Has anyone serviced an auto box?

[Lambeth Cali]

I have a 2008 California Automatic. The gearbox has never been serviced. Mines not causing any trouble and I’m tempted to leave it alone. I think sometimes they are described as ‘sealed for life’. Every now and again I read Honest John in the Telegraph saying that he would change the oil. I think I’ve also read that this is quite difficult on this gearbox and requires some kind of vacuum. Seems best left alone.
I was just wondering if anyone had changed the gearbox oil?

 

[WelshGas]

I have a 2008 California Automatic. The gearbox has never been serviced. Mines not causing any trouble and I’m tempted to leave it alone. I think sometimes they are described as ‘sealed for life’. Every now and again I read Honest John in the Telegraph saying that he would change the oil. I think I’ve also read that this is quite difficult on this gearbox and requires some kind of vacuum. Seems best left alone.
I was just wondering if anyone had changed the gearbox oil?

Not seen it mentioned on this Forum but mentioned on the T4/T5 Forum.

Search results for query: Service auto box

www.vwt4forum.co.uk

 

[kurienp]

I have a 2008 California Automatic. The gearbox has never been serviced. Mines not causing any trouble and I’m tempted to leave it alone. I think sometimes they are described as ‘sealed for life’. Every now and again I read Honest John in the Telegraph saying that he would change the oil. I think I’ve also read that this is quite difficult on this gearbox and requires some kind of vacuum. Seems best left alone.
I was just wondering if anyone had changed the gearbox oil?

If its got oil, it is there for a reason. Over time, any oil will degrade and weaken its core properties. That itself should be a reason to service it - to change the oil. I think it will be a good investment and you will get to know if all is well within the g'box. It will then not leave you stranded.

 

[Legin]

There is a school of thinking that once a gearbox has done lots of miles without an oil change that fesh il can cause failure. Probably due to the additives loosening old crud. If was me I would change the oil as sealed for life means lasts the warranty period.

 

[Vagophile]

Plenty of tutorials on Utube. Specialised equipment is required, but easily available. It doesn't seem too difficult; it should be within the scope of a competent DIYer.
I looked at this whilst looking for a van as it seemed a lack of oil change could be a negotiating point.
Most opinion that I have read is that regular (40k mile) changes are required.
Edit: I thought this was referring to DSG.
If it's torque converter, there are differing opinions.

 

[Bellcrew]

Not seen it mentioned on this Forum but mentioned on the T4/T5 Forum.

Search results for query: Service auto box

www.vwt4forum.co.uk

The reference on here to change oil normally refers to the DSG box, it is likely that your gearbox is the older torque converter system and has a different maintenance procedure.

 

[Lambeth Cali]

The t4forum has a lot of people talking about 100,000 and 125,000 miles. Mine has done 49,000 in 12 years, almost exclusively on motorways, mainly French, in 6th.
There does seem to be a suggestion that VW dealers leave them alone.
I wondered if anyone had had it done, and when.

 

[Lambeth Cali]

The reference on here to change oil normally refers to the DSG box, it is likely that your gearbox is the older torque converter system and has a different maintenance procedure.

Yes its not a DSG.

 

[356DNA]

They key thing here is to establish which gearbox it has. If it's a DSG gearbox then the fluid change intervals are 40k miles. Its a relatively easy job and there are good DIYs on the forums. You ideally require a specific filling tool (which can be had for circa £50) and you need to make sure the vehicle is on level ground to ensure the level is correct. Also need access to VCDS ideally. It's worth recalibrating the clutches after the oil change.

David.

 

[Lambeth Cali]

Plenty of tutorials on Utube. Specialised equipment is required, but easily available. It doesn't seem too difficult; it should be within the scope of a competent DIYer.
I looked at this whilst looking for a van as it seemed a lack of oil change could be a negotiating point.
Most opinion that I have read is that regular (40k mile) changes are required.

That made me laugh. I’m not in anyway brave enough to mess with the engine or box. Earlier this summer a fox or rat chewed through my ABS loom and I spent a morning under the van wrapping chilli-laced anti-vermin tape around every cable I could find. That was by far the most challenging thing I’ve ever done. I can do stone chips and wash it also! Twenty years ago I changed the spark plugs on a Fiat UNO and I think I needed a new car afterwards.

 

[Lambeth Cali]

Not a DSG. I think they swapped boxes around this time 2007/2008 and the JUM code means it’s Japanese.
I am definitely not a DIY er.

 

[WelshGas]

The reference on here to change oil normally refers to the DSG box, it is likely that your gearbox is the older torque converter system and has a different maintenance procedure.

Most of the threads the above link refer to are for pre-DSG autoboxes, including torque converters.

 

[Lambeth Cali]

Not DSG, Tiptronic.

 

[WelshGas]

Not DSG, Tiptronic.

Search results for query: tiptronic

www.vwt4forum.co.uk

 

[Lambeth Cali]

Yes I think I’ve decided to leave well alone and take ‘sealed for life’ to mean life. There’s a lot of people mentioning problems but they all have 130k or even 187k under their wheels compared to my 49k. At my current rate it will take 20 yrs to get to 130k.

 

[GSX1300R]

Yes I think I’ve decided to leave well alone and take ‘sealed for life’ to mean life. There’s a lot of people mentioning problems but they all have 130k or even 187k under their wheels compared to my 49k. At my current rate it will take 20 yrs to get to 130k.

Like the saying goes...If it ain’t broke....don’t fix it....