Can D Mode cause long term engine damage?

[hooba]

The DSG is designed like that to take advantage of the low end torque and to minimise fuel consumption.

You're right about needing to put your foot down.

[Corey_R]

Exactly, the DSG is controlled completely by your right foot. It will adapt based on your very recent driving. If you push down hard enough in the R, it won't change to 2nd until ~50 and 3rd until ~100. At the opposite end of the scale with very light throttle, it can be in 6th as low as 55. So how it changes whilst in D is up to you.

About the only caveat to that is when you're stuck behind other people driving slowly. If you're restricted by them, then even if you want to be driving sporty, it'll think you're wanting to drive economically cause it doesn't know your stuck behind someone. Even if you were previously driving sporty, it'll eventually adapt to economically.

[Ryan_R]

...which is why I hate slow peak hour traffic - because I know it's undoing all my good work with the throttle/gear adaptations

[Corey_R]

The 6sp is alright... it comes back alive pretty quickly if you normally drive with a mix of styles.

[Ryan_R]

I always find refilling the tank with VPower is one of the best way to make the car accelerate effortlessly again for some reason - plus fiddling with the cruise control stick before ignition also helps, if you know what I mean

Would be interesting for me to compare with a stock 6spd GTI, and you a 7spd TSI APR Stage 1 to compare the DSG behaviour though.

[Corey_R]

I don't know man... I read your posts on these topics (ECUs and that), and I think you think way too much about things

[Ryan_R]

Hehe, stupid brain - don't get much sleep with all the thinking

[jrgti]

The book says to not vary the range too much for the first ~1500kms or something and after that to vary it.
To be honest I didn't even read that part of the book until I've done about 1000kms. But by that time I've put it into sport mode and put it's acceleration to the test many times....lol.....and then realised even the tyres need to be run in.
The petrol consumption is now noticeably getting better but took about 9000kms for that to manifest. Currently averaging about ~620km on a full tank(mk6 GTI) with my mixed city/highway driving and doing about 500kms per week. Or maybe because it is approaching autumn and temperatures are not as high anymore. The optimum temperature is ~25 degrees celsius from my observations.
I always let D mode handle the gear change for everyday driving. Only put it into manual if I have to pull out of a lane or corner or intersection pretty quickly.

[nat225]

and the manual also says not to put too much load on low rpm during the run in period.

what i did with mine i used manual mode and kept the revv between 2000-4000rpm during the first 1500kms, and drove outside Sydney roads most of the time during the Xmas Holiday

nonetheless, i think VW engineers would have done enough testings to ensure the D mode won't cause any damage in the Mk6 GTI.

but i'm not too sure about the Mk6 118TSI... i babied the car during the run in period in D mode.. 14000kms later i got a new engine replacement despite the recall had been done at 8000kms. the 118tsi just had too many issues IMO.

[REXman]

That's a pretty impressive result considering that's basically what they came from the factory with. I'm guessing you've serviced it extremely regularly, which always helps.

Out of curiosity, any mods to it at all? Or is the engine still as the Gods of Nissan intended it?

Are you serious?! This thing has 200KWs at the wheels!

A stocker had 147 engine kilowatts. About 105-115 KW (different cars) on a roller dyno at the rears. This particular car has almost doubled that.

So your not a japanese car fan I take it.

[prise]

but i'm not too sure about the Mk6 118TSI... i babied the car during the run in period in D mode.. 14000kms later i got a new engine replacement despite the recall had been done at 8000kms. the 118tsi just had too many issues IMO.

I think there was more going on with those failures than just a dodgy Aus spec knock sensor cal. Do a google search and you'll see the piston failures were world-wide. Plenty of speculation on the cause.

When was your 118TSI built? - the reason I ask is that many of the failures appeared to be with early 2009 build engines.

These type of issues happen occasionally with different manufacturers. I remember the piston slap issue with the Subaru motors going back 10 years ago. I was speaking to a Mazda tech the other day who told me Mazda Australia was getting ready to do piston replacements on a batch of Mazda 3's with a short motor replacement if the bores were scored.

The parts come from a global supply chain so a seemingly small production change down the supply chain can cause unexpected failures to appear in a product that was previously reliable (eg the 1.4 twincharger motor in the Mk V GT).

[Guest]

I really think its simple VW would not engineer a vehicle that is going to do engine damage while driving in D mode during the run in period!
If you service it regularly at the 15,000km intervals with correct oils etc etc your vehicle no matter what make or model should last for ages!
Look after your vehicle and it will look after you!

[Leon]

So your not a japanese car fan I take it.

I am, though I think I've been confusing kW to HP. I've owned a 180SX and from memory I thought that was close, but I think I was keeping HP in mind!