Dsg manual mode

[jdw]

First silly question, is it ok to use the paddles in the 7.5 when the gear stick is still in the auto position.

And second question, when I do this the on dash gears correctly show M2, M3 etc however the DSG does not automatically change up to a higher M gear unless high revs are achieved.

I understand that it is meant to do this in manual mode but hope its ok for it to do it in Auto mode.

thanks

[gregozedobe]

Answer: Yes, it is perfectly safe, the TCU controlling DSG gear changes will prevent you from doing a "money shift", and it will also change up to stop you over-revving the engine in too low a gear, similarly it will change down a gear at too low a revs in too high a gear (see explanation below).

The 7.5 DSG (DQ381) has two different "manual" modes.

"True manual mode" is activated by moving the gear lever to the left (when in D or S), and this stays in the gear you have selected unless otherwise instructed (by moving the gear lever forward or back or pulling on one of the steering wheel paddles). While in this mode kickdown to a lower gear (when you floor the accelerator) will be disabled.

Note that with a standard DSG tune the TCU programming will protect the engine by changing down a gear if the revs are too low, or changing up a gear if the revs are too high. This protective behaviour (auto upshift/downshift) can be altered by some DSG (TCU) tunes.

"Temporary manual mode" is activated by pulling on one of the steering wheel paddles, this only lasts for a short time (I want to say around 10-20 seconds but I've never timed it) and stays in the gear selected unless you pull again on a steering wheel paddle. When the time is up the DSG will revert back to the D or S mode it was in previously. While in this temporary mode kickdown to a lower gear (when you floor the accelerator) will still be active. Normal protective behaviour (auto upshift/downshift) continues to operate.

This explanation my seem a bit complicated, but that is the way the two different manual modes operate. Try it out with your car and it should make more sense.

[Lucas_R]

I used to drive my GTI in full manual mode about 98% of the time because I liked having control over which gear the car was in. Sport mode was useless really.

But if you are in normal D mode, you can intervene at your will to use the paddle shifters to temporarily control which gear the car is in. It will (after 20-30 seconds or so) revert back into normal D mode.