The dry clutch 7 speed DSG gearbox suffers from several common faults. This guide details the issues that affect the Audi S Tronic, VW, Seat and Skoda, DSG 7 speed models which can be repaired and even upgraded with modified parts.
Please note, this guide is for the DSG 7 Dry Clutch systems found on models with an engine capacity of under 2000cc. This guide does not relate to the OB5/DL501 DSG 7 gear wet clutch system equipped on the larger Audi models.
DSG 7 Speed Transmission Introduction
This version of the DSG gearbox is often referred to under a few different names including, 0AM, 0CW, 7DSG and DQ200. You will find this version of the transmission on the smaller engine models in the Audi, Seat, Skoda and VW range.
DSG gearbox problems are not uncommon, and unfortunately this model of DSG gearbox suffers from its own set of various faults, luckily all of which have viable repair solutions.
Article Sections
Mechatronic Faults | DSG Fault Codes
Common Faults
Internal high pressure hydraulic leaks
Very common
Requires rebuild or complete replacement mechatronic unit
TCU failure
Common
Requires replacement TCU or complete mechatronic unit
External low pressure leaks
Uncommon
Requires rebuild of mechatronic or complete mechatronic
The 0AM DQ200 DCT mechatronic unit suffers from various faults which will cause the driver to experience symptoms like harsh or incorrect gear changes, or even complete loss of drive.
This semi-automatic dual clutch gearbox relies on the correct function of the mechatronic to regulate clutch operation as well as gear changing.
Faulty DSG mechatronic units can result in damage to the gears and reduced service life of the dual clutch pack.
DQ200 DSG Fault codes:
P17BF - Hydraulic pump system overload protection
06079 - Hydraulic pump, play protection
06300 - Function restriction, due to insufficient pressure build up
06293 - Function restriction due to pressure drop
Shaking / juddering in 1st gear and when changing into higher gears
Current gear flashes on dashboard
Flashing engine management light or PRNDS on dashboard
Clutch slip or banging on engagement
Please note, you may experience some, but not all of the listed faults depending on the level of damage internally.
We always recommend having your mechatronic faults repaired by a company that can complete everything in house.
This can save time from mis-diagnosis and damage of the unit in transit which is very common.
Many of the customers vehicles that we see at our workshop have had their mechatronic units sent off prior to coming to us and a result of "no fault found" was given, however their gearbox issues still persisted.
When we take a closer look, we find cracks in the valve body resulting in pressure loss issues as well as faulty solenoids.
Mechatronic Part Numbers
0AM 927 769 D - 0AM927769D
0AM 927 769 K - 0AM927769K
0AM 927 769 G - 0AM927769G
0AM 325 025 D - 0AM325025D
0AM 325 025 H - 0AM325025H
0AM 325 065 N - 0AM325065N
0AM 325 025 J - 0AM325025J
0AM 325 065 L - 0AM325065L
0AM 325 065 S - 0AM325065S
7 Speed DSG DQ200 S-Tronic Mechatronic Unit
Components That Fail
In The 7 Speed DSG Mechatronic Unit
In this section you can see some of the components that make up the dq200 mechatronic unit and the common failures for each part.
The image above shows the resulting damage from a high-pressure leak from the accumulating canister which screws into the valve body. The valve body on the DQ200 0AM mechatronic unit has a design flaw where the thickness of the locating cannister wall is too thin. This means that it can split as pictured above, causing a loss of high-pressure and resulting with issues in the working of the clutch and gear operating system.
When the damage gets to the stage pictured above, it is unlikely that the vehicle will drive, however if it does, it will have very rough gear changes, jerking motions and faults flashing on the dashboard.
This issue can be rectified by Eco Torque, by reconditioning the mechatronic unit and upgrading the valve body with the new superseded design which VW/Audi addressed and which cures this issue.
The IC motor and high-pressure pump are common components for failing on the DCT DSG mechatronic unit. Pressure leaks can cause the high-pressure pump to overwork and burn out. The failure of these two components are however usually secondary issues, which are misdiagnosed as the primary suspects.
Solenoid failure is very common on the VW DSG, Audi S-Tronic 7 Speed Mechatronic units. This is one of the most common issues we see at Eco Torque and failures can be caused by contamination in the oil from component breakdown, as well as internal electrical faults.
We can replace these with new units if required upon testing.
DSG7 Reverse Selector Fault
Common Faults
Reverse selector bearing failure
Very common
Requires strip down of transmission and replacement of bearing or upgraded selector fork
One particular issue our customers come to us with is that their vehicle doesn't go into reverse or they cannot select 6th gear. It is also something we check when removing and replacing mechatronic units, as the selector is partially visible. If you own a DSG 7 speed vehicle older than 2018 then this fault is a case of "when" not "if".
Symptoms of this fault:
Grinding/crunching sound when selecting reverse
Complete loss of reverse gear
Flashing engine management light or PRNDS on dashboard
6th gear does not engage
Fault code 06293 function restriction due to pressure drop
Fault code 01851 stuck in gear 6
Please note, you may experience some, but not all of the listed faults depending on the level of damage internally.
