DSG: Problems, Questions, Likes and Dislikes

[Ryan_R]

Anticipating traffic is easy, the lights require a bit more skill - esp when the use of HSA can be unpredictable at times - doesn't always hold for the same length of time, sometimes the car starts creeping forwards or it'll roll back That said, in a manual, I always left the car in 1st gear with the foot on the clutch - I only went to N for really long waits. Not that I guess it was that important, since the vehicle in question was an old Mitsubishi Starwagon (van).

[SilvrFoxX]

Indeed good to know.. thanks

[REXman]

Happy to report that during the 30-45mins of HARD punting (I'm talking car almost sliding every corner) and heavy DSG work, it didn't slip once. The DSG actually performed really well.

I even gave my mate a go, who was happy to try and work out on his own if the car changes gear automatically when it hits redline.. It doesn't.

So I am sure the gearbox issue is a software one, possible just in Drive mode. (Possibly not )

[HPSOV]

6000km without a glitch and I get struck twice in one day!

Going round a roundabout I use every single day, if I can see its clear the car stays in 3rd, if I have to slow a little to check for cars I drop below 25kmh and it drops to 2nd. This time I must have just been in the drop to 2nd range, put my foot back onto the accelerator and nothing but revving, lift off and try again, revs but then the clutch grabs in 2nd and off I go with a major jolt.

Driving home later in the day (car had been parked for 5 hours), in 20-30kmh traffic on Military Road (Sydney) I braked because I was too close to the car infront, he pulled away so I went to accelerate again. This time I had the radio up loud and didn't actually realise initially (couldn't hear the revving) so I left my foot down for a bit longer and the clutch grabbed at what must have been 5-6000rpm lauching me towards the car infront. Luckily I was quick enough on the brake to avoid hitting him but it scared the sh*t out of me.

I think I previously gave the 'D' mode a 4/10, I revise that down to a 3.....

[Corey_R]

Yeah - the is the same issue that a few of us have had with our R. I've still only had it once though.

REXman, have you had it again? Did you talk to the dealer?

[Stelex]

<snip>

The other thing which I haven't yet tried (or maybe I have and my brain is just on so used to the DSG being 2nd time around), is that if your foot is on the brake and you tap the accelerator, for the next "2 seconds" you'll have immediate response from the accelerator after you've taken your foot off the brake. The diff with this is you don't need to roll your foot off the brake because the tap of the accelerator has already partially engaged the clutches etc.

Oh man, you also need to enrol to TAFE to learn how to take off with DSG.

I think the problem with taking off is not in engaging the first gear at all. The problem is with the second gear.

When you press accelerator the first gear engages well and straight away. The problem is - it switches to second gear immediately, so you end up with no pull for about a second or two. This causes an enormous problem when merging the tight traffic, e.g. round-abouts. If you press accelerator a touch more your car just runs away from you and you get to slam in the back of the car in front of you.

It is a serious design flaw, no doubt about that. Any other automatic car I have ever driven (at least 50 of them) had no problems with this, Golf VI with DSG has a massive problem. It so sucks that my next car has no chance on earth to be a DSG.

[Brendan_A]

I had a similar experience to what you guys are talking about with a hire car. It was an Audi A3 TSI 7DSG. I was driving along at low speeds, went to accelerate and the engine just free revved and then it finally engaged. It was quite scary to be honest. Only happened once in the 8 days.

My Wife's DSG Jetta also did a similar thing a year ago. Taking off at traffic lights, gets half way through the intersection and engine free revs. Mean while a truck nearly runs into the back of her. I had it checked out the next day but no faults showed. It hasn't done it since. My Wife hated the car for some time after that. Was worried it would do it again but she has gained its trust back. Just hope it don't happen again and end in a disaster.

[Corey_R]

Oh man, you also need to enrol to TAFE to learn how to take off with DSG.

I think the problem with taking off is not in engaging the first gear at all. The problem is with the second gear.

When you press accelerator the first gear engages well and straight away. The problem is - it switches to second gear immediately, so you end up with no pull for about a second or two. This causes an enormous problem when merging the tight traffic, e.g. round-abouts. If you press accelerator a touch more your car just runs away from you and you get to slam in the back of the car in front of you.

It is a serious design flaw, no doubt about that. Any other automatic car I have ever driven (at least 50 of them) had no problems with this, Golf VI with DSG has a massive problem. It so sucks that my next car has no chance on earth to be a DSG.

Can't say I have that problem. The electronic accelerator a decent range of motion that you have decent control over the DSG so that it reacts that way you want it to (well, the way I want it to). *shrugs*

[citywok]

I'm over this so called revolutionary gearbox. My car behaves like it's possessed most days, lurching between gear changes, shuddering going around corners because it refuses to drop into second gear, holding 1st gear going up hill until it redlines, occasional loud bangs coming from the engine bay on gear changes and clutch slipage. I've been to VW to ask them to check out the box and it was all too hard, the mechanic went for a spin with me and we were able to replicate a dangerous reversing up hill trait and I was told that was normal. VW have to do a better job with this gearbox, because in 2 years time if they don't, I'm buying a Chinese car.



118 TSI DSG sport pack option, jerkiness was free.

[Corey_R]

Aaah, but the Japanese and Chinese are working on their own versions of the DSG now! Whilst the Nissan version in the Skyline GTR has been well received, the Mitsubishi one in the Evo X has been slammed for being worse than a VW DSG when they're faulty (as in, the Evo version working properly, is worse than a faulty VW one). Just imagine how bad the Chinese versions may end up! hehe

Anyway - if you don't think that it is working as it should, go to another VW dealer and get a second opinion. You've got the 7sp DSG which I'm nowhere near as experienced with as the 6sp. I know it's not as smooth as the 7sp, but I wouldn't expect lurching between changes nor bangs to occur in normal operation.