Facelift Service Questions: Transmission Oil Change vs DSG Oil Change

MikhailCompo

MikhailCompo

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My car needs a service and as the dealer gave me real cause for concern last time (Haldex gauze clean...), I rejected their offer of "Transmission Oil Change" and I am taking it to a local Audi specialist for this MOT and service.

Firstly, last service was exactly 30k, this time car only done 34,700. I've hardly driven the car due to lockdown, I almost never drive the car hard, no track days. No faults in OBDEleven, the only issue my car has is the gear changes at very slow speeds are a tad jerky sometimes.
1) What service do I need? Major or minor?

At the dealer they recommended "Transmission Oil Change due between 20,000-36,000 miles" which I rejected because they were so sh1t, so I will get this done this time.
2) However, is there a difference between DSG Oil Change and Transmission Oil change?

3) Are there any other jobs that are worth doing pre-emptively at this mileage?

4) I had a minor shunt in the snow in Feb 2020, repaired via insurance by an Audi specialist (not insurance company's choice of garage), I am extremely pleased with the work and the car has been perfect since (the jerky changes preceded the bump). Is it worth mentioning to the garage I am taking it to and will it affect servicing at all?

Thanks for any advice all.
 
1) What service do I need? Major or minor?

For a fixed schedule, I read it as…

2017 - New
2018 - Minor
2019 - Major
2020 - Minor
LOCKDOWN
2021 - Should be Major

* The real question is if you don’t adhere to the schedule, are the repercussions acceptable to you? - This is very much a personal thing. Personally I wouldn’t as it’s a 2017 car and I don’t know what your longer term goals are for the car and your financial situation

At the dealer they recommended "Transmission Oil Change due between 20,000-36,000 miles" which I rejected because they were so sh1t, so I will get this done this time.
2) However, is there a difference between DSG Oil Change and Transmission Oil change?

The terminology doesn’t sound right, I plugged in a plate into the Fontain website and this shows up…

1629983373539




Haldex is the rear gearbox oil
Stronic is the gearbox up front with engine.

DSG, being a VW term, strictly means it’s the STronic service
Transmission Oil, as term would imply it means the same thing

3) Are there any other jobs that are worth doing pre-emptively at this mileage?
* Pass for the most part. Others can chime in. Suggest brake fluid IIRC it’s 2 years, but don’t recall if the first one is at 3, then it rolls to 2 year intervals And the usual wear / tear parts if it’s cheap enough and you’re near the replacement window anyway

4) I had a minor shunt in the snow in Feb 2020, repaired via insurance by an Audi specialist (not insurance company's choice of garage), I am extremely pleased with the work and the car has been perfect since (the jerky changes preceded the bump). Is it worth mentioning to the garage I am taking it to and will it affect servicing at all?
* No need, in my own opinion. If the garage did the work well and passes the requirements for the fix, this shouldn’t have an impact on the service.
 
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Some really useful and reassuring info there, thanks a lot.
1) I have the funds and defo want to look after the car, i will spend whatever is needed but i dont want to waste money obvs.
2) DSG service it is then, thanks.
3) Brake fluid was done last time at the dealer, serviced Oct 2020, it got its minor. So major it is this time.
 
Don’t forget changing the diff oils. Think the front is part of the dsg oil change but the rear diff is definitely separate to the haldex.
 
That’s 3 parts?

Haldex - The easy one to do
Stronic - The engine bay one?
Differential - Is this covered under normal Haldex service or is it not on the radar as Audi claim it’s “sealed for life”
 
toooldforboyracing said:
That’s 3 parts?

Haldex - The easy one to do
Stronic - The engine bay one?
Differential - Is this covered under normal Haldex service or is it not on the radar as Audi claim it’s “sealed for life”
Click to expand...
Rear diff is separate part to the haldex unit so won’t be part of haldex service. Diff is meant to be sealed for life I think.
 
toooldforboyracing said:
One suspects it’s prudent to replace the oil for the rear diff, or am I about to stand corrected?
Click to expand...
My argument with Audi previously in other car was nothing lasts forever. It’s like the zf gearboxes, Audi says sealed for life but zf says otherwise.
I would take sealed for life means it’s only good during warranty period. After that you are on your own.
 
