In the UK and Europe, the Kamiq became one of the wanted SUVs thanks to its compact size, cool and simple design, and, what’s more important, great price. There is barely any other good SUV from a reputable brand that you can buy for this money! But if you want an automatic transmission, you will see the scary letters “DSG” in the brochure and you may think twice before buying it.
The Skoda Kamiq 1.0 TSI and 1.5 TSI offer the same automatic transmission – it’s the DQ200 7-speed DSG dual-clutch transmission with a really questionable history. This gearbox got a lot of bad reviews in its early years but now the 7DSG transmissions are more or less good.
In this article, I will cover the following topics:
- What do you need to know about the DQ200 transmission in the Kamiq?
- How many miles will this transmission last?
- What are the common problems and how to deal with them?
- Can you prolong the life of the Kamiq automatic transmission?
Key facts about the DSG transmission in the Kamiq
Unfortunately, Skoda decided to equip all available Kamiq models with only one type of automatic transmission (at least, for the UK and Europe markets) – this is the 7DSG dual-clutch transmission with the code DQ200 and it’s the same crappy transmission that caused so many difficulties in 2007-2012 Volkswagen cars. In 2013, it was updated and some major problems were solved.
The 1.0 TSI base engine with 95 hp is not available with this automatic transmission – it only has the 5-speed manual option. While all other 1.0 TSI and 1.5 TSI versions have the choice between the 6-speed manual and the 7-speed DSG transmissions. So, if you want an automatic Kamiq, you just don’t have any other choice but the scary 7DSG option.
Here’s what you should know about it:
- the transmission is a 7-speed dual-clutch direct-shift gearbox with two dry clutches in its construction;
- it can bear up to 250 Nm of torque and this is steep because the 1.5 TSI Evo in the Kamiq has exactly 250 Nm of torque;
- the transmission is basically the manual gearbox which is powered by the mechatronic that is controlled by the transmission control module (TCM);
- the availability of two clutches allows the unit to engage the higher gear before the lower one is disengaged;
- this is a very fuel-efficient transmission with a lot of advantages in terms of the comfort of driving;
- initially, this transmission was introduced in 2007 but in 2013 it went through a large update that solved some of its common issues;
- this transmission has been used in dozens of Volkswagen models, in Skoda cars, and also in Seat and Audi vehicles under different codes.
While the manufacturer says the 1.0 TSI Automatic powertrain in the Kamiq can go about 40-50 MPG depending on the city/highway ratio of your driving, the real-world fuel consumption is worse than that. I personally drove the 110-hp 1-liter TSI Kamiq in the city traffic and got 8 liters/100km which is about 35 MPG (UK). But 8L/100 km is hard to see as a good number for such a powertrain.
But I should say that the 7DSG DQ200 transmission feels very good when driving. It’s astonishingly smooth when shifting and it allows you to forget about all those technical procedures that take place in the transmission. I can even compare the comfort of driving with the best CVTs I’ve ever tested in my life. But, looking at the reviews, I understand that this spoils with some mileage on the transmission.
How many miles will the DQ200 7-speed DSG last in the Kamiq?
Well, the transmission itself lasts pretty long because it’s just the manual transmission with 7 speeds and nothing special. But everything that is attached to it may fail much earlier and will cost much more to repair.
The first problem is the clutch. It may sound unimportant to you until you get the bill from the dealer or garage. The price of the clutch kit is insanely high and the clutch may say goodbye to you somewhere between 30,000 and 100,000 miles.
Then, there is the mechatronic and the TCU. They won’t last as long as the transmission itself, so you will need to replace or repair them. Unfortunately, they will cost you a fortune to diagnose and repair.
So, the overall lifespan of the automatic transmission in the Skoda Kamiq should be about 150,000 miles (240,000 km) for the 1.0 TSI and 120-130K miles (200-210K km) for the 1.5 TSI Evo due to higher torque and heavier loads. But within this mileage, you will need to replace the clutch at least once or even twice and also deal with the TCU problems.
What are the common issues with the 7DSG gearbox in the Kamiq?
These transmissions are still quite problematic but their issues are not as fatal as they were a decade ago, before the major update. Still, these are the dual-clutch gearboxes with dry clutches and if you know something about modern car technologies, this word combination will most likely affect your wish to buy a certain car.
But let’s see which problems are still common for these transmissions:
1. Poor clutch durability
A dry clutch is never durable. We know this thanks to PowerShift transmission in Ford and many other transmission models from major brands. Companies tend to shift to wet-clutch units but Volkswagen keeps believing in miracles and only offers wet clutch in larger and more expensive cars.
It shouldn’t be a serious problem because the clutch kit doesn’t die unexpectedly. But the high price for the kit and labor will make this a very unwanted event in the life of your Kamiq.
2. TCU issues
In earlier models, the TCU could easily crack and kill the entire transmission. In newer versions, I believe, this problem is not so common anymore. But the TCU is still faulty like in any dual-clutch transmission. Its common lifespan is about 150,000 km or less than 100,000 miles.
You will just replace the TCU when something is wrong with it, so the labor shouldn’t be very expensive. But the TCU itself will cost you some crazy money. Of course, buying a used one is not an option because you just don’t know how long it will last.
3. Unstable work due to wear and tear
In the minds of many people, wear and tear problems will show up in transmission after it hits 200K miles or more. But no, this Volkswagen unit will show first issues at about 50,000 miles (80,000 km). The 7DSG will stop being so cool to drive and will start bothering you with various problems.
Owners report shakes, punches, vibrations, and shuddering in these transmissions. Also, it may shift too late or too early making it impossible for the engine to maintain proper speed and smooth acceleration. But this starts happening usually when the clutch is affected.
4. City traffic problems
I once saw an old Golf 6th gen with 1.4 TSI and exactly the DQ200 transmission and it had over 350,000 kilometers on the dash in Germany. I asked the owner if he had replaced or repaired the transmission and he answer that he hadn’t. The secret is that the Gold was used by the company primarily for intercity trips and 95% of its mileage it gained on German highways.
So, when you drive in stop-and-go traffic in the city, this transmission gets more problems with clutch and TCM. Also, the fluid gets contaminated faster. So, this is not the best choice for those who only drive in the city.
Can you prolong the life of your 7DSG in the Kamiq?
Yes, you can prolong the life of the transmission by adjusting your driving style and habits and by providing it with proper maintenance.
Here’s what you should do:
- change transmission fluid at least once every 40,000 miles, I even recommend doing it more often;
- use only VW-recommended type of transmission fluid to avoid mechatronic damage;
- if you drive a lot in the city, try shifting to P when you are at a traffic light or are going to be stopped for more than 30 seconds;
- warm up the transmission in the morning by putting it to D or R and waiting for about a minute before you drive;
- avoid extremely fast acceleration, especially in the 1.5 TSI Kamiq – this will damage the clutch;
- avoid towing anything with your Kamiq – this is an extremely bad idea for this car with the automatic gearbox.
To wrap up
Now you know that the only available automatic transmission in the Kamiq in the UK and Europe is the 7DSG dual-clutch transmission with mixed customer reviews and dirty history. I wouldn’t say this transmission is much worse than some similar technologies offered by other brands, but it needs proper driving style and careful maintenance to last long.
Also, this transmission is extremely expensive for repairs, so you better sell your Kamiq before serious problems start showing up.
