2018 GTI reverse gear problem

[Lbutera036]

I'm having a frustrating issue with my 2018 GTI S manual. Occasionally, especially in the morning, the reverse gear won't engage. I've tried double-clutching and shifting through other gears first, but it doesn't always work.

I took it to the VW dealership, and they diagnosed it as a potential transmission issue requiring a costly teardown. Any suggestions on what might be causing the issue or potential solutions? I'm hesitant to spend $1,200 on a transmission repair, especially if it's a simpler issue.

 

[Bloody_Baron]

I’d definitely hesitate before dropping $1,200. Reverse gear issues on GTIs are often linked to the clutch not fully disengaging. Try this test: with the car off, shift into reverse and see if it engages smoothly. If it does, but struggles when running, the clutch might not be fully releasing, which points to a worn clutch master/slave cylinder or air in the hydraulic lines. You can bleed the clutch fluid (it uses the same reservoir as the brakes). If that doesn’t help, then yeah, transmission wear could be the culprit. But start with fluids and clutch diagnostics, those fixes are much less painful on the wallet.