Dsg box on which cars it is installed. Horror stories about DSG: real and imaginary robot problems, and what to do about them

30.03.2020

Since appearing on automotive market new transmission from the Volkswagen automaker and the LuK company - DSG-7, the first problems appeared in its operation.

DSG-7 or DQ200 according to the company’s labeling is a seven-speed manual transmission gears, equipped with an automated control unit. Volkswagen itself calls it a robotic gearbox. DSG-7 is a junior version of the six-speed DSG6 and their main difference is that the DSG-6 clutch unit is in an oil bath, which significantly reduces overheating and friction of shafts and gears. The oil volume in the DSG-6 is 4.6 liters versus 1.9 liters in the “dry” DSG-7. DSG boxes have three shafts and they are placed inside the box so that up to the third shaft, which is located above the rest, oil in the DSG-7 box can get into a tiny amount. In highway traffic conditions, this would be enough, but in city traffic jams, “dry” gears have a hard time. The upper shaft bearing, deprived of lubrication, rusts and breaks. As service specialists note, this is one of the main problems with which owners turn to repair shops. Volkswagen cars, Audi and Skoda equipped with DSG-7.

Don't blame VAG (Volkswagen Audi Group) for releasing an absolutely unsuccessful transmission. Problems exist with all gearboxes that are present on the market, and with the number of cars from the automaker that are operated in Russia, the number of calls to service due to their breakdown also becomes logical. Still, the design of the DSG-7 remains “raw”. Or did you stay?

Since in 2014 the auto giant announced a complete modernization of the DSG-7 and correction of all existing problems. At the same time, the additional five-year warranty for cars manufactured after 2014 was also removed. Anyway oh technical condition We will find out about the updated DSG only at the beginning of 2016, when Volkswagen’s standard two-year warranty in Russia runs out. At the moment, car owners of new VAG cars have their cars repaired under warranty at dealers, and they are not particularly worried about what is wrong with the VW “miracle robot”. But after the warranty expires, they may have questions, since a complete replacement of the DSG-7 costs an average of 350-450 thousand rubles. Although we should hope that Volkswagen has really brought the box to perfection this time. The reason for this modernization was not only the accusations of Russian car owners and the speech of a State Duma deputy about a complete ban on the operation of cars equipped with DSG-7. In 2013, VAG carried out an unprecedented recall of cars with DSG-7 around the world. A total of 1.6 million vehicles were recalled for repairs and software upgrades.

Classic DSG7 problems

Let's try to look at the most common problems with a dry DSG. What you may encounter when using it.

Vehicle vibrations when shifting gears from first to second and back. This is caused by the clutch discs closing too abruptly. The effect is the same as if you suddenly release the clutch when shifting on a conventional “mechanics”. The error occurs in this case in the mechatronics unit and is “treated” by flashing it or, in extreme cases, replacing it.
Vibrations in 2nd gear when driving at low speeds. The problem is the lack of a torsional vibration damper on the second clutch. VAG engineers considered that it was enough to install the damper on the first clutch, as the most loaded one. It has a large friction area, while, like the second, the friction area is reduced. The design of the DQ200 0AM box itself does not allow the installation of two torsional vibration dampers - due to the geometry of the box, the entire body will have to be redone. LUK, the company responsible for creating the DSG-7, has released a clutch with a modified friction material. The vibrations did decrease, but did not disappear. VAG is trying to fix the problem with a new software update, but mechatronics cannot solve it technical problem designs. In any case, the “second squabble” will remain with the DSG-7 until release new box.
Knocks in the gearbox when driving at low speed. The manufacturer's official explanation is that: “The gearbox contains a large number of closely spaced parts. Under some conditions, vibration of unloaded gears and gearbox parts may occur. Structurally, the amount of oil in this gearbox is relatively small, which contributes to a more intense transmission of sounds from the gearbox to the outside. These noises only affect acoustic comfort; these sounds do not affect the performance of the gearbox and its service life and are not regarded as a defect.” It turns out that you will not be able to contact the service with this problem, so before purchasing during a test ride, decide for yourself whether this noise suits you or not.
Jerks when starting to move and switching to modes D, S, M. The range of reasons here is very large. The malfunction may lie in the clutch unit, in the mechatronics, or in the engine-gearbox combination. In any case, a car with involuntary jolts should be diagnosed at a service center.
Mechatronics failures. A number of problems are also mentioned here, but they are usually associated with the software version and vehicle operation. Early models suffered from mechatronics failures caused by software errors much more often. Now most of the problems have been eliminated by constant updating of the “brains” and the electronics behave more or less friendly, but they are not immune from operating errors. DSG-7 differs from DSG-6 in that it is installed on middle-class cars with lower requirements for the engine and speed, but with the expectation of a comfortable, quiet ride. Any racing “tricks”, such as, for example, a quick start with the brake held down, can be driven on the DSG-6 - it is saved by an oil bath. For DSG-7, this may cause premature repair.

If we sum up the problems described, then they all lie in the complex technology of the box. VAG wanted to make the perfect transmission for everyone and is now paying the price for being too hasty with it, modernizing the transmission year after year.

