Transmission Service Intervals

Hey folks,
Do b5's have regular tans service schedules?
I am looking to see when b5.5 DSG trans need to be serviced. I am reading its an every 40k miles procedure. I bought the car at 147k, now at 163k. If it was serviced on time at 40k, I am a little overdue now.
I called up the dealer where the previous owner had all work done and they said 04 passats have no regular service intervals and if there is no issue, don't mess with it.
I am not having any trans issues, just want to make sure I am not overdue for a service. Is the dealer right here?
I feel like I've herd too many horror stories here of incompetent dealers dealing w TDIs so I wanted double check here.

It is not a DSG.

It is made by ZF. It is a conventional 5sp stepped torque converter automatic, ZF designation 5HP19FL. Used in many Audis and the Porsche Boxster, and variations of it are also used in BMWs and some Jaguars. ZF also supplies many automatics to Fiat/Chrysler, Volvo, Hyundai/Kia, and now Honda.

VAG says "lifetime".

ZF says every 100k km (so about 60k miles)

I do mine every 60k miles, I flush them with a machine. 215k and 240k miles, still kicking.... even with Rocketchip.

Got it. If the dealer said there is no schedule, that means my car's trans has never serviced. Think I probably should, in that case. Longevity is pretty important to me here, I want to keep her in good shape.
Seems wrong to never service such an important thing.

Yep, it is wrong, and why so many fail. It isn't just this unit, either.

Did you just buy the car? Do you know about the BHW's balance shaft issue?

I bought it about 9 months ago from a relative who took good care of it. He definitely kept maintenance up to date.
No I am unfamiliar with that.

You should make yourself then.

Because this is what lives in the bowels of that engine:



Most BHWs unless this is addressed will fail long before even a neglected ZF autobox will.

oof, that doesnt look good. Is there a time/miles where that generally becomes an issue?

That picture was taken of parts from a car with only 80k miles on the clock.

^ which is why I elected to delete the balance shaft and go with a new oil pump arrangement (kits are available) when I did the first timing belt job when the car was 11 years old, 2016, which was at 60,000 miles, and did the transmission service at that time too. My mechanic did all three jobs and a few others at the same time. If you are doing a timing belt job that is the time to address the balance shaft.

Now, 4 1/2 years later, engine and transmission are still running like new.

So, to Johnsontf, you are basically due for another timing belt job. Address the balance shaft and the transmission service at the same time like I did.

I know the timing belt was done at 102k, 60k miles ago. Is there a way to know if the balance shaft is on the way out? How big ($$) is the job? Just from some quick videos I pulled up, it looks like the engine needs to come out, which is definitely over my head as a novice garage mechanic.
Can you wait til it goes to delete it or does that cause more problems later on? I am hesitant to drop a grand on the car as it runs just fine.

$3k to do the gear drive upgrade. This includes a timing belt, which has to come off anyway.

When the chain goes, the oil pump stops turning. When the oil pump stops turning, the turbo and engine starve for oil. Depending on how many seconds it runs with no oil pressure depends on how much damage is done.

The engine does not need to come out.

You can delete the balance shaft assembly for less money, but the engine will vibrate more at idle in gear (this is of no concern on manual converted cars).

These can fail in a spectacular manner, too.






Failure mode is the chain tensioner breaks. They break in the same spot, in the same manner. So consistent, that you can take the broken chunk from one tensioner, and hold it up against a different broken tensioner, and the piece will fit that one almost perfectly, like a puzzle piece. So long as the broken part stays wedged in against the front sealing flange, block, and oil pan, the chain will continue to work.... it will make noise... but it will still turn the balance shafts and the oil pump. Until, eventually, it comes loose, and then the above carnage happens.

I have done over 100 of these upgrades. I have actually had the broken tensioner chunk fall out when I take the oil pan down about 20 times. It is the well known Achilles Heel of the BHW. Not if, but when.

If I were in Johnsontf's position, I would seriously consider having it done now (at 163K miles, or whenever you decide to have the timing belt done again), and would certainly have it done immediately if the engine is making any strange noises. BHWs with balance shaft on the way out sometimes make a very distinctive noise.

I went the delete route, saved a little in the process, and put new motor mounts in at the same time. I did notice a slightly increased amount of vibration at idle but it was very slight, nothing to be concerned about, at least for me. The money I spent (about 3K for everything including the transmission service, timing belt, water pump, delete, etc.) was an investment i was wiling to make since I knew I wanted the car to last a long time and, for my usage (often going to very remote areas) I had to have the car be reliable with no ticking bombs under the hood.

I have a trusted mechanic who had three customers with these cars, me being one of them. The first customer elected to do the geared conversion (before the delete was an option) at about 80k. Me I oped to go the delete route at about 90k and never looked back but the third customer he did nothing. He was a cheap SOB giving the car the least amount of care as possible in fact he use to change the oil ever 20k if he remembers. Did timing belts but never converted the car which finally died at around 450k! My advise heed the warnings go the delete route and sleep easy at night.

I appreciate the words of warning, oilhammer, Tom in PT, and joegt3. I thinking of leaving the car as is. To me and where I am in my life, at 16y/o and 163k, this car is not worth $3,000 in repairs. I have been saving up for a new car for a while now anyway and my plan was to drive this until it is no longer economically feasible. I'd call $3k not economically feasible.
Unlike the majority of the guys here, I am not a diesel nut or VW die hard. This is just my car I use to get me from here to there. I'd rather take my chances, drive her into the ground, and call it quits when that happens.

Yeah, and that's sad since that car is better than a lot of newer cars, and literally WAY better than ANYTHING at the Volkswagen dealer's lot right now. Oh, well. Can't save 'em all.

Both mine are 16 years old, have more miles on them, and are in tip top shape. No plans to replace them ever.

^ Yep. The build quality and handling of these cars is excellent. In my opinion, worth sinking some $$ into.

I can understand the OP's reluctance to invest in all the things that were mentioned but for goodness sake do the transmission service now. The transmission in these cars is a weak link if they are not maintained.

I followed oilhammer advice on the Trany fluid change and so far, good.

Not a full flow flush. Maybe will step up the interval or ask next time.

I am a former Generator mechanic (amongst other tech work so while the Passat is a mystery, I have worked extensive mechanics)). I had the OP/BH gear conversion done (did not know about the delete).

I had them save the parts. My assessment was we were probably good to 150 -200k and then critical (hard telling as wear accelerates so it could have cammed over sooner)

Clearly there was wear, to me, the bizarre part was the chain was like out of the 1900's are with no roller element.

I had to look it up, I NEVER had seen any chain (car, overhead doors, conveyor drive) without a roller element.

And they drive the damned thing at twice engine speed. The least bit off and you can see why it would go. Plain nuts

Good riddance. Not one of VW finer pieces of fine German Engineering (and I am direct German decent so I can say that!)