Hi all,

My DSG is working fine and I had the sensor/microswitch replaced after getting the random message.

I've found there seems to be a particular driving style with a DSG gearbox especially when tuning into a junction or between almost coming to a standstill then accelerating again. There has never been an issue with the gear changes either up or down and it changes smoothly.

As I turn into a junction I'm decelerating/braking then turning and press the accelerator there is a second or so before the gears engage, the revs climb a little then the gears engage and all is well. I'm more than sure this is totally normal behaviour and two people have said the DSG is 'an automatic box that is too clever for its own good'. I was used to a manual for years and knew the decelerate, drop into second - turn and foot down.

Is there a driving 'style' or technique that I need to adopt with a DSG box to overcome this peccadillo?

Cheers!

What gearbox do you have SD?

 

If it's the DQ250 six speed DSG, then neither my current GTI, nor previous vRS demonstrate this behaviour.  Both petrol, and drive always there, so no delay in gears engaging and no revving without drive.

 

Just wondering if you're in Eco mode and what you're describing is its initial pick up after coasting? Or maybe a bit of turbo lag on the engine?

 

Does it do it in Sport mode too?

 

I was led to believe the DSG is an automated manual rather than a clever automatic, but that's just semantics. 

 

Gaz

Edited 22 February, 20206 yr by IamGaz
Grammar

@StriderDog   Do you just use one foot, your right foot?    Do you have the car going into 'Coasting function' slowing down when off the accelerator, so showing 'D' and not D2, D3 or whatever?

 

  Best to not do any left foot braking and then on the throttle. 

That can cause a delay, and never be on the brake and the accelerator,

Hi gents, thanks for the replies. The car is a 16 plate 2.l TDI with the six speed wet clutch, I had the DSG oil change last November @35k.

 

I used to drive it in eco mode but that started to annoy me with the coasting when foot off the pedal plus I didn't dab the brake pedal when coasting up to a junction, I now drive in 'D' as I prefer the more standard engine behaviour..  If I poke the pedal it will surge quite nicely and there's no turbo lag just the gears change/take up/engage seem a little slow when decelerating into a junction then putting my foot down again.

I don't do any left foot braking and to be honest I've only ever tried sport mode once and it scared the life out of me!

I did speak to a fella that said he got rid of his Superb DSG as he thought the box couldn't make up its mind what gear to be in half the time and it could easily be 'tripped up' when coming to almost a stop then pulling away again - the same thing I experience.

 

As I said earlier the gear changes are silky smooth and no jolts or noises changing up or down, I've not even tried driving it 'manually' yet and it doesn't have the paddles.

Oh yeah - I drive like my dad, no speedy stuff here!

Edited 22 February, 20206 yr by StriderDog

Until November i had a 66 plate 2.0TDI SCR DSG Alhambra.

 

I never used the paddles, but i used the gear shifter all the time for slowing down and coming to a stop and then a dab of the brakes, either to just sit, or pressed to put in Autohold, and stop / start might be left on or put off.

 

I got amazing economy using 'Coasting Function'  and manual down changes.  But it did not have ECO to select, Coasting was available just when in D & S.

 

If i was not moving the stick to the left to manual down shift i would sometimes drop it back to 'S' to slow, especially on snow / ice. Never touching the brakes unless to a full stop.

4 minutes ago, Roottootemblowinootsoot said:

Until November i had a 66 plate 2.0TDI SCR DSG Alhambra.

 

I never used the paddles, but i used the gear shifter all the time for slowing down and coming to a stop and then a dab of the brakes, either to just sit, or pressed to put in Autohold, and stop / start might be left on or put off.

 

I got amazing economy using 'Coasting Function'  and manual down changes.  But it did not have ECO to select, Coasting was available just when in D & S.

 

If i was not moving the stick to the left to manual down shift i would sometimes drop it back to 'S' to slow, especially on snow / ice. Never touching the brakes unless to a full stop.

This style of driving was suggested to my by a neighbour that has a Sirocco, she said treat it like a manual minus the clutch.

Like you I found the economy in eco mode was mad - about 65+ mpg, once I drove to Birmingham to Oxford in the middle of the night at 55 mph, by the time I got home the display said 72.2 mpg! 😁

https://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?5989734-How-to-Play-The-DSG-Game-and-Win-DSG-Driving-Tips-and-Tricks

Often put the DSG into manual mode for cornering because I never like that feeling where it changes gear mid-manouver. But M-3 is usually the one. 

Pulling away from a stop is always better in automatic - the DSG is just much quicker at going up through the small gears. 

On 22/02/2020 at 16:54, StriderDog said:

Is there a driving 'style' or technique that I need to adopt with a DSG box to overcome this peccadillo?

