Help, Dealer claims I overheated DSG by blocking grill with foam

greenmountain

Member
Joined
Nov 5, 2011
Location
Vermont
TDI
2012 Jetta Sportwagon
Need help! I have 2012 Jetta Sportwagon TDI with 60,000 miles. About two months ago, in December I put foam tubing in the grill to block cold air and help heat up the car. It has been a very cold winter here in Vermont during the last two months. The temp gauge indicates normal temperature during warm up and settles in at the normal straight up position after driving for a while.

At my 60,000 mile service I asked the dealer to check the DSG because ever since the car was new when first starting in the morning, especially after a cold night, I have experienced lag when shifting into drive or reverse. I shift into reverse or forward press on the accelerator, the engine revs but the car does not move, then it suddenly begins to move too fast and so you take your foot off the accelerator and the car stops moving and then you press on the accelerator again there is a lag and then it starts moving again too fast. After a couples of cycles like this it settles down to normal operation. There have been a few times when this has been dangerous, like when backing out into a travelled road. It also makes it very difficult to get started on slippery icy surfaces.

When I went to the dealer to pick up the car he told me I had damaged the DSG transmission by blocking the grill and it had overheated. He showed me how there was oil seeping around the bottom seam of the unit and pointed out dimpled plastic on the belly pan which he said was caused by heat from the DSG melting the plastic. He admitted that there were lag problems with the all DSG transmissions and what I was experiencing was normal. But that my blocking the grill had caused the leak and the unit had overheated. I do not know what to believe. He is looking into having VW replace the transmission and I also have extended warranty that would cover the cost. But I am not sure I will get any help because they have noted in the paper work that I have caused the overheating by blocking the vents. The overheating (if it has occurred) has not changed the functioning of the DSG from the way it has always operated. I works well after initial start up problems.

Can a DSG overheat by blocking grill vents, even though they have only been blocked blocked during a couple very cold months?
I would really like to hear from people who know about the DSG and from people who have also blocked the grill vents. Has anyone ever had problems with DSG overheating? Any advice on how to proceeded would be very helpful. Should have it replaced? Was the dimpled plastic caused by overheating or was the pan pushed up against the bottom of the DSG and crushed? I will find out this coming week from dealer about replacement and who will pay for them.
 
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elitegunslinger

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 26, 2010
Location
Barnegat NJ
TDI
2010 Golf TDI :D
Leaking fluid and overheating are two very different things; sounds like you were missing fluid and that is why the transmission wasn't working.
 

40X40

Experienced
Joined
Feb 12, 2006
Location
Kansas City area, MO
TDI
2013 Passat SEL Premium
This dealer is just doing the usual 'blame the customer for whatever we can think of' song and dance.

Remember that when you want to buy your next car.....

I think your DSG is low on oil, but I am by no means an expert on the DSG.

Bill
 

Cogen Man

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Joined
Jun 4, 2011
Location
Kingston, Ontario, Canada
TDI
2011 Golf TDI DSG.
No way blocking the grill caused the DSG to overheat. As Bill says. Blame the customer. As for what caused the DSG fluid leak, can't say. Wait and see what VWoA says. They might surprise us all. If they agree to cover the fix great. Have the fix done. Then when satisfied, make it very clear to the dealership they have just lost a customer as far as a new car or anymore maintenance work. Find a new place.
 

OilBurningBrit

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 4, 2011
Location
Webster, NY
TDI
2012 JSW TDI DSG
If memory serves me correctly, there is an over-temp indicator in the instrument cluster for the DSG. Check your owners manual, and if my (admittedly very poor) memory is correct, the dealership should explain why, if the gearbox overheated for any cause, the light didn't illuminate so you could stop, allow it to cool, and prevent damage from occurring.

That said, the other guys are all correct ... Its unlikely that the leak is due to overheating, and they are just blaming the customer.
 

VeeDubTDI

Wanderluster, Traveler, TDIClub Enthusiast
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Springfield, VA
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‘18 Tesla Model 3D+, ‘14 Cadillac ELR, ‘13 Fiat 500e
Sounds like it's time to find a new dealership. There are a lot of people on here who block their radiator grills without any transmission issues.

Also, you mention that the vehicle has been doing this for quite some time... even before you blocked the radiator grill.
 

03_01_TDI

Banned
Joined
Dec 10, 2003
Location
Denmark
TDI
Na
It's not an automatic slush box. Thus very little heat is created by the dsg. The car is designed to function in the hottest of locations such as the Death Valley. Using air blocks in cold winter weather doesn't prevent some cooling. Plus if the dsg was bit wouldn't the fans be turned on and that cool the dsg down.
 

