Play in dsg transmission?

[davembk]

Re-assurance gratefully received:

 

I’ve had a pre reg 190 dsg estate for just over 18 months. Only done about 7k miles. For a good while, I’ve suspected a degree of play, somewhere in the transmission. I mentioned it to Skoda dealer on its first service and they found nothing. But I’m still niggled by it. Best way to describe it is:

 

1) Say you’re at the lights, in Neutral, with engine on, no start/stop:

Then engage Drive: There’s always an initial, single dull thud as if play exists somewhere.

 

2) Then let’s say you’re in 3rd or whatever gear the dsg has chosen: As you either, using the throttle pedal, accelerate, or decelerate, however carefully, there’s that same, gentle thud. 

There’s also a slight metallic sound that goes with it, a feeling of mechanical looseness somewhere. If this is in a walled environment eg an enclosed lane, then, if a window is down, it’s fairly easy to hear that metallic sound being reflected back

It’s almost as if a drive shaft, or maybe a flywheel damper has developed play. 

The only thing is, the car from new, has never been driven hard,  mis-geared, and with the many enthusiastic drivers that must exist, I’d expect them to be the ones more likely to get this. I’m just hoping someone on here will say it’s just a characteristic of the transmission. It’s not as if it’s going to fall apart (I hope) but it really is niggling me. 

I even drive now, trying every time I need to throttle up or down, to ease it along, like a true baby. In fact when I drive more assertively, yes it’s still there but no worse sounding. If at that accel/decel point I really concentrate on being cautious in the extreme, I can repeatedly make that thud to order, as if there really is a good degree of play somewhere. But the car drives fine otherwise Is this just me or is it really bad luck? 

 

If it were a manual box I could jack one front wheel up and manually rotate it to feel for play. But I’m assuming I can’t do that with the dsg as it’s not a simple matter of putting it in gear. Maybe I could check for an individual drive shaft problem but to be honest, my days of being an avid amateur car mechanic are long gone. So I just wondered if anyone can tell me whether it’s just a characteristic of the car but not a fault, before I take it back to the dealer. I can’t be sure whether this has developed orbwhether it was there all the time. 

 

Thanks.

Edited 3 September, 2019 by davembk

[JR RS]

2 hours ago, davembk said:

 

1) Say you’re at the lights, in Neutral, with engine on, no start/stop:

Then engage Drive: There’s always an initial, single dull thud as if play exists somewhere.

 

 

I know this doesn't help ur situation, but why r u putting ur DSG transmission into Neutral when stopped at the lights??

There is no advantage or gains by doing so in today's modern transmissions.

 

Nonetheless, it definitely sounds like there r issues with ur DSG.  Potentially a mechatronics issue.

Good luck with getting it sorted.

Edited 3 September, 2019 by JR RS

[BriskodaJeff]

I have a 190DSG, though mine is  MY17. I don't really feel it engage when moving from P to D, and definitely no thud. I also don't get a thud in-gear, however hard I push it. Sounds like you need to speak to your dealer again. Good luck with it. 

[nicknorman]

I’m wondering if this could be something to do with the dogbone mount?

 

If you don’t know what that is, it is the engine/gearbox bottom mounting that helps to absorb torque fluctuations by allowing slight, but controlled, rotation of the engine/gearbox, limited by rubber buffers to a small amount. Were the the engine/gearbox to be rigidly mounted, there would be harshness, noise and vibration.

 

But I suppose if the rubber buffers were missing or damaged, this could allow too much travel and make metal to metal contact at the limits of dogbone travel.

 

I have a TSI DSG But I certainly don’t recognise any of the symptoms you mention.

 

[Tom34]

13 hours ago, JR RS said:

 

I know this doesn't help ur situation, but why r u putting ur DSG transmission into Neutral when stopped at the lights??

There is no advantage or gains by doing so in today's modern transmissions.

 

Nonetheless, it definitely sounds like there r issues with ur DSG.  Potentially a mechatronics issue.

Good luck with getting it sorted.

 

To be fair it does say something in the manual about only leaving it on the auto hold if stopping briefly, like at a crossroads. 

If I feel I'm going to be stopped for more than say 30 seconds I'll put it in neutral and stick the handbrake on. May not be necessary but can't hurt either. 

[MiniEggs]

1) If you are going from N to D without your foot on the brake you will get a thud as it 'drops' the clutch

[davembk]

Thanks all 

 

Yes I agree JR RS that going to N at lights is not really needed. I only do it to test this symptom. Although if I have stop start off then I might still go to N sometimes knowing that the car would still be trying to creep against the brake otherwise. I read somewhere that even modern dsg’s can creep a bit, and mine does. 

 

Going back to the problem, I just can’t see how a modern bullet proofed engineered car could develop this. I just think of all the fleet cars doing 1000’s of tough  stop start, hard acceleration miles, possibly in Sport mode where I think there’s no traction control to dampen any potential road grabbing etc.

 

I try to visualise where it could be, say flattened springs in the flywheel, bad universal joint somewhere. 

The car could stay like this until the end of its days I suppose. It’s not a violent take up, it’s just something that shouldn’t be there.

It’s having another look at on Monday so I’ll write back in here as to what happens. 

[nicknorman]

7 hours ago, MiniEggs said:

1) If you are going from N to D without your foot on the brake you will get a thud as it 'drops' the clutch

You can’t go from N to D without your foot on the brake if you are stationary.

[MartiniB]

13 hours ago, nicknorman said:

You can’t go from N to D without your foot on the brake if you are stationary.

what weren't forbidden in my previous Hyundai Sonata 2009, really annoys,

especially when my MaxiDot can't display what drive mode/gear currently selected when car is stopped
haven't met any other car with that "feature"

On 18/05/2018 at 13:12, MartiniB said:

put DSG gear stick to N, to able coasting in D or S modes

D doesn't coast to able slowing down by engine, but when it's not enough i do help by put in S

 

and there is is my `Suggestion Box`

0. non-rattling suspension

1. don't Stop engine when car is still in move

2. leave brakes when pedal is released, without countdown 3 2 1

3. Škoda!!! Please provide software updates with bug fixes for earlier manufactured cars -

 Don't cover Drive mode symbol with Start-Stop symbol in Maxidot

 https://www.drive2.com/l/488404990277189880/