#%!@*^# Turbo lag.

[spacemannz]

I also noted the behaviour in the test drive, and now about 1300km into ownership.
Definitely a small turbo lag on my 162TSI, but way better than my old Diesel auto Mondeo!
I was always taught to avoid putting a manual into first unless stationery... or at least nearly stationery. But I get the case where you’re pausing to look at a give way, or roundabout and you want it to drop to 1st, just before you lift off the brake and want to plant your foot to pull into a gap. It’s a bit of a nuisance that it bogs down in 2nd, particularly uphill.
Driving in sport mode is a distinct improvement - quite aggressive. I see why some fit a pedalbox to fix the throttle response.

On the whole, I’m thoroughly enjoying the drive, and am coming to grips with the characteristics of the DSG.

My question is; is there any downside to driving in Sport mode all the time? Apart from fuel economy.

[theresanothersteve]

This exact thing can happen if the brake pedal is accidentally pushed even a little bit. I always left foot brake in an auto and I have accidentally touched the pedal with my left foot and instantly there is no power. My Skoda was the same, why it is like this is anyone's guess.

They're designed that way. Some safety feature I guess. I believe it can be programmed out.

[theresanothersteve]

After about 25,000 km with the 2017 VW Tiguan 2,0 TSI Hi-R-line, the one thing that annoys me the most is the turbo lag. Several times when driving onto a roundabout during heavy traffic, the car starts to move a bit (enough to actually be on the roundabout), then seems to almost stall, while the other traffic moves towards me, and other cars come dangerously close because of the turbo lag...

Are we talking turbo lag or DSG lag?

I'm leaning towards DSG, if you are still moving, you are likely to be in second. Or third, but I'll base the guess on second. So the DSG has preloaded third, thinking that's your next gear. But if you put your foot down the DSG decides it has to select first, meaning it has to deselect third and load first. Hence lag, and then go.

With the Jetta (7 speed DSG) I'll push it into sport if I think something similar might happen. There are a couple of lights I go through (turning right) with an uphill grade straight after the turn. Selecting sport makes a huge difference, it holds the lower gears, meaning it doesn't get the next change wrong because it doesn't make it when I need the extra shove.

Of course, I'm blessed with the twin charged motor that generates torque from idle, part of the reason I bought the Jetta...

[ewok666]

They're designed that way. Some safety feature I guess. I believe it can be programmed out.

I doubt it but you CAN get a ECU tune (like APR) and that usually removes it and enables left foot braking. Check on goapr.com whether it does for the Tiguan.

[TungstenR]

To clarify the situation considering several of the responses: the issue is when I'm moving out of a full stop, like with the example mentioned: waiting at a busy roundabout to jump into a gap. I find myself cursing too often, and I'm not a cursing kind of guy. I mostly drive in eco-mode, with start-stop off, but I've also tried to see if there's a significant difference considering the lag in normal drive or sport mode, which I did not notice. I expected to find a difference in other than eco-modes because, if I remember well, the turbo is "pre-loaded" in at least sport-mode.

BTW, the reason I mostly drive in eco-mode is that engine/exhaust makes a deeper sound and shifts sooner with a bit of a crack/burb/fart, which doesn't seem to happen in the other modes. When you floor it it still gives you the (restricted) 162kw anyhow...

[adrianb]

You can't 'pre-load' a turbo; it's spun using exhaust exiting the engine; having enough exhaust exiting to spin the turbo requires engine revs.

The difference between economy/normal/sport mode is mostly about how the gearbox behaves and how long it holds each gear before shifting. This absolutely makes it more likely to put you in a situation where you get turbo lag. In economy mode it will shift up gears earlier (i.e. at lower revs), which puts you in your next gear at lower revs which means less exhaust which means less boost which means considerably less power.

No doubt that the DSG and it's characteristics could make this feel worse in situations others have described above where the gearbox is caught in the wrong gear.

It's probably not the answer most people want to hear (it certainly wasn't when I tried to explain it to my wife!) but you need to drive to the car you have and the conditions you're in. If you've got a turbo, expect lag and slower throttle response. If you've got a DSG, be vaguely aware that it's trying to guess your next move based on brake/throttle position and the speed you're doing.

