Gear lever selector chip issue in my 2022 Skoda Octavia with the DQ381 wet-clutch DSG

SP2490 · 1st December 2023, 12:12

It has been close to 1.5 yr since I got myself a Skoda Octavia. Usage typically has been a mix of city & highway driving, although I have never taken it on a 200+km road trip. That changed recently when I took a trip to Nashik. The car was great to drive on flat surfaces and on the curves, all as expected. However, on my way back when I started the car the system showed a ghastly error message- Selector level error. You can drive on. Visit your workshop immediately.

I have never seen such an error before and I started to dig in immediately as I had to travel 200kms back. This seems to be a very common error with Skoda cars across Europe, however, it was with cars having DSG. The new Octavia having drive-by-wire should be less susceptible to transmission issues, at least that's what I thought. Fortunately the error disappeared on restarting the car, and I was able to drive back. But today that system error popped up again and I have to take the car to the workshop.

Long story short, I was wondering if anyone here faced a similar issue and what was the reason for it and whether it was permanently fixed.

Jeroen · 1st December 2023, 19:47

If you're lucky it is just a problem with the microswitch or the wiring/connector of the microswitch.

Get them to read the codes and trouble shoot subsequently, but I believe this is a pretty common error/issue on the Skoda DSG.

Good luck

Jeroen

SilverSmoke · 2nd December 2023, 00:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by SP2490

It has been close to 1.5 yr since I got myself a Skoda Octavia. I started the car the system showed a ghastly error message- Selector level error. You can drive on. Visit your workshop immediately.

How much is your car driven?

SP2490 · 2nd December 2023, 09:03

It had ran 7,400kms, so not a lot of running

Hayek · 2nd December 2023, 12:45

Do let us know what the diagnosis is. This is not the behaviour I observed on my Superb with the DQ200 when the mechatronics failed. In that case, it merely failed to shift out of P into D - and the indicator kept blinking. Hope this is not a mechatronics issue but is something minor with the system. Best of luck

audioholic · 2nd December 2023, 15:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by SP2490

Selector level error. You can drive on. Visit your workshop immediately.

Long story short, I was wondering if anyone here faced a similar issue and what was the reason for it and whether it was permanently fixed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hayek

Hope this is not a mechatronics issue but is something minor with the system. Best of luck

It isn't a mechatronic issue. The error is coming from the Gear selector lever when it can't read the correct position. IIRC the company was replacing the selector lever on some Kushaq and Slavias.

Once the vehicle is plugged into the diagnostics tool it will show which position in the gear selector was not read or was implausible. That can explain better what the issue is and perhaps only the selector assembly is faulty.

SilverSmoke · 2nd December 2023, 22:30

With so much fuss about DSG, I simply can't help but wonder why Skoda isn't providing us an option of manual transmission with 2.0 TSI in any of the line up.

CEF_Beasts · 3rd December 2023, 11:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by SP2490

Long story short, I was wondering if anyone here faced a similar issue and what was the reason for it and whether it was permanently fixed.

This isn’t a mechatronic issue, but the gear lever selector chip issue.

Which is a well known issue in India as well, few people have already faced it and got it replaced under warranty…

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/offic...ml#post5379458 (Skoda Octavia 2.0 TSI DSG Review)

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/offic...ml#post5375388 (Skoda Octavia 2.0 TSI DSG Review)

Attaching two links from the official review which mention the same issue. Do check if it’s indeed the same error that you’re facing.

SP2490 · 4th December 2023, 08:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by CEF_Beasts

This isn’t a mechatronic issue, but the gear lever selector chip issue.

Which is a well known issue in India as well, few people have already faced it and got it replaced under warranty…

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/offic...ml#post5379458 (Skoda Octavia 2.0 TSI DSG Review)

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/offic...ml#post5375388 (Skoda Octavia 2.0 TSI DSG Review)

Attaching two links from the official review which mention the same issue. Do check if it’s indeed the same error that you’re facing.

Yeah it is the same issue. Will get the car checked today. I am amazed how even this new wet-clutch drive by wire unit is having such electronic issues. Makes me wonder if this car can actually be driven post 4 yr of factory warranty.

SP2490 · 6th December 2023, 08:21

So after visiting the workshop on Monday, they confirmed after scanning the car that it is an issue with the transmission mechanism. The unit will be replaced completely, but I would have to wait 7-10 days for the part to come in. On a side note I asked the manager how much would this cost had the car been out of warranty, and he estimated it would be around 25K for the unit plus labour charges.

Honestly I would be thinking to sell this car within the 4yr mark.

Axe77 · 9th January 2024, 12:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by SP2490

On a side note I asked the manager how much would this cost had the car been out of warranty, and he estimated it would be around 25K for the unit plus labour charges.

Honestly I would be thinking to sell this car within the 4yr mark.

They're still excellent cars and if its still possible, please do consider if you can extend your warranty to the max that they offer and hold the car longer than four years.

