VW Gearbox Failure

Volkswagen Gearbox Failure

The cases I have read of have been with manual gearboxes on 1999 year, 1.6 litre (a few 1.4) engines, but apparently from 1999-2001 are affected.

This happened on my Seat Toledo 1.6 S (1999, UK : V reg) which uses a VW gearbox – code : DUU.

The VW gearbox is used across the range of VAG cars - Audi, VW, Seat, Skoda. Especially : Golf, Bora, Polo, Leon, Toledo.

Symptoms – gearbox oil pouring out of gearbox, sometimes with slipping clutch due to oil contamination.

Occasionally the gearbox jams and car cannot be moved or rarely if all break then there is no drive to clutch and wheels.

Cause – hole punctured in gearbox casing due to a sheared rivet on the differential.

The rivets attaching the final drive gear to the differential are inadequate and shear off, usually around 50k miles.

Diagram of differential and final drive gear, showing repair kit - bolts, nuts and washer plates.

Photo of broken rivet.

Gearbox (part of) diagram, showing differential and repair kit.

I would strongly advise against getting a second hand gearbox as it is likely to have the same weakness, also they are hard to find due to failures.

As the 1999 year cars are now out of warranty, I would not get a new gearbox as they are very expensive, and require a surcharge if the old gearbox can't be returned with intact casing.

Best option is to get the gearbox reconditioned at a gearbox specialist - not a VW dealer (which will be about 50% more expensive).

The main problem with repair is getting a new gearbox casing, it is possible that the old one can be welded depending on where the hole is.

The differential can be fitted to the final drive gear using a repair kit. The remaining rivets have to be drilled out and replaced with bolts and nuts using washer plates. Repair kit part number is 02K 498 088 for DUU, DUS, DUW, DUV, ERT gearboxes or 02A 498 088A for other 5 speed gearboxes.

Usually some of the gears are damaged by the loose rivet(s) and all can be damaged if ran for a while after the oil has leaked out.

The gearbox specialist I got mine repaired at said it was a common problem with these gearboxes, and that earlier year models had rivets made of a harder material, on later models the rivets are a larger size.

The issue I have with VW (VAG - Volkswagen Audi Group) is that after several months of correspondence they still deny there is a common fault with this particular gearbox and will not contribute anything to the repair despite being only 2 months out of warranty.

I think it is reasonable for the gearbox to last the life of the car (at least 100k miles), this is obviously a design/manufacturing defect where the life of the gearbox is substantially reduced by the use of weak components.

VW/Seat customer 'services' seem to be there to defend the company and not assist the customer whatsoever. They give standard responses - 'we have never heard of that happening before', 'unfortunately it is out of warranty'.

I am currently investigating taking legal action against the dealer where I bought it (who also say it is out of warranty, sorry we can't be of any help). The warranty is in addition to statutory consumer rights. Under the Sale of Goods act the gearbox is 'not fit for purpose' and of poor durability. With the sale of goods act you have 6 years from the date of sale to take action. The small claims court is the place to start legal action. It would be helpful to have a report from the gearbox repair garage stating details of failure.

VW UK Address - same for SEAT UK :

VW UK

Yeomans Drive

Blakelands

Milton Keynes

MK14 5AN

You can address the letter to the managing director VW : Paul Willis or SEAT : Kevin James - but it will not be read by them and the response will be from the customer services department.

I will certainly not ever buy another VAG (VW, SEAT etc.) car and would advise anyone else not to.

