DSG in Traffic

[pearce_jj]

I'm lucky enough to be driving a 2012 TSi/DSG - and have already posted elsewhere some glowing comments about the DSG box, which doesn't have the roundabout hessitation of the earlier boxes.

However, there might be a problem.

Yesterday creeping along in traffic (25 miles covered so everything nice and warm), it simply won't run at idle speed in 2nd smoothly - there was a very apparent and continous "seesaw" effect (this is in D btw).

To be fair, I haven't driven the older TSi/DSG in such a situation but would be very interested in any comments and experiences elsewhere (vRS included).

Edited 7 February, 2012 by pearce_jj

[InFus1on]

I don't have a vRS, but my Cupra is very similar. I don't know how extreme yours is, but mine certainly isn't smooth in traffic.

I just try and ignore it and look forward to not being in traffic when it becomes smooth again lol.

I've driven 3 cars with this engine/gearbox combination and all 3 felt the same so I'd say, unless yours is really extreme, it's just the nature of the motor.

[marTTyn]

Mine has always been smooth?

[InFus1on]

Yours must be amazing then lol.

Any 1.4TSi I've been in with DSG has been a little jerky at times in slow traffic. Not massively bad, and not really noticable, but you can feel the gear changes and when lifting off in 2nd it seems to slow down quicker than expected.

I've been told by 3 different dealers that it's common with these engines/gearboxes so I'd be surprised if yours doesn't do it.

[jonny boy]

DSG is an amazing bit of tech.

Although there's going to be some owners who have small issues with some characteristics of it, the same can be applied to any manual box. Some owners can find a certain manual as 'clunky' whilst others don't etc.

If the current DSG (with the odd teething issue) is anything to go by, then roll on future DSG boxes.

I am a huge fan of DSG.

[brookes745]

DSG is an amazing bit of tech.

As a fan of the old Vrs, I was disappointed when the new one came out with only DSG....to be honest it put me off the car and I never even test drove one. That was until last week....now the DSG is the main reason I am buying one!!!

Had quite a good test run in a couple of cars with quite a bit of town driving but never noticed any jerking icluding the one I am buying. Maybe I was too busy grinning like an idiot to notice !!!

[pearce_jj]

Don't get me wrong, I too am a great fan of it (hence why I have two ) but just noticed this corner case and wondered if it was common for all 7-spd dry-clutch units, or whether it might be a side effect of whatever has been done to eliminate the hesitation.

[jonny boy]

I really stumbled (literally) across DSG.

Having had knee surgery, I couldn't drive a manual without some discomfort, so it really had to be an automatic.

After doing a lot of research (and testing) the Fabia VRS fitted the bill pretty well. It's really difficult to find an automatic that suits, so after test driving DSG (and believe me, I didn't really want to) I was astonished by just how intuitive it really is.

Like forgetting you're in manual and the box drops down the gears for you. The seamless gear changes and it usually knows the right gear in most circumstances.

Of course the 'map' for DSG wont suit all. but I expect there will be choices in the near future surrounding those issues. Other than that, the way it is at the moment is pretty spot on in my opinion.

[logiclee]

Our Fabia TSi DSG has the seesawing on no throttle, but only on flat roads with warm engine. Not sure if a manual TSi car would do the same in the same situation.

The wet clutch box on my VW is silky smooth around town, nearly as smooth as a torque convertor auto as the box loves to slip in 2nd and is very gradual to pick up drive. The wet clutch days are numbered now though as VAG have a new high torque 7 speed dry clutch DSG that will eventually replace the wet clutch across VAG.

Cheers

Lee

[sharkrider]

mine doesn't do this... runs smooth.

