# DSG Jerky take off



## Tri-Chas (May 26, 2010)

Hi I have owned for 5 weeks a used '57' plate Phantom Black 2.0 S-Tronic TT (35K on the clock) fitted from new with 19" wheels and more extras than 'Ben Hur', I bought it from an Audi main dealer. Needless to say, love it.

However when engaged in '1st' or 'reverse' gear the creep is quite noticeable. The problem starts here as the engine idle speed rises and falls very slightly over a 3-4 second cycle obviously trying to keep the car still but not sure what revs to maintain, (with foot off the brake and in gear forward or reverse motion would be achieved with no acceleration from me but in waves) so when I accelerate I either have a second or so delay in pick up or the car can lurch off rapidly usually accompanied with a small thud, presumably sorting out the correct gear. This can be deadly if reversing in a small space. With practice, a delicate right foot and anticipation the effect can be minimised but never forgotten - this is not how any other auto box I have ever driven has moved a car from rest. Once travelling it runs smooth as silk, no delay using 'S' mode, no delay using the "Paddles' however many gears I drop, the pick up and acceleration are excellent and it will rev instantly in neutral no delay or lag. Strangely when warming up its not noticeable but gets worse at normal running temperature and at the moment the AC is on most of the time which has to be factored in for the correct idle speed to be maintained.

I have read many topics and even picked up on the 'hard reset' for the accelerator pedal as it's adjusted to someone else's driving, but not found an answer yet for the cause and I want something that sounds plausible to go back to the dealer with to investigate or is this it and it's me who needs to get used to it, anyone had experience of the same?


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## hooting_owl (Sep 3, 2008)

Have seen a few threads with the same reported issues. Previous 'victims' have needed replacement mechatronic units fitted on the transmission.

Assuming that you have an Audi warranty on the car?

Another advert for manual transmission.....<puts tin hat on>


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## Tri-Chas (May 26, 2010)

The car has 6 months still on the original Audi 3 year which is extended by the dealer for another 6 months, so should be OK there.

By 'mechatronic unit' I presume you mean the gearbox?

I am beginning to feel the TT would drive better as a 'manual' car but hey the 'missus' can't drive a manual !!!!!!
Thanks


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## wja96 (Mar 4, 2010)

Get back to the dealer NOW!

This is a classic DSG 'characteristic' but don't be fobbed off. It's worn and it won't get better. Ideally you want a whole new gearbox but you'll probably have to have a new mechatronic unit first as that seems to be the diagnostic route that Audi use.

Does it go backwards up hills? (Seriously - does it?)


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## Tri-Chas (May 26, 2010)

I presume you mean will it hold itself on a hill when stationary, I will report back when I take it out maybe later tonight.

Thank you very much for your comments I will be onto the dealer with questions tomorrow.


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## wja96 (Mar 4, 2010)

No, I mean will it reverse backwards up a slope?

A classic sign of DSG clutch wear is that the car stops creeping much and basically just refuses to go backwards up a slope. VAG tried to say this was normal but even they had to admit it wasn't acceptable in the end.

My guess is you've got a worn box - does it thump when you put the lever into 'D' at all?

Do you press the throttle and it thinks for a second then it lurches off in a way that makes roundabouts REALLY scary?

Does it ever thump when changing from 2nd to 1st?

If it does any of that then don't bother posting about it as everyone with a DSG gearbox claims that theirs is perfect and there is nothing to be concerned about when buying a used DSG car. LOL.


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## wja96 (Mar 4, 2010)

Do also bear in mind that this isn't a torque convertor automatic. It's a manual gearbox with two robotic clutches. One clutch works on 1/3/5/R and the other works on 2/4/6.

It doesn't creep as such - certainly not enough to stop it rolling backwards on hills for instance.


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## Tri-Chas (May 26, 2010)

wja96 said:


> Do you press the throttle and it thinks for a second then it lurches off in a way that makes roundabouts REALLY scary?


 YES, you got it! Scary and not smooth, you can feel like a learner out after 2 lessons.

The box does not thump going into 'D" or changing down to 1st or not that I had noticed but I will look out a bit more now and it will reverse up hill but not smoothly like a torque converter would, It can be a bit jumpy. I understand the DSG box more, I appreciate your feedback.
Thanks


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## hooting_owl (Sep 3, 2008)

ask for refund and get yourself a manual tt - and a micra automatic for your loved one.

seriously - when it goes wrong again, out of warranty, how expensive do you think this repair will be? independent transmission specialists will not touch the latest VAG automatics and even some dealers have not got a clue (they all do that, sir). so you are stuck with audi workshops and parts. new mechatronic supplied and fitted - can anyone guess what the cost is?

one poor forum member had a lurching incident whilst parking that resulted in a prang.

