Two days in a Golf GTI

[Swallowtail]

You'll instantly know if Launch Control has engaged properly. S or M mode on the DSG, then ESP off, and left foot on brake - when you then rev it will rev like it is out of gear (up to its programmed limit - 3000 rpm in a GTI), you should feel NO pulling or edging forward to go like holding a conventional auto against the brake. If it does, lift right off the throttle and then apply throttle again. It should rev cleanly - once you are at the RPM you want let off the brake. After a small pause (< 1/2 sec) it should dump the clutch for you and go.

If you rev with ESP ON, and left foot on the brake, the ECU is programmed to not allow the car to rev - you cannot left foot brake and accelerate in a DSG, although I believe there are coding changes that can be made to change that for track work. In that left foot brake, right foot throttle, ESP on scenario, you are doing the equivalent in a manual car trying to let the clutch out whilst holding the brake. Not good.

[MurphyTheElf]

You'll instantly know if Launch Control has engaged properly. S or M mode on the DSG, then ESP off, and left foot on brake - when you then rev it will rev like it is out of gear (up to its programmed limit - 3000 rpm in a GTI), you should feel NO pulling or edging forward to go like holding a conventional auto against the brake. If it does, lift right off the throttle and then apply throttle again. It should rev cleanly - once you are at the RPM you want let off the break. After a small pause (< 1/2 sec) it should dump the clutch for you and go.

If you rev with ESP ON, and left foot on the brake, the ECU is programmed to not allow the car to rev - you cannot left foot brake and accelerate in a DSG, although I believe there are coding changes that can be made to change that for track work. In that left foot brake, right foot throttle, ESP on scenario, you are doing the equivalent in a manual car trying to let the clutch out whilst holding the brake. Not good.

Yeah I was asking for a stall, but it works nicely to prevent that.

I'll test it out using the proper method - sans crotchety old men and suburbia. Cheers for the info....

[Corey_R]

Btw... unless it's change on the MK6, it's not engaged by simply pressing the ESP button to turn it off, but rather by HOLDING the ESP button (for 5 seconds?) to turn it off.

So the procedure is:
1) Put foot on brake
2) Put it in S or M
3) Hold down the ESP for like 5 seconds
4) Keep foot on brake whilst stepping on the accelerator to get to your desired RPMs
5) Take foot off brake
6) Modulate the accelerator as required to get desirable grip vs wheel spin... you don't even have traction control so you need to do this yourself...

As Swallowtail said, you'll know immediately that it's engaged, because it revs freely up to 3000rpm. There is no 'car being held back' happening, because the clutch is in.

[Swallowtail]

No, you don't need to hold the ESP button for 5 seconds (on either my Passat or the Golf).

Now let's move on from Launch Control please folks... let's face it, it's something that will get used occasionally, not all the time LOL.

[Corey_R]

Aah ok cool. Has changed since the MKV then.
Still - I wonder why Murphy can't engage it then.

[MurphyTheElf]

I haven't given it a good try yet. Things were looking good yesterday before I was interrupted by "Mr Wilson".

[Swallowtail]

I haven't given it a good try yet. Things were looking good yesterday before I was interrupted by "Mr Wilson".

Oy - leave me out of it!

[elisiX]

Glad I found this. Nice to read a review from someone who doesnt write them for a living.

That first picture looks awesome.