Volkswagen's official response or what car owners can expect

Representatives of Volkswagen Russia did not stay away from the hype around the innovative transmission and commented on the situation with the DSG-7. According to them, since 2012-2013 the double clutch unit, mechatronics unit and mechanical part KP. The problems that arose before will remain horror stories for car owners of the new DSG-7. For the most part, according to VAG representatives in Russia, breakdowns are associated with improper operation of cars with DQ200, including chip tuning of the control unit. VAG also decided to change the oil in the box from synthetic to mineral - at one time this became the reason for the global recall of cars with DSG-7. The replacement will also affect cars in Russia, but in our conditions mineral oil in the transmission does not seem to be the best option.

In any case, the main thing in this statement was the belief that the car should only be serviced by official repair shops. The transmission structure is too complex to be trusted to third-party specialists. It's up to the car owner to decide. Although it is worth considering that Volkswagen sells hundreds of thousands of cars in Russia and repair shops have long been familiar with all the problems of DSG-7 and how to fix them. You can literally find a car service center that is ready to repair or replace any transmission part from gears to mechatronics. Just look on the Internet. Yes, and you will also be offered quite a few ways to repair the DSG-7 with your own hands, but for this you need to have golden hands. Spare parts for the DSG are also not a luxury, and it is unlikely that you will have to wait for the required pad within a month.

The difference between officials and third party services primarily in price. The range here is great - you can replace the entire DSG-7 for 300 thousand rubles and 450 thousand. The difference is serious and the majority of car owners decide to vote with rubles.

In conclusion, it is worth saying that the DSG-7 has many advantages, otherwise cars equipped with the “German robot” would not have been sold in such quantities. At the same time, car services are filled with cars not only with the notorious DQ200, but also with torque converter automatic transmissions, CVTs, and conventional “mechanics”. There is no ideal transmission, and it's up to you to decide what's best for you. You shouldn’t change your decision just because of reviews on the Internet.

When Volkswagen introduced a dual-clutch transmission in 2002 as an alternative to the classic automatic, there was no limit to the excitement. This is understandable; a similar solution has already been tried, in particular by Porsche. Volkswagen has created an inexpensive and very effective version for ordinary production cars. It was thanks to VW that for the first time cars with automatic transmissions became as dynamic as versions with manual transmissions.

Today, DSG deserves applause. But after 10 years of presence on the market, it became obvious that this solution is not suitable for everyone. Despite the fact that the DSG is rated as a very successful and well-thought-out design, after a while it may require the intervention of a mechanic. This will be expensive, especially if previous owner The car did not care about regularly changing the oil in the box. Moreover, the operating conditions and quality of care in the past are a big secret.

Story

The DSG box (from English: Dual Shift Gearbox or German: Doppelkupplungsgetriebe) currently has several options that are fundamentally different in design. The first version appeared at the turn of 2002 and 2003. It was a 6-speed DQ250 transmission, distinguishing feature which is a wet clutch, i.e. working in oil. The box is able to handle torque up to 350 Nm.

In 2008, a lighter and more economical 7-speed version of the DQ200 appeared on the market. It can handle only 250 Nm of torque. In 2010, the company introduced the DQ500 box, developed by on our own. All previous versions Borg Warner and LUK helped develop it. Latest modification was adapted for high torques (up to 600 Nm), which allowed it to be used even in commercial vehicles, such as the VW Transporter. Soon the box found its application in small models of the brand. The designers returned to “wet clutches” again, but the number of stages remained the same - 7. The DL501 modification is used in Audi cars and is designated S-Tronic.

Reliability

Unlike classic automatics, which require neither a clutch nor a durable flywheel, the DSG uses both of these components. The dual-mass flywheel must be reliable and have a service life, as is the case with a manual transmission. Theoretically, it is capable of withstanding at least 150,000 km. In reality, the flywheel can fail after traveling only half of its intended path.

As for the clutch, it’s “wet”, thanks to better cooling, can last even 250-300 thousand km. Replacing a “dry” one may be required already after a mileage of 150-200 thousand km. But according to statistics, this happens earlier, for which the control system is to blame. Problems are caused by a lack of electrical contact or damage to the solenoid valves in the mechatronics. The defect, as a rule, appears before crossing the 100,000 km mark.

Fortunately, in many cases the problem can be fixed in specialized workshops. In case of problems with mechatronics, official services replace the box with a new one. It is not possible to repair the DSG gearbox in ordinary garages. Regardless of the type, the box requires special tools. The factory manufacturing accuracy is 5 microns, which requires extreme precision during assembly after repair.

DSG types

Number of gears: 6.

Maximum engine torque: 350 Nm.

Clutch type: wet.

Exploitation

The box requires regular oil and filter changes. Maintenance is required at least every 60,000 km. Dirty oil can destroy the mechatronics.

Application

VW Golf V 1.4 FSI, 1.9 TDI, 2.0 TDI

VW Touran 2.0 TDI

Seat Leon II 2.0 TDI

Skoda Octavia II 2.0 TDI

VW Passat B6 2.0 TDI, 2.0 TFSI.

