Jono

Well, it's been "escalated" AGAIN, but I keep getting the same not-answers to my questions from Skoda Technical. Your questions: Was the 23AX update intended in any way to change the behaviour of the DSG gearbox? Did the 23AX update change software in the ECU alone, or the ECU and DSG? Does the attached handbook picture, and my description above (Edit – see below) , accurately describe how the DSG should behave – i.e., Sport mode selecting and holding lower gears than Drive and Economy modes? My pre and post-update ECU software version number and pre and post-update DSG software version number. The response we received is below The campaign was to: On the affected vehicles the software of the engine control unit must be updated and on vehicles with dual clutch also the gearbox control unit.must be updated.The software update reduces emissions The software update does not have any negative effects on fuel consumption, CO2 emission values, engine performance, maximum torque, noise emissions, the durability of the engine or exhaust gas after treatment system. The engine and gearbox ECUs were updated, there is no information other than the above. The hand book does not give a detailed description as to how the gear box should behave . I would suggest the customer visits the local retailer for a like for like comparison with another vehicle" This statement is junk as both the Skoda website here: https://www.skoda-auto.com/world/range-driving-modes And my handbook unambiguously states: "In Mode S , the forward gears are shifted automatically up and down at higher engine speeds that mode D" and "In mode E , the forward gears are shifted automatically up and down at lower engine speeds than mode D" I recently drove 3 similarly aged VW/Audi 2L DSG cars, and they have a Sport mode that actually does things... I'm still gathering data, but it looks like my DPF regen frequency is now in the 200s rather then 300s of Km. It's been theorised that the update makes it deliberately burn rich and cool to reduce nitrogen oxides, at the expense of more soot. I'm so ****ed off...

Thought that might be the case. Thanks for the sage advice.

I have a slow coolant leak, confirmed to be inside the charge air cooler using a borescope. I'm wary about using K-seal and clogging up my heater matrix etc, but seeing that the CAC circuit is mostly separate, I wondered if using a smaller quantity of it directly into that circuit is a potential plan? I'm planning to keep the car for some time yet, so not after a quick bodge that'll cause more bother down the line. Can anyone suggest how best to get some K-Seal into the CAC circuit and/or if this is a daft idea?

Did you solve this yet @stig1? My experience is here:

Woohoo (Kinda) My coolant loss issue is now diagnosed as about the least-bad of the remaining possibilities. Finally got around to getting an endoscope inside the charge air cooler (thanks to @T07 for the helpful pics above). I got the engine hot and spent a bit of time on boost - presumably as that drove charge-air into the coolant, pressurising it more than heat-alone, then went in the IAT and saw it fill up before my very eyes... So, at least it's not the EGR Cooler, or a cracked head... Photos below for interest. Anyone got any tips or wisdom for getting the Charge Air Cooler replaced? I'm assuming a used one is a false economy? I'm losing about half a ml a mile of coolant, so not a huge deal for me to keep pouring it in until the car is next in a garage*. Is it worth hanging on until timing belt and water pump gets done next year dya think? *Which unless Skoda sort the 23AX update that ****ed up my DSG behaviour swiftly, my family won't set foot in a VAG garage for the rest of my life... My coolant is greeny-yellow rather than pink, thanks to the fluoroscein UV dye in there.

Well, I'm hoping that VW/Skoda will resolve this in a mutually acceptable fashion. They appear to be acting in good faith at this time.

Car booked in for routine service and DSG oil change. Told on arrival about 23AX emissions update. Queried what it entailed and if there were any potential downsides. Given the Skoda blurb on what it did - emissions, protecting the catalyst etc. Asked the service manager directly about any potential downsides. SM said that "there were none, it had been done to loads of vehicles and there were no reported problems, Skoda were doing this update for a good reason and to protect my vehicle. He would do it if it were his car." Absolutely *zero* mention of affecting gearchanges or behaviour of gearbox modes. Did I consent to the update - Yes Was my consent based on misleading information - Yes So - Did I give *informed consent* - Emphatically, NO! I accept that the dealership were given incomplete information by Skoda. Thats fine. I'm very salty about being told there is nothing wrong with the function of the DSG, the removal of the different modes, and that I drive funny. @toot I don't know exactly who's handling the complaint, but it's via the VWUK Executive Office rather than a random callcentre.

