RoadVitals

2008 Volkswagen R32 Transmission Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the transmission system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Transmission reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
66
Latest Feb 7, 2011
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
57%
of 115 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2008 Volkswagen R32 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 66 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming transmission

The 25 most recent of 66, in the owner's own words

Transmission
Filed Feb 7, 2011

HESITATING AND JERKING FROM TRANSMISSION WHEN IN REVERSE OR DRIVE WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP. *LN

NHTSA ID
10381061
Incident
Feb 7, 2011
Mileage
29 mi
Transmission
Filed Dec 16, 2010

MY CAR BEGIN MAKING A LOW WHISTLE NOISE A WEEK AGO WHENEVER I ACCELERATED FROM STAND STILL AND A WEEK LATER IT BEGIN SKIPPING GEARS AND THEN THE CAR BECAME INOPERABLE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10370945
Incident
Dec 15, 2010
Mileage
63,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Nov 29, 2010

LOSS OF POWER WHEN DOWNSHIFTING. THIS HAS HAPPENED MORE THAN A FEW TIMES. FORTUNATELY, IT HAS NEVER HAPPENED IN A SITUATION WHERE A CRASH COULD HAVE OCCURRED. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE. MY VW SERVICE ADVISER TOLD ME A RECALL FOR THE DSG TRANSMISSION IS IMMINENT. THAT WAS IN AUGUST. SO FAR, I'VE HEARD NOTHING. *TR

NHTSA ID
10368233
Incident
Oct 14, 2010
Mileage
17,556 mi
Transmission
Filed Sep 18, 2010

WHEN MY VW 2008 R32 IS IN 2ND GEAR IN THE PARKING LOT IT IS NOT SMOOTH. IT JERKS AND LURCHES LIKE I'M PUMPING THE GAS. ALSO DURING VARYING TIMES, MY CAR DOES NOT ACCELERATE SMOOTHY. IT LAGS AND FEELS LIKE ITS SLIPPING. *TR

NHTSA ID
10356274
Incident
Sep 17, 2010
Mileage
65,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Aug 10, 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 VOLKSWAGEN R32. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NO LONGER ACCELERATE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE METHAPROMIC UNIT WAS REPLACED INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION; HOWEVER, AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 35000.

NHTSA ID
10348560
Incident
May 14, 2009
Mileage
25,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Aug 10, 2010

2008 VOLKSWAGEN R 32 IS HAVING ISSUES WITH DSG TRANSMISSION OPERATION VEHICLE IS EXTREMELY ROUGH SHIFTING INTO FIRST FROM NEUTRAL AND ENGAGING INTO REVERSE FROM A STOP. VEHICLE ALSO SHIFT EXTREMELY ROUGH IN SPORT MODE. THE CAR JERKS INTO AND OUT OF EACH GEAR AT ANY SPEED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10348502
Incident
Aug 8, 2010
Mileage
39,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Aug 10, 2010

DSG TRANSMISSION SHIFTS INTO GEAR VERY HARD. GOING FROM R TO D SEEMS TRANSMISSION SLIPS GOING INTO GEAR. IN DRIVE, ACCELERATION IS DELAYED. WHEN ACCELERATING, CAR JERKS 3 TIMES AND THEN BACK TO NORMAL. THERE IS A LOSS OF POWER WHEN ACCELERATING. *TR

NHTSA ID
10348469
Incident
Aug 6, 2010
Mileage
17,700 mi
Transmission
Filed Jun 28, 2010

MY 2008 VW R32 IS STARTING TO HAVE DSG TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AT 22,000 MILES. IT CLUNKS WHEN GOING IN AND OUT OF REVERSE AND DRIVE; IT FEELS AS THOUGH IT WILL NOT DISENGAGE THE FORWARD GEAR WHEN COMING TO A STOP, THEN SUDDENLY DISENGAGES, JOLTING THE WHOLE CAR. THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME WHEN DRIVING. THE DEALER ACKNOWLEDGED THE PROBLEM AND SAID THEY WILL GET A PART TO TRY TO SOLVE IT, BUT NOT UNTIL SEPTEMBER (AND IT IS JUNE NOW). THEY SAID TO KEEP DRIVING IT THIS WAY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10340431
Incident
Jun 21, 2010
Mileage
22,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Mar 2, 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 VOLKSWAGEN R32. THE DRIVER STATED THAT HIS TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONED WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED. THE DRIVER STATED THAT HIS VEHICLE BEGAN TO LUNGE FORWARD WHILE HE WAS DRIVING IN REVERSE. THE DRIVER ALSO STATED THAT IF HE APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO INCREASE HIS SPEED, THE VEHICLE SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL GEAR ON ITS OWN. THE FAILURE HAS CONTINUED TO OCCUR SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. THE DEALER MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO TO ASSIST HIM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 20,000.