Number of gears: 7.

Maximum engine torque: 250 Nm.

Clutch type: dry.

Exploitation

The box has two independent oil circuits and the manufacturer does not provide for oil changes. However, independent services recommend changing the fluid.

Application

Skoda Fabia II 1.4 TSI

VW Golf V/VI 1.4 TSI

VW Golf VI 1.6 TDI

VW Touran 1.4 TSI

Skoda Octavia II 1.8 TFSI

VW Passat B6 / B7 1.4 TSI.

Number of gears: 7.

Maximum engine torque: 600 Nm.

Clutch type: wet.

Exploitation

The box has a “wet” type clutch and requires regular oil changes.

Application

VW Multivan 2.0 TDI

VW Transporter 2.0 TDI

VW Tiguan 2.0TFSI

Typical faults and repair costs

A 6-speed DSG, regardless of type, can cover 200,000 km without any problems. There are also many cars that have covered more than 300,000 km.

The dry clutch of a 7-speed gearbox can wear out by 150-200 thousand km.

The dual-mass flywheel usually wears out before the clutch. It is 50% more expensive than a flywheel for manual transmissions.

To repair the box after long runs(more than 300,000 km) may require about 1500-2000 dollars.

DSG in good condition can be purchased for 1000-1500 dollars. However, the number of offers per secondary market very limited.

The cost of a new box in the official service is about $6,000.

As for the box itself, as a rule, there are malfunctions of the monitoring and control system associated with the operation of the mechatronics and control module. Repairing the control module will cost about $200-300. Restoration is possible only in specialized services.

Symptoms of mechatronics malfunction

"PRNDS" is displayed on dashboard and the box switches to “N” mode.

Hard engagement of 1st gear.

Hard shifting from 3rd to 2nd and from 2nd to 1st, sometimes clicks are clearly audible.

Vibrations in 2nd gear when braking.

Shocks during successive shifts.

Feeling of loss of traction when the rpm drops below 2000.

Dual clutch

Clutch DSG 7.

As a result of friction, a dry clutch wears out faster (even up to 150,000 km). The cost of a new clutch (with replacement) is about $700, in an official service - about $1,300. Wet clutches are more durable. They can travel more than 250,000 km. The cost to replace them is about $1,000.

Mechatronic

Problems arise due to loss of contact on the board at the solder points. This is the result of the introduction of environmentally friendly soldering methods in 2004. Specialists remove the module and perform re-soldering. The cost of the service is about $200.

Hydraulic block

It consists of a group of solenoid valves and an oil pressure control circuit. May fail solenoid valves, which can be replaced. The cause of their malfunction may be metal filings formed as a result of clutch wear.

Dual mass flywheel

Its wear is the most common reason for dismantling the DSG box (sometimes even after 70,000 km). The durability of the flywheel reduces chip tuning and driving at very low revs. It costs more than the flywheel for cars without DSG.

Attention! Regular oil changes - necessary condition proper operation of the gearbox.

Typically, the filter and oil are changed every 60,000 km in an automated transmission with wet clutches. For a 6-speed DSG DQ250 you will need 5.2 liters. The cost of the service is about $200 in the official service and $100 in the regular one. The oil should be special type, designed for DSG boxes.

The manufacturer does not provide for changing the oil in boxes with a “dry clutch”. However specialized services they still recommend doing this every 60,000 km. The automatic transmission oil (1.7 l) and hydraulic fluid mechatronics. The cost of services is about 90 dollars.

What is DSG? In German, the abbreviation DSG stands for “direct gearbox” (Direkt Schalt Getriebe). It is often called “preselective,” that is, able to hold gears ready for the next shift.

The idea of creating such a checkpoint belongs to the French inventor Adolphe Kegresse. In the 30s of the last century, an automotive engineer collaborated with Citroen. He proposed installing a unit with two clutches and hydromechanical control on the front-wheel drive Citroen Traction Avant. New transmission has not received widespread use due to its complex design.

Volkswagen Favorite Hoff technical consultant Maxim Ponomarenko spoke about the advantages and features of the box.

Operating principle of DSG

The fundamental difference between a preselective automatic transmission and others is in two clutches that quickly change gears. In a manual or robotic gearbox, to change gears, the clutch disc is disconnected from the flywheel, the driver or robotic computer selects the desired “speed”, and after that the disc snaps into place. During this time, torque is not transmitted to the box and the car loses dynamics.

The DSG system allows you to get rid of power failures. The box is based on the work of two shafts located coaxially: the first is hollow, and the second is inside it. The engine is connected to each of them through its own, separate multi-disc clutch - also external and internal. The gears of the even gears (2nd, 4th, 6th) are fixed on the primary, that is, the outer shaft, and the gears of the odd gears (1st, 3rd, 5th and reverse gear) are fixed on the inner shaft.

When the car starts, the odd-numbered disk is pressed against the rotating flywheel, while the even-numbered “speed” disk is open. During acceleration, the computer unit of the box gives the command to prepare the second gear, so that at the moment it is turned on, it disconnects the odd-numbered row disk and immediately puts the even-numbered disk into operation. Tuned shift control ensures no loss of torque.