 

It is normal and caused by the fact that the DSG cannot see out of the window.

 

When you accelerate, the box changes down, back off and coast it initially changes up to conserve fuel or at least pre-selects the higher gear. If you put your foot hard down at this point it has to change its mind and select the lower gear which it does not have pre-selected. 

 

This takes longer than changing to the pre-selected gear and is why you get the delay. It seems forever but it is not when you think how long it takes to manually change a gear.

 

You can fool it by tipping the throttle as you slow but the best way is a flick of the steering wheel paddle (which unfortunately you don't have) as it is the only way to temporarily override the auto mode without putting it fully into manual.

 

I like the DSG but I would not drive one without paddles for that reason

I think the issues are more apparent when mated to the 2.0tdi.  The box tries to select a gear based on economy holding onto 3 and then 2 as you slow. Then when you put your foot down you are in a gear that is too high and the box isn't expecting the need to change down so rapidly.  The most straightforward way round it is probably to pull the lever back to put it into S which will give you lower gears at slower speeds. The pull back into D when in 2 or 3 depending on how you want to accelerate.

BatVan's link above gives some very useful info into how the box selects the gears based on throttle position.  I also find manoeuvring in M a pain and often use S when shuffling around or in slow moving traffic to hold a lower gear.  Then choose M for some fun while general driving around.  The main thing the guy in the link says is think of the DSG as a third gearbox type.  It's not manual or auto.

Paddles are convenient at times, but once you start moving your hands on the wheel, like when cornering, they are in the wrong place. Much better to put it in tiptronic and shift up/down using the selector. 

35 minutes ago, TDIum said:

Paddles are convenient at times, but once you start moving your hands on the wheel, like when cornering, they are in the wrong place. Much better to put it in tiptronic and shift up/down using the selector. 

 

Agree 

 

Although VAG have + & - the wrong way around.

 

BMW/JLR/Ford and just about every competitive vehicle with a sequential box have it the more intuitive way. Pull towards you + push away -

2 hours ago, logiclee said:

 Pull towards you + push away -

So true - just think about the inertia when you're accelerating or braking hard; when accelerating it's easier to pull your hand backwards, and when braking it's easier to push your hand forwards.

 

Simples!!! (couldn't find a meercat emoticon )

Edited 24 February, 20206 yr by PetrolDave

I have the same 2.0tdi dsg. 

 

I found that slowing at roundabouts putting into "S" keeps it from changing up so quick when going across them which I found un-nerving in "D".  You don't need to rev it much. I do similar when slowing to sharp bends. 

 

I have a steep hill a have to drive down which then goes back up out the other side. Dsg selects 3rd going down. But in  "D" coming out the other side it will change to 4th too soon (1400rpm or so) and I have to put the gas down to change back to third which isn't at all smooth, So again I drop to "S" to keep in the lower gear until I want to change up by going back into "D". 

 

Some anticipation is certainly required to drive the box it just takes time to get used to it. 

Edited 24 February, 20206 yr by paulski
Typo.

4 hours ago, PetrolDave said:

So true - just think about the inertia when you're accelerating or braking hard; when accelerating it's easier to pull your hand backwards, and when braking it's easier to push your hand forwards.

 

Simples!!! (couldn't find a meercat emoticon )

That's a very good point PD. 👍

10 hours ago, BATVANVRS said:

https://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?5989734-How-to-Play-The-DSG-Game-and-Win-DSG-Driving-Tips-and-Tricks

 

Good reading there.

 

Of course even in M-mode/tiptronic the DSG still pre-selects the next gear depending on what it thinks you're going to do. 

5 hours ago, PetrolDave said:

So true - just think about the inertia when you're accelerating or braking hard; when accelerating it's easier to pull your hand backwards, and when braking it's easier to push your hand forwards.

 

Simples!!! (couldn't find a meercat emoticon )

As it should be.

 

 

13 minutes ago, TDIum said:

 

Good reading there.

 

Of course even in M-mode/tiptronic the DSG still pre-selects the next gear depending on what it thinks you're going to do. 

This is the biggest learning curve for DSG - because it's only lightning quick when it's picked the right gear, you'll get a much better experience if you can help it predict what you're going to do next so it's lined up the most appropriate next gear. 

On 24/02/2020 at 13:25, logiclee said:

 

Agree 

 

Although VAG have + & - the wrong way around.

 

BMW/JLR/Ford and just about every competitive vehicle with a sequential box have it the more intuitive way. Pull towards you + push away -

 

Totally agree. I don't understand how they decided to have it the other way round.

It is so damn easy when you are right handed in a right hand drive car to put your left hand on the DSG shifter and flick it back to drop a gear or 3 and boot it  hard.