Both the six- and seven-speed versions of DSG gearboxes have demonstrated their high level of dependability. Failures are uncommon, but when they do happen, they are usually expensive. These very rare defects are typically discovered in older, higher-mileage cars. A “limp home mode” warning that limits power or juddering and noisy bearings while driving are also telltale signs of a bad gearbox.
Don’t allow the failure stories deter you from purchasing a DSG, especially one in a car with an established service history. Almost all DSG gears operate without issue, and some of them are still going strong after more than 100,000 kilometers on the clock.
In This Article...
What distinguishes DSG from an automatic transmission?
The Volkswagen Group’s brands utilize DSG transmissions. This includes not only Volkswagen but also brands like Audi, SEAT, Skoda, Bentley, and even Lamborghini.
DSG transmissions are used by Porsche, a brand of the Volkswagen Group, and go by the initials PDK (Porsche-Doppelkupplungsgetriebe).
The great majority of these automakers’ vehicles come with DSG transmissions as standard equipment.
FAQ: DSG gearbox
When shifting gears, traditional automatic gearboxes employ a torque converter rather than a clutch.
Theoretically, a DSG gearbox should be simpler to operate because you don’t have to worry about manually shifting.
DSGs often consume more fuel than manual counterparts, as is the case with all automatic transmissions. DSGs, however, are comparable to torque converter automatics in terms of efficiency.
DSGs that are more recent tend to be as dependable as any other gearbox. Although owners of versions from the early 2000s have mentioned problems, it appears that these have been resolved over time.
Like with anything else, regular maintenance will increase a DSG gearbox’s dependability.
Volkswagen DSG: What does that mean?
Have you ever wondered what the letter “DSG” on your gearstick or in one of our automobile listings meant? We examine the meaning of DSG and the benefits it offers your car.
Direct-Shift Gearbox is what DSG stands for (luckily enough, the German translation has the same initialsDirekt-Schalt Getriebe).
Without getting too technical, this unique gearbox is essentially two distinct clutches that operate as a single unit, fully or partially automatically, without a clutch pedal.
Why does VW employ a DSG?
There is never a protracted period of simplicity. Engineers in the automotive industry are always considering new methods to make cars stronger, smoother, and more effective. Because of this, the choice between manual and automatic transmissions is no longer clear-cut. When it comes to efficiency, automakers sometimes choose for the CVT, or continuously variable transmission, but Volkswagen frequently chooses the DSG as an update. How does it differ from a standard automatic transmission then?
VW models that offer a DSG
All six (or more) gears are handled by a single gearbox in a standard automatic transmission. A DSG, or direct shift gearbox, divides the work between two independent gearboxes, usually with odd and even gears assigned to each. As a result, the transmission operates more quickly and can carry out shift commands in less than four hundredths of a second. It’s quick, to put it mildly.
Which Volkswagen cars are available with this option, then? Each of the following Volkswagen models comes with a DSG as an option or as standard equipment:
How durable is a DSG gearbox?
Since the DSG box uses a wet clutch system and is far softer on the clutches than a human driver, it should survive well over 150,000 miles before needing a new clutch.
Can a DSG be operated like an automatic?
If you are accustomed to operating a conventional automatic transmission, you will have no trouble operating a DSG gearbox if you have familiarity with the latter. Additionally, adaptive cruise control with stop/go capabilities may be an option for vehicles with automatic transmissions. The automobile will therefore automatically slow down to maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front if you approach slower-moving vehicles in your lane while on a programmed cruise control speed.
Stop/go systems will stop the car completely if traffic comes to a standstill and restart moving once the car in front moves forward, however you might need to give the throttle a blip to indicate you are ready to proceed again. As manual cars would stall without the driver disengaging the clutch, this is not available on them.
Which VW vehicles have issues with the DSG transmission?
The impacted VW models include the Golf, Polo, Jetta, Beetle, Passat, and Caddy. The impacted Skoda models include the Fabia, Rapid, Octavia, Yeti, and Superb. About 23,000 automobiles, according to Volkswagen, may be impacted by the problem, but the company wants to check 40,000 more to be sure.
Driving a DSG in heavy traffic?
How to effectively operate a DSG transmission in a traffic congestion
- The N position on the gear selector is not advised.
- Avoid regularly alternating the gas and brake pedals while driving relatively small distances.