Robotic box DSG gears 6 stood on Volkswagen conveyor in 2003. Dual clutch it worked in an oil bath, receiving the name “wet”. The oil in such a box takes away some of the power, increasing fuel consumption. In 2008, the German automaker introduced a seven-speed DSG 7 with a dry clutch.

DSG benefits

The DSG box, due to the optimal modes of switching on the desired “speeds”, allows you to reduce fuel consumption. Cars with it consume about 10% less fuel than cars with a conventional gearbox.
Distinctive feature all such transmissions - dynamic acceleration. To shift up a gear, the box needs only 8 ms; it does not have the effect of rubber traction as on hydromechanical automatic transmissions.
You can drive the DSG in manual mode, that is, change gears manually.
This automatic transmission is 20% lighter than a similar hydromechanical transmission.

Disadvantages of DSG

The cost of automatic transmission affects the price of the car, significantly increasing it.
Expensive oil changes (on a six-speed gearbox) every 60 thousand kilometers. The total volume is 6.5 liters.

The preselective box is installed on different models and brands united under the name of the Volkswagen automaker: Audi TT (A1, A3, A4, S4, A5, A7, A6, Q5, R8), SEAT Ibiza (León, Altea), Škoda Octavia (Superb, Yeti), Volkswagen Polo ( Golf, Jetta, Touran, New Beetle, Passat, Passat CC, Sharan, Scirocco, Caddy).

Extended warranty for DSG

Among many car owners, the dubious glory of a dual-clutch transmission has gained a foothold. The name DSG itself has become a symbol of an unreliable design with costly repairs. In fact, Volkswagen has long ago taken control of the current situation. An important step towards quality control is a large-scale service campaign.

The concern provides an extended warranty for seven-speed gearboxes manufactured before January 1, 2014. According to representatives of the automaker, the indicated period corresponds to the appearance on the assembly line of a modernized transmission without typical problems last generation. Special service conditions are limited to 150 thousand mileage or 5 years of age of the mechanism. The service promotion includes replacement synthetic oil mineral - less aggressive towards electronic components. At the same time, the firmware of the automatic transmission control unit is updated. Detected malfunctions are eliminated free of charge - this applies to repairs, replacement of individual elements or the entire transmission.

In any case, you should not be afraid of the DSG abbreviation: with the proper level of service, it will not let you down, and in terms of the number of advantages, the “smart robot” outperforms the classic automatic transmission. And the DSG gearbox will require less money for repairs compared to a conventional automatic transmission.

What malfunctions are typical for DSG?

The most common problem- shocks when changing gears that accompany the movement. The clutch discs close too quickly and the car jerks. The second known drawback is vibration at start, clanging, grinding and other extraneous noises during speed changes.

The main reason for the incorrect operation of the seven-speed transmission is its “dry” clutch. It wears out quickly due to harsh operating conditions in dense city traffic, with congestion at low speeds. Therefore, the question “how to operate DSG?” There is one obvious answer - to avoid the “gas-brake” mode, because the main enemy of the robot is a traffic jam.

Other problems include wear on shaft bushings, clutch release forks, broken solenoid contacts, dirt on sensors and oil in antifreeze.

How to determine a DSG malfunction when buying a used car?

Some gears do not engage - the box “skips” them.
Gear shifting is accompanied by shocks - the box “kicks”.
There is a hum when driving.
The car vibrates when starting.
An inspection on the lift shows that oil is leaking from the box.

If you suspect that the box is not working correctly, you should order an additional check, or postpone this option.

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Five to ten years ago Volkswagen models We were considered exemplary reliable. This, however, is all thanks to the experience of the 90s and early 2000s with the massive import of truly reliable Golf, Jetta and Passat. They were not “indestructible” at all, but in general the stereotypes of reality more or less corresponded.

The situation has changed noticeably with the emergence of model range companies of TSI motors (which we talked about just recently) and preselective “robots” DSG. The scale of public opinion gradually began to tilt in the opposite direction. This opinion is an inertial thing, and at first the problems of new power units and transmissions were simply not recognized, especially since a fair portion of the “fans” drove cars of previous generations without these troubles. Unhappy owner problem car faced not only very harsh accusations from “warranty engineers” and other official structures of “improper operation”, but also public censure on specialized resources on the Internet.

In general, the arguments of the officials and the “social activists” were approximately the same: the owner of the lil wrong oil and the wrong gas and drove incorrectly. In those in rare cases, when the oil was always strictly “original”, gasoline was from an ideal supplier, and the driver’s moral qualities and Nordic character were beyond suspicion, public opinion was inclined to believe that this was an accidental marriage and that it “happens” in general.

Meanwhile, the number of cases increased. More and more owners of new cars with new engines and low mileage found themselves in a situation where engine or transmission repairs were required. It has become impossible to keep silent, let alone blame the car owners themselves for the problems.

