2012 Tiguan 155tsi transmission issues

[Dani]

Hi everyone,

I'm wondering if anyone else is having the same issue with their 2012 Tiguan 155tsi as I am...

The transmission seems to shift up gears too early, for example at 60km/h it goes into 6th and if I continue to travel around 6okms the engine sounds like it's labouring - deep engine groan, slight vibration, exactly what I'd expect in a manual if you are in too higher gear.

I asked the dealer about it very early on and they said its for fuel efficiency, which makes sense but it really negatively affects the pleasure of driving the car. I just took it back to the dealer a couple of months in and the tech said they've had quite a few people complain, some with the 132tsi but moreso the 155tsi. Apparently a transmission software update is 'in progress' but sounds like it's been that way for ages... Is anyone else experiencing this issue? Have you heard anything else from dealers/VW? Everyone time I drive the car it irritates me!

Also, if anyone is hearing a high pitched sound when the car is warm, apparently there's a known issue with the water pump which they will replace under warranty. Also, a rattle from the turbo waste gate which is fixed by inserting some sort of clip.


Thanks for sharing
Dani

[team_v]

Is this with the DSG geargbox or the older style auto?
I know there is a service recall in america for the older style one.

I had heard about the water pump but am not sure if i am experiencing it or not.

[203132]

Shouldn't happen with the older style auto it it's the case. For my car it shifts too slow, I always use the tiptronic because the transmission wants to change gears at around 3k in 1st/2nd gear.
Although I did get a chance to drive a DSG. It will always want to be in a high gear as your dealer said, it was for efficiency. I'm assuming that because it is DSG it can change gears for immediate power when you need it. So my question is, will it shift down when you press the accelerator a little more?

My car can pull from 60km/hr in sixth gear slowly with a little drone. (But it is tuned)
not sure about the high pitched sound.

PS: absolute hate for the old style gear box. Fork out the extra for DSG or go manual

[Dani]

Is this with the DSG geargbox or the older style auto?
I know there is a service recall in america for the older style one.

I had heard about the water pump but am not sure if i am experiencing it or not.

Hi there - thanks for the response - the issue is with the 7spd DSG which is the only tramission available for the 155 now.

After the car has been running for a while (usually I drive for about an hour), if you leave it running and get out you should be able to hear the high pitched noise. If not, you're probably lucky to have avoided it

[Dani]

Heya,

Yep we have the 7sp DSG and understand the desire for fuel efficiency, but its so noticeable that I would definitely forego the fuel efficiency to have it fixed, it creates quite an unpleasant experience for such a lovely (and not so cheap) car There's lots of posts from people overseas with the same issue but hard to compare models etc, and I think the software for Aus is different also.

The DSG will shift down, but only if you plant your foot quite a lot, and there is a bit of a delay, so you're crawling then all of a sudden you've violently taken off.

I'm hoping because the tech said lots of people have complained that a fix will come soon, think I will write to VW also to make sure they keep getting the feedback in case it doesn't make it back through the dealers- not sure if anyone has had any luck writing to VW with similar type issues in the past?

[Tiggy155]

Hi Dani, I also have the 155 7spd and know where your coming from... At first it bothered me a bit but as time goes by( just tick over 6k k's) I don't mind the frequent gear changes. If I'm sick of it I just put in it 's' and problem gone. There has been a DSG tune released by DNA performance. Apparently this tune eliminates the quick changes and holds the gears longer. Maybe something to look into. Cheers.

[tigger73]

I've got a 2011 125TSI but also with 7spd DSG.

I know you've probably spent a lot of $ for the car already and think it should be right. If you read posts here and on other forums it has been the problem all along with the Tiguan/Golf DSG that it upshifts too early and runs around in too higher gear all to save 0.1l/100km on the fuel economy figures.

If you really want to change it, then I suggest you do what a number of other people on this forum have done and mod your car.

Reality is that if VW make any changes to the gearbox to rev higher then this will effect the fuel economy figures. So even though many people want the gearbox to perform better (i.e. be in the right gear at the right time), I'm sorry to say that the fuel economy nazis have won and it'll be in the highest gear possible for your road speed.

APR has a DSG tune which claims to fix a lot of these problems. There's probably a few others that will do something similar if you do a bit of digging.

Understand your frustration, but it's a common feature of the DSG and how it is set up out of the factory.

[aussietig]

It's just more of a PITA in the Tig because it's a 7 spd.

Didn't feel this bad in the Golf GTI with 6 spd DSG.

It's embarassing to admit ... but was even beaten by a Toyota Echo off the lights and up a steep incline due to Tig changing up to 3rd just before it got steep.


Anyhow, not sure about a DSG flash however and especially APR. Wouldn't imagine it'd be cheap?

My only suggestion is to get flappy paddles to making shifting when you want to a lot easier.

[DoggieHowser]

I don't think it's the DSG's fault. I found the Golf R felt similar off the lights so it's likely to be the 4Motion drivetrain.

[team_v]

As has been said earlier, APR and custom Code do have a DSG Tune available which i believe allows the car to hold gears longer, may need to check that.

[h100vw]

Not done any 7 speeders yet but did a tune for an R and stopped it changing into 6th at 60, made it run to 75 before shifting up instead. The owner didn't like the way it was barely off tickover at 60 and completely below any usable power.

Gavin

[aussietig]

What's it do with say 1st, 2nd gear which are the main first world problem?

Also, how much for such a flash though?

[tigger73]

....so that's why I've also put in a flappy paddle steering wheel. Not that it changes the shifting points but it does give you a bit more control when it's not in the right gear.

I imagine there is a difference between the 6 speed DSG in Golfs and 7 speed in the Tig. It's likely the DSG shifting points aren't quite the same as gear ratios are very likely different (haven't checked this though) but both DSG boxes would have been "tuned" to give good economy figures.

So you either get used to it, drive in "S" more, or run it around in manual mode (which kind of defeats the point of having an auto). Otherwise you bite the bullet and take things into your own hands and invest a bit more in your car to get it the way you want it.

[tigger73]

What's it do with say 1st, 2nd gear which are the main first world problem?

Also, how much for such a flash though?

The APR product apparently fixes the first gear problem too - forces back into first under 17km/hr and doesn't shift up until you've really got going (i.e. no short shifting). Have considered getting this, however it's almost the same price as a tune - $1200.

It's not on the APR site but you can check it out on the Harding Performance site here - Harding Performance

Sounds like it solves a lot of the usual DSG complaints... I reckon they should give me a discount for the promo work

[team_v]

The APR product apparently fixes the first gear problem too - forces back into first under 17km/hr and doesn't shift up until you've really got going (i.e. no short shifting). Have considered getting this, however it's almost the same price as a tune - $1200.

It's not on the APR site but you can check it out on the Harding Performance site - Harding Performance

Sounds like it solves a lot of the usual DSG complaints...

Maybe see if custom code has something that is suitable for your gearbox?

Or just run in sports mode as that is what it is there for.