Reverse gear in DSG

[Lucas_R]

Thanks for clearing that up for a DSG newbie (me). I only had it for a week, still learning the car. I have never driven a car with DSG before so I just want to make sure nothing is wrong. As I said, it only happens in very low speed or reverse. When it gets going, it's smooth as. I asked the dealer of I bought the car from about the reverse gear. He said it hesitates/vibrates at the beginning because it's turbocharged.... ok then, I know I won't waste my time to ask him any more questions.

Haha best/worse excuse ever. Goes to show how little of a clue some people in the automotive industry have.

The biggest mistake people make (and its not the customers fault - its VW/Audi/Skoda's fault because they sell the car as an "automatic") is that people try to drive them just like every other automatic they have owned in the past. As others have mentioned, the DSG is a sophisticated manual gearbox which has an electronic brain that controls the clutches for you.

Some things to keep in mind when driving a DSG equipped vehicle:

1) Clutch needs a second to engage when taking off from a standstill
2) Clutch needs a second to engage when reversing or doing 3 point turn etc. The gearbox is not as quick to respond as a traditional automatic gearbox
3) DSG's do not like to creep forward in traffic jams (it essentially rides the clutch just like a manual would)
4) If the car is shuddering its because you are going to slow and the gearbox doesn't know to engage the clutch or not - obviously this cannot be avoided sometimes when you are trying to reverse park or manouvre in a confined space, but try to limit how much of this you do (eg dont do it on purpose for extended periods of time)
5) Keep your foot firmly on the brake when stopped at traffic lights etc - only having your foot placed lightly on the brake can engage the clutches
6) If you get stuck at a railway crossing or other situation where you will be stationary for an extended period of time - put the gearbox into neutral or park to risk slipping the clutches (and to give your foot a rest).

[woofy]

I had a Mk2 RS which I bought new a few weeks before the first DSGs were available. In the years between that car and my 2016 RS I drove a tonne of DSGs a lot of them Skoda rentals but a few Audis and VWs as well. They always caught me out. But the reason I got a manual again was mainly as I don't like the lack of control I get doing it myself. And I've never been happy with reversing up a hill with DSG, it has rolled forward on me in tight parking too many times....I like the security of knowing when I can feel the clutch engaging when I let the brake go.

[Umai Naa!!]

Interesting article. It makes sense that the DSG does *not* 'learn' your driving style - that would be far too complex and make it frustrating for other drivers of the car.

It doesn't 'learn' as such. It adapts.

Have reset several over the years, that have picked up on the wife's driving habits, only for the husband to complain about it's sluggish performance and overuse of the clutches.

Reset, spirited drive, and everybody is happy again. Until the next service.

[Tuan]

What sold me on the DSG is the lightning quick upshifts when giving it the beans from a stand still. Impressive as that is, once you get over that i.e. the other 99% of driving that you do, you want it to act like a conventional auto i.e. bulletproof.

Not looking forward to the DSG service at 60,000 kms either !

[JustCruisn]

It does not learn or adapt to the driver at all.
The only thing it adapts to is how worn the clutches are, it adapts the pinch/engagement point of the clutches.
A DSG reset forces it to re calibrate those points.

If you have odd behaviour at low speeds where gear selection is concerned this may be normal, but any other shudder etc is not normal and should be investigated.

[Spinifex]

I've noticed mine has a slight shudder ONLY when driving in Eco mode, between 3rd & 4th gear (which generally engages at quite low road speeds, being Eco, but engine revs around 1500-2000)

I've confirmed that when driving/accelerating in a similar manner in Normal or Sport, it does not shudder in between 3-4..... or any other gears.... only in Eco.

Only happens when I press the throttle a bit harder in 3rd, to get it moving as it's quite sluggish. It feels like the clutch has slipped or disengaged/re-engaged for a split second at that point. Or almost like wheelspin (which it definitely isn't)



Not sure if this is normal, or something I should be worried about and get investigated?

Car has only recently done 10000km - owned from new.


Anyone else experienced this? I suspect it's similar to the "shudder" people often complain about DSG boxes, when the clutches first engage when releasing the brake... but this occurs at definite road-speed and engine-revs.

[Tuan]

Spinifex, you've answered it yourself. That's happening because in eco mode it changes to higher gears so damn early for fuel efficiency i.e. resulting in not enough revs in 4th gear.

Same can happen between 2nd and 3rd.

Doesn't happen in manual or sport right ?

[Spinifex]

Doesn't happen, but it's not the gear change itself, it's like it's slipping momentarily midway between 3rd & 4th.
And ONLY if I put the boot in a bit after it's gone into 3rd........

So it's not like it's lagging at low revs in 4th, it's well before it even gets to 4th.

PS: Sorry to hijack OP thread.... happy to start a fresh one if necessary.

[Antiplastix]

What model is it ? We have had 3 clutch packs replaced under warranty on the 7 speed DSG in our Yeti due to shuddering. Shuddering is NOT acceptable from a DSG gearbox and is a warranty issue.

[Spinifex]

It's Mk3 RS 6sp DSG wet clutch type, so unlikely to be the common 7sp clutch issue