I’d agree with you. Most things need replacing, we don’t have the engineering prowess to make this last a long time, excluding roman road engineering vs the modern pothole fillers that die after 2 years
 
You don’t say if the car is FWD or Quattro.
For me, transmission oil change would be a manual gearbox, DSG is for the S Tronic box

with Quattro, you can also do front diff, transfer box, rear diff and haldex oil.
 
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Booti said:
You don’t say if the car is FWD or Quattro.
For me, transmission oil change would be a manual gearbox, DSG is for the S Tronic box

with Quattro, you can also do front diff, transfer box, rear diff and haldex oil.
Click to expand...
Its and S3 so Quattro
 
audi upgrades
MikhailCompo said:
My car needs a service and as the dealer gave me real cause for concern last time (Haldex gauze clean...), I rejected their offer of "Transmission Oil Change" and I am taking it to a local Audi specialist for this MOT and service.

Firstly, last service was exactly 30k, this time car only done 34,700. I've hardly driven the car due to lockdown, I almost never drive the car hard, no track days. No faults in OBDEleven, the only issue my car has is the gear changes at very slow speeds are a tad jerky sometimes.
1) What service do I need? Major or minor?

At the dealer they recommended "Transmission Oil Change due between 20,000-36,000 miles" which I rejected because they were so sh1t, so I will get this done this time.
2) However, is there a difference between DSG Oil Change and Transmission Oil change?

3) Are there any other jobs that are worth doing pre-emptively at this mileage?

4) I had a minor shunt in the snow in Feb 2020, repaired via insurance by an Audi specialist (not insurance company's choice of garage), I am extremely pleased with the work and the car has been perfect since (the jerky changes preceded the bump). Is it worth mentioning to the garage I am taking it to and will it affect servicing at all?

Thanks for any advice all.
Click to expand...
There is no difference btw dsg and transmission
Dsg is directly shift electronically controlled dual clutch. And when you mention DSG it is always automatic or semi
The fluid is spread across entire transmission geras
About 7 L

www.pscautocentre.co.uk

DSG / S-tronic Gearbox Oil Change for 7 Speed Audi S3 TFSi, Golf 2.0 GTi TFSI, Golf R and Leon 2.0 TFSi Cupra

GEARBOX CODE DL501 \ 0B5 7 Speed S-Tronic Transmission. The DL501 transmission is used exclusively in Audi vehicles with longitudinal (or inline) transmissions, meaning the engine/transmission power-train travel along the length of the vehicle rather than side to side. It is a seven speed...
www.pscautocentre.co.uk www.pscautocentre.co.uk
 
Last edited:
Booti said:
You don’t say if the car is FWD or Quattro.
For me, transmission oil change would be a manual gearbox, DSG is for the S Tronic box

with Quattro, you can also do front diff, transfer box, rear diff and haldex oil.
Click to expand...

I would hope you don’t need to change the Haldex oil on a FWD car


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro
 
A3/S3 quattro will have front and rear diff roughly 1L for each with both being separate from DSG/manual box for front and separate from the Haldex fluid for rear. Audi sate front and rear diffs are filled for life but if getting the DSG fluid changed have the diff fluid changed as well. The DSG will be roughly 4.6L to change the fluid at service time with a full dry fill being 6L. I would also get the filter changed for the DSG which isn't something Audi do as they say it's fitted for life. For the DQ381 in the FL A3/S3 quattro Audi now state no more than 38K miles for a fluid change.
 
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Harvey said:
“…DQ381 in the FL A3/S3 quattro Audi now state no more than 38K miles for a fluid change…”
Click to expand...
Was told (and in the manual) the FL had 80k intervals for the stronic service previously, has this now changed as you’re written ”now” implying it has changed
 
It changed shortly after the official docs were renewed. All the official docs at the time started DQ381 service at 80k miles. This was revised but there are lots if confusion around this & even Audi still get it wrong. Do some research, ask the right people then you'll find what I did that the revised service (oil charge only) for the DQ381 is at 38k miles. I plan on changing the box filter plus oil so hopefully this info has helped.
 
Early dsg boxes was 80k if I remember correctly but I think this was changed to 38k due to the number of mechatronics unit failing. Also not sure if it related to the change from 80-38 but there was a shift from dry clutch dsg to wet clutches which I think the 7 speeds are. I would assume if it’s the same oil used that there will be more crap in the wet clutch boxes than in the dry.
 
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