The springs in the clutch damper sag and the plastic retainers break up, and the fragments get into the oil circuit. Debris from the two oil-bathed clutch packs adds to this, and the contamination clogs the channels in the valve body and the solenoids, which makes shifting jerky. This is why this gearbox needs frequent oil and filter changes.
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The shift forks have plastic tips that cannot take abrupt starts: they can break off and the gearbox can seize. At high mileage the input shaft bearing starts to vibrate, the gearbox cover seal leaks, and the input shaft speed sensor fails.
What to check
- Pull away from a standstill several times, gently and briskly: shifts must not jerk or thump
- Rolling slowly, shift up and down: the gearbox must not hesitate or drop into neutral
- Ask for the oil and filter change invoices: on this gearbox they cannot be skipped
