VW Auto Transmission Problems

jennlx

I have a 04 1.6 TDI VW Touran, 110k + miles.

Recently the transmission has been slipping every so often, perhaps once a week. There doesn't seem to be a pattern (hills, distance, temperature) - I will just be driving along and it seems to slip gears and then the car revvs very loudly before settling into the new year.

I have taken it to three garages and one automatic gearbox specialist and have been told by all that there is nothing wrong that they can see. All the garages (including an indie VW specialist) say there are no probs (had MOT, no advisories, no engine faults). The auto transmission guy took it for a very long test drive and couldn't notice anything.

Has anyone gone through anything similar? Googling seems to indicate that this is a fairly common problem. I guess the next (and final) step would be taking it to an official VW dealer - I'm presuming that if the transmission is dead (or dying), it will be a costly fix. I would just hate to shell out £1k + and have the issue still occur, and we can't afford a new car now. Can anyone recommend a next step?

BeenThroughItAll

Before doing anything else, get the fluid changed. Properly.

On that box, there's a combined filler/level plug. Needs the fluid dropped, the oil pan off, filter changed, then the fluid filled with the engine running and the box at a specific temperature (below 40deg IIRC).

One change doesn't get all the old fluid out, as some remains in the torque converter, so it's worth doing a second fluid drop after driving 20-30 miles, which replaces enough to mean it's as near as makes no difference new. Otherwise, there is a (relatively) simple method of replacing the fluid with the engine running (for the Volvo version of the procedure, Google 'Gibbons flush') but I'd advise doing it properly with a filter change as well.

It may help - if it does not, px the car before it gets any worse - getting a decent recon on these boxes is costly.

Gloomendoom

As above. Check the fluid level when cold before anything else.

gilbert_and_sullivan

was the autobox specialist a member of this

http://www.fedauto.co.uk/memfind.html

as above get oil changed, no improvement get rid, and suggest not to buy another VW group auto.

vikingaero

gilbert_and_sullivan wrote: »

was the autobox specialist a member of this

http://www.fedauto.co.uk/memfind.html

as above get oil changed, no improvement get rid, and suggest not to buy another VW group auto.

I would also suggest using a member of fedauto. My Dads A-Class had a problem that Mercedes quoted £5,500 to fix. Repaired for £1,300. Only problem is that fedauto seem to have lost a lot of good garages.

If you are in the South East then I and a a million other people can highly recommend King Automatics in Epsom, Surrey. Although we live in Kent we had the car recovered to them.

motorguy

jennlx wrote: »

I have a 04 1.6 TDI VW Touran, 110k + miles.

Recently the transmission has been slipping every so often, perhaps once a week. There doesn't seem to be a pattern (hills, distance, temperature) - I will just be driving along and it seems to slip gears and then the car revvs very loudly before settling into the new year.

I have taken it to three garages and one automatic gearbox specialist and have been told by all that there is nothing wrong that they can see. All the garages (including an indie VW specialist) say there are no probs (had MOT, no advisories, no engine faults). The auto transmission guy took it for a very long test drive and couldn't notice anything.

Has anyone gone through anything similar? Googling seems to indicate that this is a fairly common problem. I guess the next (and final) step would be taking it to an official VW dealer - I'm presuming that if the transmission is dead (or dying), it will be a costly fix. I would just hate to shell out £1k + and have the issue still occur, and we can't afford a new car now. Can anyone recommend a next step?

As has been said, i'd try a good gearbox oil change first. You would be surprised how many times that solves a problem. That oil has most likely been in there now for 110,000 miles and 12 years...

if its a common problem, what are the forums saying is the solution?

motorguy

gilbert_and_sullivan wrote: »

and suggest not to buy another VW group auto.

Why?

The car is 12 years old, so well into its twilight years and no evidence at all of any gearbox maintenance over those 110,000 miles / 12 years?

motorguy

The problem with a recon is - as has been said - it WILL be costly. I was quoted £600 for a full refurb of a manual box, and an auto box will typically be north of that.

Plus factor in stripping the gearbox out, and refitting it and you're going to be well over £1,000 - which is a very significant percentage of the value of the car.

gilbert_and_sullivan

motorguy wrote: »

Why?

The car is 12 years old, so well into its twilight years and no evidence at all of any gearbox maintenance over those 110,000 miles / 12 years?

Because later VW autos tend to be multitronic or DSG neither covering themselves in glory or proving cheap to repair, and the OP is unlikely to buy older cars like all my three torque converter autos of 14 16 and 20 years (Subaru, Toyota, Merc) which are as good now as they were when they left the factory.

motorguy

gilbert_and_sullivan wrote: »

Because later VW autos tend to be multitronic or DSG neither covering themselves in glory or proving cheap to repair, and the OP is unlikely to buy older cars like all my three torque converter autos of 14 16 and 20 years (Subaru, Toyota, Merc) which are as good now as they were when they left the factory.

Well thanks for explaining your reasoning. Better than just a blanket "dont buy VWs".

jennlx

Thanks for the replies - very helpful! I will try that garage in Epsom as it is not too far away at all! I suppose there is nothing to lose (apart from more money) in flushing the transmission fluid - and really don't want to buy a car as we would probably have to not have a holiday this year if we have to get a new car. The answers in the forums (mostly American) were only weighing up the cost of a new transmission.

By the way, this car has cost an absolute fortune in its lifetime so I think I would try a Nissan next time.

Really appreciate the responses...