DSG judder, jerking and gear selection faults

Which cars and gearboxes are affected?

This page covers DSG dual-clutch gearboxes on Audi, Volkswagen, SEAT and Škoda cars. For other work on these makes, see our Audi and VW specialist page.

DQ200 (0AM), 7-speed with a dry clutch, in use since 2007. Cars that use it include:

• Audi A1 (8X), A3 (8P and 8V) and TT (8J)
• SEAT Ibiza (6J), Leon (1P and 5F), Altea and Toledo
• Škoda Fabia (5J), Octavia (1Z and 5E), Superb (3T), Yeti and Rapid
• Volkswagen Golf V to VII, Polo (6R and 6C), Jetta, Passat (3C) and Touran (1T)

DQ250 (6-speed), DQ381 and DQ500 (7-speed). We diagnose these gearboxes too. Audi S tronic gearboxes such as the DL501 are covered on our S tronic problems page.

If you are not sure which gearbox your car has, put the registration in the enquiry form and we will check.

What are the symptoms?

• judder when pulling away
• harsh or jerky gear changes
• the EPC or gearbox warning light
• only the odd gears, or only the even gears, then no drive

When you book, tell us when the problem happens, for example pulling away from cold or in slow traffic, and which warning lights you have seen.

What causes it?

Worn dry double clutch. On the DQ200, judder when pulling away and harsh changes are linked to wear of the dry double clutch.

A fault inside the mechatronic unit. The mechatronic unit is the part that controls the gearbox. Gearbox repair specialists report that when the warning light comes on and the car selects only odd or only even gears, the unit’s pump is running but pressure is not being built or held.

How do you confirm the fault before fitting parts?

A fault code is not a repair, and a judder is not a diagnosis. Before we recommend any work, we:

• read the gearbox fault memory with our diagnostic equipment, before anything is taken apart
• compare the stored faults and the mileage with what clutch wear would explain
• check the gearbox’s fluid history against the interval for that gearbox type
• road test the car to see when the fault appears

We then show you what we found and set out your options in writing. No work is done until you give us your written approval.

What does the repair involve?

That depends on what the tests find. If the tests point to a fault inside the gearbox, we explain in writing what we found and what the options are.

Oil service. The DQ250, DQ381 and DQ500 have fluid changes at set mileages in Volkswagen Group’s guidance for the motor trade. The DQ200 has none, so an oil change on it is not part of the maker’s schedule. If the fluid is overdue for its interval, the oil service is the next step. It is maintenance at the right interval; it does not repair a fault the tests have found. See our DSG and S tronic service page.

How long does it take?

It depends on what the tests find. Reading the fault memory and road testing come first, and we tell you the result before any further work.

Before any work starts, you get a written price and a promised time for your next update. If the car needs to stay with us, ask about a courtesy car when you book.

Is there a recall for DSG gearboxes?

DVSA’s recall records include R/2009/110 (Volkswagen), R/2009/111 (SEAT), R/2009/112 (Audi A3 and TT) and R/2009/124 (Škoda), for DSG cars built from September 2008 to August 2009. The clutch could open, with loss of drive, and the gearbox control unit was reprogrammed.

Whether a recall applies depends on the individual car, so check your registration on gov.uk. Recall work is done by the manufacturer’s network, not by us.