Going into Sport mode (without being asked to)

[RichardB53]

2016 Octavia, 2.0 diesel DSG

 

After we had had the car about a week, I set off one day and thought the engine was revving higher than usual.  I found that the car was set to Sport mode, even though I had not selected it.  I assumed I had touched something while starting the car, set it back to Normal, and carried on.  But since then it has done the same thing several times.  I know it is in Sport mode as the dash display is showing S3, S4 etc, instead of D3, D4, and the gear change points are definitely delayed.  It has happened to both of us, and we are 100% certain we have done nothing out of the ordinary to make it happen.  It is usually after setting off on a journey, although twice it has set itself to Sport after stopping in traffic (stop/start active). Sometimes pressing the Mode button and selecting Normal on the screen does the trick, but sometimes this doesn't work and I have to select Sport first (even though it is already in Sport) and then Normal afterwards.

 

It's not a big deal, but I guess something is not right as it is a brand new car.  Before I go back to the dealer with a query, I was wondering if anyone here had experienced the same thing, or had any insights to offer?

[CFBScout]

You do know that tapping the DSG lever backwards once (towards the rear of the car) engages this?

 

It's how I drive mine, tap down to engage 'S' if I want to pull away sharply, tap down again to go back to 'D' once moving and to avoid the over revving.

Edited 27 September, 2016 by CFBScout

[RichardB53]

You, Sir, are a genius.  I've just been to check, and you are completely right.  I (or rather we) must have knocked the gear lever accidentally on each occasion.  In my defence, it doesn't take much more than a slight touch, and you aren't necessarily aware that you have altered anything.  Also in my defence, this is not mentioned in the manual, which I did take the trouble to read.  At least, it may be somewhere in the 260+ pages, but it's not in the section on Selecting Driving Mode (p.158-9), which is the obvious place to look.  And I suppose unfamiliarity with the car is another factor.

 

Problem solved. Thank you!

[CFBScout]

No problem, happy to help.

[Suuntobob]

It took me a month to find this feature and now I found this very useful to be able to select sport quickly ie overtaking then straight back to miser mode . LOL

[GingerJuan51]

I too only found this feature after asking on this forum.  I had read the manual multiple times and it is far from clear.

 

Like those above I travel in D most of the time choosing S to overtake or pull away briskly.  The great bonus is selecting Sport this way doesn't turn up the irritating fake engine noise generator.

[Jono]

I wish there was a quick way to switch from E to D without having to push the mode button several times...

[bigjim73]

I wish there was a quick way to switch from E to D without having to push the mode button several times...

Can go E to S quickly enough though   and there's always the paddles if you need to kick it down manually?

Edited 29 September, 2016 by bigjim73

[TDIum]

Yuh would be good if the same mechanism to put it in S from D worked so that when you are in E is goes to D instead of S. 

 

I find S far too revvy with the TDI - its more like "track mode" than sport.

[Jono]

Can go E to S quickly enough though   and there's always the paddles if you need to kick it down manually?

 

Yeah, but that's not what I want.

 

I want to go from E to D to engine brake/coast fuel free without having to knock it into manual or dab the brake.

If I want to nail it, I can kickdown in D, without having to switch to S.

[themanwithnoaim]

You can get the DSG remapped too, a forced change up at 3,250 when the torque has all but gone, might suit those with the tractor based power plants

[TDIum]

Tiptronic. 

 

I only use E on long motorway journeys and then usually have the DSG in manual mode (push the selector away, flick it back and forth to change down/up). For spirited driving I also use manual mode. Just have to remember to put it back in auto when coming to a stop 'cos its much better at changing up through 1-2-3 in auto. 

 

I would be very tempted to get a DSG re-map but surely this is inadvisable while there is warranty remaining? 

[Jono]

You can get the DSG remapped too, a forced change up at 3,250 when the torque has all but gone, might suit those with the tractor based power plants

 

I understand what you are saying, that the DSG changes up too late, but I disagree with quite *how* late. I think you overstate it somewhat.

 

It's not just about where the torque begins to drop off, but also where the next gear up lands you in the rev-range.