BBC News article about poor reliability of recent german cars - VW etc. :

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3129581.stm

Here is a gearbox disassembly guide (similar but not DUU gearbox) - about 300k pdf file - recommend right click and save as :

http://volkswagen.msk.ru/transmission/mt_02J_overhaul.pdf

Here are a few of the failures I have found on the internet :

Mileage	Gearbox code	Car year	Date of failure	Car type	Gearbox problem	Owner
48k	DUU	99, V	Mar 04	Seat Toledo 1.6s, AKL engine	Leaking oil, rivet broken	andy_not_happy
56k		S	Oct 04	Golf 1.6	Leaking oil, rivet broken	navisace
66k		99,T	Feb 03	Bora 1.6SE	Leaking oil, rivet broken	ultra238a
65k		99,T	Jun 03	Golf 1.6SE	rivet broken	K13SHN
80k		99,T	May 04	Golf 1.6SE	gone	K13SHN
24k		99	Oct 02	Bora 1.6s	Leaking oil	MagicBoy
	DUW	99	Aug 04	engine is akq	Leaking oil, rivet broken	jackieg
42k		99,T	Oct 04	Golf 1.6s	Locked up, rivet broken	sheel1
30k			May 04	1.4s	Oil leaking	B2JPN
59k		99, V		1.4	failed	Rye
40k	DUU	99, T	Feb 05	Golf 1.6SE	locked gearbox, rivet broken?	Paul Hampton
83k	DUU	99	Mar 05	Golf 1.6	Broken rivet. Casing broken, oil leaking	Rye
74k		99, T	Apr 05	Golf 1.6SE	Gone?	alex2

Location of 3 letter gearbox code on top of gearbox

Please email any details of failure, questions to : gearbox_problems@btinternet.com

Website links - details of failures :

http://www.reviewcentre.com/review_comments32519.html

List of several failures

http://www.uk-mkivs.net/forums/132787/ShowPost.aspx

'99 1.6 8v Bora (Wolfsberg built), gearbox started leaking oil 6 days before the warranty was up @ 24k miles. Replacement was faulty also - major clutch slip due to faulty oil seal in the new gearbox causing contamination, so it was replaced again a week later.

No problems since, and the cars done 16k miles in the 10 months since the new gearbox was fitted. The dealer tech told me off the record (when he took me out in my car) that there were a batch of faulty gearboxes from the late 99 Bora 1.6s.

http://www.uk-mkivs.net/forums/133478/ShowPost.aspx

Does anyone know any good places to get a T1999 Golf 1.6SE gear box from?

Its done 80k - its already gone once!

Been ringing around everywhere - all the scrappers say its hard to find a 1.6 one, as its a very common fault from 99-01.

http://www.uk-mkivs.net/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=41431

I had to have my car towed home today by the AA, they said it most likely needs a new gearbox? The problem with the car was that when I tried going forward or reversing, the car would lock up as if there was something in the way of the wheels - it felt like the brakes on the wheel suddenly came on by themselves! The most I could go was about 1 or 2 metres before the car locked.

It's a 99 T reg Golf MK4 with 42k on the clock. Mechanic gonna come have a look at it tomorrow, thing is he's the same guy I used to check the car for any faults when I bought it just ONE WEEK AGO! How can he miss such a major problem?!

Does anyone know the exact problem I have? Will I need a new gearbox? How much will it cost and how long will it take?

It will be the rivet in the diff has failed and jammed (very very common fault with that box) if your very lucky the casing wont be damaged and you can get an exchange one or repair the internals (you cant exchange it with a damaged casing) And the poor mechanic checking the car last week and saying it was ok, the failure is inside the gearbox and happens all of a sudden, so unless he is also a magician neither he or any other mechanic would have been able to tell you it was about to fail, so dont blame him for shoddy work when its not!

http://www.peachorlemon.co.uk/vw.htm

VW Bora 1.6 Saloon 2000

Why can't VW make gearboxes? My Bora is a company car. We have 15 VW's in our fleet and of that 9 have had to have new gearboxes and clutches.

On one, the gearbox flew apart after only 20,000 miles. I'm on my second Bora after the gearbox went on the first as well. Also on the first ignition coil failed, O2 sensor changed twice, very low compression, erratic idling and a wheel bearing failed. My second one is down on compression as well, and takes to cutting out at random intervals.

Damn shame, because they are a great car to drive, good and solid with good comfort and not bad power for a 1.6.