By the beginning of the 10s, public opinion had collapsed. Of all the configurations, the simplest ones were declared to be the only correct ones, with classic hydromechanical Automatic transmission Aisin And atmospheric engines, without direct injection and turbocharging. Prices for cars with DSG and TSI engines in the secondary market they began to noticeably lag not only behind the price of cars with “regular” automatic transmissions, but also from cars with manual transmissions and simple 1.6 MPI. The fear of “downsize” gave rise to a funny effect: they bought Skoda Octavia with a 1.8 TSI engine in large quantities from us, fortunately the price difference with the 1.4 TSI was small, and in addition they gave an Aisin automatic transmission.

Analysis of prices on the secondary market clearly shows that DSG is unnecessarily demonized, cars with such automatic transmission sometimes cost 100-150 thousand rubles cheaper than similar cars with Aisin TF60SC, and even cars with a fairly reliable six-speed DSQ DQ250 are not more expensive than cars with manual transmission .

But enough digressions. Let's take a closer look at the breakdown features of the most popular and cheapest DSG gearbox of the DQ200 series and try to answer a simple question - is it possible to buy a car with it now?

Patient portrait

First, about the subject of conversation. As practice shows, most of the participants in discussions simply do not know what the unit is called, and even more so, how it works. The automatic transmission of the DQ200 series, also known as 0AM/0CW and the related 0CG gearbox for hybrids, includes quite a lot of transmissions for engines with a transverse engine with different gear ratios and housings.

All these gearboxes are seven-speed, with dry normally open clutches in a single unit. The complex design of the coaxial clutches was developed in collaboration with the Luk company: in fact, the original set was supplied by them. The design uses a purely mechanical system to compensate for clutch wear, but it is not the main one. The box works with a dual-mass flywheel, which itself is a part with a limited resource.

Operating pressure of the accumulator

The mechanical part of the box has a separate oil bath in which the differential operates. The mechatronics unit is located in the front of the box and can be replaced without removing the entire unit. The system has a hydraulic drive of all four gear shift rods and both clutch release rods. The oil pump is electrically driven. The mechatronics also includes a hydraulic accumulator with a working pressure of 50-75 bar. The DQ200 is almost completely independent from the rest of the car's electrical system; it even has its own crankshaft speed sensor.

The design is designed for engines with a torque of up to 250 Nm, but in practice it can withstand as much as 350 Nm and even a little higher. The unit is designed specifically for use with low-power engines as a transmission with maximum efficiency and large dynamic range.

In practice, this means that the box works perfectly with 80 hp engines. and 125 Nm of torque, as well as with 1.4 and 1.8 TSI engines, which produce 250 Nm at peak. Of course, with more powerful engines, the load on the mechanical part of the automatic transmission is somewhat higher, but unlike classic hydromechanical automatic transmissions, the load on the mechatronics does not directly depend on the transmitted torque.

The gearbox is essentially mechanical, but has a composite input shaft and two secondary ones. The gears are engaged using clutches, like conventional manual transmissions. In such a design, it seems that everything should be reliable if the bearings can withstand it, but...

List possible problems turned out to be quite large, and mechanical problems were not the least important. Let's start with them.

Typical breakdowns

If the diagnostic shows errors 21096 P073A, 21097 P073B, 21094 P072C or 21095 P073D, then this indicates problems in the mechanical part.

First of all, the gear forks fail. Here they move using a ball bearing bushing. And, as it turned out, it cannot withstand the load, because the hydraulics perform shifts very quickly and harshly. Once the bushing is damaged, its inner plate is sent floating around the box, causing damage to the gears and creating metal debris. The latter not only acts as an abrasive, but also clogs the Hall sensors, which are needed by the mechatronics to control the box. In case of serious damage, balls may fall out. They are more difficult to grind, but the box can handle it. But there will be even more losses.

It is not only the first and second gear shift forks that are damaged, as many people think. The sixth-rear fork breaks just as often. The design of the bushing bearings is fundamentally the same. After 2013, and on repair forks, the design of the bushings was completely replaced, they became solid. Nominally, the service life of such a design without a ball bearing is shorter, but it does not break, and purely resource problems have not yet manifested themselves. This is exactly the design installed on 0CW.

The remaining failures of the mechanical part of the box are in most cases considered secondary, associated with oil contamination due to broken rods. Thus, failure of the differential, chipping of gears, complete destruction of the seventh gear and overheating of the bearings in most cases are caused precisely by the presence of metal dust in the oil, a product of the destruction of the forks. By themselves, they rarely happen, and are usually associated with engine tuning or missed oil levels. Well, or unsuccessful assembly of the box: like any manual transmission, the DQ200 is sensitive to the accuracy of assembly and tuning.

A differential failure may be completely independent problem: The satellites are welded to the axle under increased load due to poor design, and not due to any other problems.

Fault numbers P175 21062/21184 and P176E 21063/21185 indicate problems with clutches and their wear.

Failures of the clutch block and dual-mass flywheel are considered by many to be beyond the list of failures of the DSG itself, but in fact, these are its integral parts. The flywheel wears out during serious torsional vibrations, during starts, slipping of clutches and wheels, when driving over uneven surfaces under traction, and similar situations. Wear accelerates overheating and contamination of the structure.

