gear selection problems with passat

[phil pick]

Hi I have purchased a 2005 passat and it has a problem with the gear selection. ie especially 1st & reverse. It seems to get worse as the engine warms up.
It has been to the vw dealers once and they found nothing but is going in again next week. They said that if they have to strip the gearbox / clutch down and the item isnt covered under the warranty I will have to pay for the searching time aswell as the fix.
Has anyone any idea what the problem might be and is it covered under the warranty. It has done 51k

[a8 tech]

1st and reverse can be simple adjustment or weak clutch,if 1st gear synchcro was worn 2nd gear would also be playing up.Advise the gear linkage checked for wear and fine adjustment carried out at the gear lever.Also over the years i have found that draining the synthetic gear oil out and replacing with none synthetic (hypoid 80)that the box responds much kinder to the driver and seeing as the box only takes about 2 to 3 litres inexspensive solution.Extended warranty never pay for diagnosis work only failure and if the workshop dont locate any mechanical defect then you will have to pay 4.90 time units (5 hours)for gearbox remove and install and possible extr 5 hours for strip and reassemble with additional cost of roller and tapper bearings plus seals,so i would change the oil and adjust the gear linkage at the gearstick first.

[phil pick]

thanks for that
It does have a problem with second in that it is rough but not to the degree that 1st and reverse is.

If the car is stationery and you try to move through the gears then it is very apparent that something is wrong as it wont go in the gears. I would say that the only smooth gears are 4th & 5th. The clutch bite also seems very high.
I will take the car to my local garage first for them to check teh linkage over before it goes to vw

[a8 tech]

sounds like worn clutch

[phil pick]

I tried it again today with the ignition off and it works perfectly so I assume it definately cant be teh gearbox and like you say must be the clutch. Is the clutch covered under the warranty?

[Ben]

Highly unlikely, but worth asking.

[a8 tech]

if a mechanical defect has caused failure then yes,if wear and tear then no