Plus, you gotta love the instrument lighting. Sorry, but my confidence in VW is shattered, which is a shame, because I always liked them. Oh well.

http://www.peachorlemon.co.uk/vw/vw_golf_16.htm

VW Golf 1.6 Hatchback 2000

New gearbox and clutch needed at 36K, 3.5 years due to component in gearbox breaking and cracking the gearbox housing.

Customer care is not interested, as car is six months out of warranty. In which case I don't see the point of going anywhere near a VW again.

In ten years and 300K miles of driving Fords and Rovers, I've never experienced such problems! Other problems - the doors stick in the cold, and to replace a headlamp involves taking the bumper off, so it’s 2 hours of labour!

VW Golf 1.6 SE Hatchback 1999

New gearbox required after 48500 miles. Other faults: slight pull to left. Door squeak. Control for rhs door mirror works both door mirrors - have to set the rhs mirror then set the lhs mirror.

http://www.peachorlemon.co.uk/seat.htm#5

SEAT Leon S 1.6 Hatchback 2000

After having total gearbox failure to this car...at 30k miles, Seat "customer care" leaves a lot to be desired!!! No apology, no offer of any contribution towards repairs ...I think that Seat will absolutely loose yet another customer.... disgraceful.

http://www.tyresmoke.net/ubbthreads/showthreaded.php/Cat/0/Number/258572/page/0/vc/1

We have a Polo GTi Year 2000 X reg,28,000 miles on the clock. It had it's recall for the clutchbox in Aug04. About 2 weeks ago the gearbox started to play up, all sorts of noises, bangs and whines. A visit to the VW dealer resulted in being told we need a new gearbox (1900 pounds) or specialist repair to the old one(900 pounds) with no guarantee of success. VW UK are not interested, no goodwill gesture, more a two fingered gesture. How widespread is this problem ? Collective bargaining would seem the right way to go.

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/t3974-p3-skoda-gearboxes.html

Skoda Superb

anyone had experience of the gearboxes on the 1.6? I came out of work to

find a pool of oil on floor. Its not been hit, or grounded. its 1998 t reg

with 36k on it.

I cant see under where its coming from due to bad back.

I can select gears and car moves. but didnt drive more than 10 yards.

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/t3974-p4-skoda-gearboxes.html

A friend of mine has a 1.6 golf SE (T reg) and has recently had a small pool of oil under the car when parked on his drive. His car has covered 61k miles and was still drivable (for how long?) with the leak.

The oil was dripping from the bell housing between thw engine and the gearbox.

It turned out to be a crack in the gearbox casing due to internal failure of the diff within the box.

Garage who replaced the gearbaox said it was quite common for these gearboxes to fail and he has had to pay for a new gearbox to be fitted.

I suspect yours has the same box code.

http://www.uk-mkivs.net/forums/134546/ShowPost.aspx

Well I am not having much luck with this car at all. My gearbox has just gone. I was driving home from uni to check if the uni have paid me and they haven't

Then to top it off, on the way home my gear box goes. I can still drive the car, but it makes noises and there is a pool of gearbox oil on the driveway.

My Car is a 1.6 with that dreaded DUU gearbox. I thought I had got away with it as I am now on 83k miles. Well I have a warranty (warranty direct) which should cover this.

I am not gonna drive the car at all other than to Volkswagen. Do you recommend I get it done at the dealer if the warrany will pay?

I think it cost me about £1500 last time this went on my 1.4 Golf! What great luck I have! After just sorting the head Gasket, this happens! I am deffo selling up this time,

http://www.uk-mkivs.net/forums/134570/ShowPost.aspx

Sorry if this is posted in the incorrect place, please move if required. Need your help guys, my mate has a 1.6 Golf and the gearbox has packed up on it!! Where can he get a new one or a re-con one on the cheap? VW want £1700 including fitting!!

And my gearbox has gone today too. [:(!] T-reg 1999 1.6 SE with 74k miles. I'm getting the gearbox and clutch replaced for about £1k which seems to be a reasonable rate. VW, as you say, want about £1700 including the fitting. Unexpected expenses sure do hurt!