not fit for purpose. in a couple of years time the motoring press will be telling everyone to avoid the 'early' DSG boxes on VAG products (IMHO, of course).

there are lots of people on the forum who love their DSG boxes - and when they work properly i would probably love one too. fact is there are too many repeating issues coming up on this forum and elsewhere. fine if you get a new car every three years, maybe that explains the calmness of many folks.

if you must stick with the s-tronic tt, i would get a third-party warranty once the audi one expires. or demand that the dealer gives you an extra two years ticket on the transmission. in the USA the folks got a 10-year warranty out of VAG after the same problems came up over there.

typical VAG - thinking that they can get away with saying that the car is not designed to go backwards up a hill. my dealer tried to tell me that the deadlocks were working on my VW van even though the doors could be opened from inside when locked - 'safety feature sir to stop people from being trapped inside vehicle'.

who's your dealer? hopefully they are one of the decent ones. they do exist.


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## Taipei-TT (Apr 6, 2009)

This seems to be a rather hysterical DSG thread....so let me wade in here! I have had more than my share of DSG problems (2 mechatronics and 1 new gearbox) so I come with first hand experience of both sides of the DSG box. Most of the really shrill critics of DSG have never owned one and have thus assimilated an 'internet' worth of threads about problematic DSGs and made that their reality. Fortunately, in real life, the DSG is not nearly as dramatic as the internet makes it seem.

First, it does seem like your mechatronic is dead. The lurching is a common symptom of that. Have you had it flash "PRND" ever? That is further signs that the mechatronic is dead.

As for replacing your entire box...there is most likely no need. The mechatronic can act this way simply because of faulty temperature sensors. For most owners, once a mechatronic is correctly installed, it fixes the problem.

****IMPORTANT*** If the dealer does agree to change the mechatronic...inquire about changing the filter too. They will have to change the gearbox oil when the change the mechatronic unit. Getting a new filter (at your cost) will save you a lot of money on the DSG maintenance which is at 60000km where you have to replace the gearbox oil and filter. I would not mention this until they agree to change the Mechatronic, otherwise it looks like you are fishing. They might even throw the filter in since you just bought the car.

As for the issue in the US....yes Audi has warrantied the DSGs there for certain 2007-2009 models . . .but not inclusive of ALL cars made in those years...early 2007 and later 2009s are left out. The extended warrantied cars have a known problem with a temperature sensor in the mechatronic unit. (Which could be exactly what is causing your symptoms.) Once this is fix with a new unit, the problem is resolved. And yes, I agree that it is BS that VAG extends the warranty in the US but not in other markets. As a Canadian living in Asia, all I can say is . . .go USA! A litigious society does have its merits in convincing companies to stand by their products and do the right thing. As a business however, I can see why Audi will stick it to those who let it be stuck to them!

As for my own situation, I had the gearbox replaced not because of the mechatronic itself...it was because when they replaced the mechatronic Audi Taiwan forgot to refill the DSG oil. So I hit the roof until they replaced the mechatronic and the gearbox. My DSG has been flawless since then. I also spoke with Audi Taiwan and we have a written understanding on how any future issues will be resolved if I have more DSG trouble. (Which I have not for 20 000km since the fix.)

Neo-luddites seem to be attracted to the wonders of the Stronic . . .dual clutches and computers strike fear in their hearts . . .even though the very accelerator they press is totally controlled by electronics too . . . . So I have no idea why they draw the line at this. Overall, the DSG is not without problems and Audi has already developed a new generation . . .this is indicative of progress and happens with technology! The wet boxes in our TTs are not as efficient and more complex than the new versions....but Audi/VW has been using DSGs for 7 years now . . .if they were half as problematic as the internet makes them seem, VW/Audi would be bankrupt now through warranty claims...not 2 of the most profitable manufacturers in the business.


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## powerplay (Feb 8, 2008)

Agree with above, classic symptom of Mechatronic and temp sensor failure. Had similar issues on my 08 TTS with kangarooing and lurching at low engine revs, fine from cold but gets worse as the engine warms up.

Get back to the dealer ASAP. Print off this and other threads from here on the subject, go in armed!


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## Tri-Chas (May 26, 2010)

Thanks for all the comments. I feel that I can hold a discussion with someone now and not be 'put off' with BS.

Dealer is Spire Group, I believe owned directly by Audi in the UK so should sort out any issues with the car. I will post back dealer response when I get it.
Cheers Guys


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## Whack01 (Feb 23, 2008)

Had this same problem with my TTC DSG. I bought it new in 2008 and about 6 months ago it started exhibiting the problems you were talking about. Read the threads on here about DSG issues and brought it back to dealer to have Mechatronic unit replaced under warranty and its been perfect since. When it was kicking up it was a real pain in the a** always lurching and jumping fropm start. GF hated travelling in it.


