Hi R32 owners,
Can anyone please help me with advice on an emerging but worrying problem I have with my 2006 model R32.
I recently took ownership of this privately owned car and am now am thoroughly beating myself up on the basis that I missed what is potentially a very expensive repair to be carried out on the DSG gearbox but at present I am still in the dark as to what the problem is.
Firstly so you are all aware i am not a DSG virgin having owned in the past a 6 speed DGS Golf Plus 1.9 TDi, and 7 speed DSG Golf Mk6 1.4 TSi, a 7 speed DSG Skoda Roomster 1.2 TSi and a 7 speed DSG Skoda Octavia 1.8 TSi. My fiancee currently owns a 6 speed DSG Golf Mk7 2.0 TDi. So you can see I am not totally unaware of the pitfalls or idiosyncrasies of the functions of these units, but up to now apart from the clutch packs wearing out on my Roomster I had never had any issues with any of these gearboxes. I believe the DSG gearbox is a great piece of technology but as with all things when things go wrong there is a price to pay. However when the manufacturer and service departments then fail to admit to any potential issues it may have then its a whole new ball game.
Somehow I stupidly missed the issue with this gearbox because on the day I test drove the R32 the gentlemen who owned the car lived in a cobbled stone cut de sac and I dont think I would have heard the downshift noise and the main roads with very quiet so i tested its performance and did not test the downshift as much as I should have. (A lesson to all)
However sadly the R32 DSG unit has a problem to which even a local VW dealership is worryingly saying they don't know what it is......................and that I really can not believe!!!
The problem
Firstly on downshift in auto mode from 3-2 and 2-1 there is a very audible clunk/thud call it what you will. If I am watching the display I can see the numbers change and then hear the noise immediately after. It is genuinely a loud noise and can also actually be sometimes felt through the floor of the car. However if I use the paddles the noise either is not there at all or is much less audible.
Secondly when taking off from rest in 1st gear there is particularly if am not excruciatingly gentle with the accelerator a delay for a second before the car jolts off. It is as if the gear is not engaging correctly even though the car is creeping forward. I have to say I have on a couple of occasions nearly soiled myself on busy junctions because the car has not picked up quickly enough.
The gearbox otherwise seems to upshift and downshift correctly and is generally smooth. The gearbox has also been carefully maintained at its 40,000 mile servicing intervals. The car itself has impeccable service history.
The VW service department having looked at my car and so say spent 2.5 hours road testing and examining the vehicle only to claim they heard the clunking noise once..............that is a mystery to me as it genuinely happens all the time, but there you go, so £105 later I am left with the service department saying keep driving the car and see if it gets worse and and the really reassuring dont worry some of these gearboxes do make a noise now and then!!!!
Conclusion
I am now left with an R32 that I will be unable to sell as anyone with an ounce of common sense will drive it and know there is an issue, so on that basis I will need to find a deaf person who wants a R32 and has never driven a DSG!! whats the chances of that......?
Dont get me wrong i love the car, its look, the amazing engine and the way it drives (when changing up) but I know in my heart there is a problem but if VW can't say what it is then that to me is either a servicing denial or a case of them hoping the gearbox goes bang and I go back to them to receive a huge repair bill.
I have read other forum members experiences with potentially similar issues but wonder if anyone can definitively tell me what this problem is and the likely spend to put it right and where best to get it done. I live near Torquay Devon but do go to Hampshire quite a lot so either of the areas would be good for me.
Thank you for reading this post and any advice you can give would be truly appreciated.
Can anyone please help me with advice on an emerging but worrying problem I have with my 2006 model R32.
I recently took ownership of this privately owned car and am now am thoroughly beating myself up on the basis that I missed what is potentially a very expensive repair to be carried out on the DSG gearbox but at present I am still in the dark as to what the problem is.
Firstly so you are all aware i am not a DSG virgin having owned in the past a 6 speed DGS Golf Plus 1.9 TDi, and 7 speed DSG Golf Mk6 1.4 TSi, a 7 speed DSG Skoda Roomster 1.2 TSi and a 7 speed DSG Skoda Octavia 1.8 TSi. My fiancee currently owns a 6 speed DSG Golf Mk7 2.0 TDi. So you can see I am not totally unaware of the pitfalls or idiosyncrasies of the functions of these units, but up to now apart from the clutch packs wearing out on my Roomster I had never had any issues with any of these gearboxes. I believe the DSG gearbox is a great piece of technology but as with all things when things go wrong there is a price to pay. However when the manufacturer and service departments then fail to admit to any potential issues it may have then its a whole new ball game.
Somehow I stupidly missed the issue with this gearbox because on the day I test drove the R32 the gentlemen who owned the car lived in a cobbled stone cut de sac and I dont think I would have heard the downshift noise and the main roads with very quiet so i tested its performance and did not test the downshift as much as I should have. (A lesson to all)
However sadly the R32 DSG unit has a problem to which even a local VW dealership is worryingly saying they don't know what it is......................and that I really can not believe!!!
The problem
Firstly on downshift in auto mode from 3-2 and 2-1 there is a very audible clunk/thud call it what you will. If I am watching the display I can see the numbers change and then hear the noise immediately after. It is genuinely a loud noise and can also actually be sometimes felt through the floor of the car. However if I use the paddles the noise either is not there at all or is much less audible.
Secondly when taking off from rest in 1st gear there is particularly if am not excruciatingly gentle with the accelerator a delay for a second before the car jolts off. It is as if the gear is not engaging correctly even though the car is creeping forward. I have to say I have on a couple of occasions nearly soiled myself on busy junctions because the car has not picked up quickly enough.
The gearbox otherwise seems to upshift and downshift correctly and is generally smooth. The gearbox has also been carefully maintained at its 40,000 mile servicing intervals. The car itself has impeccable service history.
The VW service department having looked at my car and so say spent 2.5 hours road testing and examining the vehicle only to claim they heard the clunking noise once..............that is a mystery to me as it genuinely happens all the time, but there you go, so £105 later I am left with the service department saying keep driving the car and see if it gets worse and and the really reassuring dont worry some of these gearboxes do make a noise now and then!!!!
Conclusion
I am now left with an R32 that I will be unable to sell as anyone with an ounce of common sense will drive it and know there is an issue, so on that basis I will need to find a deaf person who wants a R32 and has never driven a DSG!! whats the chances of that......?
Dont get me wrong i love the car, its look, the amazing engine and the way it drives (when changing up) but I know in my heart there is a problem but if VW can't say what it is then that to me is either a servicing denial or a case of them hoping the gearbox goes bang and I go back to them to receive a huge repair bill.
I have read other forum members experiences with potentially similar issues but wonder if anyone can definitively tell me what this problem is and the likely spend to put it right and where best to get it done. I live near Torquay Devon but do go to Hampshire quite a lot so either of the areas would be good for me.
Thank you for reading this post and any advice you can give would be truly appreciated.