Good to hear the issue is identified and being addressed under warranty. Did they offer you a courtesy back up ride given the down time involved?

octy22 · 9th January 2024, 17:07

I faced the same issue after around 23k kms. I visited the workshop, and they addressed it very quickly. They knew about this well known issue. Got it diagnosed, then waited for around a week for the parts and got it fixed in one day. The selector lever unit was changed.
It's an excellent car but for peace of mind you should have the extended warranty.

SP2490 · 9th January 2024, 17:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Axe77

They're still excellent cars and if its still possible, please do consider if you can extend your warranty to the max that they offer and hold the car longer than four years.

Good to hear the issue is identified and being addressed under warranty. Did they offer you a courtesy back up ride given the down time involved?

I wouldn't want to extend the warranty on this car. While it is a good car, it has been discontinued and parts availability is slowly becoming an issue. The transmission mechanism took almost 2 weeks to get delivered. On top of that they couldn't fix the issue after replacing the mechanism, as the new mechanism didn't pair well with the existing circuits. Eventually they had to redo everything and change the circuits for the error to go away.

They didn't offer a backup ride, and frankly one expects that after spending a decent sum of money on an entry level exec sedan.

1st December 2023, 12:12	#1
SP2490 Newbie Join Date: Jul 2022 Location: Mumbai Posts: 11 Thanked: 15 Times	Gear lever selector chip issue in my 2022 Skoda Octavia with the DQ381 wet-clutch DSG It has been close to 1.5 yr since I got myself a Skoda Octavia. Usage typically has been a mix of city & highway driving, although I have never taken it on a 200+km road trip. That changed recently when I took a trip to Nashik. The car was great to drive on flat surfaces and on the curves, all as expected. However, on my way back when I started the car the system showed a ghastly error message- Selector level error. You can drive on. Visit your workshop immediately. I have never seen such an error before and I started to dig in immediately as I had to travel 200kms back. This seems to be a very common error with Skoda cars across Europe, however, it was with cars having DSG. The new Octavia having drive-by-wire should be less susceptible to transmission issues, at least that's what I thought. Fortunately the error disappeared on restarting the car, and I was able to drive back. But today that system error popped up again and I have to take the car to the workshop. Long story short, I was wondering if anyone here faced a similar issue and what was the reason for it and whether it was permanently fixed.
	(11) Thanks

1st December 2023, 19:47	#2
Jeroen Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Delhi Posts: 8,899 Thanked: 61,426 Times View My Garage	re: Gear lever selector chip issue in my 2022 Skoda Octavia with the DQ381 wet-clutch DSG If you're lucky it is just a problem with the microswitch or the wiring/connector of the microswitch. Get them to read the codes and trouble shoot subsequently, but I believe this is a pretty common error/issue on the Skoda DSG. Good luck Jeroen
	(9) Thanks

2nd December 2023, 09:03	#4
SP2490 Newbie Join Date: Jul 2022 Location: Mumbai Posts: 11 Thanked: 15 Times	re: Gear lever selector chip issue in my 2022 Skoda Octavia with the DQ381 wet-clutch DSG It had ran 7,400kms, so not a lot of running
	(1) Thanks

2nd December 2023, 12:45	#5
Hayek Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Bombay Posts: 2,031 Thanked: 16,961 Times	re: Gear lever selector chip issue in my 2022 Skoda Octavia with the DQ381 wet-clutch DSG Do let us know what the diagnosis is. This is not the behaviour I observed on my Superb with the DQ200 when the mechatronics failed. In that case, it merely failed to shift out of P into D - and the indicator kept blinking. Hope this is not a mechatronics issue but is something minor with the system. Best of luck
	(1) Thanks

2nd December 2023, 22:30	#7
SilverSmoke BHPian Join Date: Nov 2021 Location: NCR Posts: 463 Thanked: 1,264 Times	re: Gear lever selector chip issue in my 2022 Skoda Octavia with the DQ381 wet-clutch DSG With so much fuss about DSG, I simply can't help but wonder why Skoda isn't providing us an option of manual transmission with 2.0 TSI in any of the line up.
	() Thanks

6th December 2023, 08:21	#10
SP2490 Newbie Join Date: Jul 2022 Location: Mumbai Posts: 11 Thanked: 15 Times	Re: Gear lever selector chip issue in my 2022 Skoda Octavia with the DQ381 wet-clutch DSG So after visiting the workshop on Monday, they confirmed after scanning the car that it is an issue with the transmission mechanism. The unit will be replaced completely, but I would have to wait 7-10 days for the part to come in. On a side note I asked the manager how much would this cost had the car been out of warranty, and he estimated it would be around 25K for the unit plus labour charges. Honestly I would be thinking to sell this car within the 4yr mark.
	() Thanks

9th January 2024, 17:07	#12
octy22 Newbie Join Date: Aug 2022 Location: Chandigarh Posts: 6 Thanked: 4 Times	Re: Gear lever selector chip issue in my 2022 Skoda Octavia with the DQ381 wet-clutch DSG I faced the same issue after around 23k kms. I visited the workshop, and they addressed it very quickly. They knew about this well known issue. Got it diagnosed, then waited for around a week for the parts and got it fixed in one day. The selector lever unit was changed. It's an excellent car but for peace of mind you should have the extended warranty.
	() Thanks