Cupra 280 DSG Gearbox fault / failure

SteA

Active Member
Jan 12, 2016
226
61
Shrewsbury
I think my car is trying to tell me something :LOL: following on from having to replace my turbo a few weeks ago (my wallet is still sweating after that), I was driving along the motorway on the way to work this morning and my DSG box failed. It came up with the message reverse has failed / not available or something along those lines and then wouldn't change gear until very high revs as I limped off the motorway and into a lay-by. There was a little cog that came up and the standard engine warning light. The car does have reverse and it does have first, but that is all I have tried since I switched it off and on.

I'm just waiting for the RAC, but any ideas about potential fixes? I'm really hoping the solution isn't going to be "fit a new gearbox", especially after spending about 3k on the car in the last year or two. Any advice appreciated, and if you have recommendations for places to fix DSG issues, I'm near Shrewsbury, thanks! :)
 

NotSoSimple

Simple
Mar 3, 2017
243
17
Suffolk
Ouch, I cant help im afraid but getting the error information using OBD11 or similar would be useful to see if that shines any light. I actually asked my specialist about the costs of a new gearbox and his gut feeling was all in £7-12k. Usually not worth it on an older car.

Otherwise find yourself a good VAG specialist close by.
 

Fam991

Active Member
Apr 7, 2020
6
4
I think my car is trying to tell me something :LOL: following on from having to replace my turbo a few weeks ago (my wallet is still sweating after that), I was driving along the motorway on the way to work this morning and my DSG box failed. It came up with the message reverse has failed / not available or something along those lines and then wouldn't change gear until very high revs as I limped off the motorway and into a lay-by. There was a little cog that came up and the standard engine warning light. The car does have reverse and it does have first, but that is all I have tried since I switched it off and on.

I'm just waiting for the RAC, but any ideas about potential fixes? I'm really hoping the solution isn't going to be "fit a new gearbox", especially after spending about 3k on the car in the last year or two. Any advice appreciated, and if you have recommendations for places to fix DSG issues, I'm near Shrewsbury, thanks! :)

Ahh mate i had the issue 2 weeks ago, gearbox came with with an error on my 63 mk3 leon. Then it showed reverse gear not available so luckily i had seat extended warranty which started a week before.

took the car into my local seat dealer who diagnosed it and stripped the mechatronics apart and said it needs replacing but said a si got warranty its best to replace the entire gearbox and a week later it was authorised. Sorry to hear as it will cost an arm and a leg. Without warranty i would have had to scrap the car.
 

SteA

Active Member
Jan 12, 2016
226
61
Shrewsbury
Thanks. I’m guessing it’s a mechatronic failure, so hopefully I will just be able to replace that! The garage should be checking it over early next week and I will take it from there :)
 

SteA

Active Member
Jan 12, 2016
226
61
Shrewsbury
Right. Sent the mechatronic unit off to ECU testing and... its in perfect working order. They tested all the components and stuck it in their simulation rig and all is good. We are now a bit stuck, where on earth do we go from here? Any thoughts? Thanks :)
 
Dec 11, 2020
22
8
Germany
First you can try to read the DTC's and see if there is something out there.
Is the car stock? Because I had a case 2 years ago with a bad TCU remap and we solve it upgrading the DQ250 (I believe your car has it) firmware and with a new TCU file.
 

SteA

Active Member
Jan 12, 2016
226
61
Shrewsbury
The fault codes were P0732 and P2711, so generic codes; there was also the loss of reverse error message on the dash. Yes, it has been remapped, but that was about four years ago at a guess and it’s been faultless since, so I presume it can’t be that? I thought it wasn’t quite as smooth since the DSG oil was changed at a main dealer back in November, but that could have been my imagination. Thanks!
 
Dec 11, 2020
22
8
Germany
If you took your car to the dealership it might be possible they updated the firmware and make a "service" resetting all .
The correct way to do a remap is reading the stock file ( based on actual firmware and settings ) and then work on it. If now the firmware is different it could be possible the modified file doesn't like that.
For what you are telling me , it might be possible to fix it with software ??
 

SteA

Active Member
Jan 12, 2016
226
61
Shrewsbury
If you took your car to the dealership it might be possible they updated the firmware and make a "service" resetting all .
The correct way to do a remap is reading the stock file ( based on actual firmware and settings ) and then work on it. If now the firmware is different it could be possible the modified file doesn't like that.
For what you are telling me , it might be possible to fix it with software ??

Thanks, I will email the mapper and ask him!
 

SteA

Active Member
Jan 12, 2016
226
61
Shrewsbury
It’s the speed sensor rings in the gearbox. VW / Seat amusingly don’t sell any gearbox internals, only a complete gearbox, which is ridiculous for some relatively flimsy bits of metal ? so my mechanic got some off the shelf at a DSG specialist in Preston and they should arrive next week. Once it’s all done I will stick up further details.
 
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Mr Pig

Active Member
Jun 17, 2015
2,614
906
VW / Seat amusingly don’t sell any gearbox internals, only a complete gearbox...

I've hit up against this a few times, drives you mad.

I broke the plastic pins on my ST parcel shelf and the dealer wanted £200 for a new shelf as Seat didn't supply the pins separately. I made such a fuss about it that Seat gave me one FOC.

How much is the repair costing you?
 

SteA

Active Member
Jan 12, 2016
226
61
Shrewsbury
I've hit up against this a few times, drives you mad.

I broke the plastic pins on my ST parcel shelf and the dealer wanted £200 for a new shelf as Seat didn't supply the pins separately. I made such a fuss about it that Seat gave me one FOC.

How much is the repair costing you?

No idea re cost yet, I will find out when I get it back in a week or two. It would have been a lot cheaper if I had known it wasn’t the mechatronic unit in the first place, hence I thought I better update this thread!
 
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SteA

Active Member
Jan 12, 2016
226
61
Shrewsbury
The car is back and working perfectly. In the end, it was three magnetic reluctor rings on the input shaft. Overall cost was £900 which wasn't as much as I was expecting, I hope this information helps someone in the future! It is nice to have it back :)
 
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Tara

Active Member
Jan 21, 2008
591
215
Bournemouth
The car is back and working perfectly. In the end, it was three magnetic reluctor rings on the input shaft. Overall cost was £900 which wasn't as much as I was expecting, I hope this information helps someone in the future! It is nice to have it back :)
Glad to hear you got it all sorted.
 
Dec 24, 2023
5
1
Ireland
Glad it was kinda cheap fix considering what seat quoted you 6/7 k , I love my cupra and it's going nowhere fast , The Mrs can moan all she wants .
 
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