richards
08-07-2006, 10:52 PM
Hi Guys, interested to know whether there is any information on a problem I have on my manual 2000-model Passat V6 estate.....
I had the car from new, and we covered 67K miles, all fully serviced by VAG (Sinclair, Bridgend, whom, by the way, I recommend very highly.) The gear change is as good as ever when cold, and I can cover 20miles/20 mins without any issue. When the car warms up, the gear change becomes progressively stiff. When I say stiff, I am not talking about a little irritation - it is physically difficult to get it out of gear after 1 hours driving. The stiffness is independent of whether the engine is running or not, so I discount the clutch (?). It is stiff in every gear change, including reverse. There is a sort of rubbery stiffness, if that makes sense, like metal is articulating with rubber which is not lubricated.
The fuel economy is as good as ever, and I can get over 30mpg if I'm careful, so I think the gears themselves are not having any difficulty. I had it in the garage already, and they checked the linkage, and the gearbox oil level, and the conclusion of the VAG agents is that the gearbox has to come off and be stripped (though they are not sure which bit is faulty), and they are asking me to consider also a replacement gearbox. Of course we are out of warranty, and the estimates vary from between £1500 and £3000 depending on which option I choose. The car is worth only £5000, and neither option is particularly attractive!!
Has anyone experienced this, or anyone got any ideas as to what is going on? I have also considered that the gearbox may be normal, but is getting too hot for other reasons. I believe the exhaust runs directly underneath the gearbox on the 4motion. Is it possible some shielding has come loose and dropped off?
Shame really, because the car is almost a write-off. It's been a good car, though not as nice to drive as my wife's Golf V6 4motion....:aargh4: Now that is a great drive.
Good site, by the way.
richards
I had the car from new, and we covered 67K miles, all fully serviced by VAG (Sinclair, Bridgend, whom, by the way, I recommend very highly.) The gear change is as good as ever when cold, and I can cover 20miles/20 mins without any issue. When the car warms up, the gear change becomes progressively stiff. When I say stiff, I am not talking about a little irritation - it is physically difficult to get it out of gear after 1 hours driving. The stiffness is independent of whether the engine is running or not, so I discount the clutch (?). It is stiff in every gear change, including reverse. There is a sort of rubbery stiffness, if that makes sense, like metal is articulating with rubber which is not lubricated.
The fuel economy is as good as ever, and I can get over 30mpg if I'm careful, so I think the gears themselves are not having any difficulty. I had it in the garage already, and they checked the linkage, and the gearbox oil level, and the conclusion of the VAG agents is that the gearbox has to come off and be stripped (though they are not sure which bit is faulty), and they are asking me to consider also a replacement gearbox. Of course we are out of warranty, and the estimates vary from between £1500 and £3000 depending on which option I choose. The car is worth only £5000, and neither option is particularly attractive!!
Has anyone experienced this, or anyone got any ideas as to what is going on? I have also considered that the gearbox may be normal, but is getting too hot for other reasons. I believe the exhaust runs directly underneath the gearbox on the 4motion. Is it possible some shielding has come loose and dropped off?
Shame really, because the car is almost a write-off. It's been a good car, though not as nice to drive as my wife's Golf V6 4motion....:aargh4: Now that is a great drive.
Good site, by the way.
richards