DSG Pain

[ElBrillante]

This is my first car with DSG so I'm a bit of a noob but last week it was driving me insane. I got a puncture and had to wait a week for them to get two new tyres so was depressingly limping around at 80kph on the space saver until I got the call that they could fix it.

We have lots of dual-carriageways (80kph, where everyone does 120) so it was relatively easy to be in Comfort mode, stick cruise on at about 75-80 and then not worry about it. However, the car just constantly changes down the box for absolutely no reason.. nice straight, level bit of road, 80kph in D, nice low revs and then suddenly *BANG*, down to 2nd and 6000rpm - WHY?! I thought, OK I'll try it in manual mode, using the paddles. Accelerate slowly up to 80, stick it in 6th or 7th and leave it there.. 10s later and it's put itself back in AUTO and dropping back into 2nd gear and revving the nuts off itself again. Again and again it did this at seeming random times!

Is this normal DSG behaviour, was it down to the space saver or does the car know I drive like a maniac normally and so figured I always want to be at 6500rpm?

(oh and for the record, I was expecting wonderful fuel economy thanks to this setback - it was worse than normal! )

 

[Eryas]

To be honest, it's my first Automatic & my first DSG, and I'm really happy. Can't revert back to manual now.

The thing you describ is not normal. I've never had the same thing happen. Gearbox cannot handle space saver ? How it can be possible ? This happened with normal tyres before ?

The thing you can try is to set the DSG in sport mode then use manual paddles. In sport mode the gearbox SHOULD NOT revert back to automatic when paddles are not used. I've read that the only thing that can force back manual paddles to automatic (in sport mode) is inadequate engine speed

 

[Hizzards]

This is my first car with DSG so I'm a bit of a noob but last week it was driving me insane. I got a puncture and had to wait a week for them to get two new tyres so was depressingly limping around at 80kph on the space saver until I got the call that they could fix it.

We have lots of dual-carriageways (80kph, where everyone does 120) so it was relatively easy to be in Comfort mode, stick cruise on at about 75-80 and then not worry about it. However, the car just constantly changes down the box for absolutely no reason.. nice straight, level bit of road, 80kph in D, nice low revs and then suddenly *BANG*, down to 2nd and 6000rpm - WHY?! I thought, OK I'll try it in manual mode, using the paddles. Accelerate slowly up to 80, stick it in 6th or 7th and leave it there.. 10s later and it's put itself back in AUTO and dropping back into 2nd gear and revving the nuts off itself again. Again and again it did this at seeming random times!

Is this normal DSG behaviour, was it down to the space saver or does the car know I drive like a maniac normally and so figured I always want to be at 6500rpm?

(oh and for the record, I was expecting wonderful fuel economy thanks to this setback - it was worse than normal! )

That’s not normal.

Speak to a dealership


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ElBrillante]

To be honest, it's my first Automatic & my first DSG, and I'm really happy. Can't revert back to manual now.

The thing you describ is not normal. I've never had the same thing happen. Gearbox cannot handle space saver ? How it can be possible ? This happened with normal tyres before ?

The thing you can try is to set the DSG in sport mode then use manual paddles. In sport mode the gearbox SHOULD NOT revert back to automatic when paddles are not used. I've read that the only thing that can force back manual paddles to automatic (in sport mode) is inadequate engine speed

I'm really happy with it as well (I'm 9 months into ownership) but this is a pretty unusual situation for the gearbox I presume. I've never had it happen before (I have had the gearbox revert back to D from manual quite a lot in Comfort mode but assumed this was normal) but then I don't usually run around on a space saver and so slowly. I can't check it now as the replacement tyres are on, I was just wondering if anyone has had to do any space saver, super slow running and had anything similar?

Is it urban myth that it learns your driving style, or does it actually do it? Also, when I test drove the Hybrid (before settling on the VZ2) I noted that it knew when roundabouts were coming and would brake if you let it (or that's how it felt), so wondered if it had some kind of "intelligence" and as I was on dual-carriageways it second guessed that I would want to be accelerating hard

 

[dashnine]

If you make a note of your 'normal' tyre size, and the space saver tyre size and go to Tiresize.com you can enter the details and it will tell you the difference in rolling radius, etc. If it's a big difference this could be what is confusing the gearbox.