Ski in NC

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 7, 2008
Location
Wilmington, NC USA
TDI
2001 Jetta ALH 5sp stock
The DSG is cooled by engine coolant, right?? So if engine coolant temp is in normal range, the dsg is getting the cooling it needs. Blocking grille will have no significant effect unless it causes engine to run hot. Not likely in Vt winter.
 

greenmountain

Member
Joined
Nov 5, 2011
Location
Vermont
TDI
2012 Jetta Sportwagon
If memory serves me correctly, there is an over-temp indicator in the instrument cluster for the DSG. Check your owners manual, and if my (admittedly very poor) memory is correct, the dealership should explain why, if the gearbox overheated for any cause, the light didn't illuminate so you could stop, allow it to cool, and prevent damage from occurring.
That said, the other guys are all correct ... Its unlikely that the leak is due to overheating, and they are just blaming the customer.
Thanks for this info. Yes it is true, there is a warning light if the DSG gets too hot. It has never come on! You all are great and helping me through this.
Thanks
 

steve05ram360

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 22, 2008
Location
all over
TDI
2011 2D Golf
Hmmm... none of this sounds right.

Isnt the DSG trans a automatically controlled manual gear box? Is there a torque converter? If there is a torque converter and it is using AT fluid then yeah, you could overheat the trans IF there is a trans cooler that is not getting airflow.

There have been several guys running the grille blocks and no other complaints...
 

40X40

Experienced
Joined
Feb 12, 2006
Location
Kansas City area, MO
TDI
2013 Passat SEL Premium
Hmmm... none of this sounds right.

Isnt the DSG trans a automatically controlled manual gear box? Is there a torque converter? If there is a torque converter and it is using AT fluid then yeah, you could overheat the trans IF there is a trans cooler that is not getting airflow.

There have been several guys running the grille blocks and no other complaints...
The DSG does not have a torque convertor..... Nor does it use ATF.

Bill
 

Ol'Rattler

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 3, 2007
Location
PNA
TDI
2006 BRM Jetta
Why did you tell them you blocked the radiator? There are some things they just don't need to know. NEVER give them ammunition to blame the owner............
 

greenmountain

Member
Joined
Nov 5, 2011
Location
Vermont
TDI
2012 Jetta Sportwagon
Why did you tell them you blocked the radiator? There are some things they just don't need to know. NEVER give them ammunition to blame the owner............
Right, I agree, but in this case it was obvious to them. If you look at the front grill you see the foam tubes and they are held in place with zip ties.
 

XtreemLee

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 5, 2013
Location
New Plymouth, ID
TDI
2014 Jetta Sportwagon Wagon (bought back), 2006 Golf GLI
IMHO, I've survived the worst Wisconsin winters without blocking the grill. Idaho is much milder but I wouldnt be blocking the grill...
 

Black11TDI

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Dec 24, 2012
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Sedro Woolley and Spokane Valley, Wa
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2011 Golf TDI (Gone But not Forgotten), 2013 Tiguan SE 4 Motion
VW needs to fix this BS, they wonder why their customer satisfaction is so low, they need to look solely on their Service Depts, I get calls each time i fill out surveys because I refuse to give 'all tens" like they demand I do. Last time with my DSG issue myself I gave all 1's both the manager of the dealership and VWoA called me, the dealership has basically said I am no longer welcome at the dealer because I called out a ton of BS to VWoA on them.. and I sent a friend in there with a serious issue my VagCom pulled up, and the dealer refused to take my diagnosis and charged my friend $300 to say the same thing and another $1200 to fix the issue. If it wasn't for different things, I would take my car to Canada to the #1 dealer in British Columbia. At least I can get straight answers. OP call their bluff, stand you ground, get other dealers involved. when you get the survey fill out out with low numbers and check the boxes for have VWoA contact me, they need to start hearing this, and maybe we can get results. My local dealer like to scam people, most new CPO's have a $50 copay, and he tries to say its for each problem by not having parts in stock so you have to come back 3-4 times and charge diax fees and the copay each time.. Glad I know what I have learned from this website, I now do 90 percent of the work....
 

wilcharl

Veteran Member
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Aug 21, 2010
Location
Northern Virginia
TDI
2010 Jetta TDI BOUGHT BACK 23 NOV 16. Now owner of 2016 Jeep Cherokee
Not that I want to take the dealers defense here, but my rule when showing up for warranty work is to be dumb and give them no reason to deny a claim.

They are a profit center for the dealership and are sharks. If you drive in with your grille blocked, right or wrong its opening up an opertunity for them to snap down on you. If you mention anything to them about anything they are going to use it against you.

Plus for every VW loving user that knows more and has a better skillset then the dealers techs, there is at least another shadetree mechanic rolling in there doing his own oil changes with (insert brand here) oil because thats what he always uses etc....
 