Thanks @varooom. Next step is awaiting another convo with Skoda customer services to see what they say. I cant see how they should be allowed to make such a big change without the informed consent of owners. Obviously I feel that I *shouldn't have to* spend time and money to go to a third party or tuner to fix my car. Knowing that it might just take an ECU fix, not DSG too is good news. A bit of looking at Dutch/German forums suggested that the 23AX is particularly brutal on Euro6 non-adblue engines like mine. I believe such engines are actually very rare as there are only a few months of manufacture of Euro 6, before adblue was included. They also made the point that nitrogen oxides and soot are 2 sides of the same hot/cool burn coin. Cooler burning and richer mixes inevitably gives more soot - which I find annoyingly plausible 😞

So... I've just driven ~5 year old 2 litre TDI DSG Passat, Tiguan and Audi Q5s In all cases, engaging "S" mode via the gearlever almost always prompts a downshift. I'm now 100% certain that something is wrong. I simply don't understand how the dealership can think it is ok. I have reached an impasse with the dealership, who I think are aggrieved because I have already opened a case with Skoda. A hamper of goodies arrived from Skoda today - which is a nice gesture - but not a good substitute for my car working properly... I think this now boils down to 1) Something was done wrong but will not be acknowledged by dealership - and can be fixed elsewhere or 2) Update makes car behave as intended by Skoda - a change which I did not give informed consent to, and therefore want rolling back.

Could do, but the problem being they are all significantly later models. I accept that it's possible that newer vehicles DSGs behave in a particular way - say for emissions testing reasons - that the 23AX update might have changed my car to. That doesn't alter the fact that my car used to behave entirely differently. I'll be test driving some older 2 litre diesel DQ250 DSG cars in person. In fact, if anyone is near Nottingham with one and likes to be paid in homebrew it'd be great to take a video whilst you demo...

Frustrating update: "Basic gearbox adaptations" have been redone and after several hundred miles of driving there has been no change or improvement in how the DSG behaves. E, D, S modes have no perceptible difference in gearchange points and engaging Sport mode on a trailing throttle at low/tickover revs does not prompt the downshift that it used to. e.g. for engine braking, overtake preparation or for appropriate gear for proper vehicle control around a roundabout. Page 128 of my car handbook helpfully states: "In Mode S , the forward gears are shifted automatically up and down at higher engine speeds that mode D" and "In mode E , the forward gears are shifted automatically up and down at lower engine speeds than mode D" My car no longer does this, yet I'm told my car behaves just like all the other cars. It seems the dealer and I have reached an impasse and I'm advised to take it up with Skoda. Any thoughts? Videos of engaging sport mode and a drop in gear would be particularly helpful.

Wasn't directing a comment at you buddy. Interestingly though, I'd contend that you don't necessarily have the right approach... but it's all situational and in the case of motorbikes, you have a lot more spare power. In an ideal world, you wouldn't be closing swiftly with the car in front in case they have to brake at an inconvenient time. You pick the right gear, pull out, get a good view, then decide if the overtake is on or not.

Same issue. I believe you can get a borescope into the charge cooler, I can't track down the post RN though.

Yeah, I default to the same individual mode setup. I'd engage Sport to be in the correct gear, *before* initiating an overtake rather than pulling out, then stamping on the throttle and waiting for the DSG to get it's **** together. I'm aware most drivers would be close and closing on the car in front before even pulling out, but the motorcyclist in me has long been trained out of this. I'd often move to sport for engine braking and correct gear around a large roundabout for proper vehicle control. I hate eco upshifting to 4th gear as you roll around the roundabout before dropping to 2nd or 3rd and unsettling the car as you accelerate off the roundabout.