The clutch block also does not like dirt, but the complex design has many more vulnerable points. But the main thing for us is that with a replacement price of about 50 thousand rubles, new versions of this unit are simply more reliable and better maintain gaps during operation. Since 2012, installing a shield on the hole for the release rods has made it possible to significantly reduce contamination of the clutch housing and their wear. Adjustment of the working gap is the responsibility of the master, and the general list of typical violations during assembly is almost a dozen items.

Also, the clutch unit suffers greatly if the driver does not work properly with traction in traffic jams and on rough terrain. By the way, both clutches are normally open, so there is absolutely no need to put the box in neutral to reduce the load on the mechatronics and clutch in traffic jams. But the knot still remains quite complex and expensive. And very vulnerable to driver and technician errors.

However, the service life of even the first versions of the unit can be a very respectable 150-250 thousand kilometers or more. And in terms of service life stability, the latest versions have greatly improved: after 2012, there are almost no cases of clutch block wear before a mileage of 100 thousand.

Major mechatronics failures

The remaining breakdowns of the DQ200 are associated with the mechatronics unit - the electro-hydraulic transmission control unit. Its problems may well harm the mechanical part, because the gears are engaged independently, and the clutches are not connected to each other. List typical breakdowns The blocks are quite voluminous. So you'll have to execute it as a list.

Pump motor failure
Failure of control solenoids
Failure of the pressure accumulator
Damage to the electronic board or its sensors
Failure of the mechatronics housing due to cracked channels or breakage of the accumulator cup
Leaks and loss of tightness

Just three or four years ago, the prevailing opinion was that any breakdown of mechatronics required its replacement. There were plenty of arguments, ranging from the complexity of the design to the lack of spare parts.

The block itself was not very well executed. What caused this is unknown: either the Romanian assembly, or the quality of the work of German engineers. It is important that the replacement was expensive, and besides, there were no guarantees regarding his subsequent happy life. Fortunately, the situation has now changed. Repair documentation and standard troubleshooting cases have appeared.

The situation is complicated by the fact that since 2015, electronics units are flashed once and cannot be installed on another machine. This killed the nascent market for refurbished blocks, but it appears craftsmen the problem will be solved soon.

Electrical faults (fuses blow in the automatic transmission power circuit) are mainly associated with the valve body.

Typical errors - 21148 P0562, 21065 P177F and 21247 P189C - are mainly associated with damage to the conductors of the electronic board and failure of the mechatronics electric pump.

The board's conductors literally burn out, damaging its body, and the motor simply stops due to pump failures or its own problems. Often the pump windings burn out.

Surprisingly, they were among the first to learn how to repair burnt circuit boards. The power buses are simply soldered; fortunately, no special equipment is required for this. The motors are changed or simply rewound; now such restoration is available in the factory. The price of “used” electric motors and those restored by factory methods ranges from one to five thousand rubles.

Faults 18156 P1748 and 05636 P1604 are also related to the electronic board, but in that case the control module is damaged.

The ceramic board is afraid of vibrations and temperature changes, as well as overheating. Electronics are more difficult to restore. But, like other automotive electronic components on a ceramic substrate, they can be repaired. All you need is skill and special equipment. And also – the availability of documentation. All this is now available in specialized service centers, and such a malfunction is far from a death sentence for the board.

Failures of individual sensors, except for the clutch position sensor, can be eliminated by replacing them. Buying them now is no longer difficult.

The solenoids also fail. There are eight of them here, they are combined into two blocks 0AM325473. Washing doesn't always help them. But there are a sufficient number of used, refurbished and even new parts at a reasonable price. The typical price for a set of two factory remanufactured units is around $90.

The mechatronics control board 927769D, which includes all sensors, conductors, “brains” and connectors, is available at a price of about 40 thousand rubles. Replacing the board assembly – a good option repair if partial repair is not possible or conditions do not allow it to be carried out. Moreover, you will receive the most modern version of the board, with improved characteristics. If you want to further reduce costs, you can order the board on AliExpress or eBay for $200 to $300.

Troubles can also be expected from the main aluminum board-body of the unit and the hydraulic accumulator. The hydraulic accumulator can be torn out of the block with damaged threads, and it will bend the housing cover. At the same time, the liquid will disappear. The housing often leaks near the “glass” of the accumulator. The crack can be welded, fortunately there is enough space, but it will require very high-quality work with milling the leak cavity. In extreme cases, the entire housing can be replaced. The price of the part on Amazon is about 40 dollars, which is not so much, but in Moscow it will cost you 150.

The average cost of repairing a mechatronics assembly will be about 35-50 thousand rubles. Usually, the price of repairing a unit from various specialized companies that install the units they have restored instead of yours is within the same range.

