DSG sticking in 2nd gear

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Armstrong21490
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DSG sticking in 2nd gear

Post by Armstrong21490 »

I was wondering if anyone could help me out. I am having issues with the DSG gearbox in my car (2019 GTI+). The gearbox sometimes sticks in 2nd gear. It won’t change automatically or if you try and change it manually with the paddles or the gear shifter. The gear display in the digital dash shows the gearing changing from 2nd to 3rd when you flip the paddle but the gearbox doesn’t change gear. The only way to get the gearbox to change is by letting off the throttle and letting the revs drop slightly. This always seems to happen after pulling away after slowing down for the speed bumps just along from my house. Seems to be happening more and more regularly now.

I've had a quick look through this forum and have done a google search but can find anyone with similar issues.

I've contacted the main dealer about it since its still under warranty but would like to be a little more clued up before I speak to them so any help would be appreciated.
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OomStu_ZA
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Re: DSG sticking in 2nd gear

Post by OomStu_ZA »

I can concur this has also happened to me but only 2 or 3 times since I got the vehicle in 2019. I could also not replicate it after it corrected itself either. Like you said, back off the accelator, let the revs drop and then manually change up.
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l3rady
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Re: DSG sticking in 2nd gear

Post by l3rady »

Yep I've had the same problem happen quite a few times on my 19 plate GTI. Even reported it to the garage but they thought nothing of it as it couldn't be replicated on demand.

I find it happens the most shortly after a new journey from a cold start. It only happens if you slowly build your revs (about 20% throttle input) and you go past that 2-3 gear change point will the revs continue to build and gear won't change unless you let off the throttle, the car will happily let you go all the way to redline in gear 2 with no way to change until you let off the throttle. Not great on a cold engine...

To me, it's like the ECU or DSG has a momentary brain fart and misses the signal to upshift and the car is left in a confusing state where it thinks it has upshifted into third but sensors say the car is still in second. Only once going into a de-accelerating state does the computer figure out what to do.

I have tried to find a way to replicate it on demand but so far no luck. The problem always happens when I'm in the car alone so I cannot exactly whip out my phone and start recording what is happening to demonstrate to the garage.

It's just another quirk of owning and living with the GTI. Still love the car though, despite its niggles.
Armstrong21490
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Re: DSG sticking in 2nd gear

Post by Armstrong21490 »

Well I've had the car in at the dealer twice now. Managed to get a video of it as it happens at the same part of my drive every morning on the way to work and the same on the way home.

The first time it was in they said they recalibrate the mechatronics (dunno if they were just fobbing me off) and sent me on my way. Car did seem to be fixed but after a week the fault came back so booked the car back in.

They have now had the car for 2 weeks and they finally got the car to fault like I had been describing over the weekend but only managed to get it to do it once in 20 test drives over the past week. So now I'm waiting for them to hear back from the VW technical department to find out what the solution is. Feel like if the car wasn't under warranty and it was in for a repair at a cost to me they would have replaced the mechatronics on the dsg by now but they are reluctant to do it at their expense.
Last edited by Armstrong21490 on Tue May 24, 2022 8:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.
SRGTD
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Re: DSG sticking in 2nd gear

Post by SRGTD »

Armstrong21490 wrote: Tue May 24, 2022 8:45 pm Well I've had the car in at the dealer twice now. Managed to get a video of it as it happens at the same part of my drive every morning on the way to work and the same on the way home.

The first time it was in they said they recalibrate the mechatronics (dunno if they were just fobbing me off) and sent me on my way. Car did seem to be fixed but after a week the fault came back so booked the car back in.

