2013 Golf TDI w/ poor acceleration under 2k RPM

Car is a 2013 4-dr Golf TDI DSG / 17,000 miles

For the last couple of tanks of fuel, about 700 miles or so the performance on my car has changed dramatically.

Under 2000rpm, pulling away from a complete stop, the car is a complete dog. It takes 2-3 seconds for any real acceleration and it lugs until 2000rpm and the car comes to life.

Highway speeds under 2k it labors to pass, unless I shift it down and get over 2k and the car comes ton life.

I have to travel for work the next two weeks out of the country so I am in a situation where I'm dropping it off at the dealer and letting them look into it while I am gone.

I'm asking for some opinions/thoughts here. I'm wondering what event is happening at 2000rpm (does the boost go up at that point, or does the fuel pressure change at that rpm).

A little freaked out that it might be HPFP issues. Car is in MN, and has nothing but the best fuel I can find (told Kwik Trip and BP are the best sources locally) and had had OptiLube XL sine 3000 miles.

Thoughts?

a disconnected vacuum hose somewhere?

Possibly. ? No check engine lights or anything though.

How far under 2k rpm's? Anything under 1700 isn't in the power band .

FLHX1550 said:

A little freaked out that it might be HPFP issues.

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Look on the bright side....if it were the HPFP, the car would be DEAD.

So you're looking at a much nicer problem.

Since you're still well within warranty, you'll be taken care of. It should probably be minor, and you'll be happily on your way again. Vacuum issues (i.e. turbo actuation issues) are a good thought.

I just noticed the same thing on my 2013... Total dog off the line!
Keep us posted!
I had been cautious with it for the first 1000 mi, for break in purposes, but now when I get on it, just as you described... Pooooooooch city!

it's called turbo lag. it's not 2-3 seconds, more like about 1 second.

It's not turbo lag, and it does last well over a second and it's intermittent...

spool the turbo before clutch engagement and it won't happen.

ARGH said:

spool the turbo before clutch engagement and it won't happen.

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Agreed. These cars are a ***** to drive sometimes because of lag and the fact the computer will turn the car off for you(awesome).

I hate to admit that I slip the clutch sometimes while on traffic so I don't get hit because of turbo is not kicked in yet.

We are talking about an AUTO trans.... cant really spool up or slip the clutch...

Mine is not turbo lag. Car is running entirely different than a week ago, to the point that its dangerous to drive ( trying to make left turns in traffic. Must hold pedal to floor to get it to go, count to 3, then breaks tires loose mid turn)

Downshift

Speed Devil said:

Downshift

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Really? This isn't stand up comedy one liner night!
I have the exact problem as described... Off the line making a left turn it takes 3 seconds to go... Perhaps it's a DSG issue? What mode are you in when it happens? I have experienced it in S mode. Last night it was fine , but two days ago... Off the line, I had the 3 second... Buuuuuuurp

It doesn't sound like a problem with the dsg. Otherwise the car would rev and not accelerate.

OP did you fill at the same station the last 2 times?

Take the service writer for a ride and demonstrate the issue.

Don't forget to report back with the solution.

Bill

I read somewhere in the manual, the DSG, adjusts to your driving style... Could this be a possibility? Say you drive conservatively, then you get aggressive... Does the tyranny actually adjust to this with some lag time?

I tried a different fuel station and brand, same results.

I don't know how much the DSG changes, but it appears to be a large change?

It's almost dangerous to drive in traffic ( left turns ).

Have you seen a drastic change in mileage lately? I haven't had any of the from the stop issues, but I have (once in a while) noticed that without changing driving styles during a long drive, it just decides to go into slow mo mode... like when rural areas with some lights, I'll slow down to try and time the light, when it turns green (still rolling, bout 10 mph) it takes FOR EVER until it gets the urge to shoot off again. I have a dsg as well, and the only thing that seems to work in this situation, is to hit the kick down switch on the go pedal. Then the trans takes a second to think about it, then BAM, Turbo and an engine that is alive. But it is weird, it doesn't do this every day. Most days I can be timing the light I'm coming up on, and then get back in it, and it accelerates just fine. Same RPMs, speed, and gear... no clue as to what is going on. I haven't experienced the issue from a dead stop though, not yet anyways.

Yeah, so I'm thinking it has to do with the adjusting tranny

There's a procedure for resetting the driving style. Usually you have to turn the key to the Acc position, then step on the gas pedal and hold it for 10 seconds or something. That resets the driving style the car thinks you're in and it tries to figure you out again. Do a search or ask the dealer if they can do that for you.

Again, the easiest thing to do would be to take it to the dealer, no?

Might be easy, but time consuming! They know less than the folks here do... It's like calling India for a problem with your Internet! Haha

well, if it is the driving style of the learning DSG, then I guess I'll just unplug the battery tonight when I get home, let it sit over night, then plug it in in the morning to reset it. I might just get one of those quick Disconnects installed in the wheel well or something so I can just get out, lock the car, turn the disonnect and not have to worry about any Saved style of driving. It sucks that it isn't just default mode for D, S, and M mode on the trans.

It is obviously a problem with the car. My money is on a bad VNT controller on the turbo, a failing sensor (MAF, MAP, etc.), or something of that nature.