NHTSA ID
10315652
Incident
Dec 1, 2007
Mileage
200 mi
Transmission
Filed Jan 7, 2010

AFTER THE CAR GETS TO IT'S WARM TEMPS (ROUGHLY 30 MINS OF DRIVING), IT STARTS TO JERK THROUGH LOW GEARS, HARSH DOWNSHIFTING WHEN SLOWING DOWN TO STOP. TAKING MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE FROM A STOP THE CAR WILL LURCH/SPUTTER FORWARD RATHER THAN SLOWLY ROLL FORWARD, AT TIMES (VERY INCONSISTENT, ROUGHLY 2-3 IN AN HOURS DRIVE) THE CAR WILL SURGE THEN SLAM INTO GEAR BEFORE I'M ABLE TO PRESS ON THE GAS TO DRIVE, IT FEELS ALMOST AS THOUGH IT'S ABOUT TO STALL. *TR

NHTSA ID
10298594
Incident
Nov 15, 2009
Mileage
24,500 mi
Transmission
Filed Nov 23, 2009

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 VOLKSWAGEN R32. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A COMPLETE STOP, THE TRANSMISSION HESITATES AND THEN SHIFTS INTO GEAR. ALSO THE TRANSMISSION HESITATES TO SHIFT FROM FIFTH TO SIXTH GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THEY COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 24,000.

NHTSA ID
10293251
Incident
Feb 1, 2008
Mileage
80 mi
Transmission
Filed Nov 11, 2009

DSG TRANSMISSION DROPS INTO THEN OUT OF THEN BACK INTO 1ST GEAR. ALSO ENGINE REVS AND THE CAR JERKS IN REVERSE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10291896
Incident
Nov 8, 2009
Mileage
27,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Nov 5, 2009

WHEN THE CAR WAS NEW IT WAS SMOOTH AND RIDE WAS GREAT SHIFTING WAS PERFECT, AS TIME AND MILES PASS THE CAR GOT REALLY JERKY WITH THE TRANSMISSION, CAR NOW RIDES SMOOTH BUT THE SIFTING IS TERRIBLE, AND TRANNY IS MAKING ALOT OF NOISES WHEN BACKING UP AND TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL I ALWAYS HEAR A CLUNK, LOUD AND YOU CAN FEEL IT, EVERY TIME I TAKE IT TO MY DEALER IT MAGICALLY GOES AWAY FOR A WEEK OR TWO WEEKS OR SO THEN ITS BACK ITS REALLY FRUSTRATING THAT NO ONE AT THE DEALER SHIP REALLY CARES THEY MAKE IT SEEM LIKE I'M DOING SOMETHING WRONG PLEASE HELP!! *TR

NHTSA ID
10291102
Incident
Feb 18, 2008
Mileage
20,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Oct 31, 2009

WHILE DRIVING UP A STEEP HILL (ABOUT 30MPH) AND APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION, THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME MADE A LAST MINUTE DECISION TO BRAKE HARD AND MAKE A RIGHT HAND TURN WITHOUT SIGNALING. I SLOWED TO A STOP BEHIND THE VEHICLE WHILE THEY TURNED. ONCE THE VEHICLE COMPLETED IT'S TURN, I PROCEEDED TO PASS THROUGH THE INTERSECTION. I MASHED THE THROTTLE (THE LIGHT HAD JUST TURNED YELLOW) TO CLEAR THE INTERSECTION, BUT THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND. FINALLY, AFTER ABOUT 2 SECONDS, THE DSG WENT INTO GEAR AND I WAS ABLE TO PROCEED. HOWEVER, MY VEHICLE REMAINED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION FOR ABOUT A SECOND BEFORE THE DSG BEGAN TO WORK. ADDITIONALLY, THE DSG IN THE VEHICLE ROUTINELY TAKES A MOMENT TO ENGAGE. THE ABOVE INCIDENT WAS THE FIRST TIME THE DSG'S FAILURE TO WORK LEFT ME VULNERABLE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10290456
Incident
Oct 30, 2009
Mileage
23,100 mi
Transmission
Filed Sep 25, 2009

DSG TRANSMISSION SLAMS WHEN PLACED INTO "D" OR "S" MODE EVEN THOUGHT BRAKE IS PUSHED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10285301
Incident
Aug 1, 2009
Mileage
11,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Sep 15, 2009

MY 2008 GOLF R32 EQUIPPED WITH A DSG TRANSMISSION IS HAVING ROUGH SHIFTING, ROUGH CLUTCH ENGAGEMENT, CHOPPY REVERSE AND POWER LOSS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS UNDER HARD ACCELERATION. PLEASE PUSH VW OF AMERICA TO HAVE A RECALL CAMPAIGN DONE. HOW LONG DO OWNERS HAVE TO WAIT FOR THIS? I GUESS VW AND NHTSA WANT SOMEONE TO DIE BEFORE ANY ACTION IS TAKEN. THANK YOU. *TR