They have now had the car for 2 weeks and they finally got the car to fault like I had been describing over the weekend but only managed to get it to do it once in 20 test drives over the past week. So now I'm waiting for them to hear back from the VW technical department to find out what the solution is. Feel like if the car wasn't under warranty and it was in for a repair at a cost to me they would have replaced the mechatronics on the dsg by now but they are reluctant to do it at their expense.
I can remember reading somewhere a while back that dealers have to go through a laid-down (by VW) fault finding procedure with issues such as this, starting with the less costly potential solutions such as recalibration of the mechatronics unit and software updates, and if they don’t work, moving on to more expensive fixes such as replacing the mechatronics unit or replacing the entire DSG transmission. I’m assuming with warranty work, if VW’s laid down procedure isn’t followed, then there’s a chance the dealer may not get paid by VW. Frustrating for the customer as it could involve multiple visits to the dealership before the issue is fixed.

Hopefully it’ll be sorted soon 🤞.
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Re: DSG sticking in 2nd gear

Post by CarbonChaos »

SRGTD thats exactly how it works in most main dealers,you have to follow a certain diagnostic path as it is laid down by the manufacturer , any devation or guess work or changing unnessacary of parts results in the warranty cliam being rejected.
even if as a tech you know what the faulty part is from previous experence ?

the dealer then has to suck up the rejected claim which comes off the bottom line, this is happening more and more noadays as manufacturers tighten up on warranty claims
Armstrong21490
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Re: DSG sticking in 2nd gear

Post by Armstrong21490 »

So today I got a phone call from the dealer. Apparently the car is learning the way I drive and that's what's causing the gear to stick. What a load of bullsh**!!! If that was the reason surely the gear should change when I flick the up paddle.

Going in to speak to the master tech tomorrow who will supposedly explain it better than the admin guy that phoned me. I'm fizzing inside with them trying to fob me off like this!!!!
Armstrong21490
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Re: DSG sticking in 2nd gear

Post by Armstrong21490 »

So today I got a phone call from the dealer. Apparently the car is learning the way I drive and that's what's causing the gear to stick. What a load of bullsh**!!! If that was the reason surely the gear should change when I flick the up paddle.

Going in to speak to the master tech tomorrow who will supposedly explain it better than the admin guy that phoned me. I'm fizzing inside with them trying to fob me off like this!!!!
SRGTD
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Re: DSG sticking in 2nd gear

Post by SRGTD »

Armstrong21490 wrote: Thu May 26, 2022 8:06 pm So today I got a phone call from the dealer. Apparently the car is learning the way I drive and that's what's causing the gear to stick. What a load of bullsh**!!! If that was the reason surely the gear should change when I flick the up paddle.

Going in to speak to the master tech tomorrow who will supposedly explain it better than the admin guy that phoned me. I'm fizzing inside with them trying to fob me off like this!!!!
I would say that what you’re experiencing doesn’t sound normal, and I share your frustration. When you use the flappy paddles to change from 2 to 3, the DSG is operating in manual mode so shouldn’t prevent the gear change. I believe there are certain situations where the DSG will intervene - e.g. if changing down manually to too low a gear, creating a risk of the max safe engine rpm being exceeded. However, attempting to change up a gear manually from 2 to 3 shouldn’t require the DSG to prevent the gear change happening.

I don’t buy the whole ‘it’s the DSG learning your driving style’ thing, although I’ve seen it mentioned before on various forums. If the DSG in my car had learned my driving style during the 20.5 months I’ve owned my GTI+, then it should know by now that my preference isn’t to get into top gear at as low a speed as 40mph. It also ought to have learned that there are certain situations where I either want to a) maintain a specific gear rather than change up to the next highest gear (e.g. while going around a roundabout), or b) I want to change down a gear rather than maintain what IMHO is too high a gear for the situation.

The DSG might be a clever piece of tech, but IMHO it’s only as clever as the software controlling it. I think that rather than the DSG learning - and adapting - to a driver’s driving style, drivers are more likely to adjust their own specific driving style over time to fit in with the DSG and the way it’s been programmed to behave.

Please update this discussion thread once you’ve spoken to the master tech as I’m intrigued to know;
  • Why your car holding onto 2nd gear, even when you try and select the next gear manually is considered to be a consequence of the DSG learning the way you drive?
  • If a car with DSG is regularly driven by more than one person, is the DSG clever enough to recognise each driver’s specific driving style and adapt its behaviour depending on who’s driving. Hmm; I have my doubts 🤔.
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Re: DSG sticking in 2nd gear

Post by monkeyhanger »

I hear the issue of being stuck in second gear only occurs if you're had absolute radio 90s on and that Friends theme tune by the Rembrandts is playing.

