Delay on take-off (DSG)

['fatboy']

Hi all,

Sorry if this is covering an older post... tried to search but didnt see anything conclusive on this.

We've finally taken delivery of our Golf 118TSI and aside from the 'common problems' most people have faced (leaking rear washer, rattling parcel shelf, rear senors that didnt work consistently) I'm loving this car! Actually prefer driving this more than my other daily driver.

One thing i noticed was a lag on take off (e.g. at lights or around corners). Is this normal for the DSG? Although it's nothing serious (yet), I can imagine myself trying to turn right quickly and the car taking a 1 sec to respond. I almost need to start pressing the throttle before i actually want to go.

What do you guys do to compensate / fix this, or is this one of those things I'm going to have to live with? I've only done 250k's so I'm hoping it will improve over k's / time.

[Corey_R]

The hesitation of the DSG gearbox on take off is a complaint that gets mentiond in almost every single review of the Golf ever published. Most people don't care however, as the numerous other advantages far outweigh this single disadvantage.

As team_v mentioned, if you're stationary with your foot on the brake, tapping the accelerator pedal will engage the clutch for the next 2 seconds so that you can have immediate drive away (at least it did on the MKV GTI with 6sp DSG).

You can also use the handbrake method STV4SYT mentioned.

Beyond that, as you get more familiar with the car and the gearbox, you will learn to adapt a bit to it, and it will adapt a bit to you - however that delay will never go away.

['fatboy']

Thanks Coreying

I'll experiment with those tips. Does having the shifter in S mode keep 1st gear engaged?

[team_v]

Thanks Coreying

I'll experiment with those tips. Does having the shifter in S mode keep 1st gear engaged?

I don't think so.
From memory it just increases the rev limit before the DSG shifts up a gear.

[Corey_R]

As team_v said - no.
Basically, the DSG is two manual gearboxes strapped together, and the reason there is no clutch pedal is that you'd need two of them, which means you'd need 3 feet So it won't keep 1st gear engaged to reduce wear on the clutch etc.

['fatboy']

Ahhh.. it all makes sense. Thanks guys, this has been most helpful.

That aside I love the DSG gearbox. It shifts so quick and smoothly - just keeps it on power with no noticeable drop off. If only the 118 had paddle shifters...

[G-rig]

I agree, maybe press it a bit earlier than you normally would for a manual car.

[cameronp]

One thing i noticed was a lag on take off (e.g. at lights or around corners). Is this normal for the DSG? Although it's nothing serious (yet), I can imagine myself trying to turn right quickly and the car taking a 1 sec to respond. I almost need to start pressing the throttle before i actually want to go.

What do you guys do to compensate / fix this, or is this one of those things I'm going to have to live with? I've only done 250k's so I'm hoping it will improve over k's / time.

There is definitely a lag when taking off from a standstill, though it's much less than a second - I'd guess it to be more like a fifth of a second, though haven't tried to measure it at all. It took a while before I felt comfortable pulling out into or across gaps in traffic, but in practice it hasn't been a problem.

There's much more of a lag from when you're almost but not quite stationary. The impression that I get is that the DSG changes to neutral at some point decelerating below 30 km/h. Even though the gear indicator reads "D2", the engine is at idle revs and you can hear a clicking sound and get about half a second's delay when you press the accelerator, presumably from the DSG changing back into gear.

I also felt like the DSG got a lot better over the first 100-200km, but I'm not sure whether that was me adjusting or the DSG adjusting itself. Fuel consumption on my first tank of fuel was dreadful, too. Now with 1300km on the clock, it's still quite a bit worse than I was expecting, but much better than my last car: averaging a bit under 8 L/100km from suburban driving in a mix of traffic situations, short and long trips, etc. The trip meter matches exactly what I get from calculating fuel consumption by hand. No rattles or leaking rear washer.

[MkVIGTI]

The great engines and the quick gear shifts more than make up for it! My old car's auto was way more sluggish in its operations so I don't really have a problem with the slight hesitation.

[jj77]

I picked up my last night and I definitely felt the lag fabtoy mentioned. I thought my car was faulty and worried. Good to know that it is normal
Thanks, Coreying and thanks fatboy for asking the question. I will continue to enjoy my new Golf ^_^

J

[G-rig]

As others have said the benefits outweight the slight hesitation of DSG.

It's worth driving both DSG and Manual to see what you prefer, not sure if the op did.

I've come from a 6MT R32 but hasn't taken too long to adjust but obviously not as good in the lag/take off department.

[phantomcamel]

I also felt like the DSG got a lot better over the first 100-200km, but I'm not sure whether that was me adjusting or the DSG adjusting itself.

The new VWs are actually very intelligent. Your car is actually learning & remembering your driving style. Therefore after a while
you will notice that the car has adjusted to your drive style. The learning fuction out of memory takes about 10 - 15 minutes. Don't lend your car to your grandma though as she'll probably destroy all your hard work i getting your car to a sporty setting

[JPH]

I've been driving my Golf 6 TDI DSG for about 6 months now. Yesterday I jumped into a Golf 6 118 DSG courtesy car for the day. I noticed a couple of differences. The delay mentioned in this thread was very noticeable on the 118's 7 speed DSG compared with the TDI's 6 speed DSG. Secondly, when the hill hold feature releases automatically (1.5 seconds after you take your foot off the brake) the 118 rolls backwards. This was a big surprise the first time it happened as the TDI always has the clutch biting when the hill hold releases, and always creeps forward on even the steepest hills.
The 118 was fun for the day. Its a bit quieter, even though the engine appears much busier than in the TDI. I did miss that sensation of limitless torque the TDI gives as the turbocharger kicks in though.

[Corey_R]

Diesels have much more torque, much lower down. There's a hill outside my work which in my friends Focus diesel manual (2L ~100kw & 320NM) can go up it 'idling' in 2nd gear with him and myself in it. My Polo GTI Manual (Stage 1, 154kw & 328NM) can JUST get up it 'idling' in 1st gear if its only me in the car), a Golf 2.0 FSI manual (110kw & 220NM) instantly stalls...
This is why your TDI will creep forward but a 118TSI will instantly roll back.

[Cossor]

Did several test drives 118TSI and 103TDI. Loved the surge of power, especially uphill and around corners.
Unfortunatly had several hiccups 103TDI DSG suddenly at very high rev pulling away from rest.
(Perhaps learn function thought it was a race track) (Also bigger delay compared to 7speed.)
Found 7speed 118TSI DSG could do the same, but to a MUCH lesser extent.
So loved the the 103TDI re power, but ordered 118TSI for refined manners.
Also, quietly drove into park spot, while 103TDI had to coast into park spot.