kzil

Hi, My Superb 1.8T DSG has just been in for that recall. They're changing the DSG box oil from synthetic to mineral. The synthetic oil seemingly produces sulphur particle when it reaches a certain temperature, so when your box heats up, the oil starts to conduct electricity. This of course f*cks up the mechatronic unit, and finally VW has gotten around to executing a recall (should have been done years ago, if you ask me). As I understand, this oil-problem has been the problem with the Chinese cars, inwhich the mechatronic just got too hot, short circuited and went offline, causing the the box to shut down in the middle of the freeway. It *should* have no impact on European cars driving under less extreme conditions. ...they say. But... - I have noticed a change. I have had little or no judder since the oil change. Smoother acceleration (not perfect, but without judder or clanks). Maybe they've updated the software as well, I don't know. I'm still selling my Superb though. Do you know that feeling that a care just loses its charm after one too many problems? :-( It's sad. Skoda never again.

For crying out loud - here we go again. Vibrations are back - with a vengeance. And the dealer is all like "Strange, normally we never have any problems with that clutch". Except for the three in my car, of course. This is getting absolutely ridiculous.

Mostly like a too quick shift. It's only once in a while - getting used to it. Skoda says that it's perfectly normal for a DSG... but hey - they would, wouldn't they? Yup, sounds like the clutch pack. Sorry to hear that. How old is your Golf? Mileage? Old or new design of clutch pack? The old one eats itself in months, I've been told. I did suspect the DMF at some point, as I experienced vibrations at high speed, and the Skoda workshop couldn't find the problem (they changed axels, balanced the wheels multiple times, and then gave up). A third party wheel expert then found badly fitted tires and 50g off balance in one of the wheel. Incredible that the brand workshop didn't notice that. It drives smoothly now.

Hi, Thank you for you reply. Thankfully I don't recognize these symptoms, except for the (sometimes) uneven shifts. I have a rock steady idle and no vibrations or noise at all. Only thing is that 2 > 3 sometimes is not as smooth as I wish. And what's more important - the most recent clutchpack is doing fine after almost 30kkm - not one slip. If symptoms like these start to show, I'll be sure to mention the DMF. Thanks! /K

The second clutch pack (new design) helped. But I'm not satisfied with the DSG7. It still accelerates unevenly. My car is on 52kkm now.

They should 1) trust you and 2) be able to look up that symptom on their VW database. It sounds like the clutch pack.

So, back from a drive of 300 km. Hard shifts from 1st to 2nd and some jerky riding at low speeds. No shudder in 2nd (the new clutch seems to have taken care of that) but both medium and high frequency vibrations in all gears, more pronounced in 4th under acceleration. The workshop just rebalanced the right frontwheel (off by 25 g) but that only took care of the worst vibes at +110 kmh. What is it with this car? I remember it as a very quiet, vibration free ride when I got it 30kkm ago, but now I just find it terrible to drive. Has anyone experienced this vibration/"signing" in the steering wheel? Is it caused by the transmission?

I'm sorry to say: No, it's not a wheel balance issue. This is the exact symptom of a clutch pack dying. It slips when you strain the drive train. It may be accompanied by high frequency vibrations in several gears. My guess is that if you hit the gas in 3rd or 4th gear going up hill, you wheel feel the same vibrations as the car goes down a gear. Have it checked and insist on that they check the clutch pack. I really hope that this is "only" a clutch pack issue. For now the car rides great and there's no vibration besides the road (my 225/45/17" tires let a lot of the road surface through to the steering wheel, unfortunately) and only a bit of unevenness in gear changes.

Ok. The car is back from the workshop. A new clutchpack is installed and the part no. is 0AM 198 140 C. The car drives smoother and with (almost) no vibrations now. The workshop tells me that the clutch/gearbox needs 1.000 km run in, så maybe it will get even better.

Oh, forgot: i'll post the part no. as soon as I get the invoice/report.

Get it checked asap!! It sounds like clutch problems and it will only get worse. To clarify: This clutch pack (will be installed 7. june) is the second new clutch pack to be installed in my car (no. 3 including the one it came with). According to the workshop it's a redesigned pack. I think VW/Skoda knows very well that the clutches in the DSG7 has issues and in my opinion they've been trying to avoid recalls by changing clutches as fast as possible, hoping they would last until the redesigned pack is out. Which it seems to be now. The good news is that the temporary fix (resetting the gearbox) made my car drive excellent for some days, until the clutches went haywire again. So it seems that the problem is with the clutches and not with the box itself. According to the workshop, the box is not much more complicated than a normal gearbox - it's the dry clutches and the mechatronic unit that are the sensitive parts.

Just wanted to post a quick follow up to this never-ending story. I had the car in for diagnosis while away on holiday. They found out that - surprise surprise - the new clutch pack was thrashed. That means that my DSG 7 has chewed through two double clutches in 18 months. Hmmm... Anyway: The workshop reset the gearbox and ordered a new clutch pack. This time with a new part no., so this might be the new improved clutch pack. The reset really helped for four days. It felt like a new car and I remembered why I bought a Superb. I rides beautifully, when it works. Now the clutch is slowly slipping back into grinding stone-mode. Besides that: Folding mirrors fixed, quirky steering wheel fixed, aircon *not* fixed yet, uneven idling still there.

Ok. New clutch pack helped. For a while. Now the box is vibrating, the pull off is slooooow and the wheel shudders. Vibrations in 2 and 4th gear. Sometimes spooky shudders when changing and a constant vibration in the steering wheel at acceleration, especially up hill. The feel of a gearbox dying. Besides that: FUBAR in the bluetooth department, folding mirrors won't fold using remote, whistling sound from the aircon, quirky steering wheel, uneven idling... I have never ever experienced a new car with this many faults. This will be my last VAG car of any kind, period. O well - back to the workshop.

Hey I used to have the classic "mirrors won't fold" problem. The workshop couldn't fix it but I used to remedy it by dropping and raising all windows once in a while. Now, however, I've gotten my Superb back from service. Now the mirror problem cannot be fixed at all. Furthermore, leaving home/coming home lights don't work and it seems that adaptive lighting system has died to. Has any one experienced this? It seems that the worst thing you can do to your Skoda is to send it to a cetified VW / Skoda workshop... :-/

After having a new clutchpack installed, the vibrations seem to have gone. But now the gearbox shift more abruptly. Furthermore the engine seems to strain a bit while pulling away. The revs are kept very (too) low - so low that the steering wheel vibrates a bit while accelerating.