View Poll Results: Has your PDK gearbox needed replacement? Please don't answer if your car is a manual.
Yes
21
11.17%
No
167
88.83%
Voters: 188. You may not vote on this poll
Is PDK the new IMS?
05-24-2017, 05:02 PM
#31
Petza and Robocop have hit on an issue that has occurred to me as well. Transmission failure and emergency mode warnings can be symptoms of a bad battery. Robocop's experience is similar to mine in that I experienced transmission emergency mode warnings on the dash and on several occasions, when they occurred, the car would not move. While re-starting (re-booting) the car always cleared the code and issue, it was disconcerting to say the least. The issue has not occurred once after installing a new battery.
But, I can easily see where an owner would get the failure message and not be able to get the car moving, call for a tow and just trust a lazy or unscrupulous dealer to fix the issue with a new transmission.
Also factor in the reports we've seen on this forum about minor components on the PDK failing, but they are not serviceable and the entire transmission requires replacement. I have expected this to lessen over the years as technicians become more conversant with the transmission, but I don't have any evidence of that.
I too, would be very interested in how these reported failures occurred and what were the causes.
For my part, my '09 is a fairly early car and I haven't had any trouble with the transmission--other than the false warnings I mentioned earlier. I have over 65k on my car.
But, I can easily see where an owner would get the failure message and not be able to get the car moving, call for a tow and just trust a lazy or unscrupulous dealer to fix the issue with a new transmission.
Also factor in the reports we've seen on this forum about minor components on the PDK failing, but they are not serviceable and the entire transmission requires replacement. I have expected this to lessen over the years as technicians become more conversant with the transmission, but I don't have any evidence of that.
I too, would be very interested in how these reported failures occurred and what were the causes.
For my part, my '09 is a fairly early car and I haven't had any trouble with the transmission--other than the false warnings I mentioned earlier. I have over 65k on my car.
05-24-2017, 05:23 PM
#32
I did not know about this product. This sounds like a good coverage for high cost repairs.
05-24-2017, 06:52 PM
#33
Rennlist Member
05-25-2017, 01:06 AM
#34
Drifting
What I really want to know is if there is a common breaking point among the PDKs that have actually failed.
05-25-2017, 02:27 AM
#35
Rennlist Member
When batteries and ignition coils lead to transmissions shutting down, that is mechanical/electrical chaos...and bad design. Simple is robust, complicated is fragile. And if you are on a race track or a road trip, robust is more valuable than a milisecond shift. Nothing will be more rewarding to a driver's skill than the feel of mastering the shifting of gears manually and matching engine revs. The PDK and the VW version the DSG are nothing more than sequential gear boxes...but it is the electronics that turn then into overly complex nightmares. That is why I think so many manufacturers are putting their time and effort into improving the old fashioned torque converter automatic. Acura, Maserati, Alfa Romeo,...all have rev matching and paddle shifting to cash in on the marketing game but with transmissions that are relatively easy to service and repair. And who can forget the simple and inexpensive fix to a second gear syncro or a throw out bearing...simple cost efficient mechanical procedures that got you back on the road quickly. And you could feel them coming thousands of miles away. Having a AAA lifeline to a flatbed is not what the car should be about.
05-25-2017, 10:00 AM
#36
Rennlist Member
Mine failed mid-2015 with 47k miles.
2009 C4S, daily driver with ~8 track days / year
It started with a check engine light for "O2 server malfunction" and then a couple hours later I got "Transmission emergency run" fault and the car was stuck in 2nd gear
replacement costs: parts $8.5k, labor $2.2k
2009 C4S, daily driver with ~8 track days / year
It started with a check engine light for "O2 server malfunction" and then a couple hours later I got "Transmission emergency run" fault and the car was stuck in 2nd gear
replacement costs: parts $8.5k, labor $2.2k
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phm14 (04-03-2020)
05-25-2017, 10:43 AM
#37
Drifting
05-25-2017, 11:17 AM
#38
RL Community Team
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
05-25-2017, 11:43 AM
#39
Rennlist Member
You know they didn't offer PDK in any cars with IMS issues right?
A quick count on the google result shows 10 threads on pistonheads, 9 on 6-speedonline, 10 on rennlist, 9 more on various threads on page one of the google results. That's 38 on page one, a ltlle more than 3 dozen threads.
A quick count on the google result shows 10 threads on pistonheads, 9 on 6-speedonline, 10 on rennlist, 9 more on various threads on page one of the google results. That's 38 on page one, a ltlle more than 3 dozen threads.
05-25-2017, 04:16 PM
#40
Rennlist Member
Manual transmissions will be a thing of the past within the next few years. Get used to it or stick with older cars.
05-25-2017, 04:21 PM
#41
RL Community Team
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
You would have thought so, but Porsche just reversed what looked to be their Corporate direction and is offering the 991.2 GT3 with a manual again - thank God. Just made 991.1 GT3s worth a lot less to many die-hard manual gearbox fans.
05-27-2017, 03:32 PM
#43
Nordschleife Master
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Destin, Nashville, In a 458 Challenge
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Yep, and everyone is screwed.
C'mon, pdk is a super reliable unit and I am a manual guy that has manual in my daily driver. I have zero concerns about currently having pdks in both a 911 and a Macan. I, however, won't touch a 911 with the NA M96 or 97 engine. I think we will be seeing more and more bore scoring on the .1s and I have had at least one Porsche dealer tech diplomatically say steer clear and go with .2.
C'mon, pdk is a super reliable unit and I am a manual guy that has manual in my daily driver. I have zero concerns about currently having pdks in both a 911 and a Macan. I, however, won't touch a 911 with the NA M96 or 97 engine. I think we will be seeing more and more bore scoring on the .1s and I have had at least one Porsche dealer tech diplomatically say steer clear and go with .2.
05-27-2017, 03:42 PM
#44
Nordschleife Master
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Destin, Nashville, In a 458 Challenge
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Received 904 Likes
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532 Posts
Mine failed mid-2015 with 47k miles.
2009 C4S, daily driver with ~8 track days / year
It started with a check engine light for "O2 server malfunction" and then a couple hours later I got "Transmission emergency run" fault and the car was stuck in 2nd gear
replacement costs: parts $8.5k, labor $2.2k
2009 C4S, daily driver with ~8 track days / year
It started with a check engine light for "O2 server malfunction" and then a couple hours later I got "Transmission emergency run" fault and the car was stuck in 2nd gear
replacement costs: parts $8.5k, labor $2.2k
05-27-2017, 03:43 PM
#45
I'll verify that these cars are highly sensitive to batteries. The AC on one of my 993's once cut out and my Indy was stumped. Went to the dealer and they replaced the battery and problem solved. The car started fine and I had no reasons to suspect an issue with the battery. Go figure.