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DSG Gearbox Bearing fault

icebun

Ready to race!
Location
Manchester
77,000 Miles on the clock.

Just come back from the dealership after reporting a whining sound from 45 MPH.

They originally diagnosed it was some sort of eval pipe.

However after the replacement of the pipe, the noise .was still present and now they are saying the bearing inside the DSG box has faulted.

Apparently this is a very expensive single unit replacement (circa 5k) but the garage are going to approach VW for a possible contribution.

Just wanted to know if anyone has had this issue or ever got assistance with the cost from VW as a good will gesture?

Any advice would be helpful.

Not sure how long I can keep driving the car in this state as apart from the noise all is good.
 

icebun

Ready to race!
Location
Manchester
I don't have any advice here, but do you mine if I ask, what did this sound like? Did you happen to be able to make an audio or video recording?
I feel like my car whines quite noticeably at many speeds, but I have no other symptoms I can report.

No problem.
It is like a high pitch whine, coming from the front nearside area of the engine bay. Sorry I don't have a recording of this (yet). Once I get to 70MPH I don't really hear it but this could be due to road noise.

At the worst, I am tempted to look to get a recon unit (subject to price) given that everything else works ok.
 

ReadTheBook

Autocross Newbie
Location
Bay Area Smoke Hell
Car(s)
DVP Spektrm, MK4 R32
No problem.
It is like a high pitch whine, coming from the front nearside area of the engine bay. Sorry I don't have a recording of this (yet). Once I get to 70MPH I don't really hear it but this could be due to road noise.

At the worst, I am tempted to look to get a recon unit (subject to price) given that everything else works ok.


Does it sound like that?
 

George Ab

Drag Racing Champion
Location
Pacific NW
Sorry the hear about this and hope you get sorted. I would certainly want to make sure it wasn't something else such as a wheel bearing. I likely would ask dealer how definitive they are that it the transmission. Looking at salvage transmissions on car-part.com a fairly low mile DSG starts at around $850. I noted that they ask for tranny code. Should not be too bad putting up with some noise while you line everything (cost from independent to replace, etc.). I just split open a manual transmission to replace an input bearing, it was a growl sound most noticeable at idle. When I had it out, I knew it was the bearing based on feel and noise compared to the new bearing. I have seen online videos of folks installing LSD in our DSG transmission and although it looks fairly intimidating you are right there to replace a bearing.
 

KevinC

Autocross Champion
Location
The land of Wyatt Earp & Doc Holliday
Car(s)
'19 Golf R, '21 M2c
Be careful because it sounds like the dealer is guessing at the problem.

+1

"For $5k we KNOW we can make that noise go away!"

Make absolutely certain that's the correct diagnosis before proceeding. And if it does turn out to be that bad and a replacement gearbox is needed - I'd trade it in before throwing $5k at a 77k-mile car.
 

The Fed

Old Guys Rule
Location
Florida
+1

"For $5k we KNOW we can make that noise go away!"

Make absolutely certain that's the correct diagnosis before proceeding. And if it does turn out to be that bad and a replacement gearbox is needed - I'd trade it in before throwing $5k at a 77k-mile car.
+1. I traded my MK4 with less miles than that because the trans was slipping. Wasn't worth it to me to spend $5K for a rebuilt box that could develop the same reverse spool problem. The car was 8 years old at the time.
 

icebun

Ready to race!
Location
Manchester
Thanks for all the responses.

ReadTheBook the sound is not too different to the clip.

Jonnyng how long did you wait before having this done? right now I am not suffering a transmission issues, just the noise.

If it is the bearings I am hoping I can hang on for a few weeks before taking any action.

Pointed noted regarding a second opinion as I will want this in writing from the Garage.

A quick scan via Google seems to indicate around £2500 for a recon unit supplied and fitted.

My only worry about trading in the car as it is though. When the PX prices are being worked out, I just assume the new garage will give the car a once over so (and therefore spot the issue).

So I don't feel I have a choice but purse a repair so I can trade in thereafter.
 

jonnyg

Ready to race!
Location
New York
Car(s)
2016 Golf R
Thanks for all the responses.

ReadTheBook the sound is not too different to the clip.

Jonnyng how long did you wait before having this done? right now I am not suffering a transmission issues, just the noise.

If it is the bearings I am hoping I can hang on for a few weeks before taking any action.

Pointed noted regarding a second opinion as I will want this in writing from the Garage.

A quick scan via Google seems to indicate around £2500 for a recon unit supplied and fitted.

My only worry about trading in the car as it is though. When the PX prices are being worked out, I just assume the new garage will give the car a once over so (and therefore spot the issue).

So I don't feel I have a choice but purse a repair so I can trade in thereafter.
Noise started slowly, no dsg functional problems at All. Drove car for a few weeks with the noise but it did get progressively louder. Once dealer said it needed new dsg they advised not to drive it.
 

ChefGoldblum

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
DFW, Texas
I had the exact same issue... i bought my GTI used with 35k miles and at 40k had the DSG service done. A week or so later the whining noise started, it was noticeable at around 45mph but almost deafening at freeway speeds. I thought it was a wheel bearing but after some driving and the techs looking at my car, they diagnosed it was the transmission. Not 100% yet what they found but it was bad enough that the dealer is currently replacing the entire transmission and lucky its all under warranty. They said I should have my car back by the end of the week.
 

Diggs24

Autocross Champion
Location
de plains! de plains!
Car(s)
2015 GTI
I had the exact same issue... i bought my GTI used with 35k miles and at 40k had the DSG service done. A week or so later the whining noise started, it was noticeable at around 45mph but almost deafening at freeway speeds. I thought it was a wheel bearing but after some driving and the techs looking at my car, they diagnosed it was the transmission. Not 100% yet what they found but it was bad enough that the dealer is currently replacing the entire transmission and lucky its all under warranty. They said I should have my car back by the end of the week.
Wonder if they forgot to put fluid back in.....
 
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