Dead Throttle - extreme lag? ... dangerous!

[sVWatt]

Hi,
has anyone else had this intermittent problem since having both the DSG software and turbo shim/spacer upgrade;

I thought it was my imagination until my wife borrowed the car and mentioned the same concern. Twice when taking off from the lights, ive had zero response from depressing the throttle. Pushing it much further down eventualy caused the car to move and then surge as the turbo spooled.

I thought it was a one off until it happened to me a second time - in second gear, slowed at a give way, pressed peddle to merge with traffic and it felt like the engine had died - the car coasted out onto the main road. I pushed the throttle hard to the floor and it seemed like seconds past before power returned. The car behind clearly had to brake to accomodate me.

Needless i am going to the dealer for a check, but want to know if anyone else has experienced this?

[Lucas_R]

DSG brain (mechatronics) sounds like its playing up.

[ill0gitech]

I've had this happen, and happen at the worst times - both when changing lanes and almost getting rear-ended.
Don't think I've ever had it in S or M, only in D.

Pressing harder gave me a kick, but it certainly wasn't turbo lag, it was dead-dead. Not even at more than a slow roll.

Can't replicate it deliberately, which is a pain to get checked.

[Ryan_R]

Mine improved a lot after mechatonrics were replaced as well, prior to that I was using a SprintBooster to make the acceleration kick in earlier

[polojdp]

happens to me a couple of times a week i thought it was normal lol.
what do they do to fix it?

[sVWatt]

happens to me a couple of times a week i thought it was normal lol.
what do they do to fix it?

Dont know (yet) - but will post any positive update after the dealer sees it next week.

I also noticed the car seems to slam into first when taking off - there's no gentle progressive take up...again not all the time but 'bang' into first and off it goes.

[Tension]

I've also had this issue in my GTI. Had it happen to me about 6-8 times in 17 months, including twice while on the move. The DSG in my car just doesn't like coasting slowly as if to stop, then accelerating again. It's best if you're about to stop and the car in front moves, to just stop and then go again. Seems to eliminate the issue for me.

That said, I've just had my DSG software updated at the 30k service and it seems to operate much better, even in stop-start traffic. Hopefully the issue won't surface again.

[ill0gitech]

Not sure if this is the same issue, both myself and the OP both mention it's come from a stop to starting again. I can say in both situations for me, I've been stopped a while, and tried to change lanes - needing a squirt of power and not getting anything.

In fact, my GTI loves coming from a slow down in second, to punching away when a light changes to green. I've never had a car where that didn't feel awesome

[Ryan_R]

You're probably on the accelerator sooner (at higher rolling speed) than the other guys reporting the issue. Tends to be an issue just as the clutch is about to go in to prevent stalling. DSG tune fixes issue since it downshifts into 1st.

[ill0gitech]

You're probably on the accelerator sooner (at higher rolling speed) than the other guys reporting the issue.

I do love me a quick take off, so probably.

These definitely sound like two different issues.

[ill0gitech]

I had this happen going around a corner (left hand turn.)
Was in D2 approaching the corner, and got the steering wheel into the corner, and had zero power.

I'm fairly certain it's always when moving to the left, but is so hard to replicate, not sure how I'll explain it to the service centre

[nomadx38]

I have had many posts on this issue and I can tell you gearbox components are NOT to blame, 2 clutch packs, a mechatronics unit and various software patches / tests and mine still does it, including dropping the clutch every take off and mainly 2nd (sometimes 3rd).

Main culprit...heat. Hot weather (over 32) and aircon = dead on take off, and quite lethargic in every gear change. As soon as I turn the aircon off it isn't as lethargic, so I think rev matching appears to be the problem. 6 speed wet clutch variants no not suffer this problem (from what I could tell with my week with "the loaner")

I cleaned my MAP sensors out recently and it appears to have made a difference to take off throttle response but that could be a placebo effect...

[ill0gitech]

Warm, 26c, and yes, air con on.
But on hotter days with the air con on, I can drive without an issue.
It just seems sometimes when turning left - be it from a standstill, or in this case, at about 20km/h the car decides that it doesn't want to speed up.

[sVWatt]

Warm, 26c, and yes, air con on.
But on hotter days with the air con on, I can drive without an issue.
It just seems sometimes when turning left - be it from a standstill, or in this case, at about 20km/h the car decides that it doesn't want to speed up.

Agree. Mine still does it intermittently. Some days is nippy and perfect. Others it's a real worry - push in the accelerator 2-3cm and nothing. I have to stamp it to the floor and then back off to get the car to raise its game and start accelerating.

Turning left after coasting for a moment or two seems to do it. It seems like an eternity before it picks up. 20-30km, revs around 900-1200rpm. Doesn't matter whether aircon is on or not.

[ill0gitech]

So the issue has occurred in the cold, and with no air con on and typically in second gear.
VW said they don't have any notices with similar symptoms, and did the usual "no fault codes detected" stuff.
The good? news is, I'm not in the recall. So there's that.