B5.5 Tranny Failure Poll

When did your B5.5 ZF tranny fail (in miles)?

  • 50-100k

    Votes: 5 7.5%
  • 100-150k

    Votes: 6 9.0%
  • 150-200k

    Votes: 10 14.9%
  • 200k +

    Votes: 5 7.5%
  • Has not failed

    Votes: 41 61.2%

  • Total voters
    67

PlaneCrazy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 3, 2000
Location
Province of Quebec, Canada
TDI
Gone...
Please post your not failed mileage
Not failed yet, touch wood, 254,000 km.

Another number that might be worth looking at: of the failures and not failed, who did the 1134 permanent sport mode transmission recode. I did recode mine at about 120k km and the shifting was noticeably smoother, much less "hunting" for the right gear and jerking when resuming acceleration after coasting (say to a red light that turns green so you want to launch back up to speed). I wonder if that jerking could be a cause of premature failures.

Oh and another data tidbit, I never changed the fluid.
 
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Mechnurse

Veteran Member
Joined
May 17, 2005
Location
Pahrump, Nevada
TDI
97/2K/05/15 Passat 06 Jetta TDI
140k

Still going strong at 140K, but I did have the Valve Body mod back at 75K miles. I have change the fluid 2x and will again shortly
 

turtle1026

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2010
Location
Florida
TDI
2004 Passat
I voted "has not failed". 122,000 miles. I just had a torque converter failure but not the transmission. I changed the fluid at about 90k and again when I just did the TC.
 

gotsoot

Veteran Member
Joined
May 28, 2012
Location
Piedmont S.C.
TDI
`04 passat tdi
transmission failure

just got the dreaded code for torque convertor failure,actually non -lockup off.new T/Q was quoted @ 1313.00 @ VW -not happening.Had original rebuilt.$225.00!.Going to pick it up today.what would be a fair price for labor to R/R tranny ?177,000miles.
 

1854sailor

Resident Curmudgeon
Joined
Aug 10, 2004
Location
Westerly, RI
TDI
2015 Golf SE SportWagen, 2015 Golf SE Hatch Back.
110K miles and no problems. Recoded to Sport mode @ 70K when we bought it. Changed fluid and filter @ 80K and will do again @ 120K.

Drive more, worry less!
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
134k, not a peep of trouble. Recoded to 1134 when I did RC1 @ around 82k miles. ATF flushed with Pentosin-branded ATF1 every 60k miles.

Mine is about 90% highway miles, but it has been driven "spirited" on many occasions.... well, every occasion in my case, LOL... :p
 

Biodezl

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2002
Location
Davis, CA
TDI
Passat, 2005, Teal; Golf, 1999, Metalic Green, Auto
125,000 miles. RC1. Double-flush at 75,000 miles.
 

spartan

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2011
Location
MI
TDI
05 Passat Wagon
Just had to rebuild the trans in the car I just bought with 169k. I was told it was flushed at 140k, but I don't know before that...
 

edthacker

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 22, 2009
Location
Cincinnati, OH
TDI
05 Passat Wagon TDI Chainless, Colt Cam, 5 spd european tranny, rear air bags
258,000 Mi have not touched tranny (I know, I know!) and pull snomobile traler during winter.
 

Keith J. Barton

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 8, 2002
Location
Cleveland, OH
TDI
2004 Passat, Silverstone Gray 206k miles (gone but not forgotten: 2002 Jetta, Blue - 60k miles)
194,000 miles and tranny is exactly as it came from factory (including original fluid, etc...) works beautifully. I also frequently use the manual shifter and downshift for engine breaking.
 

DezlDan

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2005
Location
Richmond, B.C., Canada
TDI
2005 passat TDI Variant - United Grey
I have flushed my transmission, but is anyone starting to notice that there are folks, as in the 2 posts above, who never touch their transmission and it lasts forever? Conversely, there are folks who have flushed, such as Dlai, and have had premature failures. Interesting. I would be curious to know if any of those premature failures involved the use of BG transmission fluid, which is not approved, and widely used by the dealerships in Canada to keep costs down. Problem is, they don't disclose this to the customer unless asked. My buddy used it and his transmission blew about 1.5 years later. I would imagine that they are using it in the US too.
 
