VW Vortex - Volkswagen Forum banner
Cancel
Create thread New Garage Forums

Aisin transmission problems still possible in the latest Golf?

Jump to Latest
1 - 10 of 10 Posts
J

JPowers

· Registered
Joined
·
54 Posts
Discussion starter · #1 ·
We currently have a 2007 Jetta with a 6 speed automatic that has had intermittent transmission problems. Sometimes the shifts are really hard. The RPMs will go up, then it will slam into gear like you just did a neutral drop. I see from researching online that other people have had problems with these Aisin 09G transmissions. The stealership told us we need a new transmission for over $5000. We've decided to trade it in, possibly on a new Golf. However, we're reluctant to get one if the transmission hasn't been upgraded or redesigned. Can anyone tell me if these issues have been resolved, or if they use a new transmission entirely? I asked the service department if the new Golf transmissions were different, then she went to the showroom to get me a salesman! :banghead: If anyone has information about this, I'd really appreciate it.

Here are a couple of quotes from a Car and Driver review that make me nervous:

"Multiple logbook comments have grumbled about the way the Golf moves off from a stop. Some think it’s the transmission quick-shuffling between the first couple of gears—first feels like it lasts half a second before the transmission upshifts into second gear with the car barely moving—while others blame the touchy-seeming throttle tip-in."

"...a technical service bulletin dictated a transmission software update to cure possible harsh shifting. The TSB does not seem to have cured some of the Golf’s more bizarre gear selections, and the transmission remains hesitant to downshift quickly, but we’ve noted fewer abrupt gearchanges."

It doesn't sound very encouraging, so I thought I'd check here.
 
#3 ·
The early 09G transmissions had valve body issues, you can research in the "Automatic Transmission" forum and get tons of info.

Find a good independent transmission shop that knows the Aisin transmissions, they come in other manufacturers cars including I think Toyota, Lexus and maybe Chrysler?

If clutch packs are still good, just replacing valve body with a new updated version may only cost you in the $1,500 neighborhood. That can be done with transmission still in the car.

If you like everything about your Jetta, maybe fixing transmission problem is less expensive than what your down payment might be on a new car?
 
#5 ·
FWIW, mine is a 5-speed manual, but my sister-in-law has a Mk VII Comfortline automatic. I drove it fairly extensively when visiting her with my wife in BC over the holidays. It does have that sort of weird problem making up its mind when launching or re-launching from coasting. My B5.5 TDI had the same issue, and I pretty much cured it by reprogramming it to permanent sport mode with VCDS, but I have no idea if that's possible with the automatic in the Mk VIIs; the B5.5's transmission is adaptive. We still have that car in the family with 285k km, and even though the transmission and torque converter is a known weak spot with that model, never had a problem with it.

Having driven her automatic... it's OK, but not the greatest automatic I've driven. The rest of the car is brilliant though. Honestly, I'm glad I got a manual and can drive a manual and have a driving cycle that makes it reasonable to drive a manual; being retired and living in a rural area I rarely have to negotiate heavy traffic.

As far as durability, I think it's too early to tell, her car barely has 10k km on it (about the same as mine).
 
Discussion starter · #6 ·
Thank you for the replies. The service department mentioned something about bad clutches. We're not interested in throwing any more money into this thing and just want to trade it in at this point. I like the GTI, but we'd be getting one of the lower end models, which also get good reviews. So, it will be the regular automatic and not the DSG in the GTI that we'll be getting. I'm still confused. Is the transmission in the 2016 Golf still an Aisin 09G, or is it a different model?

OraLabora, you mentioned reprogramming your transmission to permanent sport mode. For me, these problems first started to occur after I began to use sport mode when going up hills. At one point it felt like the transmission was actually slipping when going up a hill. I had to stop, put it in park, then go back in gear before it would move. That hasn't happened again, possibly because I stopped using sport mode. Strange.
 
#8 · (Edited)
Guy obviously does not want a GTI or manual. Also the DSG is not really cheap to maintain and I did not like it fir stop and go traffic, it was not smooth. Maybe they improved that but it was not great on my 10 CC.

I think transmission is the same and I would be really surprised if it has not been revised since. I know a few people with 08-12 2.5 with high mileage with 0 issues. Pretty sure you would be seeing it all over MKVI Golf and Jetta forums if it was still an issues. I do know it was revised a few times for fuel economy.

Good luck. The TSI is an awesome car.
 
#9 ·
I've got the MKVII Golf w/ auto transmission. I think the complaints that the OP listed are not a mechanical flaw in the transmission, just that the car is programmed to have a somewhat slow response when you lightly step on the accelerator after coasting. I've noticed the same thing in my car. It doesn't feel like the transmission is slipping, the RPM's don't go up for the 1/2 second that you're waiting for the car to respond. Putting it in sport mode makes it go away for the most part.
If you take a test drive in some stop & go city traffic, you may notice it. Overall, I consider it to be a minor annoyance.
 
1 - 10 of 10 Posts
About this Discussion
9 Replies
9 Participants
Last post:
rodhot
VW Vortex - Volkswagen Forum
posts
85M
members
1.5M
Since
2001
A forum community dedicated to all Volkswagen owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about performance, builds, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, maintenance, new releases, and more!
Full Forum Listing
Explore Our Forums
The Car Lounge Golf IV & Jetta IV Golf III & Jetta III Golf II & Jetta II Golf IV/Jetta IV Parts