Hi,

I got a new facelift 2025 Scala 1.5 TSI with 6 speed manual last year in May. It doesn't have that many kilometers in it yet. First the gear changing was quite silent. After the summer the changing has started to be quite loud and makes various kinds of sounds.

It feels like the sounds come somewhere from the stick or related shifting mechanism and can be heard inside the car, not from the gearbox itself. This happens especially when changing to 3rd. But also sometimes or not that much when changing to 2nd and 4th. 5th and 6th are smooth and silent. Many times the sound is some kind of metallic clicking. Like some things are hitting against each other. Sometimes not that metallic but other kind of clank. Sometimes it sounds like two or more clicks or clanks. The sound varies. When going past the center neutral stop it usually makes a click/clank sound and then clicks/clanks again when reaching the end of the stick movement and maybe also in between. There sometimes feel some little stops through the stick after the center. It also sometimes needs a bit of force so it's not smooth.

If I change through the gears several times when the engine is not running and then drive again the clicking sound might go away or is not that loud for a while, but then goes back after a while. But not always.

The car was already in the dealer's service, but they didn't notice any problems with it. I have to say that it didn't produce the sounds for longer time at the time when I brought the car there so I understand they probably were not able to notice it. It's like when you go to the doctor you don't have symptoms anymore... However, because of that they didn't check it more specifically. They said they still made some basic adjustments if it helps. I don't know what they did. It was a bit better after that a couple of weeks, but then it started to make the sound again. Before it also made a flop kind of sound when changing to 1st, but this sound has disappeared after the adjustments they made. They said to bring it back if the issue doesn't go away and they would have to check it more.

So it's not very smooth and the sound and also the feel from the stick makes me wonder if there's something wrong and can it break. What might cause that? I have driven manual gears for years and they were not like that. Before I had a Seat Leon 1.4 TSI 6 speed manual for 11 years and the gear changing was not making that kind of sounds and was smooth. I also test drove an older used Scala with manual gears before I bought mine and that gear changing was similar to Leon.

I would like to know what the gear changing is like in other people's new facelift Scalas with 6 speed manual, does it make sounds or is it silent? Is it smooth?

I'm thinking about to go to the service again. But would like to hear comments first

There are, I think, two possibilities:

The gear shift linkages might need adjusting.

The actual shift lever mechanism might need some lubrication.

The best thing is to take it to the dealer and demonstrate the problem on a test drive. If they tell you it is fine then ask them to note the problem on the cars electronic service record. This way if the problem gets worse you have a record of reporting it before the car is 1 year old.

Edited 16 January16 Jan by Aldfort

On the dash is the correct gear shown with noises?

Sounds like they might have already adjusted the cable but who knows unless they tell you.

The gear lever and associated mechanisms are plastic and in other VW boxes the bits under the gear lever console cover can need attention - or perhaps even a foreign object, perhaps tool or other left under there by someone.

Another Scala owner recently complain of 6-speed box changing issue but different to this and on 1.0 TSI.

The gear change should be smooth there is a fault get them to sort it.

Good luck.

Thanks for answers.

Yes the correct gear is shown on the dash. Not a problem to actually get the gears changed. The gears don't grind and so on. Only the noises from the shifting are strange and the stick movement is not always very smooth. Mostly it's like "click-click", "clank". It also sometimes needs a bit more force to reach the end of the stick movement than what I would expect. Also getting the reverse selected usually needs a bit of force. In my previous Leon the reverse would not always went on easily and you needed sometimes to spin the box by lifting the clutch for a second and after that it went on easily. But now with Scala that's not helping with the reverse, it just seems stiff to move the stick.

I have thought that maybe something is loose and makes the sounds. They perhaps adjusted the cables last time. They said they didn't open anything. I don't know about cable adjustments myself, but assume they can be adjusted outside? I was a bit annoyed as it was recorded to the service booking like I had described the problem on the phone and they obviously hadn't even opened the stick covers to look. It's a good idea to demonstrate the problem on a test drive with a mechanic and this I had in mind myself. I will demand that and also that they open the covers and check more.

Sounds more like a gear lever mechanism or something in that area, the clicking and what you put previous made me think of something electrical, a contact perhaps.

With reverse and firs you need to be sure the revs have dropped and with both sometimes you can be "off cog" so spin the box lift and push clutch pedal but you might also need to add letting the car move very slightly by rolling under its own (not inconsiderable VW) weight.

Plenty of videos about cable adjustment for you to see. If they didn't open anything including the gear lever gaiter and console bit then what did they do, not much by sounds of it. They could, if n already done so, look at the gearbox mechanism end in case any of the sound is travelling up the connecting cables.

Yes get mechanic out with you but possibly Sod's Law the noises won't be there then but you can always ask what they have done to find the issue and really press for this. it's a new car and they are p1ssing you about, as much as you can don't allow this, keep your cool and be polite but very firm.

Let us know how you get on.

One more thing, are you sure you are depressing the clutch to fully disengage it?