The fix is to always leave your radio tuned to planet Rock, although you do run the risk of running a little bit hot if Van Halen's "Panama" comes on.
Armstrong21490
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Re: DSG sticking in 2nd gear

Post by Armstrong21490 »

So I went into the dealership today to speak to the master tech. He explained to me again the story about the DSG learning my driving style and that this explanation has come from VW technical. Because of this there is nothing more that he can do. He said he doesn't agree with it and in his eyes there is definitely a fault somewhere, probably more software related than mechanical. So me and him have come to the agreement that I will take the car back for around 2 weeks and make an extensive log of every time the fault occurs and the rough conditions it happens in (car up to temp or not, throttle position etc) maybe even get a couple more videos of it. This way when the car is booked in again they have more information to take back to VW technical to build a case for getting something done about it.

My biggest concern is the car turns 3 years old, so runs out of warranty, on 10th august which isn't too far away.
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Re: DSG sticking in 2nd gear

Post by SRGTD »

Armstrong21490 wrote: Thu Jun 02, 2022 4:36 pm So I went into the dealership today to speak to the master tech. He explained to me again the story about the DSG learning my driving style and that this explanation has come from VW technical. Because of this there is nothing more that he can do. He said he doesn't agree with it and in his eyes there is definitely a fault somewhere, probably more software related than mechanical. So me and him have come to the agreement that I will take the car back for around 2 weeks and make an extensive log of every time the fault occurs and the rough conditions it happens in (car up to temp or not, throttle position etc) maybe even get a couple more videos of it. This way when the car is booked in again they have more information to take back to VW technical to build a case for getting something done about it.

My biggest concern is the car turns 3 years old, so runs out of warranty, on 10th august which isn't too far away.
If you were planning on keeping your car longer term, then maybe it’s worth considering getting a good warranty or VW’s All-In product (includes 2 services, 2 years roadside assistance cover, MOT cover and 2 years warranty) - Link; https://www.volkswagen.co.uk/en/owners- ... gL46vD_BwE
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OomStu_ZA
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Re: DSG sticking in 2nd gear

Post by OomStu_ZA »

SRGTD wrote: Thu Jun 02, 2022 6:13 pm If you were planning on keeping your car longer term, then maybe it’s worth considering getting a good warranty or VW’s All-In product (includes 2 services, 2 years roadside assistance cover, MOT cover and 2 years warranty) - Link; https://www.volkswagen.co.uk/en/owners- ... gL46vD_BwE
Exactly what I just did because I've decided to keep my car for another 3 years (already owned it 3 years and half way through the finance deal). Currently there 75000KM on the clock with motor plan to 100 000KM but now extended it (at a cost of R20 000) up to 150 000KM.
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Re: DSG sticking in 2nd gear

Post by SRGTD »

OomStu_ZA wrote: Thu Jun 02, 2022 9:25 pm
SRGTD wrote: Thu Jun 02, 2022 6:13 pm If you were planning on keeping your car longer term, then maybe it’s worth considering getting a good warranty or VW’s All-In product (includes 2 services, 2 years roadside assistance cover, MOT cover and 2 years warranty) - Link; https://www.volkswagen.co.uk/en/owners- ... gL46vD_BwE
Exactly what I just did because I've decided to keep my car for another 3 years (already owned it 3 years and half way through the finance deal). Currently there 75000KM on the clock with motor plan to 100 000KM but now extended it (at a cost of R20 000) up to 150 000KM.
I will probably do the same when my car gets to three years old - with all the tech in modern cars, there’s lots to potentially go wrong that could be very costly to repair.
Armstrong21490
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Re: DSG sticking in 2nd gear

Post by Armstrong21490 »

Thats a good idea. I never thought of that, will have a look into it now.
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