DSG Service Interval Question - Dieselgate Refugee Sitting Idle for Several Years

Joined
Mar 17, 2020
Location
New Mexico, USA
TDI
2013 Jetta Sportwagon DSG
I just bought a 2013 Jetta Sportwagon with 57k miles on it. It was a lease so all the service had been done prior to purchase, including the 40k transmission service.



My question involves the DSG service interval and time. The car had been sitting for several years in Michigan before I got it. VW doesn't have a time limit on the DSG service interval, only mileage.



Should I change the transmission fluid anyway? It's been sitting for quite a while. I know engine oil should be changed every year minimum. Does anyone know about DSG oil?

I'd rather not have to change it if I don't have to, but I will if someone thinks I might be doing damage to my transmission by not changing the fluid.



Thanks in advance for your comments.
 

Lightflyer1

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Sep 13, 2005
Location
Round Rock, Texas
TDI
2015 Beetle tdi dsg
It is an expensive part to have to replace. I would do it myself. There are DIY here that guide you if you can do it yourself. Not too hard. Dealer will want $600 +/- to do it. You can buy the kit and do it yourself for around $150 or so.
 

DivineChaos

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 27, 2019
Location
Minnesota
TDI
mk6 jetta sportwagen tdi
i made a diy pump that works. (have used the same type for other oils) cost me 30 bucks. with proper tools it will take less than an hour. If you start with a hot trans and warm the oil up it will go fairly fast. Yes i would change it.
 

IndigoBlueWagon

TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Location
South of Boston
TDI
'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
Keep in mind that you're supposed to run the transmission up to operating temperature, measure the temp with VCDS or similar, and drain off any excess fluid. Without VCDS you can measure what you remove and replace with the same amount, but that is a guess. However, I think a lot of people do it that way. I spoke to a customer the other day who was going to drain, refill with 4.5 liters of fluid, and call it good. That would make me uncomfortable, but not others, I guess.
 
Joined
Mar 17, 2020
Location
New Mexico, USA
TDI
2013 Jetta Sportwagon DSG
Keep in mind that you're supposed to run the transmission up to operating temperature, measure the temp with VCDS or similar, and drain off any excess fluid. Without VCDS you can measure what you remove and replace with the same amount, but that is a guess. However, I think a lot of people do it that way. I spoke to a customer the other day who was going to drain, refill with 4.5 liters of fluid, and call it good. That would make me uncomfortable, but not others, I guess.
Thanks for the tip. I'm hoping I can measure transmission temperature with the torque app and my bluetooth obdii.

Otherwise I don't mind spending $200 on VCDS, I'd just rather not since this vehicle is unlikely to need additional maintenance anytime soon.

I already ordered the service kit so I will be changing the fluid when it arrives.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk
 

tactdi

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 21, 2010
Location
North Carolina
TDI
2005.5 Jetta
Do you know for a fact that the car resided in Michigan?

When VW bought back the cars, only the title transferred to Michigan, cars were stored around the country in locations probably not too far from the turn in location.

Review the Carfax for the location the car was originally puchased in, and the locations it was serviced and resold (other than Michigan).
If there are several entries for Michigan, then it probably was driven in Michigan,
only one entry, then only the title was transferred to VW.
 
Joined
Mar 17, 2020
Location
New Mexico, USA
TDI
2013 Jetta Sportwagon DSG
Do you know for a fact that the car resided in Michigan?



When VW bought back the cars, only the title transferred to Michigan, cars were stored around the country in locations probably not too far from the turn in location.



Review the Carfax for the location the car was originally puchased in, and the locations it was serviced and resold (other than Michigan).

If there are several entries for Michigan, then it probably was driven in Michigan,

only one entry, then only the title was transferred to VW.
Interesting. There are two entries for Michigan on the carfax. But it pretty much went unused from 09/2017 until I bought it this month.

And now that I'm looking at the carfax, I'm not seeing any record of the 40,000 mile service being done. It does say "vehicle serviced" at 38,000 miles, but it doesn't say that the 40,000 mile service was performed.

