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Differential Needs Replacing ('10 GTI DSG)

NoSpark

NoSpark

Go Kart Champion
My DSG has been acting strange for a while, and I finally got around to taking it to the dealer. I'm out of warranty for both my CPO (April 2014) and powertrain (December 2014).

Symptoms:
  • Whining while under load (especially in 2nd gear)
  • Severe jerking when accelerating from a near-stop
  • Occasional rough shifts between 1-2-3

I thought the mechatronics unit was bad, but the dealer has informed me that the differential is the culprit. They stated that VW recommends replacing the entire transmission for an issue like this.

My question to the forum is who has experienced this, and who has replaced their differential with a LSD (remember, I'm DSG)?

I'm looking at $8000 for a new transmission installed, and probably $3000 for a LSD installed? Unfortunately, the car is only worth around $13,000 now (depreciation is a bitch).
 
jshay

jshay

Go Kart Champion
Just buy a used DSG from a junkyard. Find one with low miles on it and it shouldn't be as expensive as $8000.
 
NoSpark

NoSpark

Go Kart Champion
True, but I think the only problem is the diff. Could have a similar problem with the junkyard unit.

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corydd

corydd

Go Kart Champion
Out of curiosity, did your car have its DSG serviced every 40K? I'm wondering what could cause an issue like this.
 
NoSpark

NoSpark

Go Kart Champion
corydd said:
Out of curiosity, did your car have its DSG serviced every 40K? I'm wondering what could cause an issue like this.
Click to expand...

Yup, it was serviced at 40k miles (it has 60k now). All service has been followed/performed per VW guidelines except I do oil changes every 5k miles instead of 10k miles.

I've tracked my car a few times and done a 1/2 mile shootout (20 hard launches), so I'm wondering if that is why. I thought the DSG was supposed to be a robust transmission...
 
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V

Vroomer

Banned
NoSpark said:
Yup, it was serviced at 40k miles (it has 60k now). All service has been followed/performed per VW guidelines except I do oil changes every 5k miles instead of 10k miles.

I've tracked my car a few times and done a 1/2 mile shootout (20 hard launches), so I'm wondering if that is why. I thought the DSG was supposed to be a robust transmission...
Click to expand...

I have no idea why people think our DSG is unbreakable. Officially its only rated at 350Nm (258 ft. lb. of tq), which means VW wont put it in a car with more torque then that because they don't want to risk doing 8k worth of warranty. Obviously its been proven that it can handle a lot more, but if you are tracking the car and doing pulls at K04 torque, its most likely not going to last for years.

8k is crazy though, that means if mine goes it would more then 10k in Canada, daaaaamn. :eek: Maybe I should look into getting out of this thing.
 
NoSpark

NoSpark

Go Kart Champion
Yea, it's really a bummer. I went with the DSG specifically because it could handle more power. I think the actual gears CAN hold more, it's the differential that is a weak point (along with clutches at some point).

Also, the Golf R in ROW comes with a DSG, so my K04 isn't making THAT much more power than a stock R...
 
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Cadubya

Cadubya

Autocross Newbie
Lol where are you getting these prices from? A dsg trans is like 4500 new from dealer and used for like 1500? A wavetrac is like 1300?
 
NoSpark

NoSpark

Go Kart Champion
Stealership worried quoted 7500 installed.

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NoSpark

NoSpark

Go Kart Champion
Fair. Wasn't sure if they would honor a warranty claim on this. Only cost me $50 to roll the dice.

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Cadubya

Cadubya

Autocross Newbie
NoSpark said:
Fair. Wasn't sure if they would honor a warranty claim on this. Only cost me $50 to roll the dice.

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Click to expand...


I would get a second opinion from an independent VW specialist. Dealers don't really see this type of work out of warranty and therefore they often choose the best/easiest option for them. Usually this is not the least expensive option.
 
Cadubya

Cadubya

Autocross Newbie
Also, I find it odd that a differential would go bad on a fairly light weight fwd car that has an open diff. I've heard of axles breaking. Never a diff. Especially and open one.
 
NoSpark

NoSpark

Go Kart Champion
Cadubya said:
Also, I find it odd that a differential would go bad on a fairly light weight fwd car that has an open diff. I've heard of axles breaking. Never a diff. Especially and open one.
Click to expand...

You might know better than me. I won't pretend to know how all of the inner workings operate, so if anyone can, I would really appreciate it :)
 
B

bigturbonyc

Ready to race!
Here's an example of a bad dealer. Labor time for remove and reinstall a dsg is something like 5.4 hrs. So say we do double that labor time, which is crazy anyways but at 125 an hr that's 1250. So trans is like 4500ish.

Where's 7500 come from?

Edit: also have warrantied a few dsg trans in my time as a tech, noisy diff being one of them.
 
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