 

 

What *does* wind me up, is when you floor it past the kickdown button, it take a second or so to drop 4 gears and then screams for half a second to the redline, before changing up again to where it probably should have been all along. 

Edited 29 September, 2016 by Jono

[themanwithnoaim]

Unless you're running a remap, 3,250 revs will be fine, it's not gonna drop below 2k so, it'll be pretty much in the maximum torque band on a TDI

[toni8b]

What *does* wind me up, is when you floor it past the kickdown button, it take a second or so to drop 4 gears and then screams for half a second to the redline, before changing up again to where it probably should have been all along. 

 

You are destroying your engine this way.

[Jono]

You are destroying your engine this way.

 

I quite agree, hence why I think it's a terrible feature.

[Jono]

Unless you're running a remap, 3,250 revs will be fine, it's not gonna drop below 2k so, it'll be pretty much in the maximum torque band on a TDI

 

I think I know what you are trying to say, but I still think you overstate it.

The rate of acceleration at 350Nm at 2000rpm is just not the same as 300Nm at 4000rpm.

[themanwithnoaim]

Torque throws you down the road NOT bhp well, until you get to 4-1/4k revs then the rule starts turning but, TDI'S don't run that high often, it's just not in the owners makeup

If you can find a private road, time few 0-100 runs some manually changing up at 3-1/4 and other runs changing at 4-1/4. You'll be surprised at the results. Higher revs give an audible misperception that it's faster, it's a trick on the mind.

Every tuner be they tuning boxes or remapped know that just creating Max power isn't enough, they all ensure they've widened and raised the torque band, cos they know drivers just go chasing the revs.

It's human nature

Edited 29 September, 2016 by themanwithnoaim

[Jono]

Torque throws you down the road NOT bhp well, until you get to 4-1/4k revs then the rule starts turning but, TDI'S don't run that high often, it's just not in the owners makeup

 

I think you are conflating torque at the crankshaft with torque at the wheels.

Gearing means that even where the torque curve is completely flat, at a given speed an engine at say 3000rpm is capable of generating 50% more torque at the wheels than one at 2000rpm.*

 

The product of torque and rpm is the power, and this is the measure of how much energy the engine provides to be turned into kinetic energy.

 

 

*minus any extra gearbox/drivetrain losses 

 

[Pilotguy]

I'm enjoying driving my vRS with the mode button selected to Sport but then going into D instead of S with that nudge back from the D/S position. I think it remembers that setting between journeys, I'll play with it a bit more this weekend to check. I like the less strained feel the lower-Rev gear changes give but prefere the sound actuator and steering weighting.

[daquifsta]

I'm enjoying driving my vRS with the mode button selected to Sport but then going into D instead of S with that nudge back from the D/S position. I think it remembers that setting between journeys, I'll play with it a bit more this weekend to check. I like the less strained feel the lower-Rev gear changes give but prefere the sound actuator and steering weighting.

 

I've set my 'individual' drive mode up to be everything vRS but with D instead of S, then (since I discovered it in this thread!) I use the 'nudge back' to flip to S when I want the full experience rather than moving through all the drive modes with the vRS button, which I find a bit tedious. So I'm doing the same as you but in the opposite way!   

[Jono]

My individual is mode E, with sport steering/light/ACC etc.

 

I'd like a "one-click" method to get into D rather than S.

[themanwithnoaim]

I think you are conflating torque at the crankshaft with torque at the wheels.

Gearing means that even where the torque curve is completely flat, at a given speed an engine at say 3000rpm is capable of generating 50% more torque at the wheels than one at 2000rpm.*

The product of torque and rpm is the power, and this is the measure of how much energy the engine provides to be turned into kinetic energy.

*minus any extra gearbox/drivetrain losses

I really, really hate repeating myself

Do some timed 0-100 runs changing up at both 3-1/4 & 4-1/4k revs, you'll be surprised.

& FFS put your calculator away

[timmys]

I'd love it if it was designed so that the pull back on the 'gearstick' put you into whatever you had set up as the 'individual' driving mode. You'd then be able to use the stick to instantly switch between any two modes.

[Jono]

& FFS put your calculator away

How very condescending.

It still doesn't make you correct.