Eco Mode unintended consequences

[Muff]

A couple of days ago I  the early afternoon  I was heading down A46 past the Bath turn-off, coasting down the hill in Eco mode. Doing a little over 50 (cough cough) I

I hit a very freaky localised heavy hail/snow shower which made the road ahead very slushy and icy. I  Started to skid and nearly went into the central barrier. Despite having a 4×4 DSG I had no traction. I guess this was because no drive was going through the wheels due to Eco being on.  ABS saved me. Lesson learnt.

 

[Rooted]

Was it not because if your tyres and the conditions, and going to fast, and yes 'coasting function' when not appropriate. But then a little touch if throttle has the gear engaged.

[dg360]

Doesn't stack up at all.  Power would have made things worse and once you take your foot off the accelerator, a 4x4 is only as good as a 2 wheel drive car. 

I'm with AwaoffSki - tyres + speed.

[vfrvrs]

4x4 will make no difference really trying to steer or stop.

All cars have four brakes and four tyres to stop with.

[a900ss]

On a slightly separate note, does ‘coasting’ in the DSG only occur in Eco mode?  I’m sure I read somewhere that the latest software means it coasts in all modes (but that might have npbeen on a different VAG car). 

[Muff]

Sorry a900ss I have no idea about software on newer models. My car  was built in Dec 16 so they could have changed it. 

[rtj70]

4 hours ago, a900ss said:

On a slightly separate note, does ‘coasting’ in the DSG only occur in Eco mode?  I’m sure I read somewhere that the latest software means it coasts in all modes (but that might have npbeen on a different VAG car). 

 

The car will coast in ECO drive mode - so either the Eco mode on drive select or individual with Eco drive selected. But....

 

.... it will revert the drive mode to normal the next time you start the car regardless of whether it's in proper eco mode, individual... Hey even sport mode reverts to normal drive. You can tell because the gear indicator in the maxi-dot says D and not E.

 

So for some reason Skoda do not want the car to start in ECO drive mode (or sport) when you restart. My Audi A3 with the same engine/gearbox would remember the ECO drive mode setting.

 

If you press the drive select button and reselect the current mode which as drive as ECO, it will go back to E and coast but will again not be remembered after you next start the car.

 

I can assure you it does not coast in any mode - it will only coast when the current drive mode is set to ECO. And it will forget that.

[rtj70]

a900ss, I should add that I have not been convinced running in ECO drive mode saves on fuel. Not done the same journeys in the same conditions often enough to make back to back comparisons. In the A3 I used to leave it in that mode but on cruise control it will of course not coast. I think the best around town type driving mpg I got was using the DSG in manual mode because you could easily have it in a higher gear - but why have an automated box and control it yourself if it saves very little.

 

It's not as if we are driving a TVR or something equally thirsty   Well you are I remember - still have it since around 2013 then?

Edited 19 January, 2018 by rtj70

[a900ss]

Thanks. 

 

Yep, the Tiv has been mine since 2013  and now my (company) Mercedes is coming up for renewal but for the first time in my life, I’m allowed to opt out of the company car scheme.