NHTSA ID
10284043
Incident
Sep 15, 2009
Mileage
22,000 mi
EngineTransmission
Filed Sep 3, 2009

I HAVE HAD SEVERAL ISSUES WITH SOME CORRECTED BUT THE HESITATION OF POWER AND SHIFTING ISSUES WITH DSG CONTINUE TO PERSIST. SEVERAL TIMES I HAVE TRIED TO ACCELERATE AND THE CAR DOES NOT RESPOND IMMEDIATELY, THIS HAS HAPPENED ON THE EXPRESSWAY SEVERAL TIMES. THERE IS ALSO SOME JERKING IN THE CAR AS IT TRIES TO GO THROUGH GEARS. IT ALSO FEELS LIKE IT IS GOING TO STALL BEFORE IT ACTUALLY GETS GOING. FINALLY, THE CAR HAS RUMBLE FEEL THROUGH THE PEDAL AND FEELS LIKE IT IS FIGHTING ITSELF AND WHEN YOU TURN THE WHEEL TO THE LEFT IT STARTS AN ON AND OFF RUMBLE. OTHER PROBLEMS THAT HAVE OCCURRED WERE A LOUD KNOCKING WHICH WAS EVENTUALLY FIXED BY REPLACING THE ENTIRE ENGINE. THEY FIRST REPLACED THE FLYWHEEL THINKING THAT WAS THE ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10282773
Incident
Aug 24, 2009
Mileage
9,200 mi
Transmission
Filed Sep 2, 2009

AFTER COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP AND LETTING OFF THE BRAKE PEDAL, WHILE THE CAR IS STILL IN DRIVE, IT WILL LURCH OR JUMP FORWARD - ALMOST AS THOUGH I'VE PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THIS SEEMS TO GET WORSE AS THE OUTSIDE AMBIENT TEMPS INCREASE. IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC THE CAR IS A NIGHTMARE TO DRIVE, AS IT WILL LURCH AND JERK HEAVILY. I'VE ACTUALLY HAD MY STARBUCKS COFFEE SHOOT OUT OF THE CUP AND SPILL ON ME BECAUSE OF THIS - YES, IT LURCHES THAT MUCH. I'VE ALMOST REAR-ENDED A FEW CARS AND HIT MY GARAGE WALL. ALL OF THIS IS ACTUALLY OUR SECOND GO AROUND AS WE'VE HAD THE MECHATRONICS UNIT REPLACED BY VW WITH 17646 MILES ON THE CAR. THE CAR NOW HAS 21500 MILES ON IT AND THE SYMPTOMS ARE BACK AGAIN. I'M NOT SURE WHAT TO DO? THE FIRST TIME OUR VW DEALER HAD THE CAR FOR ABOUT A MONTH TO GET IT FIXED BUT THEIR FIX ONLY SEEMED TO WORK FOR A SHORT TIME AS WE'RE STARTING TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS AGAIN. THE CAR IS JERKY AND CLUNKY WHEN SHIFTING AT LOW SPEED DRIVING. I'VE HAD THE DEALER TELL ME THIS IS NORMAL DSG BEHAVIOR BUT WE OWN (2) 2008 VW R32 - MY WIFE AND I EACH HAVE OUR OWN. THE OTHER CAR DRIVES MUCH SMOOTHER AND DOES NOT EXHIBIT THE BEHAVIOR THAT THESE CAR DOES; HOWEVER, I'M NERVOUS THAT OUR OTHER TOO WILL SOON START HAVING PROBLEMS. I'M HOLDING OFF BRINGING THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER UNTIL THEY COME UP WITH A PROPER FIX. VW PLEASE REMEDY THIS PROBLEM. OUR FAMILY HAS BEEN A LOYAL VW/AUDI CUSTOMER OUR ENTIRE LIVES. *TR

NHTSA ID
10282691
Incident
Sep 1, 2009
Mileage
17,646 mi
Transmission
Filed Aug 31, 2009

AFTER PURCHASING MY 2008 VW R32 IT WAS A VERY SMOOTH VEHICLE. THE DSG TRANSMISSION WAS ADVERTISED AS DRIVING EXACTLY LIKE A CONVENTIONAL AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION-EQUIPPED VEHICLE. AFTER A YEAR AND 12,000 MILES I HAVE EXPERIENCED SEVERAL INCIDENTS WHERE THE TRANSMISSION FEELS LIKE IT DISENGAGES. THE ENGINE REVS UP, BUT THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO MOTIVE POWER. THIS HAS HAPPENED BOTH ON THE EXPRESSWAY AS WELL AS ON THE STREET. IN ALL OCCURRENCES THE VEHICLE REGAINS MOTIVE POWER WITHIN 5-10 SECONDS. HOWEVER, DUE TO THE NATURE OF THE PUBLIC HIGHWAYS, LOSING MOTIVE POWER IN A VEHICLE CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS, AND HAS PUT MY LIFE AT RISK WHEN THIS HAPPENED. IT IS MY OPINION THAT THIS ISSUE IS INVESTIGATED, AS I HAVE HEARD FROM OTHER 2008 VW R32 OWNERS THAT THE SAME THING HAS HAPPENED TO THEM AS WELL. *TR

