DSG "S" mode is a bit bonkers!

[cameronp]

Has anyone else noticed that when you floor the accelerator in sports mode, the DSG will upshift well past the redline? It seems to change somewhere between 6500 and 7000rpm on the 118TSI, where the redline is at 6000. I presume that VW knew what they were doing when they programmed it to do that, but I did find it a little unnerving.

More generally, "S" mode does provide a nice rush of power but it seems way too aggressive for anything other than overtaking on a country road. I might have to try it next time I want to fit in a small gap in traffic, though, since the normal "D" shift pattern is just like a typical automatic, a bit too unwilling to drop down a gear when needed.

[elisiX]

I've only had my GTI a few days, but S mode is not being used much. Normal driving in traffic, on the way to work is basically always in regular drive. However if I want to give it a squirt, have some fun, its in manual using the paddles. Paddles give me the same enjoyment, I hear the same pop etc from the exhaust, but without the nutty revs being held onto forever. I just find sport mode too erratic for street driving. 1st to second is awesome.. and into third is great too. But it holds onto revs too long before upshifting again.

I'd be interested to hear from other GTI owners with DSG on this.

[Corey_R]

There are already a few threads on this, but it's too late in the evening for me to bother looking....
But yes, S is purely for aggressive driving. It's to give you the fastest 0 to 100 times possible, etc. 6000 is where the "redline" starts "fading in". It isn't a hard redline. Also, remember that the needles are still analogue, so they'll float a bit higher than what the engine actually hits before "falling back" to the changed gear RPMs.

In my MKV GTI, I rarely used S because it's really not meant to day to day use. Simply for track or 0 to 100 runs.

[BBP]

Sport mode would also be useful for the Putty Road and the old Pacific Hwy and Buckett's Way !

God I love Putty Road.

[flappa]

Does the GTI have a Rev Limiter ?

and if so, is it adjustable ?

[Corey_R]

Of course... practically all new cars do.

It's not user adjustable, although I believe it is adjustable through the ECU.
However, on the DSG models, you'd also need a DSG reflash to adjust the shifting points of the DSG.

Of course, adjusting the rev limiter would only be beneficial if the car is modified and has more power in the high RPMs. Otherwise you'd accelerating at a slower rate than if you had just changed up and used the torque and power available in the next gear!

[BBP]

Coreying is right, it does. When your right boot hits the firewall, that's the rev limiter.

[AznGti]

For me it happens as well, it revs past 6000 and i get a little scared . Generally i just drive it semi automatic.

[gerhard]

For those who think the occasional foray into redline territory is going to hurt their Golf, think of this - the Sciroccos which run the Nurburgring 24 hour race run at the redline for pretty much 23.9 hours of that time.

Around town, I use S mode only when I have to dart across 3 lines of traffic or otherwise cannot afford a hesitation in the take-off.

I don't track mine, so S mode is not used in that environment, but for Reefton or similar S mode allows you to concentrate 100% on the road and keeps the engine in an ideal rev range. Mmmmm, yes, I like S mode for that

[cameronp]

In my MKV GTI, I rarely used S because it's really not meant to day to day use. Simply for track or 0 to 100 runs.

Yeah, that was about the feeling I got from it too. I did a search and also found some previous threads that came to this conclusion but didn't find anything that specifically mentioned revving past the redline with the DSG.

I wonder whether or not the automatic shift patterns behave differently (e.g. upshifting earlier) when the engine's cold... I've observed that automatics in other cars will hold lower gears for a bit longer until the engine warms up, but seen nothing like that in the Golf.

For those who think the occasional foray into redline territory is going to hurt their Golf, think of this - the Sciroccos which run the Nurburgring 24 hour race run at the redline for pretty much 23.9 hours of that time.

Good to know! I'd still expect that doing that regularly would dramatically decrease the engine's life - but as you, occasionally redlining it shouldn't be a problem.

[Corey_R]

I think that the 23.9hours of the 24 in the redline may be an exaggeration.... it's the Nurburgring, not Talladega afterall. But yeah - the Scirocco 24 hour cars are pretty cool. They have some APR parts in those engine bays! But best of all, they're using standard 6sp DSGs! It's given a lot of people more faith in the 6sp DSG, and enough for companies like APR to produce some monsters like this (speedo in MPH).

[MaccaTSI]

Agreed, sport mode is a bit mental. I've found as well at times, when braking for a roundabout for example that it changes down gears just as I'm just starting to accelerate again. Causes some confusion in the gearbox I guess and doesn't make for the smoothest of gear changes!

I'm using manual mode a lot more now

[ozgti]

However, on the DSG models, you'd also need a DSG reflash to adjust the shifting points of the DSG.

How do you do the reflash? I'm getting sick of bugger all action in 1st gear unless I floor it, then it takes off, but a bit much for city driving. S gives great gears, but doesn't get into 4th easily so I have to switch between the 2. Sometimes I wish I bought a manual!

[cameronp]

How do you do the reflash? I'm getting sick of bugger all action in 1st gear unless I floor it, then it takes off, but a bit much for city driving. S gives great gears, but doesn't get into 4th easily so I have to switch between the 2. Sometimes I wish I bought a manual!

Interesting description ... I haven't found that at all with my 7DSG. Initial acceleration in D mode is almost flawless: "almost" because there's the initial fraction of a second of hesitation as the DSG finds first gear and lets the clutch out, which all the car reviewers moan about, perhaps because you have to try pretty hard to find things to complain about with the DSG. Unless I floor it (and spin the wheels and trip the traction control), I get smooth acceleration moving up gently through the gears. I have to keep reminding myself to apply the throttle gently in normal driving, because otherwise the DSG will hold all of the gears to 3000-4000 rpm and I'll leave everyone else behind at the traffic lights thinking I'm a boy racer with some kind of point to prove to the world

(Normally when driving a manual I just mash the pedal all the way and control my acceleration using the gears. That doesn't work so well with an automatic.)

So from a rational point of view, I think the DSG is a superior transmission in every way. But driving without a clutch pedal is still more of a relaxing experience than an involved or engaging one, so I can understand why a lot of people would still prefer to drive a manual.

[ozgti]

Mine changes to 2nd at about 15kph. unless I give it a decent bit of pedal, it's really sluggish. Smooth, but sluggish.