[AlanM]

Just bought a Mk5 ambiente from Grays cheap, with "Transmission Limited Function" lit up on the dash.

Interestingly there was a service receipt from Mycar Auto in the service records. This $1200 service had been carried out SEVEN KILOMETRES before I bought the car. The receipt showed a transmission oil and filter change.

On attempting to drive the car, the transmission was pretty bad, slipping and sometimes refusing to move at all.

So we trailered it home, and then I decided to do what I normally do with malfunctioning DCT450's and pull the valve body out, check solenoids, check for sticking valves clean magnets and solenoid contact surfaces etc.

I was half expecting it to be full of Dexron to be honest.
So, draining the oil - the front chamber had about1 litre in it! The rear had about 2. For a total of three litres! At least it looked like DCT fluid. But these transmissions hold a bit over SIX! There were no huge leaks, it certainly hadn't lost 3 litres in seven kilometres!

So, a revision of the plan - just check the filter is new, and fill the trans using the proper procedure, then test drive.

BEAUTIFUL! Works like a new one, smooth as silk.

While I was under the car I spotted a pretty bad engine oil leak, dripping off the oil filter. Checked and yep, the filter was loose! Quick tighten, squirt with degreaser and no more oil leak!

The poor previous owners paid those clowns about $1200 to basically ruin their car!

DIY people! If you want it done right, do it yourself!

(Anyway worked out great for me, I got a pretty nice car for about 1/3 of what it was worth.)