Reconditioned Volkswagen Bora Gearbox

Volkswagen Bora Gearboxes: from 1998 to 2005, the failures that defined these transmissions

On the Bora produced between 1998 and 2005, manual gearboxes have a well-documented history of problems. On the diesel side, the 1.9 TDI family — covering engine codes ALH, ATD, AXR, ASZ and AJM — puts the transmission under considerable strain in vehicles used with heavy loads or in stop-start urban traffic: premature wear of the 3rd and 4th gear synchromesh rings, difficulty engaging gears when cold, and casing oil leaks are the most commonly reported symptoms. On the petrol side, the AKL, APF, AEH, AVU and BFQ engines power the 1.6 and share the 5-speed gearbox; the damage here is generally less severe, but ageing bearings and deteriorating gear-selector cabling produce characteristically imprecise gear changes that worsen gradually over time.

5 or 6 speeds depending on engine and year: a critical identification point

The 1.9 TDI Bora can be fitted with either a 5-speed or 6-speed gearbox depending on the year of manufacture and engine output — the ASZ and AJM codes (130 hp) are always paired with the 6-speed, whilst ALH, ATD and AXR receive the 5-speed. Mixing up the two families at the point of replacement results in a fitment incompatibility. The 1.6, meanwhile, is exclusively fitted with a 5-speed throughout the entire production run. The gearbox references available in this collection — ERF, EWX, EUH, DUW, DUV, DUU, DNZ, DLP — correspond to these various combinations; the engine code stamped on the block remains the only reliable reference point for selecting the correct replacement unit.