Just purchase a 2016 230.

 

Looking at diff service, does anyone know what oil?

 

Also is there a filter in the pump that needs cleaned or is it just a drain and refill. 

 

Thanks

Are these units not sealed for life ?

That's is a question, but is sealed for life just over the waranttee period? 

 

I can't believe any oil will last for the life of a car. It clearly has a drain plug and refill plug. 

DSG DQ200 boxes are 'sealed for life' but clearly have drain and fill plugs which are used to service the unserviceable.

I believe the interval is every 3 years for the VAQ diff.

Edited 4 July, 20196 yr by ahenners

@ahenners I realise that.  I was referring to the term 'sealed for life' and making a comparison to another component that is also sealed for life.  Apologies if I wasn't clear.

Just now, MarkyG82 said:

@ahenners I realise that.  I was referring to the term 'sealed for life' and making a comparison to another component that is also sealed for life.  Apologies if I wasn't clear.

 

Yeah apologies, re-read it after posting and picked up your meaning and edited accordingly

 

 

I've found out it's also the same as the Gen5 haldex unit. So I will change the oil and depending on access clean the mesh filter on the pump.

 

 

Edited 4 July, 20196 yr by DrT
Remove comment

So if your Haldex 5 goes south your 4x4 becomes FWD.....what happens if you don't service a VAQ diff (eventually)?

 

 

5 hours ago, Auric Goldfinger said:

Are these units not sealed for life ?

But what is defined as their life?

 

1. Until they fail - which is totally meaningless as they could be 5 seconds or 5 years or ...

2. The time owned by the first purchaser - which is only slightly less nebulous.

3. Until the car is scrapped - it would be a brave manufacturer that uses this definition.

 

IMHO the phrases "sealed for life" and "lifetime warranty" have no useful meaning because of this ambiguity.

16 minutes ago, PetrolDave said:

But what is defined as their life?

 

1. Until they fail - which is totally meaningless as they could be 5 seconds or 5 years or ...

2. The time owned by the first purchaser - which is only slightly less nebulous.

3. Until the car is scrapped - it would be a brave manufacturer that uses this definition.

 

IMHO the phrases "sealed for life" and "lifetime warranty" have no useful meaning because of this ambiguity.

 

Doesn't "sealed for life" just mean there is no planned maintenance during the components service life?

 

1 hour ago, juan27 said:

So if your Haldex 5 goes south your 4x4 becomes FWD.....what happens if you don't service a VAQ diff (eventually)?

 

 

Sorry was meant to put similar not the same. Clutch plates and motor will operate in a similar fashion. 

 

If it fails you'd just have an open front diff. 

stick a wavetrac in it, lifetime warranty with those.

11 minutes ago, DrT said:

Sorry was meant to put similar not the same. Clutch plates and motor will operate in a similar fashion. 

 

If it fails you'd just have an open front diff. 

 

Not sure I'd notice especially if it didn't happen overnight.  

27 minutes ago, juan27 said:

Doesn't "sealed for life" just mean there is no planned maintenance during the components service life?

But what is their "service life"?

Have you ever seen a definition of "service life" for a "sealed for life" component on any car?

1 hour ago, PetrolDave said:

But what is their "service life"?

Have you ever seen a definition of "service life" for a "sealed for life" component on any car?

 

No and it's common across many manufacturers.

 

For example BMW and JLR both fit the ZF8HP gearbox into the majority of their models with a sealed for life or no servicing required recommendation.

 

Other manufacturers that fit the same gearbox have service recommendations. 

 

ZF themselves recommend an oil change at 10 years or 80k miles.

Edited 4 July, 20196 yr by logiclee

1 hour ago, PetrolDave said:

But what is their "service life"?

Have you ever seen a definition of "service life" for a "sealed for life" component on any car?

 

Service life is the length of time before replacement. So yes as long as it lasts; could be 5 mins or 50 years. The point is you don't do any maintenance to it during that time, hence it is "sealed for life". 

 

(Or if you prefer, when it stops working you replace it.)

Edited 4 July, 20196 yr by juan27

Has anyone actually had a VAQ service at a dealer? If so did they prompt you or did you instigate it? 

I had to prompt it and then re-prompt it, but they did it eventually.

15 hours ago, juan27 said:

(Or if you prefer, when it stops working you replace it.)

So wouldn't "maintenance free" be more honest than using a word like "life" which implies a long period of time?

 

I know all manufacturers use the phrase, but that doesn't make it "legal, decent, honest and truthful".

1 hour ago, PetrolDave said:

So wouldn't "maintenance free" be more honest than using a word like "life" which implies a long period of time?

 

I know all manufacturers use the phrase, but that doesn't make it "legal, decent, honest and truthful".

 

I'm not sure I agree that "sealed for life" implies longevity, any more than your use of "maintenance free" means "will last forever without maintenance", which I'm sure some people would read into that. 

 

As I said before "sealed for life" means to me no planned maintenance before replacement, which isn't quite the same as "maintenance free". 

 

Consider the sealed for life BMW gearbox quoted earlier. If it gets an oil leak you either need to repair it or top up the oil if it is not to fail prematurely. This is surely maintenance and "maintenance free" would be untrue.    

 

3 hours ago, juan27 said:

I'm not sure I agree that "sealed for life" implies longevity

We'll have to agree to disagree then

19 hours ago, jagdad said:

I had to prompt it and then re-prompt it, but they did it eventually.

 

Do you mind me asking what the cost was and do you know what they actually did? 

7 minutes ago, PetrolDave said:

We'll have to agree to disagree then

Also @juan27 Well, to me "Sealed for life" carries an implied (of the part) and not of the vehicle.

45 minutes ago, KenONeill said:

Also @juan27 Well, to me "Sealed for life" carries an implied (of the part) and not of the vehicle.

 

Agree but time to move on I think