The seven speed dry DSG often starts shifting hesitantly as early as 30,000 to 50,000 km: it does not shift smoothly, sometimes it cannot find the gear, and it jerks worst in slow, congested traffic. The cause is wear of the clutch pack and the mechatronics unit. Many people skip the oil change because they believe it is a lifetime fill, and most DSG faults come from that.
What to check
- On the test drive pull away slowly several times, imitating congestion: that is when the jerking appears
- Watch the 1 to 2 and 2 to 3 shifts cold and warm
- Rolling gently from standstill, watch for shuddering: that is clutch wear