A fault with the reverse selector is often mis-diagnosed as a mechatronic issue.
The collapsed selector fork triggers error codes relating to pressure and selection faults and often causes less experienced repairers to recommend expensive mechatronic repairs when they are not needed.
When the bearing/slider fails, the selector is left unsupported in its guide bush and allows the fork to move in a lateral direction, opposed to its normally guided vertical motion. When the selector is in this state the mechatronic can not operate the selector properly resulting in no or poor gear selection. At this point, the misaligned selector can damage the gear position sensor on the mechatronic unit and will require the removal of the complete mechatronic for remanufacturing.
This fault is exclusively found on the 0AM 7 Speed DSG DQ200 gearbox models. The replacement of this component in the unit will greatly improve the DSG gearbox reliability.
For more information on this fault read our other blog post on the fault here.
DSG Clutch
Common Faults
Clutch pack wear:
Very common
Requires removal of transmission and replacement of DSG clutch with new unit
The DSG clutches on the 7 speed gearbox are made of two individual friction material design discs, housed in one unit with two operating diaphragms. As they are constructed in a similar way and of the same material as your standard manual transmission clutch, they also suffer from the same wear and tear issues and failures. DSG clutch wear in the 7 speed gearbox result in clutch judder when accelerating from standstill or when changing gears. It can also produce an over-revving effect as the DSG clutches slip and struggles to gain grip to transmit the power from the engine through the gearbox. These symptoms are usually accompanied by a fault code on the system relating to the clutch (clutch 1/2 tolerance limit reached). In more severe cases the engagement of the DSG clutch pack can result in a heavy/violent bang, which can stall the engine. It is highly recommended to change the clutch before this point as it can cause additional damage to the dual mass flywheel. It is vitally important that the DSG clutches are installed by an experienced mechanic and shimmed correctly using the specialist tools required. We have numerous customers come to us believing they have issues with their mechatronic unit, for us to discover their DSG clutch has been installed incorrectly, which drastically reduces it's lifespan.
Bearing Failure
Common Faults
Bearing wear:
Uncommon
Requires strip down of transmission and replacement of bearings
Although we do see this issue now and again, it is nowhere near as common as mechatronic, clutch pack and reverse selector failure.
The differential bearings are almost always the main culprit and result in a very audible constant whining sound when driving.
Bearing wear on individual shafts is also common which will cause an audible whine in certain gears and can also be heard slowing down as the transmission shifts power from one shaft to another.
Vehicle models affected
Audi A1 DSG '11 onwards
Audi A3 DSG '08 onwards
Audi A3 Cabriolet DSG '08 onwards
Seat Altea DSG '09 onwards
Seat Ibiza DSG '08 onwards Seat Leon DSG '09 onwards Seat Toledo DSG '09 onwards
Skoda Octavia DSG '08 onwards Skoda Superb DSG '08 onwards Skoda Yeti DSG '10 onwards
VW Golf DSG '07 onwards
VW Golf Plus DSG '07 onwards
VW Jetta DSG '07 onwards
VW Passat DSG '08 onwards VW Passat CC DSG '10 onwards
VW Polo DSG '09 onwards
VW Scirocco DSG '08 onwards VW Touran DSG '08 onwards
Replacement Parts
More Available In Store ...
Workshop Repair Services
Replacement DSG S-Tronic DQ200 7 Speed Mechatronic Inc TCU (Speed Sensor Version Only)
£1495 Inc VAT 1 Year 12'000 Mile Warranty
Replacement DSG S-Tronic DQ200 7 Speed Clutch Pack
£1195 Inc VAT 1 Year 12'000 Mile Warranty
Upgraded Reverse Selector Fork Supplied & Fitted*
£995 Inc VAT 1 Year 12'000 Mile Warranty * Clutch pack may be required at the same time
Combined price discounts available when one or more of these services are required at the same time
For VW's official page on DSG gearboxes follow this link
If you think your vehicle might be suffering from a fault and as with all gearbox issues, it is best to get it looked at straight away as it could save the customer substantial amounts on their repair bill.
Eco Torque offer an initial electronic diagnostic service with our main dealer equivalent machine. This shows us live data from the gearbox as well as a report for the customer to see the fault codes within the DSG unit. This essential first step is £90 including VAT and takes around 1 hour to complete.
All of our DSG repairs or reconditioned units come with a 12 Month 12'000 Mile Warranty.
Eco Torque can also provide courtesy cars*.
Contact Eco Torque Today
Tel: 01462 835335 Email: info@eco-torque.co.uk
Eco Torque Ltd
Unit 1A Portland Industrial Estate
Hitchin Road
Arlesey
United Kingdom
SG15 6SG
Disclaimer: Our assessment of how common faults are with certain aspects of this transmission, are based on the work we have carried out over time and the percentage between each type of job. This is not an official statistical value of the VAG transmission range.