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aja8888

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 25, 2007
Location
Texas..RETIRED 12/31/17
TDI
Out of TDI's
I have flushed my transmission, but is anyone starting to notice that there are folks, as in the 2 posts above, who never touch their transmission and it lasts forever? Conversely, there are folks who have flushed, such as Dlai, and have had premature failures. Interesting. I would be curious to know if any of those premature failures involved the use of BG transmission fluid, which is not approved, and widely used by the dealerships in Canada to keep costs down. Problem is, they don't disclose this to the customer unless asked. My buddy used it and his transmission blew about 1.5 years later. I would imagine that they are using it in the US too.
I used OEM Pentosin in both our transmissions (40K change intervals) and both failed prematurely.:rolleyes:
 

dlai

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jun 6, 2002
Location
The Insane Asylum Known As CA
TDI
2005 Passat, Stonehenge Gray, 2002 Black Golf 5M
I have flushed my transmission, but is anyone starting to notice that there are folks, as in the 2 posts above, who never touch their transmission and it lasts forever? Conversely, there are folks who have flushed, such as Dlai, and have had premature failures. Interesting. I would be curious to know if any of those premature failures involved the use of BG transmission fluid, which is not approved, and widely used by the dealerships in Canada to keep costs down. Problem is, they don't disclose this to the customer unless asked. My buddy used it and his transmission blew about 1.5 years later. I would imagine that they are using it in the US too.
The work was done by Harv at Wild Rose and he used Pentosin. As Harv and Oilhammer will tell you, I do everything by the book. All work on my car since I've owned it was done by Harv, Oldpoopie, or Oilhammer. Go figure, luck of the VW draw I guess...
 

Keith J. Barton

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 8, 2002
Location
Cleveland, OH
TDI
2004 Passat, Silverstone Gray 206k miles (gone but not forgotten: 2002 Jetta, Blue - 60k miles)
As I mentioned in my post above - all original. Recently there was an oil leak and mechanic though it might be the tranny belly pan that was leaking, as it was covered (turned out the valve cover gasket was leaking and it dripped down the backside of the engine). He checked the fluid level and was surprised that it was exactly at the full line and that it looked to be in good condition. He said they normally lose at least some fluid.
 

Passat'n Adventure

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 17, 2013
Location
Augusta, GA area
TDI
05 Passat GLS Wagon - Deleted and 5 speeded '15 Passat SEL P
I Want to see what kind of tranny failure numbers are out there....
I voted in the poll as a failure with 200K + (I was at 230,000 when I swapped to 5 Sp. Manual), but I cannot say it was a true transmission "failure". The TC was slipping and threw a code, but I decided to to BM delete, tranny change, and axle replacement at that time. I chalk it up to MY bad - I did not do any fluid checks or changes on my transmission ... DOH!
 
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Muleman

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 5, 2003
Location
Midwest
TDI
2005 Passat GLS TDI Wagon
My tranny had 253K when sold and was original with two oil and filter changes. My driving conditions likely ideal for this tranny. 250-400 miles in a day with 2-4 stops. 75% 2 lane highways, 25% interstate.
 

Ping Pong

Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2013
Location
Toontown
TDI
2005 passat tdi
still going strong

My 2005 passat tdi auto tranny is still going strong at 146,000 miles. I have not changed the fluid but I am thinking about doing that this summer. Car has alot of highway miles. I have not done the "1134 permanent sport mode transmission recode" I will look into this it sounds interesting. Can the VW dealer do this or do you have to go somewhere else?
 

adam4584

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 4, 2011
Location
texas
TDI
'04 B5.5 Passat, '09 Jetta tdi
mine has 175k miles. i've had it for the last 50k and haven't changed the fluid. but i believe the previous owner did at around 100k. haven't had any issues out of it. i may look into the sport reflash
 
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