Is there any way you can prevent kick down? would be useful when rolling road testing - mine produced 196bhp as standard because of this problem!

Manual override prevents kickdown.

The problems I'm having, specifically:

1. Up changes not smooth - noticable lift of power shortly before the box shifts up, and if you put your foot down each one gives you a real jerk

2. Around 35mph the box behaves really weirdy, appearing to be indecisive about whether it should be in 4th or 5th, with the result that the car does not run smoothly at this speed.

3. Complete inability to stop smoothly whilst in D, due the the sudden engine braking which comes in when the box shifts down gears, esp to 2nd. Switching to manual mode solves the problem but surely I shouldn't have to do that every time I want to stop at the lights!?

4. Generally running in too low a gear. Particularly, it doesn't shift up from 4 to 5 until about 35 and not into six until over 45. In my old manual car I used to happily tickle along at 30 in 6th. I find myself constantly flicking it into manual mode to over-ride. Really annoying.

5. Even in manual mode it won't allow you to overide until higher than I would often have changed up in my manual one. Can't engage 5th until 30 or 6th until 38. Idle speed in 6th is about 28. So why won't it let me engage it then?

6. I generally feel that the gearbox is not mapped to best suit the capabilities of the 140PD engine. In common with my old car, there is a noticeable drop off in torque above 4000 rpm. I never used to take the old one over 3,500. There was no point - the car will accellerate faster at 2500rpm in the next gear up. In this context I find it somewhat baffling that if you put your foot to the floor it takes the revs right up to the 4500 red line before changing up. Ok in manual mode leave it to the driver to decide but if I put my foot to the floor in auto I want max power, not messing about at 4500rpm which just knackers the engine and doesn't give me full accelleration.

Any thoughts much appreciated.

1 - Not sure but don't lift off, you shouldn't need to. Just use less throttle. Mine is smooth as silk if I keep using throttle.

2 - Yes mine does this occasionally, I think it is the drive by wire throttle at fault. The engine revs seem to climb or reduce in small jerks rather than smoothly, happens at about 1700-1800 revs. Engaging manual override does not stop it so don't think it is the gear box.

3 - Yes mine does this but you get used to it. If comming to a set of lights quickly then sometimes I pop it into neutral and coast to a stop. Otherwise I just lift off early and let the egine braking slow me down.

4 - Yes mine does this as well, though I did notice its much more willing to lower the revs when the engine is warmed up.

5 - Yes mine does this, I guess a trait of all auto boxes as they are designed for ease of use.

6 - Yes mine does this is you stamp on the throttle and hold it to the floor. If you back off a tad then the car will change earlier so I can get it to change at 4k rather than 4.5k.

My general thoughts on this are that the DSG is very rewarding when driven hard at higher speeds and smooth at normal road speeds, but less rewarding in traffic due to the nature of diesel engine braking and dropping down gears. If i recall my last 2.0tdi manual did this in second and first gear, which is why I always kept the engine revs low in traffic using 3rd or 2nd gear, and coasted a lot.

My wife has a new 520d bmw which has a 6 speed torque converter box. Smooth as silk at low speeds and very relaxing, but not so good when pushing hard as it just revs. One thing i did note is in 'D' the box does keep the enine revs higher until warm then drops them right down, but almost too low when if you want acceleration it takes a second to kickdown. I think the DSG is much quicker at kickdown and more rewarding and fun to drive hard.

The BMW also has a slightly jerky stop when coasting up to traffic lights, rolling to a stop in 2nd, though less that DSG.

Edited 8 November, 200817 yr by SilveRS

I've had DSG on an R32 Golf I had, which I felt was a mis-match to the engine (despite the reviews).It would often drop too low a gear under moderate throttle so I ended up driving it on the 'flappy paddles' all the time.

It worked far better on an A3 diesel I had but was jerky in traffic (on and off power) unless you were gentle and progressive with your right foot.

Personally, I've decided I'm a manual box person !

I've had DSG on an R32 Golf I had, which I felt was a mis-match to the engine (despite the reviews).It would often drop too low a gear under moderate throttle so I ended up driving it on the 'flappy paddles' all the time.

It worked far better on an A3 diesel I had but was jerky in traffic (on and off power) unless you were gentle and progressive with your right foot.

Personally, I've decided I'm a manual box person !

Yep, have to agree than I will switch back to a manual now the wife has her own motor, I find manual gear boxes much more involving to drive and much more fun.

Manual override prevents kickdown.

Doesn't on my box. impossible performance had tremendous difficulties doing a rolling road dyno test because it kept on kicking down in manual.

If I put my car in first and keep my foot flat to the floor it will keep on changing up until it is flat out.

I find manual gear boxes much more involving to drive and much more fun.

Agreed, but I spend too many hours doing stop start around the M25 & London that if I had a manual I would be spending upwards of £100 per month on osteopath visits. So I use an auto. The DSG is the best auto IMHO.

Doesn't on my box. impossible performance had tremendous difficulties doing a rolling road dyno test because it kept on kicking down in manual.

If I put my car in first and keep my foot flat to the floor it will keep on changing up until it is flat out.

If you use manual mode and put the throttle pedal almost on the floor (there's an easily noticeable resistance on the pedal on almost full pedal travel before kickdown) you should have full throttle without engaging the kickdown.

If I put my car in first and keep my foot flat to the floor it will keep on changing up until it is flat out.

That isn't kickdown, that is a design of the gearbox it will change up at the rev limit. If in manual mode you select sixth gear and floor the accelerator it will not kickdown to fifth. The problem with the DSG box is that it isn't a manual and it isn't an auto, it lies somewhere in between and to the side. You have to drive it accepting the idiosyncrasies of the DSG box, once you do that it is much more rewarding.

My DSG gives jerky changes when cold, but smooth when warm, will change up to 4th around late 20's, 5th around late 30's and 6th mid 40's, you can 'force' the car into 5th at 30 using manual, and 6th at 40 using manual. The car has now done 65,000 miles.

Like any auto I've ever driven, if you slow down for a junction then decide to go it can confuse the gearbox - selecting 1st where you would use 2nd, and for general driving where you might use 3rd, it may use 2nd for going round junctions etc.

It is the best auto box I have ever used compared to Ford:thumbdwn: BMW 5sp & 6sp tiptronic:thumbup: Jaguar:thumbup:Vauxhall:thumbdwn:

Discovered in a trip round London's biggest orbital car park that it selects 2nd almost as soon as it moves off in heavy stop start traffic.

Best get away at traffic lights I have found is remove foot from brake then once initial movement use the throttle.

Mike

That's a pretty good summary of my experience.

I have had an Octavia 1.9L TDI 105BHP and the 2.0L TDI both L&K DSGs.

Both of them were exceptionally smooth and completely transparent, they were always in exactly the right gear at the right time, a joy to drive.

Having driven in the US for 10 years with Ford automatics I could not believe the difference and how bad the DSG made the Ford automatics look and feel!

I have never, before my first DSG, ever even thought about a gearbox, let alone appreciate it like I do the DSG on my Octavia.

So much so I have just ordered an 1.8L TFSI 160bhp 7 speed DSG Superb!

Well that's my 2 cents worth..

Hmmm interesting. I have not driven a DSG but i think i would prefer a manual. Only trouble is that the New Ibiza Cupra is only going to be available with it next year. Will have to try it and see.