I've got a 2021 Fabia Mk3 Automatic and the accelerator pedal is much too sensitive when setting off so it's difficult to move away slowly which causes a problem in traffic jams and when manoeuvring in parking spaces. Is it possible to calm it down a bit so I can set off smoothly? Thanks in advance

You could check the mechanical movement of the pedal, no muck, fluff, grit wotever causing the movement not to be smooth (less noticeable with a foot in footwear, more noticeable with ungloved hand). Many car repairs (servicing and maintenance) often boils down to clean and lubricate GT85 is my choice often.

If not then there's calibration I think IIRC, but is the issue with the pedal or engine end or also related to transmission too. There's info, threads and posts on 1.0 DSGs and how they behave some thoughts seem to be you have to get used to them or adjust to them, the (VW?) computers aren't always the best at driving.

2021 would be too late for the earlier throttle body issue. You could try adjustment of throttle pedal control if it exists and reset throttle body perhaps for good measure if playing with things.

1.0 3-cylinder is different to 1.2 4-cylinder (and of course DSG to manual if applicable) and a 2021 Mk3 different to a 2011 Mk2, given time you'll know in which areas things might have got better and others where they certainly haven't and not as good.

HTH.

Are you sure there is no Pedal Box fitted?

Are you sure not remapped if you have not had it from new?

Many thanks for the advice, the accelerator moves smoothly so I don't think it's dirty and the mileage is very low so I don't think it will be wear and tear related. I have an iCarsoft code reader which is quite good so I will have a look through the settings for any kind of calibration. I'm fairly sure it's not been remapped as the previous owner was a middle aged lady who bought it from a main dealer, but I guess I shouldn't categorize her.

What is IIRC?

Have you driven any other cars with a DQ200 DSG to compare how they are? Any other 1.0tsi with Dq200 DSG.

No this is the only one I've driven but I've driven a lot of automatics and they've never set off as abruptly as this one does, at first nothing seems to be happening and then it suddenly lurches forwards. I'm fairly sure it's not designed to be that way. When it's going along the gearchanges are very smooth though.

17 minutes ago, montecarlo said:

What is IIRC?

If I Remember Correctly -which is hit 'n' miss for me, I think. 🙃

8 minutes ago, montecarlo said:

No this is the only one I've driven but I've driven a lot of automatics and they've never set off as abruptly as this one does, at first nothing seems to be happening and then it suddenly lurches forwards. I'm fairly sure it's not designed to be that way. When it's going along the gearchanges are very smooth though.

Have a look at other threads and posts here from 1.0 DSG owners. It's a 2021 car, from VW in 2021, with VW computer programs and programming, with DSG, 1.0 turbo 3 cylinder. You could try turning all the electrics off, that you can or allowed to and see if that makes any odds, or turn ass many electrics on as you can and see if that makes any odds.

I assume you've checked for any error codes, you could get a passenger to look at and record live data from various times of pulling away and see what you might from those.

Just be grateful you have got the early Mk3 knocks, thumps, groans from underside that often remain unlocated and other various engine bay noises at various times, the VW cars of last century are so long ago now.

Good luck let us know how you get on.

I've just checked for error codes and there were none, I also tried to find calibration settings for the accelerator and there were none of those either.

However, I noticed that when I started the car from cold just now it idled at about 1500 rpm for what seemed like 30 seconds so that will partly cause it to lurch when setting off in a morning if one isn't patient enough to wait for it to calm down, the other observation I made was this. When drive or reverse is selected with the brake pedal depressed the car doesn't respond like a traditional automatic where you would feel it engage into a gear and want to move, then when the brake pedal is released there is a kind of pregnant pause before the car begins to creep forwards or backwards. If the brake pedal is re applied the pause happens again.

So I think I've figured out why it leaped forward this morning just after starting the engine from cold, the revs were already high and because nothing seemed to happen when drive was selected and the brake pedal released more revs were added so when the car eventually decided to go into drive it did so with great enthusiasm.

My next question is this, can the time delay between releasing the brake pedal and the car engaging gear be reduced or eliminated as it seems a bit too long for busy junctions etc

I'm guessing it's all to do with emissions so the engine isn't labouring at stand still and it probably has to disengage the gears to use the stop start function as well.

It is not an Automatic with a torque converter or even a wet clutch DSG so comparing is an issue. People like me like a 7 speed twin dry clutch DSG for the quick response. I have only driven 2 pedal cars of all dirt for near 50 years. A dq200 is as they are. Fitted to cars from 60 - 192ps. Petrol or diesel. Nippy take off in a 1.0 TSI. Light touch on accelerator required.

I thought I'd just add this in case it helps you to find a solution. When the car is standing still on an incline with drive selected the brakes don't immediately release when the brake pedal is released, the delay is the same as the delay in engaging gears (about two Mississippi's), obviously this must be to compensate for the fact that the car cannot hold itself stationary using it's engine power. Aren't cars too complicated these days!

The drive is disengaged with the brake pedal pressed. Do not use both pedals at once. PS. Does your car not have hill hold assist. Do you know what that is. It has a hand parking brake if not. Had the brakes been serviced. Havd you got discs or drums on the rear? Not all have Hill hold. 2 seconds hold to allow brake to accelerator.

Edited 7 May, 20251 yr by Ootohere

Thanks I won't try that, chances are the engine will just rev up anyway

You've just given me an idea though, is it possible to stop the drive disengaging every time the brake pedal is pressed at a stand still? This would fix the problem because when the brake was released the car would be ready to set off like a real automatic

High revs is a bit like the old choke setting on a carb(s) but now also for the cat and emissions.

@Ootohere is the man for differences between a traditional auto and the DSG gearbox. (ETA: he's here before my post is ink dry or to print, I was going to put (not that I've ever driven a DSG) don't treat the DSG as a traditional auto).

