Any common failures on the Mk7 1.4TSI DSG ?

[Midge]

Any common failures or serious concerns on the Mk7 1.4TSI DSG ?

Took one of that spec out for a test drive this morning as a possible eventual replacement for our Mk4 1.6 Auto which is now 20 years old and starting to show its age. Was quite impressed with how it drove (though not enough to buy that particular one as the mileage is a bit on the high side).

Thanks.

[Crasher]

Front ACC sensor failure/theft is a big £2k+ problem. DSG Mechatronic failure a PITA, boot water ingress from loose side vents behind the bumper, rear discs rot and the pads wear faster than the front, left front damper leaks (why only the left?), ac compressor failure, blocked heat matrix and that’s the non engine spec. 1.4 turbo failure, well all the petrol turbo’s have problems, 2 litre GTI water pumps, TDI… don’t go there.

[Midge]

Thanks Crasher. If you're anything like as old as me, you might remember the Beastie Boys inspired craze in the 80s of nicking the badges off VW radiator grills. VW of all companies should know better ref. the ACC sensor - that's a shocker! The one I was looking at was a basic spec and didn't have it, but thanks for the heads up.

Take it that it's pretty much the same lump in the likes of an Audi A1 1.4 TFSI too? Mrs Midge likes those. Are the bigger TFSI engines any better? - accepting that anything with a turbo is a bit highly strung. One of the reasons why I love my 3.2 VR6 TT so much.

[Crasher]

TT1 VR6, a rare beast now, tin top and DSG? I am 60 so yes an old git, in the Beastie Boy craze I gave up replacing the bonnet badge on my Bug even though they were being handed out for free but what really upset me was when the VW automatic badge off the engine lid was screwdrived off as even back in 85 they were obsolete. Four years ago my neighbour asked what to replace his Passat TDI with as the kids had gone and he no longer needed a car like that, I told him to get a Golf GTI so he bought one of the first facelift Golf 7 GTI's with the digital dash and he loves it. If looked after the EA888 Gen 3 engine is good and under stressed and he is going to keep it now long term; still had to do the front dampers for the first MOT though and in for rear discs and pads next week.

[Midge]

TT1 VR6, a rare beast now, tin top and DSG? I am 60 so yes an old git, in the Beastie Boy craze I gave up replacing the bonnet badge on my Bug even though they were being handed out for free but what really upset me was when the VW automatic badge off the engine lid was screwdrived off as even back in 85 they were obsolete. Four years ago my neighbour asked what to replace his Passat TDI with as the kids had gone and he no longer needed a car like that, I told him to get a Golf GTI so he bought one of the first facelift Golf 7 GTI's with the digital dash and he loves it. If looked after the EA888 Gen 3 engine is good and under stressed and he is going to keep it now long term; still had to do the front dampers for the first MOT though and in for rear discs and pads next week.

Thanks for the pointer - I spotted a nice spec 2015 1.8 TFSI A3 yesterday which will have that engine. Bit more than I want to pay but a really clean one owner car with full ASH at a similar price to a good Mk7.

My TT is a Mk2 VR6 roadster with the DSG, so a few more of those about - but at £675/yr road tax bill (the roadster is just into band L, the tin top just below), I certainly pay for my normally aspirated beast, and I'm lucky if I see 30mpg on a run. But in spite of all the "design features" it's had (window regulators, rattling steering rack, sagging drivers seat, Haldex pump fail, roof flap servos, and more), I still love it 10 years after I bought it used, and still only done 67K on a 2008. Don't talk to me about disks - neither car does high mileage which doesn't help, so I had front and rears to do on BOTH of them not long ago. A weekend Diskathon

[Crasher]

The is the EA888 Gen 2 1.8 can have a voracious thirst for oil. The road tax on my Octavia VRS is evil, especially considering someone with an EU5 Diesel pays less but isn't ULEZ compliant where my EU4 petrol is... not right!

[Midge]

Yeah - piston ring problems I gather on the Gen 2.

I thought the most powerful engine in the Octavia was the 1.8T in the vRS? I've only heard of people transplanting the 3.2 into an Octavia.....

[Crasher]

Typing error but gave me a twitch thinking out it, a 3.6 24v turbo in a 1U5 Octavia 4Motion shell and totally stock looking...

[Midge]

One of the guys on the TT Forum has a nice black TT quattro coupe with an engine transplanted from a Passat R36. That's always seemed a tasty little upgrade

[Crasher]

4Motion is vital on projects like that, my 1U5 VRS is front wheel drive and with just 250PS is a handful.