VW Golf Hybrid Transmission Slipping & Grinding Issues

I had a nearly identical issue with my 2016 VW Passat Hybrid last year. Having some experience with transmission problems, the symptoms you describe sound very familiar. The gear grinding and rough shifting turned out to be caused by defective gears in the transfer case. An oil change alone did not resolve the issue, the mechanical wear had already progressed too far. The workshop had to partially disassemble the transfer case to replace several worn components. The total repair cost in my case was 330€, including new parts and fresh transfer case oil. The repair took about 6 hours to complete. To minimize further gear wear while waiting for your appointment: Avoid aggressive acceleration, Let the transmission fully engage before applying power, Keep shifts as smooth as possible, Consider having the transfer case oil checked immediately Before offering more specific advice, could you share: Current mileage on your Golf? When was the last transmission service performed? Are you noticing any unusual sounds or vibrations? Does the problem occur more frequently when the engine is cold or warm? This information would help determine if your issue matches what I experienced and whether similar repairs might be needed.

Thanks for the details about the transfer case repair and costs. My Golf has 44963km on the odometer and just had its annual service last month. The grinding happens more when the car is cold, especially during the first 10-15 minutes of driving. A slight vibration comes through the shifter when transitioning between gears too. Looking at the service records, I dont think the transfer fluid has ever been changed. Going to book it in next week to have the transfer case oil checked and potentially changed to address the mechanical wear before it gets worse. Did you notice any warning lights on your dash before the repair?

Thanks for providing those details. Your symptoms match my Passat's issues almost exactly, particularly the cold-start grinding and shifter vibration. No warning lights appeared on my dash until the mechanical wear had become quite severe, which is why the transfer case damage progressed further than it should have. The oil leakage was only discovered during inspection. Since your mileage is similar to when my issues started (I was at about 48000km), and given that your transfer case oil has never been changed, I strongly suspect you're dealing with the same problem. The cold weather symptoms are particularly telling, deteriorated oil loses its protective properties, leading to increased gear grinding during cold starts. The good news is that catching it early usually prevents the extensive damage I experienced. Getting the transfer case oil changed immediately is smart. When they do the oil change, ask them to inspect for metal particles in the old oil, this will indicate the level of gear wear that's already occurred. Based on my experience, plan for potential costs between 150-400€ depending on whether they find any mechanical wear requiring parts replacement. The oil change alone should be on the lower end of that range. Let us know what the workshop finds when you get it checked. The symptoms you describe are quite typical for this issue on these transmissions.

Thank you for sharing your experience with the transfer case repairs. Those details about vibrations during cold starts are especially useful to know. My Golf does show all the classic symptoms you mentioned, the 44963km reading and unchanged transfer fluid definitely point to maintenance being needed. The grinding during cold starts and shifter vibration are exactly what I wanted to verify were normal symptoms for this type of issue. Since the transfer case oil has never been changed in my car, scheduling the fluid check and potential oil change makes sense as preventive maintenance before any serious gear wear develops. Good to know about the warning lights, will keep monitoring but plan to have it serviced next week regardless. The 150-400€ cost range helps set expectations. Hoping a basic transfer fluid service catches it early enough to avoid the more extensive repairs you needed. Will update once the workshop does their inspection and oil analysis to check for metal particles indicating gear wear.