Telegraph Reports VAG Recall. Owch

[dephead2004]

Volkswagen, the German car manufacturer, is recalling 2.6 million cars worldwide due to a range of potential faults. These affect its seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, as well as possible problems with lights and leaking fuel lines on certain models.
One issue involves replacing the synthetic oil used in the gearbox of several of the VW Group’s products, totalling 1.6 million cars worldwide. It has found that vehicles subjected to hot and humid conditions (such as those in China and South East Asia), as well as lots of stop and go driving can suffer problems with their electrics. No such faults have been reported in the UK, but the car-maker is offering a worldwide voluntary recall in order to replace the synthetic oil with a mineral oil, which has been found to prevent the problem.
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That'll be me then.

 

[dephead2004]

More details from here
http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/news/miscellaneous/2013-11/audi-voted-most-reliable-fleet-car/

The other side of the coin, and something of potential concern to anyone who might buy a VAG car after it comes off a 3 year lease, is that Reuters yesterday reported that the Worldwide recall of DSG and s-tronic transmission fitted to Audis, VWs, Skodas and SEATs, has now reached 1.7 million.

VAG has always denied the reason for this recall in Europe. The explanation of what goes wrong is best described here:

Australian VAG DSG recall

Basically, due to electrolysis, the DSG 7-speed transmissions are susceptible to conductive deposits forming in the gearbox control units, possibly causing the gearbox fuse to blow. Should this happen, the clutch will fully open due to power supply failure, causing the vehicle to roll to a stop if in motion.

In the majority of cases, the fault occurs when the engine is started with the vehicle stationary. If the fuse blows while the vehicle is in motion, however, a sudden loss of power at the wheels could in certain circumstances occur while the vehicle is being driven.

VW Vortex.com reports that the recall is to replace the synthetic transmission fluid with mineral transmission fluid because it is electrolysis of the synthetic fluid that causes the problem. VW Vortex.com also raised the size of the worldwide recall to 2.64 million.

However, so far, VAG has reassured European journalists that this same scenario has not occurred in Europe and despite feedback from more than a million readers we have no evidence that it has.

 

[skidpan]

Serious problems with the 7 speed DSG box have been reported for at least 4 years, tried one in a Skoda, hated it but even if I had liked it the reports would have stopped me buying it.

General advice has always been buy one if you must but sell it before the warranty ends.

 

[dephead2004]

For the record I think it's brilliant all the time it continues working. I wonder if our newer DSGs have been filled with mineral oil from the factory and if not when do they plan to change

 

[Spuddo]

I've had the lighting issue in my Golf for the whole 3 years I've had it and the dealer has constantly refused to acknowledge the problem and denied that they know any other cars with the same issue.
It's in for a service next week and I'm soooooo looking forward to dropping it off lol

 

[dephead2004]

So a call to SEAT UK CS elicits this info:

Yes our DSG cars are affected,

yes there will be a letter sent to all owners of DSG to advise that a voluntary recall to have the synthetic gearbox oil drained and replaced with mineral oil to prevent an electrical fault

Yes all dealers know what to do as of Monday 18/11/13

No you don't have to do it now.(But I'd guess the first question to be asked in the event of a warranty claim is did you have the oil changed and when was that?)

No we don't know what build week they will be filled at the factory with mineral oil. (I wonder whether there is inventory in the system so that the refill might last longer than today. Any one know?)

So who'll be the first to try out the new oil?

 

[dw911]

Does anyone know how this is going to effect dsg owners in the long term?
What I mean is, now they are going to fill our gearboxes with dead dinos, which doesn't hold up anyway as well as synthetic oil
Are we going to now have to pay to have the gearbox oil changed every couple of years and will the dsg gearboxes last as long or be as reliable over the long term now they are going to be running oil they were not designed to use when they left the drawing board

 

[kopnyr]

I have this 7-DSG, but only three weeks, no probems yet, but Im carefull. I read in some newspaper that these problems are especially in Australian and Indonesian markets (because of overheating and humidity).

 

[dephead2004]

Well my dealer is saying they have had no info at all and cannot therefore do any work until they know what to do!! Left hand doesn't know what right hand is doing

 

[dephead2004]

A second dealer also has no info. "Please wait for the letter " from DSG central

 

[CraigFrTsi]

Lol, checked my mk5 ibiza fr out at the dealer and stated mines not affected but good job you popped in as we need to update your ecu software, glad they're on top of things lol

 

[dephead2004]

Do you know the build week?

 

[dephead2004]

Anyone had the "voluntary recall" letter yet?

 

[derelyth]

Anyone had the "voluntary recall" letter yet?

Nope - been wondering the same but too busy to check with my Dealership

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

 

[CraigFrTsi]

In the majority of cases, the fault occurs when the engine is started with the vehicle stationary. If the fuse blows while the vehicle is in motion, however, a sudden loss of power at the wheels could in certain circumstances occur while the vehicle is being.

Just re-read the first post and made me laugh reading how most cases are from cars being started when stationary

 

[dephead2004]

Two dealers told me "No info" vehicle not flagged with any recall.

 

[dephead2004]

Apparently letters are going out to owners on an age of vehicle basis. So we will probably wait until our boxes are knackered and then get the letter.

 

[dephead2004]

Anyone had a letter yet?

 

[derelyth]

Nope

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

 

[dephead2004]

Nor me. Anyone else?