My Fabia vRS Tdi is approaching 100 K. I got it at 64 K, I have not changed the gear oil so far during my tenure of ownership and the service history from the previous owners I have, makes absolutely no mention of it being done before either.

So, the question is, at what mileage does the gear oil get changed and what grade / type do you use?

I have done a search but information is a little sparse, so, any info would be appreciated. Thanks!

Skoda say its sealed for life!

I changed it at 80k (I think) in my old octy and it made a noticeable difference. Get the proper VAG stuff, not that expensive.

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Yeah Skoda say filled for life, which is nonsense. My gearchange felt awful at 60,000 miles. I changed the gearbox oil and now it feels like new again.

Changed mine about 100,000. Never noticed a difference :/

I took pictures of the old oil beside the new oil and it was awful.

Their appears to be a ...drone / very slight rubbing noise from my car when driving from cold, it doesn't behave like a wheel bearing noise in that it is constant, turning left or right does not affect the noise at all and it quietens only slightly when the car warms up. It is constant through every gear and only goes away when you dip the clutch (at any speed or in any gear). I must admit to being a little baffled. The car had an o/s outer CV boot replaced recently but, the noise didn't appear until at least two weeks after the job was done. The gear oil was the only thing that I could think of, strange that Skoda say it is filled for life, because all oils do have a lifetime as such, I would have thought it should be changed myself even if it was every 100 K, although I would have thought that 50 K was more realistic due to the loading it has to deal with.

The thing is, the gear changes are as smooth as silk, there is no notchiness, no noticeable whining in any particular gear and no problems with the box otherwise, just this odd drone / very slight rubbing noise, as I said I am baffled.

Edited 20 August, 201411 yr by Coffin Dodger

As mentioned above, there isn't a service time schedule for gear box oil replacement,

It probably won't do any harm to change it, but as you've already mentioned a noise/drone the damage could already have been done internally to the gearbox

I used Castrol 75w90, and you need a special tool to get the drain and fill plugs out

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I change gearbox oil every 4 years, regardless of mileage, but mileage wise it works out to 60k-80k miles. Start with opening the fill plug, in case it is stuck. Castrol SMX-S 75W-85(now Syntrans 75W-90)also works for many Fabia/Roomster gearboxes, but it is best to get correct VW fluid for your gearbox.

 

If you change the gearbox oil, you might also want to have a good look at another "lifetime" item, namely power steering fluid. After a few years it is turning brown and full of water, rusting the inside of the steering rack. To change PS fluid without disconnecting the rack (I do it that way to avoid breaking hoses/connectors, fluid is cheap anyway), you need to vacuum it out of the reservoir, fill up with new fluid, then drive for a while, then repeat. On all hydraulic systems, the reservoir is quite small so it takes 8-10 changes to replenish the fluid back to green colour. On electro-hydraulic systems the reservoir is much bigger, so it only takes 2-3 reservoir refills for the full effect.

My changes are a bit clunky going into first, would this be indicative of needing new gearbox oil? The car is approaching 100k and there's no mention of it in the service history.

 

 

If you change the gearbox oil, you might also want to have a good look at another "lifetime" item, namely power steering fluid. After a few years it is turning brown and full of water, rusting the inside of the steering rack. To change PS fluid without disconnecting the rack (I do it that way to avoid breaking hoses/connectors, fluid is cheap anyway), you need to vacuum it out of the reservoir, fill up with new fluid, then drive for a while, then repeat. On all hydraulic systems, the reservoir is quite small so it takes 8-10 changes to replenish the fluid back to green colour. On electro-hydraulic systems the reservoir is much bigger, so it only takes 2-3 reservoir refills for the full effect.

sound advise   :-)

The only recommendation I've ever seen on the subject for "normal cars" is ZF Transmissions (and if they don't know who will?) recommending changing auto box fluid every 50_000 miles (the car maker in question claimed that a ZF auto box was sealed for life).

Finally found out what the drone was and carried out remedial action. New o/s front wheel bearing fitted today, problem solved, noise gone.

WTF it's only money and at least it's not the gearbox, still I think I'll get the gear oil changed, prevention is better than cure. (and cheaper)

Every 5ys is best..................

 

 

 

replaced mine with Millers motorsports stuff,....very slick when up to temp.............

Finally found out what the drone was and carried out remedial action. New o/s front wheel bearing fitted today, problem solved, noise gone.

WTF it's only money and at least it's not the gearbox, still I think I'll get the gear oil changed, prevention is better than cure. (and cheaper)

Don't know how I managed that post above, can't seem to delete it. I was going to say, you'd have thought it would be the gearbox if the noises dissappeared when you dipped the clutch, interesting how something much cheaper solved the problem

Don't know how I managed that post above, can't seem to delete it. I was going to say, you'd have thought it would be the gearbox if the noises dissappeared when you dipped the clutch, interesting how something much cheaper solved the problem

 

(In best Yoda accented tones), very thankful I am, that something much cheaper solved the problem, yes!