Stay Away: The Six Most Fragile Submachine Guns
The gearbox is the second most important and most expensive unit in a car after the engine. Its reliability determines how comfortable you can use your car, as well as how much you will sell it for when the time comes. These days, more and more people are leaning towards different types of automation - they are much more convenient and less tiring. But they are also much more expensive and more prone to damage.
In addition, the automation is unmatched in endurance. Of course, steering is a major factor in their lifespan, and the best drivetrain will not withstand the frequent and heavy off-road mud or regular starts at traffic lights like you would at the Monaco Grand Prix. Thus, the following rating of the most fragile automation should still be taken into account: it is quite possible that these units will serve carefree for many years with proper operation and maintenance.
The six most problematic automatic transmissions:
PowerShift DPS6 for Ford
At the beginning of the last decade, Ford decided to follow the trend and introduce the dual-clutch automatic, originally designed for supercars. In collaboration with Getrag and Luk, the Americans created the PowerShift DPS6, which had one clutch for the even and one for the odd gear. Unlike most other manufacturers of similar units, which use "wet" clutches (filled with hydraulic fluid that lubricates them), Ford's gearbox was dry. This made it not only cheaper to manufacture, but also increased efficiency through better transmission and energy savings that would otherwise drive the system's oil pump.
PowerShift DPS6 for Ford
However, it also made him incomparably more fragile. Even during the testing period, Getrag's joint venture engineers wrote to management that they could not use the software to compensate for the box's unpredictability, and that it needed to be "majorly improved" before it went into production. The management's decision was to immediately start production without raising the issue (many recalled the sad case of the 70s when an accountant at Ford decided that it was more profitable to pay compensation for potential death from defects in a Pinto model than to fix defects). DPS6 is installed mainly in Fiesta (2011-2016) and Focus (2012-2016), but also in Mondeo, C-max, Kuga and Ecosport. Most models sold in the EU have a wet clutch box, but there is a problem with dry clutch too.
PowerShift DPS6 for Ford
Complaints began with the gearbox's debut: gear shifting too abruptly, unexpected clutch slippage resulting in a lot of bumps in the parking lot, or shifting to neutral on the highway, often resulting in a rear-end collision for a stalled car. Friction is constantly overheated and wears out very quickly. Ford first explained the cases with software problems, then blamed the defective bearing (manufactured by LUK), but was eventually forced to admit that there were several structural defects. Following class action lawsuits, the company agreed to extend the warranty for the faulty automatics and cover repairs up to $ 20.
Hydromechanical automatic from Renault and Peugeot
Some pranksters claim that with this box, known under the codes DP0 and DP2, the French avenged the rest of Europe for Waterloo. Since the late 1990s, it has been a joint development of the Renault and PSA Peugeot-Citroen groups, and has been found in almost all of their models in recent decades, from Renault Megane II and III to Dacia Sandero and Logan, as well as Citroen C4 and C5. to Peugeot 306, 307, 308 and even 408.
In 2009, the four-speed automatic was upgraded and received a new code DP2, and for cars with 4 × 4 drive, the DP8 version was created, with an angular gearbox, which transmits torque to the rear wheels through a propeller shaft.
DP0 generation gearboxes are famous for their unreliable torque converter design and rather modest resource of valves and hydraulic unit solenoids. Bad joints often lead to leaks. The behavior of a car with this gearbox is unpredictable - it confuses gears, fluctuates ... In addition, due to very small gears, the consumption is much higher than in cars with mechanical gears. At high loads from frequent accelerations or drifts, the unit completely fails, and replacement of friction and bushings may be required.
If repairs can be made without dismantling the entire unit, the price is not too high - about 150-200 leva. But the overhaul already costs about a thousand. And this is completely pointless, because it is quite a bit more expensive to buy a new transmission from a licensed manufacturer.
7-speed DSG from Volkswagen
The most problematic of all VW transmissions is the 7-speed dual-clutch robotic transmission, codenamed DQ200. It appeared in 2006 and is included in various models of the concern - VW, Skoda, Seat and even Audi. Often found in Golf, Passat, Octavia, Leon.
The dry clutch DSG7 should not be confused with the much more reliable DSG6, which has a wet clutch. In the first case, complaints about rough and abrupt gear changes, unpleasant vibrations and rapid wear of the clutch discs began very soon. These problems were especially serious in earlier versions of this box, produced before 2014.