Two possibilities, either you are pressing a bit too much or not enough. This is a longshot and I think going to the dealer is the best bet.

i think, my car has a same sounds. 1.0 Tsi 2023

Yes the clutch is fully depressed.

I tried to record the sound with my phone. It was not easy to get the metallic version of the sound recorded as you never know how it would sound each time and also it's maybe not that clear in the recordings. And the phone recored all kinds of other noices 😅 I attached two sound files so you can listen:
- sound 1: I change first to 2nd, then 3rd, turning signal and changing to 2nd, then 3rd, 4th (just one click) and at the end back to 3rd.
- sound 2: I change first to 2nd, then 3rd, back to 2nd, then at the end to 3rd.

The gear change is usually that "click-click" especially to 3rd.

@thomaser07 Do you have that kind of sound or some other?

Edited 25 January25 Jan by vmt

I can't hear anything except the distinct click as the gear leaver moves across the gate.

To me there's gear lever selection sounds I'm not sure I heard the click but things did sound louder than I'd expect but that might just be the recording and position of phone when recording.

Get the Dealership to remove the gear lever gaiter and look at and listen to the mechanism to see if something is loose or a foreign body is in there.

If it was out of warranty I'd give the area a little lubrication and see if that changes the sound and/or get someone to drive with the gaiter removed (but careful not to drop or spill anything in the exposed area) and I would be in the passenger seat listening. With the gaiter removed the sound will be less muffled.

Yes that sound. In the recording it may not feel that clear/loud than it actually is. Also noticed it does not sound so clear when playing with my laptop with headphones as it sounds when playing with my phone So unfortunately it seems to depent on the equipment you play it with.

But the sound can be actually quite loud in the car and you can hear it even if you play music. I don't mean it should be completely silent Of course the mechanism makes some kind of sound. But I can't remember having heard that kind of sound and loud in any other car I have driven. Usually the sound in gear changing in my mind is more like "thump" than metallic sounding clear click/clank. I don't expect that kind of sound. Sorry, I'm not a native English speaker, so may not use the correct words to describe the sound.

Today I drove the car with a friend and he also noticed it makes different sounds. He also felt the stick movement feeling a bit strange and not that smooth especially when moving to 3rd when he was driving. I will have to book the service again and get it checked more.

28 minutes ago, vmt said:

So unfortunately it seems to depent on the equipment you play it with.

Yeap same with phots and videos, variations with the recording equipment plus on playback equipment and of course the techniques used by the person(s) doing the recording, that iss why a (reasonably) good set of eye, ears, nostrils and body feel are helpful as diagnostic tools picking up things the computers won't.

Of course time, patience and a willing attitude may also be required, these aren't always available or allowed at all garages.

Your English is good.

No you should not hear the gear change really and certainly not really noticeable above the sound of a radio. I am sure there must be something wrong and the Dealership should sort it, the fact it is not clearly heard on your recording does not matter. Is it possible to get a mechanic out driving the car with you as passenger and point out when the noises happen.

You have a nearly new car and there is something wrong with it, they need to sort it. From my limited experience the VW engines and gearboxes generally are not bad but neither are they great however they should work well enough at least for a while particularly whilst still under the short warranty offered.

Good luck.

Ask that a "master technician" goes out with you for a test drive. Suggest you drive and then tell them when you hear the sound.

"Master Technician" may be a UK term - here it means a technician who has had a lot of Skoda training.

Personally I'd have the mechanic (whatever title he has) do the driving so that he can feel if there is any feel when you point out the sound. But getting anyone in a Dealership to go out in the car with you would be an achivement in the UK.

Thanks for all the comments. I now have a service booked for next week. The service guy on the phone proposed himself that I should go on a test drive with a mechanic and he will book a mechanic waiting for me. So that's very good that I didn't have to ask for it. I'm in Finland. Let's see. Hopefully this time the sound will be present.

Thanks for the feedback, well done on getting things underway. It would be interesting to hear the final outcome.

2 hours ago, vmt said:

I'm in Finland.

That is the difference. I noted this from you 'Author stats' but without this it will be assumed that you are in the UK where the Dealerships are not always as good as they could or should be. Do you not have Japanese manufacturers sold in Finland?

Usually I have got quite ok service from dealerships. But it can vary here also. This seems to be quite a good forum with lot of posts. In Finland there is a forum regarding VW group cars, but there's not much discussion about Scalas. I thought here are more people. Also I have noticed that in many other countries people have still bought Scalas with manual gears. In Finland it seems people prefer automatic gears today.

In Finland the most popular manufacturer has been Toyota for years. Nissan is still popular for some especially with Qashqai. Honda is not popular today. The top sold manufacturers last year in Finland were: Toyota, Volkswagen, Skoda, Volvo, Kia, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Ford, Tesla in that order. Skoda is very popular and you usually see several Skodas in traffic lights.

As with UK German marques are undeservedly popular and take advantage of this relying on out of date reputations, I'm sure things will change in the next x-number of years whether VW, BMW and Merc can pull it round by then we'll have to see, probably just heritage brand names for other owners.

Good luck with your issue.