[MartynVRS]

Same here too. The only time I may get a funny moment is if I change down at the same time as the box does therefore dropping a cog too many. Not dangerous but not what I wanted at the time. But this is my fault and not the box. Box is smooth all the time for me

[newbie69]

My only slight complaint (and I believe is what others call the "roundabout" issue) is when I have it in D, braking a little lately at a junction so there's a sudden drop from 50 to 20 KM but the car still rolls, then I see I am clear to go and push the pedal rather deeply to quickly reach the speed I was at, before I braked. At that very moment I find that the car doesn't instantly follow my demand for quick acceleration, then after 0.5 - 1 sec suddenly wakes up and shoots...

BUT! I see that as an inevitable consequence of an automatic/semi-automatic box and I easily overcome this by putting it in Manual which is were I have it most of the time, or even S. I don't know If this has been eliminated with software updates etc. which are prepared for such situations.

[SJRT]

I'm lucky enough to be driving a 2012 TSi/DSG - and have already posted elsewhere some glowing comments about the DSG box, which doesn't have the roundabout hessitation of the earlier boxes.

However, there might be a problem.

Yesterday creeping along in traffic (25 miles covered so everything nice and warm), it simply won't run at idle speed in 2nd smoothly - there was a very apparent and continous "seesaw" effect (this is in D btw).

To be fair, I haven't driven the older TSi/DSG in such a situation but would be very interested in any comments and experiences elsewhere (vRS included).

Mine has had the updates and is still very smooth and refined when trickling along in traffic on a par with the auto in my previous BMW.

[ChrisRs]

The Wife's runs really smoothly....

It just hits kerbs and damages alloys instead!! :'(

[frobb]

Mine is quite smooth, I did notice what felt like a slight rocking of the clutch but wasn't much

[Ad Lav]

1st and 2nd has been reported in many articles as being a bit notchy at time - VAG did give a reason for this but I can't find the damn article now...

All flappy paddle semi auto gearboxes are a pain in traffic, 1st/2nd/1st2nd/1st

[hertsnminds]

it simply won't run at idle speed in 2nd smoothly - there was a very apparent and continous "seesaw" effect (this is in D btw).

Can't say I have noticed this. My Roomster (1.2, 105bhp DSG) creeps along in traffic with no problem in 1st or 2nd at about 1000 - 1100 revs (not idle revs 800, but with no pedals pressed). The only time it might try to overthink things is when I do press either the brake or accelerator which adds extra modified parameters for the fuzzy logic to consider.

[jonny boy]

The Wife's runs really smoothly....

It just hits kerbs and damages alloys instead!! :'(

Chris,

Tie some balloons to the wheels. When you hear a pop, that's close enough. Plus the're inexpensive to replace from Poundland.

[don_kiddik]

My only slight complaint (and I believe is what others call the "roundabout" issue) is when I have it in D, braking a little lately at a junction so there's a sudden drop from 50 to 20 KM but the car still rolls, then I see I am clear to go and push the pedal rather deeply to quickly reach the speed I was at, before I braked. At that very moment I find that the car doesn't instantly follow my demand for quick acceleration, then after 0.5 - 1 sec suddenly wakes up and shoots...

BUT! I see that as an inevitable consequence of an automatic/semi-automatic box and I easily overcome this by putting it in Manual which is were I have it most of the time, or even S. I don't know If this has been eliminated with software updates etc. which are prepared for such situations.

Mine went in for its first service and I mentioned that sometimes it was a little hesitant at roundabouts and some junctions, they did a software update on the DSG and now it's perfect, no hesitancy at all.

[rap1]

Chris,

Tie some balloons to the wheels. When you hear a pop, that's close enough. Plus the're inexpensive to replace from Poundland.

Lol

[rap1]

I find that my Octy vRS DSG is fantastically smooth when changing up or down the box at all speeds and I would not go back to a manual version.

Sometimes in slow-moving, queuing traffic travelling up-hill, depending on the gradient and how and when you press the accelerator pedal, it can tend to (very slightly) lurch forward and then can 'fall-back'a bit if you ease off the gas too much. As I said, depends on the gradient, the steeper it is the worse it gets but easily controllable and not what I'd call a problem. I'm more impressed with this box than the BMW 320d auto I had until last yr and that is saying something.