warning. Wth gearboxes its very difficult to determine whats needed until its stripped down, so no i don't think its unreasonable or expensive.

[E-bmw]

As above, seems reasonable & they obviously did a "gearbox repair" for the price quoted for a "gearbox repair" unfortunately, as the ECU isn't part of the gearbox, obviously it comes at an extra cost.

Hopefully it will now be problem solved.

Another reason for my hatred of "auto" (yes, I know many aren't) gear boxes.

[dan98]

I'm no mechanic but it seems to be a known issue on this era of DSG that the Mechatronics unit fails far more readily than the gearbox itself. This is a relatively cheap fix. (you can google that one).
But now that you've got this far you probably have no way to prove that either way.

These are great gearboxes but what I find baffling is nobody seems to know what the maintenance is on them.

[stevemcs]

dan98 said:

I'm no mechanic but it seems to be a known issue on this era of DSG that the Mechatronics unit fails far more readily than the gearbox itself. This is a relatively cheap fix. (you can google that one).
But now that you've got this far you probably have no way to prove that either way.

These are great gearboxes but what I find baffling is nobody seems to know what the maintenance is on them.

Its a known issue on the dry clutch, if you are lucky then its just the clutch pack or the mechatonics that fail, if you are unlucky then its both. There is no service requirments on these, they have the smallest amount of oil in them - around 1 litre and its not a contributing factor.

[normalbloke]

dan98 said:

I'm no mechanic but it seems to be a known issue on this era of DSG that the Mechatronics unit fails far more readily than the gearbox itself. This is a relatively cheap fix. (you can google that one).
But now that you've got this far you probably have no way to prove that either way.

These are great gearboxes but what I find baffling is nobody seems to know what the maintenance is on them.

The 7 speed dry clutch DQ200 as fitted to the OP, is certainly NOT a great gearbox, is well known for its issues, and the comedy ‘sealed for life’ attitude by VAG.
The 6 speed wet clutch DQ250 fitted to many of the VAG cars, is generally considered a great box and pretty reliable. Most people do know the service intervals on them, which is 40k miles.

[dan98]

normalbloke said:

The 7 speed dry clutch DQ200 as fitted to the OP, is certainly NOT a great gearbox, is well known for its issues, and the comedy ‘sealed for life’ attitude by VAG.
The 6 speed wet clutch DQ250 fitted to many of the VAG cars, is generally considered a great box and pretty reliable. Most people do know the service intervals on them, which is 40k miles.

I meant great to drive, not to maintain.
A 7 speed Polo of this (similar) vintage proves to be an ongoing kerfuffle as regards servicing - probably down to the 'sealed for life' claim that you mention.

Can you suggest the best way of keeping this gearbox going (it's past 100k already) - oil changes or something else?

[Sardonicus]

Your problem was the mecha-tronic module/controller all along along they fked up the original diagnosis the box itself seldom give bother and thats normally crunching synchro's with big mileage IME

[dan98]

dan98 said:

normalbloke said:

The 7 speed dry clutch DQ200 as fitted to the OP, is certainly NOT a great gearbox, is well known for its issues, and the comedy ‘sealed for life’ attitude by VAG.
The 6 speed wet clutch DQ250 fitted to many of the VAG cars, is generally considered a great box and pretty reliable. Most people do know the service intervals on them, which is 40k miles.

I meant great to drive, not to maintain.
A 7 speed Polo of this (similar) vintage proves to be an ongoing kerfuffle as regards servicing - probably down to the 'sealed for life' claim that you mention.

Can you suggest the best way of keeping this gearbox going (it's past 100k already) - oil changes or something else?

It's uncanny how no-one wants to talk about maintenance on these 7 speed gearboxes or mechatronics units.
Do I take from that you simply wait for them to go wrong?

[Sardonicus]

Total Mecha-tronic failre is common on these (blows 30 AMP fuse) I gather its the + power supply for the motor drive for the oil pump to pressurise the accumulator , apparently down to the OEM fit oil containing metallic additives thus shorting the circuit board tracks over time personally I have my doubts of this cause more likely st VAG outsourced component quality, when mecha-tronic unit replaced they supply an alternative CHF oil (green) to stop a repeat . and yes you can change the oil in this unit about 0.8 litres IIRC and the box oil (two seperate lubes on 7sp DSG unlike 6sp with wet clutches) can be renewed also but like many OEM transmissions its not in their interest to prolong the lifespan when they would rather you replaced a failed transmission costing thousands income counts more than rep sadly nowadays

[dan98]

Sardonicus said:

Total Mecha-tronic failre is common on these (blows 30 AMP fuse) I gather its the + power supply for the motor drive for the oil pump to pressurise the accumulator , apparently down to the OEM fit oil containing metallic additives thus shorting the circuit board tracks over time personally I have my doubts of this cause more likely st VAG outsourced component quality, when mecha-tronic unit replaced they supply an alternative CHF oil (green) to stop a repeat . and yes you can change the oil in this unit about 0.8 litres IIRC and the box oil (two seperate lubes on 7sp DSG unlike 6sp with wet clutches) can be renewed also but like many OEM transmissions its not in their interest to prolong the lifespan when they would rather you replaced a failed transmission costing thousands income counts more than rep sadly nowadays

Thanks, this is useful.
For some reason this topic always seems to get side-tracked to a bhing session about VW, and I'm left none the wiser at the end.

So it sounds like changing the oil in the mechatronics (green CHF) as well as the gearbox itself is going to be worthwhile..now to actually find someone prepared to do it.

[Sardonicus]

Its not hard TBH the Mech unit has a drain plug and you fill through the breather tube , dont mess about get the oils from VW that way your assured of the correct lubes superseded CHF/Mechatronic lube an trans oil , resetting the Mechatronic adaptions after service is also a bonus but not essential

[dan98]

Sardonicus said:

Its not hard TBH the Mech unit has a drain plug and you fill through the breather tube , dont mess about get the oils from VW that way your assured of the correct lubes superseded CHF/Mechatronic lube an trans oil , resetting the Mechatronic adaptions after service is also a bonus but not essential

Great - thanks