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## Tri-Chas (May 26, 2010)

Dealer is taking car in for a full check but not for another week. I will post up their response when I get it.


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## Tri-Chas (May 26, 2010)

Its taken a couple of weeks to get my TT into the dealer, they rang today and said they agreed with me the gearbox is 'not right' and needs to stay for more tests on Monday.

It's like leaving your dog at the vet's, you know it has to be done but are they going to look after it properly?

Taipei-TT - I have read your latest news, sorry to hear your TT's back on the ramps.


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## dbm (Apr 17, 2008)

I had a problem with the S-Tronic on my A3, and the garage reset it before they would replace the mechatronic unit. I suspect they will do this with your car, and it needs to 'learn' how to operate smoothly again after the reboot, so they will probably have an engineer take it for a long drive to sort it out.

Cheers,
Dan


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## MelbTTQ (Jul 10, 2010)

I echo the last post - take the car back to the dealer asap. I had exactly the same problem with by 07 3.2 and it took my dealer 6 months to properly diagnose - a new mechatronic unit, then when this failed to fix the problem a complete new transmission. It may be a frustrating niggle at the moment but will most likely turn into a very time consuming issue later on.


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## Tri-Chas (May 26, 2010)

Just took a call from the dealer, they said something is 'not right' in the gearbox and a new one is on order from Germany. Not going to get the car back for about 10 days.

Hopefully that will be the end of it, but having read some other stories I am not so sure.

I will post a note when I get it back and try and find out what exactly what the problem was. So far the dealer gets 10 out of 10 but I will confirm that when this is finally closed off.


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## Mack The Knife (Jun 14, 2007)

Tri-Chas said:


> Just took a call from the dealer, they said something is 'not right' in the gearbox and a new one is on order from Germany. Not going to get the car back for about 10 days.
> 
> Hopefully that will be the end of it, but having read some other stories I am not so sure.
> 
> I will post a note when I get it back and try and find out what exactly what the problem was. So far the dealer gets 10 out of 10 but I will confirm that when this is finally closed off.


Given the reported symptoms, this should be a good result / fresh start.

I'd be optimistic that when you get your TT back it'll feel like new! [smiley=dude.gif]


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## TortToise (Aug 22, 2009)

hooting_owl said:


> Have seen a few threads with the same reported issues. Previous 'victims' have needed replacement mechatronic units fitted on the transmission.
> 
> Assuming that you have an Audi warranty on the car?
> 
> Another advert for manual transmission.....<puts tin hat on>


Yes, because manual transmission _never_ has problems :roll:


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## Tri-Chas (May 26, 2010)

Took a call an hour ago my TT is done and ready to pick up later this afternoon, they wanted to drop it off but I am going to pick it up myself and argue for a warranty extension on it. Will let you know what was wrong, if its fixed and what I can get from them for all the hassle this has caused. Is it unreasonable to get another full 3 years on the DSG?


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## Tri-Chas (May 26, 2010)

wja96 said:


> Get back to the dealer NOW!
> 
> This is a classic DSG 'characteristic' but don't be fobbed off. It's worn and it won't get better. Ideally you want a whole new gearbox.......


Just picked my TT up, it's fixed and I now know why the gearbox had to to be dumped and replaced.....chalk this up to another failed mechatronics unit which, damaged the gearbox beyond repair, does leaking ATF fluid sound familiar to those that know better than I do.
Now for the first time since owning it, (for the last 8 weeks) I can actually enjoy driving it as it's supposed to be.

Thank-you for the comments and advice guys, they have helped me enormously. Some were spot on.... nothing less than a new gearbox will do, how right you are. The dealer does get full marks for now, I hope it stay's that way.

It has been covered by warranty, so smiles all round, I believe something like £6K!!!!!!!!!!


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## hooting_owl (Sep 3, 2008)

TortToise said:


> hooting_owl said:
> 
> 
> > Have seen a few threads with the same reported issues. Previous 'victims' have needed replacement mechatronic units fitted on the transmission.
> ...


manual transmission never has problems that an independent can't fix.
s-tronic ties you to the main dealer and appears to be painfully expensive to repair.


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## Mack The Knife (Jun 14, 2007)

Tri-Chas said:


> Now for the first time since owning it, (for the last 8 weeks) I can actually enjoy driving it as it's supposed to be.


Excellent! [smiley=dude.gif] + [smiley=crowngrin.gif] + [smiley=cheers.gif]


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## Mack The Knife (Jun 14, 2007)

hooting_owl said:


> TortToise said:
> 
> 
> > s-tronic ties you to the main dealer.


Not quite sure why that would have to be true. There are plenty of independent VAG specialists. Are you saying they have no access to replacement DSG parts?

Is the same true of steered bi-xenons, ECUs, adaptive suspension etc?


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