To update you all... It was back in the dealers for a "Basic adaptation of gearbox settings" so now I'm to go away again for 500 miles to see if it fixes the problem. No change in the first hundred miles, I'm not hopeful. It's still being suggested that I drive funny and nobody else ever engages "Sport" on the DSG to drop a gear to prepare for an overtake or for engine braking. The car handbook helpfully states. "In Mode S , the forward gears are shifted automatically up and down at higher engine speeds that mode D" and "In mode E , the forward gears are shifted automatically up and down at lower engine speeds than mode D" - Except not anymore it seems... my 3 main DSG modes are indistinguishable (Offroad mode *is* a bit different however) The service manager tried some other DSG cars off the forecourt and suggested none of them routinely downshift if you are at low revs/high gear and engage "sport". Sadly I don't have loads of cars sitting around to test this myself and have to rely on your anecdotal reports.

*Both* 4x4 and appropriate tyres are an option of course.

I had my Haldex stop working. No warning lights or error codes. I had to identify it by pulling away uphill on slippery surfaces and the front wheels struggled to pull it away fast from wet junctions whilst turning. My first haldex service was an oil change only - and at that time they didn't realise a new filter was needed too (duh...) Reading around I discovered that clogged filters were common, and Haldex didn't sent error codes to the ECU very well. New filter, oilchange and whatever electronic reset they do sorted it.

My money is on people not understanding that the DSG coasting =/= depressing the clutch in a manual. There are circumstances where low revs= oils starvation, but I doubt that in modern engines designed for it. I don't buy that it means more torque being demanded at low revs means more harm, it'll drop down a gear if it needs to. The italian-tuneup idea - sometimes engines need a thrash - that's not ad odds with being in eco mode most of the time. You could argue equally that a lower life-time total of cycles/revolutions would make for a longer lasting engine

The 2015 Scout and diesel VRS DSGs have the same setup, barring my lack of paddles. Depending on the "driving mode" selected via button, pulling back on the lever switches from E to S or D to S.

Thanks everyone. I'm generally talking about engaging S with the gearlever. It doesn't ever prompt a kickdown, even at tickover revs to prepare for an overtake, for example. Same behaviour should apply my changing the driving modes though - the only one that makes *any* difference at all now is "offroad mode" Which does hold a lower gear or drop a gear in some circumstances. S mode can no longer be used to provide gentle engine braking down a hill or for more control onto a roundabout. Apparently I use my gearbox "very different(ly) from the vast majority of customers" and rather than a defect, any changes could be "in the best interests of the car ... hence the update". Anyway, it's going back into the dealer. Giving them the benefit of the doubt they will acknowledge a problem and fix it, else I'll be asking advice about where to go from here. I've bought Skodas for >20 years and recruited no few friends to the brand. I have to say that prevaricating about the problem rather than being candid about it, is putting my loyalty on a knife-edge.

Just checking that I'm not going mad here... Moving from Economy or Drive at a steady speed or on approach to junction/roundabout into Sport would almost always kickdown a gear right? Feels a bit like I'm getting gaslit by a tech/service dept/Skoda suggesting that modes are just to do with throttle sensitivity mapping and upshift points, and the DSG might just need an adaptation of basic settings or to "relearn my driving style" for 500 miles and not that *it's screwed up* A recent ECU/DSG emissions update seems to have made all of the DSG modes into one (except off-road - that *does* still drop down a gear if at very low revs when engaged) TIA folks.

I'm increasingly sure something is wrong with my car. The driving modes seem to make zero difference, other than E allows for coating. Oddly "Offroad" mode does give changes, if engaged at low revs it will downshift in the way similar to how Sport mode *should* Dealers have extracted log files and I await their response.

I think I shall be popping in to discuss with the service manager. It's unacceptable to fundamentally change the car's behavior without the informed consent of the customer. Thanks for your help @varooom, this is exactly the kind of helpful info and advice I was after.

Not that I was told about. Under the boot floor I assume? On inspection, paperwork/receipt does list: 23AX 2020-02-05 S Engine Control Unit I did query the ECU update but was told that it wouldn't have any adverse effects...

By "Optimized" do they perhaps mean "Utterly Ruined"? @CookieMonster87Do you have anything funny going on where S mode has stopped behaving properly? Not downshifting when you go into it? It also feels to me like E is slow to upshift on my car since the update, it's happy to sit at higher revs.