NHTSA ID
10282393
Incident
Jun 14, 2008
Mileage
12,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Aug 31, 2009

LURCHING MOTION OF CAR AS TRANSMISSION ENGAGES AND DISENGAGES. THIS HAPPENS MAINLY WHEN PULLING OFF FROM A COMPLETE STOP. LOSS OF POWER/FORWARD MOMENTUM. THIS HAPPENS WHEN DOWN SHIFTING MANUALLY AND PRESSING GAS TO GAIN SPEED QUICKLY TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC (HIGHWAY/INTERSTATE TRAFFIC). THIS ALSO HAPPENS WHEN ALLOWING THE DSG TRANSMISSION TO SHIFT AUTOMATICALLY WHEN PRESSING THE GAS (HARDER THAT NORMAL ACCELERATION TO MERGE WITH HIGHWAY/INTERSTATE TRAFFIC). *TR

NHTSA ID
10282352
Incident
Aug 29, 2009
Mileage
8,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Aug 26, 2009

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 VOLKSWAGEN R32. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS. THERE WAS PRESSURE APPLIED TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL FOLLOWED BY NO POWER RESPONSE. THE ENGINE BEGAN TO REV EXCESSIVELY HIGH. AFTER A FEW SECONDS THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED INTO GEAR AND RESUMED TO NORMAL OPERATION. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS A HARD SHIFTING FROM "REVERSE" TO "DRIVE" AND "PARK" TO "REVERSE" POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON FIVE SEPARATE OCCASIONS FOR IDENTICAL FAILURES. THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE FLY WHEEL. THE FAILURES CONTINUED AND THERE WAS NO RESOLUTIONS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 33,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. BL

NHTSA ID
10281867
Incident
Mar 5, 2009
Mileage
26,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Aug 26, 2009

MY 2008 VOLKSWAGEN R32 HAS CONSTANT TRANSMISSION ISSUES WHERE THE CAR BUCKS AT LOW SPEEDS AND HAS A VERY CHOPPY REVERSE. I'VE TAKEN IT FOR ITS ALLEGED RECALL AND THE CAR STILL ACTS THE SAME WITH BUCKING AT LOW SPEEDS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10281799
Incident
Sep 30, 2008
Mileage
5,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Aug 25, 2009

HAVE A 2008 VW GOLF R32 DSG. SHIFTING IS EXTREMELY ROUGH AND APPEARS TO HAVE A MIND OF ITS OWN. IN FACT SOMETIMES IT DOES NOT RESPOND TO MY SHIFTS AND ALL AND "COASTS" UNTIL ENGAGING. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THIS PROBLEM CAN BE FIXED BY REPLACING THE MECHATRONIC UNIT, BUT VW DENIES THE ISSUE. THIS IS RIDICULOUS. I HAVE SEARCHED ISSUES WITH IT ON THE INTERNET FORUMS AND I AM FOR SURE NOT ALONE. I THINK THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR BOTH SAFETY AND RELIABILITY REASONS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10281724
Incident
Aug 24, 2009
Mileage
19,500 mi
Transmission
Filed Aug 25, 2009

2008 R32 ON OCCASION DOES NOT SHIFT SMOOTHLY WHEN IN D MODE. IN ADDITION, WHEN STARTING FROM A STANDSTILL IT IS NOT UNCOMMON FOR THE CAR TO JERK WHEN THE ACCELERATOR IS APPLIED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10281635
Incident
Aug 11, 2009
Mileage
28,990 mi
Transmission
Filed Aug 24, 2009

MY 2008 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF R32 HAS DSG ISSUES. THE TRANSMISSION IS NOT SMOOTH WHEN GOING FROM A STOP (BRAKE APPLIED) TO GO (GAS PEDAL). SOMETIMES THE DSG GEARBOX GOES INTO NEUTRAL AS WELL WHILE HAVING THE GAS PEDAL PRESSED AND IN MOTION. I KNOW THERE IS A CURRENT VOLUNTARY RECALL FOR SOME MKV VW VEHICLES, BUT R32 GOLF'S SHOULD BE LOOKED AT AS WELL. PLEASE HELP! *TR

NHTSA ID
10281561
Incident
Aug 24, 2009

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

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Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .