How to reduce acceleration in a 118TSI

[bull]

Hi, My wife will not drive our 118tsi because it accelerates too quickly from a standing start. She does not have control of the acceleration peddle for a slow even start. She currently drives a 1.4 Kia Rio which I would like to get rid of and only have one car.
Is there anything that can be done to reduce the initial acceleration. We have had the VW for 3 years and she has only driven a couple of times.
The Point is that we only need one car.
I hope some one can help.

[tigger73]

Correct seating position will ensure that she has good control over the throttle.

[Umai Naa!!]

You can't just mash the accelerator and take off, like you can in a conventional automatic.

You use the accelerator in much the same fashion as you would in a manual car, i.e. feed in a small amount of throttle, wait for the clutches to take up, then feed as much throttle as needed to get up to the required speed. The DSG is, by design, a manual transmission, that shifts automatically.

[Martin]

Driver education and practice would be the best option

Failing that you could look for one of those electronic throttle control devices that promise to transform your car
They really are snake oil, they are just modifying the throttle settings sent to the ECU
But these devices often provide multiple throttle mappings
A mapping where much less throttle is sent to the ECU at lower throttle positions would help your wife

[tinto]

The MK5 GT TSI had a winter mode button that would start you off in second gear, dulling the acceleration quite a lot.
Is there anything like that down near your shifter?

[mfl]

You can't just mash the accelerator and take off, like you can in a conventional automatic.

You use the accelerator in much the same fashion as you would in a manual car, i.e. feed in a small amount of throttle, wait for the clutches to take up, then feed as much throttle as needed to get up to the required speed. The DSG is, by design, a manual transmission, that shifts automatically.

why not ? it what I have always done in DSG Golfs i have driven, if you want to take off slower, just lightly press the accelerator.

[Umai Naa!!]

It's the same as dialling up a bucket-load of revs and stepping off the clutch.

[Martin]

why not ? it what I have always done in DSG Golfs i have driven, if you want to take off slower, just lightly press the accelerator.

Yes - we all know that - we are talking about a wife who has little interest and affinity with cars
I know ladies that either can't shut the door or slam it - nothing in between
I can only assume the OP's wife has driven automatics with torque converters for many years and this has taught her to hit the throttle hard

It's also a credit to a basic car that it feels so zippy - the VW TSI/DSG is very practical and effective

[subieboy]

Driver education and practice would be the best option

This^^^ not trying to be rude but driving properly is an art (much like being good at anything it requires the practicing the correct methods correctly to perfect it).

Used to do so much driver training where people just would not sit properly or just mash the throttle...

[mfl]

I can only assume the OP's wife has driven automatics with torque converters for many years and this has taught her to hit the throttle hard

My point is that there is no difference driving a torque-convertor auto and a DSG at a basic level.

I understand what the OP was referring to, but you wouldn't get into a 6 cylinder or 8 cylinder auto either and just hit the throttle hard.

If you get something like the 'sprint- booster' to work in reverse that's one solution.

[Martin]

My point is that there is no difference driving a torque-convertor auto and a DSG at a basic level.

At a fundamental level, no.

At a practical level, the response is entirely different, hence the problem for a lovely wife who has learnt bad habits over a long period of time.

[hoi polloi]

I have the reverse problem.. I'm used to driving my DSG and when I go to a normal auto (especially a petrol engined one as opposed to an oiler) I tend to not give enough throttle and hence take off grandpa style for the first couple of minutes...

Soon get used to it though - just like your wife would get used to the TSI if she drove it more...

- Anthony.

[Martin]

Yep, same fundamental issue

Torque converter = slush

[Dtravz]

New wife?

[VW Convert]

New wife?

In my experience that's an expensive solution!