Gearbox in emergency mode Tiguan 2017

[Timmy35851]

Diagnosed as faulty transmission control module
Not sure if same as mechatronics?
Think they mentioned it’s still inside the gearbox? Maybe that controls the mecha?

They did say that they have started seeing more and more tiguans with this problem though..

Yes Mechatronics

[The J Man]

*sigh*
started a 1400km round trip road trip today
100km in - geabox in emergency mode, only R, 2, 4 and 6 work
Limp to a dealership near Newcastle - they are too busy, can't even look at it
Limp to a dealership in Newcastle, they manage to diagnose the gearbox - they say the mechatronics ECU (TCU?) needs replacing. That'll take a few weeks to get the part in.

Wow - weeks- I assume VW hand build these parts

Gearbox no longer in emergency mode so I decide to drive home

A couple of emergency modes on the freeway (exit, stop/start car, keep driving) then I get 15km from home and only 2 and R are available.
****

NRMA carried me the rest of the way home - in the meantime I'm trying to book the car in to get it sorted out.

They can't use the diagnostics from Newcastle because apparently VW doesn't share that kind of information.
SO I have to book the car in to get diagnosed THEN they'll order the part(s) they need after being told what VW Newcastle already knows



Huge kudos to VW Newcastle for getting the diagnostic done within 90 minutes of me just rolling in off the street and then charging me $0
Piss poor effort from VW Australia overall though
And a special ***k you to the western sydney dealership who pretty much lost all interest in helping me (beyond saying "pull over, don't drive") once they found I was out of warranty.


I'm 2 months past Warranty - but I don't expect a $55k+ car that's been regularly serviced and has gone only 60,000km to develop a fault that takes it off the road for over a month. Especially if that fault is in an electronic component that they should have spares of in the country (given this does not appear to be a one-off issue)

The phrase "not fit for purpose" definitely springs to mind. Probably my last VW if they don't do right by me

[Chalnoth]

I can sympathise, my Tiguan has been sat at Ringwood VW for 5 weeks and I am still waiting to see if VW Australia will do a Good Will fix (out of warranty but only done 62k). There seems to be an increase in these incidents with DSG in the Tiguan I've been a solid VW buyer for 3 decades but after 'dieselgate' and now this I think it is time to consider other brands.

Update: just heard from Ringwood VW that VW Australia have agreed to cover the repair costs. Could be several weeks to get the coded part from Germany but at least I won't be out of pocket.

[The J Man]

They did say that they have started seeing more and more tiguans with this problem though..

I smell a class action

[nermal]

I smell a class action

Is there a particular model of gearbox that are having the most issues, and that people should watch out for? (eg. DQ500, DQ380, DQ381 etc)

[The J Man]

Is there a particular model of gearbox that are having the most issues, and that people should watch out for? (eg. DQ500, DQ380, DQ381 etc)

hmmm - interesting, for some reason I though the 162kw would need a DQ500, but it seems the 380/381 should be able to handle 350nm of torque

edit: never mind, pretty sure I have the DQ500

[smarty]

Yep I haven’t driven mine now for 5 weeks and it’s been at the dealer for now 3 weeks. Rang them today and they were still waiting on the TCU, apparently it’s in china at the minute. So I’m guessing it will still be weeks away from being finished and then they have to submit the goodwill claim to VW because I’m also out of warranty, about 6 weeks out. Utterly rubbish that such a modern car that’s not cheap, properly maintained, not tuned or driven hard will come apart from now what is becoming an ever so apparent and common problem. Why also they don’t keep these parts in stock also has me beat (when they are starting to see more and more of them…)

[VW Convert]

Why also they don’t keep these parts in stock also has me beat (when they are starting to see more and more of them…)

As someone who has worked in the vehicle parts industry for 50 years, let me assure you, the supply chain is completely, utterly broken, has been for a couple of years and recent events in China have exacerbated the situation. I've never seen parts availability across the board in such a mess.

[The J Man]

As someone who has worked in the vehicle parts industry for 50 years, let me assure you, the supply chain is completely, utterly broken, has been for a couple of years and recent events in China have exacerbated the situation. I've never seen parts availability across the board in such a mess.

Well that explains why it can take weeks/months to get a replacement.

But why aren't there any spares in the country?
Have they all been used up? Is this a design flaw?

[nermal]

Well that explains why it can take weeks/months to get a replacement.

But why aren't there any spares in the country?
Have they all been used up? Is this a design flaw?

My guess is the modern just-in-time inventory control systems/models being used, that rely on free-flow of logistics to reduce local warehouse costs... it's cheap, but very vulnerable to supply-chain interruptions.