Volkswagen Polo Gearbox & Transmission Problems

We’ve heard of lots of problems with the DSG gearbox and we can understand your anxiety. The best thing to do is to take the car to your dealer and have them check it out for you.

I contacted VW Australia and got a result you will like. Spokesman Karl Gehling says: "We have been in touch with this customer and, based on his experience, we have offered to buy back his car. He has accepted this offer and plans to buy a new Polo GTI."

Times have really changed at Volkswagen Australia. CEO Michael Bartsch has personally intervened in this case and is organising a like-for-like replacement to keep you in the family.

We aren't being flooded with complaints about the DSG gearbox the way we were a couple of years ago, which suggests the company has addressed the issues that were causing owners such concern. If you like the DSG I would go with it.

We have sent your complaints on to VW, as we will do with any other report of a DSG problem we receive, and seek an explanation of the problem and what the company is doing to fix it.

Our consumer protection laws do have provisions for getting your money back or getting a replacement car, but it's not easy and you're likely to be drawn into a long and protracted process to make it happen. At the moment I would go along with VW's plan to replace the gearbox and go from there. Keep good records of what has happened to date, conversations you've had with the dealer and dealer staff, and VW, and maintain the record going forward so you have all the facts if it does prove to be an on-going issue.

 Yes, if it is genuinely reconditioned and comes with a warranty.

It's rated to tow up to 1000kg when the trailer has brakes, so towing 530kg shouldn't bother it.

VW was certainly an early adopter of the dual-clutch gearbox, and  they have had quite a deal of trouble with it in other models where they've used it. There are certainly a lot of frustrated VW owners out there who have experienced problems with the DSG gearbox. My opinion is that it is not trouble free at this point and I would not buy one myself. I would prefer a conventional manual gearbox; it's simple, proven and reliable. The only issue is that because manuals are on the way out they are not getting much attention from carmakers.