DRbillZ

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Mar 17, 2003
Location
Jackson,Tn. Home of Carl Perkins :)
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New Beetle, Jetta, one totaled Passat....RIP.
^^ This. Why give the person you are going to 'fight' ammunition to use against you? Duh! You lost the battle going in. Take the blame. YOU messed up, not them.
I put the foam in front of my grill and drove a total of 1 mile with it there. The car hesitated like crazy with it in there. Took it out and most likely never will use it. Who knows more, VW engineers or some idiot(excuse the inference) on this site?
I'll side with the engineers pretty much every time. I've read so much crap on car and dirt bike sites to know most of the bs you read is just that....bs. "Oh but 'dieselcarguy2457' said to do it.". Yeah dieselcarguy2457 flips burgers at McDonalds for a living so...
 
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ticketed2much

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Mar 13, 2013
Location
Lehigh Valley
TDI
2010 JSW
^^ This. Why give the person you are going to 'fight' ammunition to use against you? Duh! You lost the battle going in. Take the blame. YOU messed up, not them.
I put the foam in front of my grill and drove a total of 1 mile with it there. The car hesitated like crazy with it in there. Took it out and most likely never will use it. Who knows more, VW engineers or some idiot(excuse the inference) on this site?
I'll side with the engineers pretty much every time. I've read so much crap on car and dirt bike sites to know most of the bs you read is just that....bs. "Oh but 'dieselcarguy2457' said to do it.". Yeah dieselcarguy2457 flips burgers at McDonalds for a living so...
There are valid reasons to use a grill block, diesels have been doing it forever. Vw engineers are the people who designed the emissions system in the first place, but they are not the ones who you deal with when you have your car repaired. Vw dealer mechanics are generally known to be poor quality.

That said, the OP should have taken it off before going to the dealer.:confused:
 

Cogen Man

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 4, 2011
Location
Kingston, Ontario, Canada
TDI
2011 Golf TDI DSG.
Why did you tell them you blocked the radiator? There are some things they just don't need to know. NEVER give them ammunition to blame the owner............
Totally agree. My wife's Golf when she first bought it new(Has since gotten rid of it)had the false neutral thing going on. When she took it to the dealership for the fix they told her it was caused by her ScanGauge II plugged into the OBDII port. :) They backed off when the TSB came out for a re-flash of the brains. They were stumped as to how this little gizmo could show EGT for regen heads up and turbo boost. ;)
 

homer8869

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 28, 2013
Location
Indiana
TDI
2009 JSW
^^ This. Why give the person you are going to 'fight' ammunition to use against you? Duh! You lost the battle going in. Take the blame. YOU messed up, not them.
I put the foam in front of my grill and drove a total of 1 mile with it there. The car hesitated like crazy with it in there. Took it out and most likely never will use it. Who knows more, VW engineers or some idiot(excuse the inference) on this site?
I'll side with the engineers pretty much every time. I've read so much crap on car and dirt bike sites to know most of the bs you read is just that....bs. "Oh but 'dieselcarguy2457' said to do it.". Yeah dieselcarguy2457 flips burgers at McDonalds for a living so...

The engineers dont always get it completely right. Sometimes the guy flipping burgers is passionate about solving an engineered problem and does so using good old ingenuity. My experience in life is, the smartest man in the room isn't always the one with a fancy title.
 

wilcharl

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2010
Location
Northern Virginia
TDI
2010 Jetta TDI BOUGHT BACK 23 NOV 16. Now owner of 2016 Jeep Cherokee
To them you have taken a vehicle that was designed to operate under certain parimeters (down to way below zero) by automotive engineers in Germany and modified it.

Specifically, you defeated the purpose of the cooling system. Right or wrong, and its true effects on the DSG aside, you defeated a key system of a vehicle. Now you have a problem and they have good reason that I think even a judge or arbitrartor would side with VW on.
 

Ol'Rattler

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 3, 2007
Location
PNA
TDI
2006 BRM Jetta
When running in really cold temps truckers block off their grills routinely with good results. Should we do it? Sure, in very cold weather when the engine has a hard time reaching operating temp, but be prepared to unblock the grill immediately if the temps warm up.

I knew a guy with a little gasser pickup that thought he wanted to be like the big boys and blocked off his grill, got stuck in traffic and severely over heated his engine.
 

steve05ram360

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 22, 2008
Location
all over
TDI
2011 2D Golf
I have my lower grille blocked with highs in the mid 70's, coolant temps never get above normal. IATs get as high as 114*f... No worse than summer temps. With the grilles unblocked and climbing a grade i have seen coolant temps over 220*f with the dummy dash gauge still at 190.

If your going to use a grille block as temps warm up, get gauges so you know whats going on...
 
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