Hello everyone,

 

I have a 61 plate skoda octavia estate, 1.6TDI and I've been to 3 garages and all of them gave me different answer about my DSG 7gears. First one told me the gearbox is faulty as it doesnt start running after releasing the brake, the second one told me it is normal as when you press the brake it goes to a "neutral". Third one told me the same as the second one but still told me its faulty because of the pause when changing the gear, as this is the problem im inquiring about.

 

You all have experience with DSG, so no my question is, it is normal to feel when the gears are changing? Sometimes (not alyways) I feel changing the gear like you feel it in a manual one. I mean that break, when there is throttle while accelerating then a pause while changing then throttle again. I came from a prius which was my first automatic car and I never ever felt when it changed the gear, for 2 months I thought it has only 1 gear. So, is it normal to feel that changing gear so bad almost like manual gearbox?

 

After reading a few treads, I saw there is no maintenance on the DSG7, so I just hope I dont need to replace the entire gearbox.

 

Thanks a lot!

 

Alex 

I'm a little confused, what symptoms are trying to describe?

 

I have a DSG and love it, please bare in mind the DSG is NOT a standard automatic gearbox and as thus does not have any of the parasitic loss of a standard autobox.  The DSG is essentially a manual gearbox where the clutch and gear shift are controlled by a computer (Yes the DSG has got 2 clutch packs and multiple gear shafts but I'm not going to get into that...) it physically changes gear it doesn't slide between gears like standard autoboxes.  The DSG changes gear very quickly and depending where your foot is on the throttle denotes the RPM and (I think) shift ferocity.  i.e. If I'm not in any rush and using about 20% to 25% throttle it will usually shift around 2200 / 2400 revs and will be nice and smooth where as if I boot it and will rev to the red line and the shift will be sharp & snappy.

 

When you are decelerating and/or breaking it will down shift like a manual and the clutch will automatically be 'dipped' before you come to a complete stop.  It will NEVER hit neutral with out you selecting it.  If your car has 'Hill Hold' then it will not "start running after releasing the brake".

 

Hope that helps a little...

Edited 4 January, 201511 yr by Quattrodaveuk

I'm a little confused, what symptoms are trying to describe?

 

I have a DSG and love it, please bare in mind the DSG is NOT a standard automatic gearbox and as thus does not have any of the parasitic loss of a standard autobox.  The DSG is essentially a manual gearbox where the clutch and gear shift are controlled by a computer (Yes the DSG has got 2 clutch packs and multiple gear shafts but I'm not going to get into that...) it physically changes gear it doesn't slide between gears like standard autoboxes.  The DSG changes gear very quickly and depending where your foot is on the throttle denotes the RPM and (I think) shift ferocity.  i.e. If I'm not in any rush and using about 20% to 25% throttle it will usually shift around 2200 / 2400 revs and will be nice and smooth where as if I boot it and will rev to the red line and the shift will be sharp & snappy.

 

When you are decelerating and/or breaking it will down shift like a manual and the clutch will automatically be 'dipped' before you come to a complete stop.  It will NEVER hit neutral with out you selecting it.  If your car has 'Hill Hold' then it will not "start running after releasing the brake".

 

Hope that helps a little...

 

Thanks for your answer. My english is not my first language and probably thats why I can't express myself properly. There is a significant gap when it change the gears, that pause on a manual gearbox "throttle pause throttle" while constantly keep your foot on the gas. I think only someone who drove a prius will be able to understand me. With a prius you never ever notice the change of a gear, as I said for 2 months I thought prius has 1 gear. So, prius being my first auto car and the octavia the second, I can see a big difference. Im not complaining, Im just worried not to have any problem. Hence when I push the pedal the change is very smooth but on low revs you can feel it like a manual gearbox.

 

I love the car, I really enjoy the ride and I want to keep it that way with regular maintenance, thats why Im a bit worried not to have any problem with the gearbox.

 

Thank you.

There shouldnt be a pause/gap between gear changes in any speeds/rpms. I had i distinct clunk/judder between 1 and 2 gear. Got a new mechatronic from dealer under warranty.

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The Prius you had was a CVT so you wouldn't have felt anything. As the DSG does have gears, you will notice it changing gear.

The Prius you had was a CVT so you wouldn't have felt anything. As the DSG does have gears, you will notice it changing gear.

That sounds correct but not a pause. If he feels like a manual box with clutch pause something is wrong. You will feel the dsg changing gears but not a pause.

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Hence when I push the pedal the change is very smooth but on low revs you can feel it like a manual gearbox.

 

But the DSG is essentially a manual gearbox, there is no torque converter to 'cushion' the power delivery, there are 2 clutch packs.  I don't mean to sound harsh I'm trying to get you to understand there are some major mechanical differences between a DSG gearbox & a standard (torque converter) style auto gearbox in the case of the Toyota Prius it has a CVT gearbox so it will feel even more different.  Essentially DSG & CVT are at opposite ends of the scale.

 

There shouldn't be a pause/gap between gear changes in any speeds/rpms. I had I distinct clunk/judder between 1 and 2 gear. Got a new mechatronic from dealer under warranty.

 

I agree there shouldn't be any pause / gap between gears, to be honest I'm not sure how there would be, the gearbox has no control over throttle that I'm aware of.  Does it free rev between gear changes??  What happens in manual mode, any difference??

But the DSG is essentially a manual gearbox, there is no torque converter to 'cushion' the power delivery, there are 2 clutch packs.  I don't mean to sound harsh I'm trying to get you to understand there are some major mechanical differences between a DSG gearbox & a standard (torque converter) style auto gearbox in the case of the Toyota Prius it has a CVT gearbox so it will feel even more different.  Essentially DSG & CVT are at opposite ends of the scale.

