Noisy DSG lower gears?

[bw10030]

Anybody come across this before? Very occasionally (like once a month), my 170 DSG car makes a right old racket! It's usually when cold, and it sounds like a really clapped out (rattly) engine, but I think it may be gearbox? The car is properly serviced ( two 10000 mile services done), and uses no oil, nor is the smooth running of the engine (for a diesel!) affected - it's just an awful noise. It's significantly noisier than normal - like you can hear it over the radio whereas normally there's no engine noise, and as soon as the gear changes, and revs drop, so does the noise. It seems to start at 2500 - 3000 RPM. It does not do it in 3rd or higher, even when it has made the noise in 2nd and you extend the engine speed into the 'problem' area. Once it starts it stays noisy in 1st or 2nd until warm.

Car is a 12 MY estate, with 20000 miles on the clock.

I would like some ideas because taking it to the dealers (12 miles away) means the problem has gone long before I can get there.

[Supurbia]

Dual mass flywheel is on it's way, get it changed asap or it will trash the box and that is 5k to you sir.

[bw10030]

Wow! at 12 months/ 20000 miles old? I'll get round to the dealers, not that they will confirm anything awry I guess.

[Supurbia]

It should sound like loose pebbles in a washing machine, if that is the sound it's the dmf doing it,

You will need to leave it with them overnight for a true diagnosis.

[wrenko]

Worldwide major DSG recalls going on. As usual us Brits miss out - for now

Volkswagen UK has revealed that it sees no reason to issue a recall for its seven-speed dual shift DSG gearbox equipped cars, saying that the problems that have led to recalls in other parts of the world for cars fitted with the same part are a result of specific climatic and driving conditions.

This week VW, Audi and Skoda issued a recall in Australia and New Zealand for cars fitted with the gearbox, codenamed DQ200, as a result of a fault with its mechatronic system. That added to recalls already issued in China, Japan, Singapore and Malaysia, and followed 100 complaints from VW owners in Australia relating to an apparent power loss.

However, although the Australian-specification VW's use the same DQ200 gearbox as UK cars, a spokesman explained: "It is a problem that relates only to temperate countries with a high incidence of stop and start driving. It requires a set of circumstances - humidity, temperature, dust and congested driving conditions - that we simply don't see in the UK.

"We have robust systems in place to monitor potential problems and, although we have around 48,000 cars on the road equipped with DG200 gearboxes, we haven't seen any failures that we can attribute to this problem."

More here http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/news/miscellaneous/2013-06/volkswagen-reliability-shock-in-australia/

Edited 13 June, 2013 by wrenko

[Devon Wanderer]

Worldwide major DSG recalls going on. As usual us Brits miss out - for now

Volkswagen UK has revealed that it sees no reason to issue a recall for its seven-speed dual shift DSG gearbox equipped cars, ...

But the OP has a TDi; wouldn't that be 6-speed?

[bw10030]

Yes., it's the 6 speed DSG. Pebbles in a washing machine is a good description - it's so loud that (when it happens) you can't miss it, trouble is it does it once in a blue moon, and only when cold, and only in the lower two gears, and only when you extend the revs a little more than normal! Try getting that through to the mechanic via the service desk, and the computer booking system!

I'll get to the dealers - at least then it's on the car's record so if it does go 'bang' (probably just after it is out of warranty), then I have cause for complaint.