- Allow the vehicle in front to pass you at a distance of around 5 meters, then follow it in first gear at a slow speed.
How frequently must a DSG gearbox be maintained?
Having the peace of mind that your car is in good hands while being maintained, repaired, or serviced. It’s
worth maintaining your vehicle so that it always runs like new. When you utilize our Approved
Repairers, you are aware that it is being maintained using the same superior knowledge and materials that it
Recommended Routine Service Items:
Once your vehicle reaches a certain age, a routine brake fluid change is advised every two years.
Once your car is two years old, a routine air conditioning service is advised every three years.
For vehicles registered earlier, a cambelt replacement is advised as part of standard maintenance every five years.
What VW models come with DSG?
When it comes to just much anything in modern cars, there are many alternatives. This is particularly true if you’re comparing vehicles from several automakers, as it can be challenging to decipher what each feature’s labels actually signify. Even your mechanical characteristics are less distinct than they formerly were. We go over your options and how to drive with it if you’ve been looking into your transmission options and are wondering about the DSG but aren’t sure which 2016 VW models feature the dual-clutch transmission.
Volkswagen models that have an available DSG transmission
You must select a model before learning how to drive with a DSG transmission. Although a manual transmission is typically standard in cars with the DSG option, people who don’t want to shift by hand will like the upgrade. The DSG operates by having two automatic gears as opposed to simply one. This allows it to quickly change gears, with one gearbox handling odd gears and the other handling even gears. There is a seven-speed DSG transmission among the majority of our six-speed automatics. You’ll discover that the options listed below let you experience a DSG firsthand:
The DSG gearbox has a clutch, right?
What are the distinctions between an automatic and a DSG, and which should you choose to purchase? A DSG gearbox, which is coupled to the engine by two drive shafts, is really two gearboxes combined into one. There are two clutches in addition to the two gears, and a mechatronics system operates both of them hydraulically (effectively a combination of mechanics and electronics).
Is DSG preferable to manual?
The DSG is a better transmission when it comes to the numbers, despite all the lecturing and pontificating about how the manual transmission is the only genuine “enthusiast choice for a GTI.” Whatever way you look at it, the DSG has been a performance, efficiency, and dependability revelation. It shifts more quickly, doesn’t need to be modified to handle greater power, and is equally content to provide lightning-fast shifts at redline as it is to sluggishly move through rush hour traffic. With three pedals and a gear change, it accomplishes everything and does so better than a person could.
The 6-speed dual-clutch automatic was first offered in the VW GTI in 2006, and it has since become a well-liked option. The DQ250 6-speed DSG, which debuted in the initial Mk5 GTI, shares nearly all of its specifications with the Mk6 and Mk7 models up until 2018. VW shifted to the DQ381 7-speed DSG GTI in 2019. Even the Volkswagen Motorsport-built GTI TCR uses the same DSG transmission and VAQ differential as the streetcars, making the Mk7 Performance pack vehicles the most competent GTIs ever sold in the United States. Since the Mk5 R-Line era, VW Motorsport has relied on the DSG to deliver victories, and it has proven successful on the track in difficult competitions like the Nurburgring 24 Hours.
On the racetrack, the DSG’s ability to offer unrelenting performance with no acceleration loss and perfectly timed downshifts is a big advantage, but once you stop pushing the DSG to its utmost limits, its appeal fades. Even if it’s still a lot of fun to drive a DSG GTI on some backroads, the experience is a little less satisfying if you’re not trying to set records or push the car to its absolute limits. It’s not impossible to have fun; it’s simply not the same as manually shifting a GTI.
The relative lack of participation is the one drawback to DSG. It’s excellent for commuting, weekend road trips, laps at the racetrack, and going down the dragstrip, but when it comes to driving enjoyment, quicker doesn’t always equate to better. Indeed, even Porsche broke their word in 2014 when they insisted that PDK was the only viable option and reintroduced manual transmissions to the GT3 lineup. If utmost performance is your top priority, choose your GTI cautiously because the 7-speed DQ381 DSG transmission is a little bit smoother but a little bit softer than the 6-speed DQ250.
Do DSGs have two clutches?
Depending on the engine/drive configuration, a direct-shift gearbox (DSG, German: Direktschaltgetriebe) is an electronically controlled, dual-clutch, multiple-shaft, automatic gearbox with automated clutch operation and completely or semi-automatic gear selection.