[Audi A3/S3] DSG clutch lifespan

[chasfox]

Has Audi indicated the potential life of the clutches in the DSG box - bearing in mind the high performance engines it is used with?. Would both have to be replaced or would one wear more quickly? I reckon the bill could be pretty high. On the Vauxhall Corsa/Astra automated gearbox albeit with one clutch - but low torque emgines, it can need replacing after as little as 30,000miles.

[h5djr]

I've never seen any actual life quoted for the clutches in the DSG box but I have found this comment in an article about the DSG

"Unlike a dry friction clutch that consumes its friction material and requires eventual replacement, a wet clutch is bathed in transmission fluid, which lubricates and cools it, allowing greater longevity and more consistent shift quality over a wide range of operating conditions".

Dave R

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A3 2.0 TDI SE DSG

[Simonl]

[/ QUOTE ]"Unlike a dry friction clutch that consumes its friction material and requires eventual replacement, a wet clutch is bathed in transmission fluid, which lubricates and cools it, allowing greater longevity and more consistent shift quality over a wide range of operating conditions".

[/ QUOTE ]

by the sounds of it, very complicated and expensive to replace

[h5djr]

May be, but I have never had to replace a clutch in any of the 14 Audi or VW cars I have owned since 1976. It may be that the DSG clutchs will wear out at some stage but I don't think it will be in my ownership as I tend to change my car every 3 years and it's always covered by warranty.

Dave R

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A3 2.0 TDI SE DSG

[Insurance Jon]

Sorry mate clutches aren't covered by warranty if they wear out!

[h5djr]

Certainly if the friction material on a normal clutch wears out it not covered, but if other parts fail they can be covered. I don't know what the position would be in connection with the twin clutches in a DSG. But I still don't think it will bother me. Having had many Audis that have done 60,000 in my ownership without any problems and Audi say the clutches in the DSG will last a lot longer than a normal clutch, I don't think it will be my problem as I currently do only about 18,000 a year.

It will be interesting in a few years time to see just how long they do last. There should be plently of evidence available as almost 60,000 DSG gearboxes have been made to date.

Dave R

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A3 2.0 TDI SE DSG

[_Tone_]

Previous to the Golf and A3 we had an A4 TDi (130 SE).

We had covered 48k miles and two weeks out of warranty the release bearing sharded. A piece of this fell into the gearbox and screwed it. The clutch (operated by hydraulics) did not feel as if it was on it's way out. Most of the miles on the car were motorway so far less gear changing than normal.

We were looking at a bill near to the £3k mark. With quite a bit of goodwill it ended up at £1138, the dealer owed us £300 so it was £838 in the end.

My big problem with this was how do you know your clutch is going? It felt ok, the bite was were it always was (self adjusting I guess) but we did not know what we could do. As soon as the car was back on the road we got rid of it and this prompted us to get the DSG as we felt with an auto there would not be the same problems as the car does (or gearbox) all the work for you.

Is there a way of shortening the life of a DSG gearbox? I mean the manual can be screwed by dipping the clutch whilst driving (riding the clutch) but you cant do that on a DSG or can you?

Cheers

Tone