 

 

I agree there shouldn't be any pause / gap between gears, to be honest I'm not sure how there would be, the gearbox has no control over throttle that I'm aware of.  Does it free rev between gear changes??  What happens in manual mode, any difference??

 

Well this will be the best way to explain it. For example if it changes at 2000 rpm, you can hear and see the revs going to 2300-2500 while the change process happens.

Well this will be the best way to explain it. For example if it changes at 2000 rpm, you can hear and see the revs going to 2300-2500 while the change process happens.

 

That shouldn't be happening. Get it scanned would be your first port of call

Well this will be the best way to explain it. For example if it changes at 2000 rpm, you can hear and see the revs going to 2300-2500 while the change process happens.

 

That shouldn't be happening. Get it scanned would be your first port of call

 

Agreed, that doesn't sound right at all... Try DSG oil & filter as they have 'wet' clutches, I seem to recall it requires mineral oil but don't quote me on that...!

Edited 5 January, 201511 yr by Quattrodaveuk

Agreed, that doesn't sound right at all... Try DSG oil & filter as they have 'wet' clutches, I seem to recall it requires mineral oil but don't quote me on that...!

 

The OP's is a 7 speed DSG, so dry clutches and transmission fluid good for life.

 

But it definitely sounds faulty......the gear changes should be quick and virtually imperceptible.    

The OP's is a 7 speed DSG, so dry clutches and transmission fluid good for life.

 

I may be incorrect here but I was under the impression that in 2009 the 7 speed DSG changed to a wet clutch due to a problem with the dry clutch setup?

When I had my DSG Tsi  Vrs the only way you could tell a gear change was to listen to the engine note or look at the rev counter, no gaps between gear changes, it was super smooth, seamless........( 6 speed box )

As a gear change in the DSG is by one clutch disengaging and the other engaging a pre-selected gear there should be only a very short time (measured in milliseconds) when the drive is disconnected so there should be no discernible pause.

 

1-3-5-7 on one shaft and 2-4-6 gears on another shaft.   

I may be incorrect here but I was under the impression that in 2009 the 7 speed DSG changed to a wet clutch due to a problem with the dry clutch setup?

The DQ200 in a 1.6TDi will be dry clutch, which is the newer technology. The 6 speed wet is still around in the high torque applications. I'm not sure where the DQ380 is used tbh, but I know it's not in the Golf R / Cupra 280.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Direct-shift_gearbox

Had similar problem and Skoda change the mechatronics unit. If you drive normal. You wouldn't feel any gear changes.only way you know it has chang gear is when you look on display or rev counter. It is really smooth

Had similar problem and Skoda change the mechatronics unit. If you drive normal. You wouldn't feel any gear changes.only way you know it has chang gear is when you look on display or rev counter. It is really smooth

 

I notice that when engine cold it changes smoothly but is not always. It doesnt happen always but more or less 70% of cases. I just looked for a mechatronic and found this, does anyone know how much will be the part including the service work?

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/350633284218

 

also sometimes at low speeds when it should change to 3rd gear it goes up to almost 3000 revs until it change, sometimes even higher. but if i push the pedal from 0-70 mph i dont feel anything, is very smooth.

 

now because i got used to it, it doesnt seem that bad anymore. well it never looked that bad but i could feel it and i was worried. 

 

ive been watching some dsg issues on youtube and mines it nothing like that but it might get to that point. the car has done 80k miles.

Edited 6 January, 201511 yr by clover

how old is your car? mine was replace under warrentee. With labour the job was over £2000 

it should always be smooth. hot or cold i still struggle to know when the car changes gear. i had the car from new and have cover 50,000 miles. still amazes me how it changes gear and i feel nothing

I may be incorrect here but I was under the impression that in 2009 the 7 speed DSG changed to a wet clutch due to a problem with the dry clutch setup?

 

VAG do produce a few types of wet clutch 7 speed DSG for higher torque and rear wheel drive applications, but all VAG 1.2/1.4 TSI and 1.6 TDI engines still get the dry clutch 7 speed DSG. 

 

 

I'm not sure where the DQ380 is used tbh, but I know it's not in the Golf R / Cupra 280.

 

I know it's used on DSG equipped versions of the VW Transporter van, apart from that I don't know if it is used on the Skoda platform......maybe on the 3.6 V6 Superb?

Edited 6 January, 201511 yr by booke23

Either way, the OP's box sounds knackered. The change ups should be measured in milliseconds, not days.

The engine should not rev during gear changes.

 

The changes should be like this on a light throttle:

 

 

Phil

Edited 6 January, 201511 yr by Phil-E

Thanks for all your involvement guys! Best way would be to do a video. Probably im just too fussy, coming from the prius i was probably expecting the same continuous torque. However, I don't think you will be able to see the gap on the video, because it just look normal when you watch the revs. You need to feel it. Its just like when keep the pedal pushed on manual, and when you press the clutch the revs will go high and then down. But this happens fast. Its not days but i doubt milliseconds. Its more like a second gap. 

Here are 2 videos:

 

 

On the first video, I dont know if you can see the way it jumps the revs before changing, but you can notice going smoothly up to 2000 revs and then jumps, only changing from 3rd to 4th you can see it changes properly. 

 

 

Hope it helps to get an idea. Is it just me being skeptical or there really is a problem with the dsg?

Edited 6 January, 201511 yr by clover

All the changes should be like the 3rd to 4th gear change.....at least it is on the 6 speed DSG....I imagine the 7 speed would be the same in this regard. So yours doesn't seem quite right. 

 

That type of symptom might point to the early stage of a Mechatronics unit failure. This can be replaced with the gearbox in the car relatively easily, although it is an expensive part. 

Wow, thats buggered alright.