I hope you are also using the handbrake, now it seems an item of optional driver use like indicators so a long row of very bright brake lights illuminated and never extinguished at waiting queues.

I've n idea if your car (box) comes with hill start hold /assist (or wotever they call it or them) more PITA electronic interference to me many times when I driven (manual gearbox) cars with similar.

I drove a 6-speed manual, 2023, 1.0l (VW)SEAT and I found clutch, box and accelerator control to be fine. I almost put accelerator pedal feel but that's silly with a modern fly-by-wire, almost all on the cars is very remote very little feel to any of it other than perhaps when you defeat tyre rubber to surface, then you might have feelings all over your body and bodily systems.

11 minutes ago, Ootohere said:

The drive is disengaged with the brake pedal pressed. Do not use both pedals at once. PS. Does your car not have hill hold assist. Do you know what that is. It has a hand parking brake if not. Had the brakes been serviced. Havd you got discs or drums on the rear? Not all have Hill hold. 2 seconds hold to allow brake to accelerator.

Just checked the spec and it does have hill start assist, rear disc brakes, 1.0 3 cylinder Si engine (engine code DKLD) and 7 speed automatic gearbox (transmission code UUE) I can't be sure when the brakes were serviced but the car was serviced by Skoda not long ago so I'd like to think they were looked at then and they work properly as well.

Have to go now as Mrs Montecarlo is beckoning with a bottle of wine, but I will check in again tomorrow. Thanks for your help so far!

ETA: It is not against the law to use the handbrake even if the car has hill assist, hold.

If you brake gently that can confuse the computer systems, the start-stop won't like it if that's active though.

Yes cars are very complicated, trying to make out they're anywhere near self-driving and taking as much away from the driver as possible (for good and ill). But then the German marques have always liked to over complicate things and the electronics and computers systems go back many decades (possibly why they're so glitchy, legacy, plus the cheap chips, imagine the 'fun' of a 2023/4/5 car).😁

S-A gearbox. Semi automatic as VW designate it. Complicated is with an e-brake. But then Auto Hold is brilliant.

A hand brake used is how you sprint with a DQ200 DSG. Into S and the rpm rises. Hold it on the parking brake not the foot brake and released the parking brake and floor it. Faster acceleration or off the line than the foot brake to accelerator and delay.

Edited 7 May, 20251 yr by Ootohere

Just now, Ootohere said:

Complicated is with an e-brake.

Electronic handbrake (not emergency brake as the Yanks call the handbrake) - electronic handbrake ! electronic handbrake! A real PITA as far as I'm concerned, great with start-stop and 'normal' drive default selected with a two wheel drive on summer tyres in wet mud. Why was that in wet mud is another story . . .

E-brake on the road is bad enough, the one on one of my neighbour's cars (not VW) got stuck on, well the car was about three years old, so you must expect these things at that sort of age (post warranty). 😁

11 hours ago, Ootohere said:

A hand brake used is how you sprint with a DQ200 DSG. Into S and the rpm rises. Hold it on the parking brake not the foot brake and released the parking brake and floor it. Faster acceleration or off the line than the foot brake to accelerator and delay.

This must be how the 0 to 60 time is calculated, otherwise it would be two seconds longer, more manipulation of performance figures 

from VW !

11 hours ago, nta16 said:

Electronic handbrake (not emergency brake as the Yanks call the handbrake) - electronic handbrake ! electronic handbrake! A real PITA as far as I'm concerned, great with start-stop and 'normal' drive default selected with a two wheel drive on summer tyres in wet mud. Why was that in wet mud is another story . . .

E-brake on the road is bad enough, the one on one of my neighbour's cars (not VW) got stuck on, well the car was about three years old, so you must expect these things at that sort of age (post warranty). 😁

Here’s a a scary thought, I often join a busy derestricted road from a T junction. I reckon it normally takes about a second to move from the foot brake to the accelerator to set off, with this “feature” it takes two seconds. So, if I stop briefly then set off again without holding the car on the handbrake as suggested there’s an additional one second delay, approaching vehicles travelling at 60 mph are now 88 feet closer to me by the time I join the main road. Well done Skoda!

To just clarify I don't mean hold the car back with the handbrake when it's in gear, I mean not holding the car on the foot brake when the handbrake should be used.

I had the (non-VW) manual gearbox, with start-stop, e-brake have the engine cut out when going off from a roundabout on a busy dual-carriageway as I prepared to stop when I thought a car was going to cross in front of me but he then took the exit without indicating and changing road position so I thought I could just drive on as I normally would in a slow down for possible give-way that wasn't required. You just have to adjust to the car.

These systems are like having an inexperienced over-nervous driver in the front passenger seat that can also take over the controls of the car from you, front "assist" can be very nervous, and inaccurate, so can lane "assist". No doubt they could be very god safety devices but at this point in their development they're far too intermittent in their actions or lack of action. Then there's that road sign recognition . . .

6 hours ago, montecarlo said:

  17 hours ago, Ootohere said:

A hand brake used is how you sprint with a DQ200 DSG. Into S and the rpm rises. Hold it on the parking brake not the foot brake and released the parking brake and floor it. Faster acceleration or off the line than the foot brake to accelerator and delay.

I tried holding the car on the handbrake this morning instead of the footbrake to test the theory that it would set off without a pause, but after a couple of seconds of releasing the foot brake the car engaged drive and the back of the car suddenly dipped down making the rear brakes creak as the car tried to overpower the handbrake. I do usually use the handbrake in heavy traffic because I too think it's bad manners to dazzle the following driver with my brake lights, but I will also have to select neutral and learn to tolerate the hesitancy when I put it back into gear, and perhaps the odd beep from impatient following drivers, when setting off again.