Should I change the gearbox oil on a low-mileage car?
Dear Alex,
My 2019 Skoda Superb 2.0 4WD is almost six years old with 21,000 trouble-free miles. Skoda says that the automatic gearbox is due an oil change, at a cost of more than £350. This came as a shock, although I have read that the oil should be renewed after 40,000 miles. Should I go ahead with this perhaps unnecessary expense?
– SP
Dear SP,
It is advisable. These DSG (direct shift) gearboxes are well known for several potentially major failure points; cases are rarer these days now that Volkswagen has tackled the most widespread among them, but even newer models can still suffer problems that result in big bills. As a fellow Superb DSG owner, I speak from experience.
Nevertheless, you can mitigate some (though not all) of the risk by carrying out timely oil changes. The recommended interval is every four years or 40,000 miles, which means your car is, in fact, overdue a change by two years.
Granted, automatic gearbox fluid is usually less susceptible to degradation over time (as opposed to mileage) than engine oil, so I can understand your questioning whether this work is necessary at such a low mileage. But I believe it's best to err on the side of caution – especially with DSGs.
A good middle ground might be to get the job done, but instead of using a main dealer and paying top whack, find a local Volkswagen Group specialist that can carry it out for a less substantial sum.
While you're at it, it's advisable to check how long ago the fluid for the Haldex coupling in the four-wheel-drive system was changed.
All-wheel-drive Skodas need the Haldex fluid changed every three years or 30,000 miles – although some specialists and enthusiasts reckon that interval is too long, preferring every 20,000 miles instead. Either way, if your car hasn't had a Haldex fluid change, it's worth getting that done at the same time.
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