Like I said, I'm going to change the transmission fluid to be safe. I'm going to change the fuel filter also.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk
 

DivineChaos

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 27, 2019
Location
Minnesota
TDI
mk6 jetta sportwagen tdi
Thanks for the tip. I'm hoping I can measure transmission temperature with the torque app and my bluetooth obdii.

Otherwise I don't mind spending $200 on VCDS, I'd just rather not since this vehicle is unlikely to need additional maintenance anytime soon.

I already ordered the service kit so I will be changing the fluid when it arrives.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk
yep you can. i actually measure mine lots. in the live data section you can set many things on the screen.
 

DivineChaos

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 27, 2019
Location
Minnesota
TDI
mk6 jetta sportwagen tdi
Interesting. There are two entries for Michigan on the carfax. But it pretty much went unused from 09/2017 until I bought it this month.

And now that I'm looking at the carfax, I'm not seeing any record of the 40,000 mile service being done. It does say "vehicle serviced" at 38,000 miles, but it doesn't say that the 40,000 mile service was performed.

Like I said, I'm going to change the transmission fluid to be safe. I'm going to change the fuel filter also.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk
if i clicked ex[and it would state what was done at that service. mine was into a vw dealer every 10k for servive. even shows when tires were replaced, both times the trans was serviced. there was no unusual services. think i got lucky. I do hate the zigzag oil filters they use though. according to the reccords, it was in there for a year and 3k mikes and it was sucked against the center. But the straight pleate one (on the other tdi) was not sucked against the center. and that was through the winter. so many cold starts here in mn... How well does the other one filter when the pleats are sucked together? Im sold on the straight plere ones.
 

IndigoBlueWagon

TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Location
South of Boston
TDI
'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
Lots of people postponed service visits when they knew they were selling their cars back. Unless you see otherwise I'd assume it was skipped. I bought a '15 Passat last year that had almost exactly 40K on it. Part of what I liked is I could do the 40K service on time once I got it.
 

Lightflyer1

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Sep 13, 2005
Location
Round Rock, Texas
TDI
2015 Beetle tdi dsg
Some even negotiated the required service with the deal when they bought it from the dealer. Some dealers actually did the services as they were supposed to before the sale. If you bought from an independent then it was all up to the buyer as to what they wanted.
 
Joined
Mar 17, 2020
Location
New Mexico, USA
TDI
2013 Jetta Sportwagon DSG
Some even negotiated the required service with the deal when they bought it from the dealer. Some dealers actually did the services as they were supposed to before the sale. If you bought from an independent then it was all up to the buyer as to what they wanted.
The independent dealer I bought it from did a lot of service, but they didn't do the dsg. I don't think they did the fuel filter either. No worries, I'm going to do both myself.

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kcunniff

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 14, 2013
Location
Southwest Florida
TDI
2005 Golf GLS BEW (5spd)
Along with the DSG fluid change and calibration (need VCDS for this), and along with whatever other fluids/filters you will be changing (suggest you do them all), please don't forget to flush your brake fluid, particularly on a car that has been sitting.

Good luck, the CJAA motor is really nice (provided the DPF is intact), and suggest running it in manual mode with your DSG. In my experience, it is the finest automatic transmission I have driven, and it really shines in manual mode.
 

joep1234

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2014
Location
NC
TDI
former '04 Beetle TDI, now 2x '15 Audi Q5 TDI's, 2007 Dodge Ram 4x4 6.7
It needs to be done every 40k, no question. I had to replace one that was neglected in my last car. It was $4500 at a trans shop and over $7000 at the dealer. Cheap insurance.
 

pdh

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2007
Location
Newfoundland, NJ
TDI
2015 Golf TDI, 2014 BMW 328d, X Drive
I got a quote for $279.00 for my 2015 Golf TDI (67,000k) from a QUALITY independent rebuilder who I used a couple years ago on my BMW 328d. This guy has a rep for building racing auto transmissions. I would think you should be able to find someone. I would not go to AAMCO or anyone like that. There are good indy VW guys who are fine also.
 
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