Average cost of mechatronics repair

35,000 - 50,000 rubles

Progress in mechatronics design has affected literally all elements. The control board has changed dramatically; in newer versions it is noticeably more powerful and more resistant to temperature and overcurrent. The housing of the mechatronics unit has become stronger. But the hydraulic accumulator, apparently, has not changed, nor has the electric motor of the pump. The solenoids have also changed minimally. But the company replaced the oil in mechatronics with a less chemically active one. This is expected to extend the life of the control board solenoids and plastic.

Among the mechatronics malfunctions, there are almost no ones left that will require it complete replacement new. So the price of the assembled unit at 300 thousand rubles should not scare you. It will be much cheaper to restore. But breakdowns of the mechanical part can be expensive, but now there is a good selection of “used” units in which the mechanical part is guaranteed to be in good condition.

It is believed that the main problems of the DQ200 series boxes were solved with the release of the updated 0CW in 2013. Yes, there are quite a lot of changes compared to the 0AM series. And almost all affected nodes could be found in the list of “main problems” of the old version of the box.

To take or not to take?

Does it make sense to buy a car on the secondary market with such a gearbox now? What about the new one? The answer will be more likely “yes” than “no”. But only if you are not one of the “riders” and will not let any minor malfunction lead to a complete breakdown. If you are not one of them, then making a decision in favor of choosing a car with a DSG DQ200 is quite a lot.

Firstly, at the current price of fuel, an extra liter and a half of consumption is already a significant help, and the DSG is more economical than even a manual transmission. Secondly, a car on the secondary market will almost certainly turn out to be much cheaper than the same car with a “classic” automatic transmission. If only simply due to the fact that they are too afraid of “robots”, and the difference in the price of cars is even higher than the price of replacing the complete unit with a “contract” one.

Mechatronics control board 927769D

40,000 rubles

Another reason is the ease of diagnosing the DQ200 using a scanner. This is no longer a “pig in a poke” purchase. You can find out not only the approximate wear of the clutches, but also understand how the car was operated, what troubles can be expected in the near future, and the like. Knownly problematic copies can be discarded.

Classic automatic transmissions received such rich diagnostic capabilities only on the latest generations of six- and eight-speed gearboxes, and Aisin, which usually acts as an alternative to DSG, is not one of them.

The cost of repairing most DSG breakdowns has dropped dramatically over the past five to six years. If you pay attention to the incorrect behavior of the box in time, then the chances of inexpensive repairs are very good. The design of this “robot” is simple and extremely repairable, and now there is no longer any doubt about it.

In severe cases, when the mechanical components of the box are irreversibly damaged, it is recommended a good choice used components. It turned out that cars often have a shorter service life than this very troublesome unit.

And the last argument in favor of DSG is purely ideological. Cars with a classic automatic transmission are often purchased by people who use the car harshly, without regard to manuals. It is quite natural for such cars to have high mileage, and the loads they endure during operation can be very high. After a few years, it becomes unknown which car will be a more profitable purchase: the one that was initially more reliable, but has gone through “thick and thin,” or the one that required much more gentle handling and received it in full.

How is your DSG transmission doing?

Relatively recently, manufacturers began to actively install robotic gearboxes on cars instead of the usual ones. As is known, the robot (manual transmission) is manual transmission, in which automatic on/off is implemented, and the desired gear is selected and engaged without driver intervention.

In other words, the robot box is another type of automated transmission, but it is cheaper to manufacture, simpler in design, and provides high fuel efficiency.

Read in this article

Robotic gearbox DSG (DSG): what is it?

So, to understand what DSG is, you must first consider the main types robotic boxes. In a nutshell, a robotic gearbox can be either a “single-disc” robot (for example), or a preselective one robotic gearbox with two clutches.

A conventional robot, which has only one clutch, is similar in design to the robot, with the clutch and gears being turned on/off and controlled automatically (using electric and hydraulic servo drives under the control of the ECU).

This design is simple, the gearbox itself is quite reliable, but when changing gears there is a certain discomfort, the car “nods” during intense acceleration, the single-disc robot often delays downshifting and upshifting, etc. Also, during operation, the clutch itself wears out quickly.

DSG box: device and principle of operation

In turn, DSG (Direct Shift Gearbox) is a gearbox direct switching, developed by Volkswagen specialists. To put it simply, it’s still the same manual transmission, but there are already two clutches.

Moreover, such a box combines two manual transmissions in one building. Each of these conventional boxes has its own clutch disc. In this case, one box is responsible only for even gears, while the other is responsible for odd ones.

To shift up or down a gear, the driver (in the case of a manual transmission) or the ECU (in the case of a single-disc robot) disconnects the clutch disc from the flywheel, then engages the gear, and then reconnects the clutch disc. In this case, it is not transmitted to the wheels until the clutch disc is connected to, the car noticeably loses its dynamics, and fuel consumption increases.

If we talk about DSG, for example, when a car with such a gearbox accelerates, the clutch of the odd row of gears is attached to the rotating flywheel, while the disk of the even row is open. Further, while the car accelerates in first gear, the ECU (Mechatronik unit) gives the command to engage second in the even row.

Then, already at the moment of switching, the odd-numbered disk is disconnected and the even-numbered disk is turned on, while the next gear is similarly “prepared” for inclusion in advance.

