Sudden loss of drive
The owner of this 2009 VW Transporter had heard a couple of odd noises on the road, accompanied by a strange feel to the handling. He was worried that the vehicle might have a gearbox problem and this was playing on his mind when he suddenly lost all drive.
The gear selection was fine, but when he released the clutch, all he got was a light whirring/grinding noise. This confirmed to him that the gearbox had failed and he was expecting the worst. However, it turned out he was not correct in his assumption.
The problem was something that we have come across before: the offside driveshaft had failed where it meets the small input adapter and the splines had sheared off. The shaft and adapter are separate units although they both need to be replaced.
Total cost of parts from the main dealer was just under £600. However, a complete kit from a motor factor, comprising the outer shaft, the short adaptor and the hub nut, comes in at around £185, making this a cost-effective option.