Pretty much worst case scenario here is what was described above - coming into a roundabout with your foot off the throttle and getting into the brakes. The car will think you're pulling up to stop and is going to be changing down and getting ready to stick you in first gear to take off again, but then you hit the gas when you see a gap. You expect instant acceleration but you're at low engine revs with no boost coming from the turbo plus waiting for the gearbox to realise you want to go faster instead of slowing down. It's gonna feel pretty dead for a second or so while revs build up and the gearbox sorts itself out - that feels like the worlds slowest ever butt-clenching second when there's a guy coming into the roundabout on your right hand side and you're like a deer in headlights.

If you give the gearbox half a chance to work out what you're doing in this situation by braking early then coasting in with some light acceleration you'd probably feel a world of difference. Either that, or use the flappy paddles to manually get yourself into the right gear to have a bit of acceleration through the roundabout and then switch you back to auto when you're done.

[Seanix]

You can't 'pre-load' a turbo; it's spun using exhaust exiting the engine; having enough exhaust exiting to spin the turbo requires engine revs.

The difference between economy/normal/sport mode is mostly about how the gearbox behaves and how long it holds each gear before shifting. This absolutely makes it more likely to put you in a situation where you get turbo lag. In economy mode it will shift up gears earlier (i.e. at lower revs), which puts you in your next gear at lower revs which means less exhaust which means less boost which means considerably less power.

No doubt that the DSG and it's characteristics could make this feel worse in situations others have described above where the gearbox is caught in the wrong gear.

It's probably not the answer most people want to hear (it certainly wasn't when I tried to explain it to my wife!) but you need to drive to the car you have and the conditions you're in. If you've got a turbo, expect lag and slower throttle response. If you've got a DSG, be vaguely aware that it's trying to guess your next move based on brake/throttle position and the speed you're doing.

Pretty much worst case scenario here is what was described above - coming into a roundabout with your foot off the throttle and getting into the brakes. The car will think you're pulling up to stop and is going to be changing down and getting ready to stick you in first gear to take off again, but then you hit the gas when you see a gap. You expect instant acceleration but you're at low engine revs with no boost coming from the turbo plus waiting for the gearbox to realise you want to go faster instead of slowing down. It's gonna feel pretty dead for a second or so while revs build up and the gearbox sorts itself out - that feels like the worlds slowest ever butt-clenching second when there's a guy coming into the roundabout on your right hand side and you're like a deer in headlights.

If you give the gearbox half a chance to work out what you're doing in this situation by braking early then coasting in with some light acceleration you'd probably feel a world of difference. Either that, or use the flappy paddles to manually get yourself into the right gear to have a bit of acceleration through the roundabout and then switch you back to auto when you're done.

Brilliant. Couldn't have summed it up better.





2016 RS3. 2015 A4

[Transporter]

Yes, great explanation. No auto transmission is perfect.
Just as good that there are the paddle shifters.

[TungstenR]

You can't 'pre-load' a turbo; it's spun using exhaust exiting the engine; having enough exhaust exiting to spin the turbo requires engine revs............

.........Either that, or use the flappy paddles to manually get yourself into the right gear to have a bit of acceleration through the roundabout and then switch you back to auto when you're done.

Cheers Adrian! I didn't literally mean a pre-load, but relatively compared to eco-mode. That's how it was explained to me. The flappy paddles, that's an interesting idea to try, but when I'm approaching a busy roundabout I'm busy watching the other cars, not checking what gear is engaged. For some reason in other cars (my previous car was an Audi S4 V8, so, without turbo) I would always feel, hear what gear I'm in.

Maybe I'll adapt to a different drive style, 'though I'm still thinking it's something of a design/engineering flaw.

[Bora Sport]

We had a 2007 Jetta TDI for 3 years and we’ve had a 2010 Jetta 125 TDI for 2 years and I’ve done 24,000 k’s in a 2011 Skoda Octavia Scout in the last 12 months and I’ve never experienced it either.