It turns out that if the car is moving, for example, in 2nd gear and then picks up speed, at the command of the ECU 3rd gear will also be almost completely engaged. As a result, when the moment comes to upshift, a complete shift from 2nd to 3rd takes a fraction of a second, gears are switched very quickly, and the flow of power at the moment of switching is practically uninterrupted.

This feature of operation is clearly reflected in the name of this type of gearbox, since a box with two clutches is usually called preselective (preliminary selection and partial engagement of the next higher or lower gear). As a result, the DSG box provides high level comfort inherent in automatic transmissions and CVTs, as well as the dynamics and fuel efficiency of traditional mechanics.

Types of DSG boxes: DSG-6 and DSG-7

DSG gearboxes come in 6- and 7-speed versions. In this case, DSG 6 is “wet”, while DSG 7 is “dry”. The first option is designed for greater torque and is installed on powerful cars VAG concern. DSG version 7 is installed on cars with less powerful internal combustion engines. The first to be developed was the six-speed DSG 6.

The clutch in such a box operates in an oil bath. For this reason this type The gearbox is called “wet”. The disadvantages include loss of power due to the large amount of oil and the need to supply it. The DSG7 version appeared later and has a “dry” clutch. At the same time, the reliability of this design has decreased; this type of gearbox has more problems and less resource.

DSG resource and DSG box malfunctions

Let's start with the problems. Most often, the problem manifests itself in the form of jerks when changing gears. The reason is that the clutch is engaged too sharply, the car begins to twitch. Also, when changing gears, knocks and grinding noises may occur. Another option may be the problem of loss of traction in a car with DSG, and right in motion.

As a rule, such malfunctions are more typical for DSG 7 with a dry clutch. This clutch is subject to rapid wear, in parallel, “Mechatronic” (ECU) also gives certain failures.

The list of other problems associated with this type of gearbox includes wear of the shaft sleeves, problems with the clutch release fork, electrical problems (contacts, failure of sensors, etc.). At the same time, it is important to understand that often for an out-of-warranty car, work on diagnostics and DSG repair are expensive, the cost of spare parts is also high.

If we talk about the resource, it should be noted that at the initial stage there were no special problems with DSG 6 on average, up to 150-200 thousand km. However, after DSG 7 began to be installed en masse on many VAG models, the number of calls during the warranty period was 60-80 thousand km. has increased noticeably.

As a result, the manufacturer launched a customer support program, extending the full warranty for the DSG 7 gearbox to 5 years or 150 thousand km (whichever comes first). As part of this program, all repair work (up to and including complete replacement of the unit) was carried out free of charge.

Later, the program was canceled, citing the fact that VAG engineers improved the software for the control unit, made certain changes to the design of the clutch, that is, they made DSG 7 more reliable.

One way or another, taking into account the information provided, it is quite logical to assume that the average resource of DSG 6 is about 200 thousand km, while for DSG 7 this figure is about 150 thousand km.

As you can see, a working DSG gearbox can provide good acceleration dynamics, comfort and fuel efficiency. In other words, the main tasks set before the developers in the context of the fuel crisis and strict environmental standards have been solved.

At the same time, the issue of resource and reliability was deliberately relegated to the background. In simple words, even the relatively reliable DSG 6 was quickly replaced by the DSG 7. At the same time, taking into account the obvious problems, VAG still preferred an expensive warranty repair program and active dissemination of information about improvements to the DSG7 in order to increase its reliability over a banal rejection of this gearbox.

In other words, instead of returning to DSG 6 or the time-tested hydromechanical automatic transmission, the manufacturer continues to install DSG7 on many popular models Volkswagen, Skoda, Audi, etc., claiming that the reliability of the box has increased significantly.

In practice, the feasibility of DSG is questioned by many experienced motorists. Moreover, if we are talking about DSG 6, the actual mileage does not exceed 100 thousand km. and the gearbox is working properly, then such a car can still be considered for purchase.

As for the DSG7, especially the first years of production, even if such a gearbox works normally, this does not mean that the remaining resource is still large enough. In other words, you need to immediately prepare for gearbox repairs, and expensive ones at that.

Let us add that although there is nothing particularly broken in the box itself (shafts, gears and other elements “run” for a long time), however, with the clutch assembly, sensors, actuators, electronic unit control, wiring and a number of other mechanisms, parts and assemblies may experience problems.

Moreover, in some cases it may be enough to reflash the ECU and replace the clutch, while in others it is necessary to change expensive and officially unrepairable components.

Finally, we note that another disadvantage of DSGs, especially DSG7, is their low liquidity on the secondary market. This means that such a car, especially a premium model with low mileage, can be bought at a high price, but it will not be possible to sell it at a profit later.

To put it simply, most car enthusiasts today are well aware of the problems of this gearbox and simply do not consider cars with the specified type of gearbox. Another option would be to try to significantly reduce the cost of a used car with DSG during the auction. The reason is quite obvious, since the potential buyer separately takes into account the cost possible repairs preselective robot, and such repairs may be required very soon.