7-speed DSG from Volkswagen
The design of such a robotic box is much more complicated than a mechanical one, but simpler than a real machine with a torque converter. It has two input shafts, each with its own clutch. One includes 1-3-5-7 gears, the other - 2-4-6. Switching via mechatronics.
The advantage of this scheme is that it allows almost instant gear changes and almost no power loss. Accordingly, the cost is much lower.
The problem is that such a box is designed for smooth acceleration and does not tolerate abrupt starts and stops in city traffic.
The designers tried to teach her to adapt to the style of a particular driver. But all too often this "style" really depends on the road conditions. And if the car is used by two drivers, the electronics are completely confused.
Troubles with old versions of this DSG usually start from 60-80 thousand km. Very few boxes can withstand up to 100000 km without repair. The most common are disc wear and damage to the mechatronics (pictured), which costs about BGN 1000. A complete renovation can easily cost two thousand or more.
Jatco variable speed transmission JF011E
JATCO is a Japanese automation company with Nissan as the main shareholder, but also Mitsubishi and Suzuki.
Probably the company's most popular product is the JF011E CVT or even continuously variable transmission. It can be found everywhere - at Nissan, Mitsubishi and Suzuki (logically), but also at Renault, Peugeot, Citroen, Jeep and even Americans from Dodge.
The dispute about the quality of the variators lasted for years without the supremacy of one of the parties. Their proponents insist that they have ideal performance because by replacing traditional gears with bevel washers, they always provide the optimal engine gear ratio. And there is no loss of torque when shifting, because there is no shifting, only a smooth change in the gear ratio.
Their enemies argue that this higher efficiency comes at the expense of a sense of dynamism and is accompanied by a rather unpleasant noise.
But a more serious problem with CVTs is the steel strip between the cones. It is enough for her to slip between the washers to scratch their surface or damage her own plates. Or both. And such sliding occurs relatively easily - when the unheated variator is heavily loaded, when driving too fast or when the pump does not work correctly. The latter happens quite often due to contaminants accumulated in the working fluid. Therefore, we advise you to change the variator oil for a maximum of 60 km, complete with filters.
The overhaul of this variator is quite expensive - from 1600 to 2000 leva.
Hydra-matic from General Motors
The Hydra-matic GM 6T30 / 6T40 is a modern concept for a 6-speed hydromechanical automatic, but unfortunately not very reliable. It is found in generation J Opel Astra, in the first Opel Mokka, in Antara, as well as in some Chevrolet models - Captiva, Aveo, Cruze.
Most irritatingly, this box causes trouble regardless of driving style - and for calmer drivers, it causes the same problems.
The first signs that not all is well may appear after about 30 km. The drama arises mainly from the unreliable solenoids that control the pressurized working fluid. Damage to the hydraulic unit is not uncommon.
In the first case, overheating occurs, the torque converter breaks down, or the friction discs need to be replaced. There are enough documented breakdowns of the entire box - even with cracks in the case. Due to the tendency to overheat, some owners install an additional radiator. The good news is that repairs are not too expensive - about 400-500 leva with accessories included.
Only in models after 2014 most of the problems in the box have been fixed. If you buy a car with it, it is good to have the automation diagnosed by professionals.
AMT from VAZ
As befits a product of Russian civil engineering, the development of the VAZ "automation" lasted decades, and several months were enough to break it.
The quotes in the "automatic" are not accidental - in fact, AMT is a conventional manual gearbox in which gear shifting is carried out by electric drives. This type of boxes is called "manned" or "robotic".
AMT is installed on various VAZ models, including Lada Vesta.
However, the first customers were unpleasantly surprised by his behavior: too slow acceleration, late gear changes, especially when you have to reduce the speed ... All these are problems with the software and insufficiently accurate sensors transmitting information to him. But buyers would probably forgive this if at least the box was relatively solid.
But it wasn't. The drive disc systematically overheated and wore out at record speeds, after which an increasingly noisy and uneven gear shifting began, accompanied by vibrations and loud bangs. Until, finally, the system completely failed. This transmission rarely covered 40 km, and in many cases an overhaul of another 000 was required. The only plus in this case was that the repair was cheap - from 20 to 000 leva. Finally, VAZ has developed a new version of the AMT 200 box, which works noticeably better.
