04 Touareg transmission clunky compared to 2010 - normal for year?

da.hs

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 28, 2012
Location
SK, Canada
TDI
2010 Golf, DSG, silver (from new). 2010 Audi Q7 (from 2016), 2004 Touareg V10 (from 2018)
Both are 6 speed auto but six years apart may mean completely different units - does anyone know?


The 2010 Q7 shifts quickly, silently - hardly know it's there. 04 Touareg has a bit of a clunk when it shifts. Occasionally it jumps about gears a bit though not often.


About the same recorded mileage on each: 180,000km on the 2010. 200,000km on the 2004. The latter was a Vancouver car so may have spent more of its life in city traffic jams.


Is a transmission fluid change likely to help? I notice ID Parts sell service kits for this. How big a job?


Thoughts appreciated...
 

Yeti35

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2009
Location
SL, UT
TDI
2010 Touareg V6 TDI
Does it bang in certain gears like between 4-5? If so the valve body in it needs changed out. I think the '10 got an update one since I have yet to notice it on mine compared to my 04. I have a lot more miles on my 10 than I did on my 04 as well. Plus you can't really compare the 04 you have to your 10 since the Q7 does not have a transfer case like the 04.
 

da.hs

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 28, 2012
Location
SK, Canada
TDI
2010 Golf, DSG, silver (from new). 2010 Audi Q7 (from 2016), 2004 Touareg V10 (from 2018)
It's more than one pair of gears. Not sure if all feel exactly the same. It's not a loud bang: just much more obtrusive than the '10. Point taken about the transfer case, would be a different shaft system.



It's probably three months before I drive it again - don't have winter tires for it yet so will save on insurance/registration fees
 

compu_85

Gadget Guy
Joined
Sep 29, 2003
Location
La Conner, WA
TDI
... None :S
They are the same transmission essentially.

They are known for valve body wear, resulting in poor shifts. Also, VW saying the fluid never needs servicing is BS... on a V10 I'd want to do it every 50k miles. Changing the fluid is super easy on these.

The "jumping about in gears" might be the torque converter locking and unlocking. Ours would lock the converter partially during the 2-3 and 3-4 shift, unlock when the shift completed, then completely lock just after that. Very annoying.

Note that you can change the TCM coding so it displays the gear all the time, not just in manual (if your 04 isn't already configured that way).

-J
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
The Aisin 09D underwent a lot of improvements, the later ones behave MUCH better no matter which engine they are bolted to.

Then they switched to the Aisin 0C8, which is an 8-speed, and started all over again... but much of that was remedied quickly with software.

I think some of the newest stuff is switching to ZF sourced units though.
 

Blownvette

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 26, 2004
Location
Derwood, Maryland
TDI
1990 Corvette with V10TDI ,2004 (2)V10TDI’s
It's more than one pair of gears. Not sure if all feel exactly the same. It's not a loud bang: just much more obtrusive than the '10. Point taken about the transfer case, would be a different shaft system

I owned 2 2004 V10tdi’s and a 2008 V10tdi at the same time... here is what I noticed. The 2004 that had the valve body done and a new drive shaft felt like the low mileage 2008. The 2004 that was all stock felt like you mentioned. The driveshaft rear cv joint started banging and I replaced with a new driveshaft and it then felt like the rest of my Touaregs. I do know that the valve body was changed in 2006 so that may or may not change the way it shifts. I think it has less solenoids than the newer cars.
 
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da.hs

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 28, 2012
Location
SK, Canada
TDI
2010 Golf, DSG, silver (from new). 2010 Audi Q7 (from 2016), 2004 Touareg V10 (from 2018)
Thanks for the info. I'll do a fluid change in the Spring and see if any improvement.

If valve body is going, does shifting get tougher gradually or is there eventually complete failure?
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
Erratic shifting, harsh shifts, both up and down, flares between shifts, gear hanging, etc. are all symptoms of Aisin valve bodies going whack. This is not limited to VAG products so equipped, either.
 

Blownvette

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 26, 2004
Location
Derwood, Maryland
TDI
1990 Corvette with V10TDI ,2004 (2)V10TDI’s
Thanks for the info. I'll do a fluid change in the Spring and see if any improvement.

If valve body is going, does shifting get tougher gradually or is there eventually complete failure?
Not sure. It never seems to fail only slams hard on shifts. It’s been a while since I had mine done but think it is not a bad idea to have it rebuilt by a shop that knows what they are doing. There have been many upgrades over the past 15 years so swapping one could be considered preventative maintenance.

(877) 337-4681

https://b-m.facebook.com/Ream-Man-Valve-Bodies-179252558759709/

Cory is the contact that I have. It’s been several years since he did my valve body and all is good. I am having him do the Valve body in my Corvette also just so I don’t have to address it later on. I’m sure there are other shops that can do the service. I just have first hand experience with Cory...
 
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da.hs

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 28, 2012
Location
SK, Canada
TDI
2010 Golf, DSG, silver (from new). 2010 Audi Q7 (from 2016), 2004 Touareg V10 (from 2018)
Thanks for info again. Much appreciated
 

compu_85

Gadget Guy
Joined
Sep 29, 2003
Location
La Conner, WA
TDI
... None :S
I got a reman valve body from RevMax for our truck, thinking there was some wear.

It didn't change much... Shifting got a little firmer after. But my main complaint (odd TCC apply behavior) turned out to be exactly what the computer was commanding :rolleyes:

-J
 
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