 

[rafletcher]

If it reverts to normal working once you've got the proper full size tyres on, then you have your answer - it was something to do with the space saver, though I'm at a loss to know what, the only issue I had was constant traction control lights coming up.

And of course the spacesaver is only supposed to be use for a short distance (80km maximum I think - and yes, distance, not speed) as an emergency get-you-home measure, NOT to be driven around on for a week or more. One very good reason to get a spare alloy and tyre and bung it in storage for times like this.

 

[ElBrillante]

There is no actual restriction on how far you can travel on a spacesaver, just recommendations. However, in order that you can sleep at night please rest assured that only three trips were made, once to take the car to the dealer (10km away) after Cupra Assistance said to do so, then back home (5km) after the garage said to do so, one trip for an unavoidable meeting (15km) and another back to the dealer (10km) for the replacement tyres to be fitted

 

[Seriously?]

If you make a note of your 'normal' tyre size, and the space saver tyre size and go to Tiresize.com you can enter the details and it will tell you the difference in rolling radius, etc. If it's a big difference this could be what is confusing the gearbox.

I'd be putting my money on this^^
The ABS sensors on modern vehicles talk to a lot more than just the braking system and it could be the rolling radius difference on one corner of the vehicle is causing confusion; although I'd expect manufacturer's to take that into account when specifying the space saver. I'd also expect some form of warning light on the dash also (traction control or TPMS for example).

 

[dashnine]

If you make a note of your 'normal' tyre size, and the space saver tyre size and go to Tiresize.com you can enter the details and it will tell you the difference in rolling radius, etc. If it's a big difference this could be what is confusing the gearbox.

...and by big I mean more that 1 or 2%. No (or very few) space savers will exactly match the normal tyre size but they are usually pretty close.

 

[AndyCupra93]

I’d be surprised if the car was smart enough to detect a different circumference wheel (the TPMS is there to cover loss of pressure), let alone the gearbox exhibiting that sort of behaviour intentionally as a result of a different tyre (the behaviour itself makes no sense - if anything the car would limit top speed).

 

[rafletcher]

I’d be surprised if the car was smart enough to detect a different circumference wheel (the TPMS is there to cover loss of pressure), let alone the gearbox exhibiting that sort of behaviour intentionally as a result of a different tyre (the behaviour itself makes no sense - if anything the car would limit top speed).

change in circumference is exactly how VAG TPMS works so yes, it is smart enough. The system counts the ABS slots, and as a tyre deflates it rotates more slowly than a fully inflated tyre, hence the warning. A smaller sized space saver would have the same effect.

 

[Glosphil]

I drove a total of 30 miles (50km) with a spacesaver fitted after a puncture. The 7-DSG in my 2018 Leon operated as usual. This was on a mix of country roads & dual carriageways.

 

[Ninjakebab]

This is an issue I have seen before! I think it was discussed on Reddit.
Also a case where a spare wheel was being used. So I think it's simply the gearbox being confused.

 

[imran999]

yes it will be getting confused with the rolling radius of the spare tyre but the system should be smart enough to cope with this.

 

[Glosphil]

As I said in an earlier post, I drove my DSG-7 car for 30 miles (50km) with a spacesaver on the NSF & the gearbox behaved as normal.

 

[Glosphil]

The standard VAG 18" spacesaver has a 125/70-18 tyre. This is less than 1% rolling diameter different to a 225/40-18 or 225/35-19 and 1.5% different to a 235/35-19. None is enough to confuse the DSG gearbox software.

 

[Ninjakebab]

The standard VAG 18" spacesaver has a 125/70-18 tyre. This is less than 1% rolling diameter different to a 225/40-18 or 225/35-19 and 1.5% different to a 235/35-19. None is enough to confuse the DSG gearbox software.

Yes, and a 7.3% difference to a 245/40 R19 which OP might very well have. Unless bigger spacesavers come with a VZ2.