As for the DSG "learning," it does not adapt to the driver of the vehicle the way previous automatics did with their adaptive shifting behavior. The DSG only adapts to itself for wear and for what I call "poor behavior." In other words, if it detects that it slipped a shift excessively, it will adapt in order to prevent that undesired behavior in the future.

85Steve said:

well, if it is the driving style of the learning DSG, then I guess I'll just unplug the battery tonight when I get home, let it sit over night, then plug it in in the morning to reset it. I might just get one of those quick Disconnects installed in the wheel well or something so I can just get out, lock the car, turn the disonnect and not have to worry about any Saved style of driving. It sucks that it isn't just default mode for D, S, and M mode on the trans.

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'Unplugging the battery' will do nothing except throw a bunch of codes that will go away on their own.

Posting misinformation helps no-one. Don't guess, research the issue and post facts.

Bill

Bill, I know this, but it does reset the behavior of the transmission back to factory. I confirmed this last night after work, for the third time since owning the car, since once again, someone says bs!. I called my service writer at the VW shop, and they confirmed with a tech that if you are experiencing any issues with shifting or "lack of down shifting when accellerating from a low speed" that a reset of the system by unplugging the battery overnight will allow it to relearn your habbits. They recommended doing this after asking if I let my wife drive the car the previous times it has done it. And yes, she has driven the car the day before I get back in and the car does this. As for the codes. What codes, a steering sensor reset is all I've seen. And anytime to change the battery it will do that as well...

So again, Bill, I don't post BS, I do research as well. And I see no point to your pointless post. Have a nice day.

85Steve said:

Bill, I know this, but it does reset the behavior of the transmission back to factory. I confirmed this last night after work, for the third time since owning the car, since once again, someone says bs!. I called my service writer at the VW shop, and they confirmed with a tech that if you are experiencing any issues with shifting or "lack of down shifting when accellerating from a low speed" that a reset of the system by unplugging the battery overnight will allow it to relearn your habbits. They recommended doing this after asking if I let my wife drive the car the previous times it has done it. And yes, she has driven the car the day before I get back in and the car does this. As for the codes. What codes, a steering sensor reset is all I've seen. And anytime to change the battery it will do that as well...

So again, Bill, I don't post BS, I do research as well. And I see no point to your pointless post. Have a nice day.

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See post #24.

Bill

Bill, GO TO VORTEX and stop with this BS! I'm sorry, The DSG does learn, Traditional Automatics actually DO Not Learn, They are operated by engine speed, Torque Converters, Solenoids, Fluid Pressures, Line Pressures, Valve bodies, and Bands and Clutches to make all things go. A computer can not adjust how a Valve body is machined from the factory, so the shift points and pressures do not change. Only when a solenoid operates, and there are sensors to monitor temps. Why else do you think when a traditional auto starts going, there is still plenty of power, but you get slipping of the trans when driving. Because there is NO DIRECT LINK to the Wheels from the engine. It is all Fluids and crap.

IN a DSG however, it is a Mechatronics unit attached to a highly MODIFIED MANUAL Transmission with DUAL wet Clutches. That is why it is called a DIRECT SHIFT Gearbox. Only a Manual Transmission can directly apply power from the engine to the wheels without relying on a fluid transmission Torque Converter.

So the computer takes all imputs that you do over a set amount of miles, and it learns that particular driving style and makes adjustments to make sure the clutches do not slip, and all power required for your driving style is applied throught the transmission. The Transmission has sensors to tell the ECM to back off of torque or hp if potential issues arrise.

[inappropriate content removed]

The Gurus (and my Bentley manual) here tell me that the DSG does not learn the drivers' habits. You tell me different. You have a habit of posting misinformation....

Get educated regarding TDIs and stop confusing the newbies.

Bill

I've done my research, ask any VW Tech, and they will tell you the same. As for the Manuals, Bentley Manuals are not VW Certified Manuals, it is like saying to some Qualified Mechanic that you know what you are doing, you read the Haynes Manual on your 2006 Impala!...

Again, DSG's do learn. Traditional Autos DO NOT. There is no way in hell that a device that is controlled by a VALVE Body, and preset solenoids (preset by the amount of fluid pressure in the lines and the transmission will activate it).

You can change the way an auto shifts by changing out the 1-2 and 3-4 Servo on the side of the transmission (GM's 4L60E only has 4 speeds and I'm using this as a reference) Or you can CHEAT the shifts by getting a B&M Shift Plus that splices into the Transmission wires to cheat the solenoids on the pressures in the lines. VERY DANGEROUS TO DO, and leads to costly repairs. Only way to change the habbit of a Hydrolically controlled Traditional Auto Transmission, is a Shift Kit, one that requires dropping the fluid pan, taking the filter out, dropping the Valve Body, and changing out ball bearings and springs and fluid channeling to increase pressures and increase shift points.

The DSG is operated by the Computer, not by Fluid Pressures and Valve Bodies. They learn over time the drivers habits, especially on a long road trip. That is why, which again, confirmed with my service tech, when I let my wife drive my car then I get in it to drive, it shifts all weird compared to what I'm used to. My Service tech said to either pull the battery cable and let it sit over night, or it will eventually relearn in 500 miles or so. A Drastic change in driving styles causes the transmission brain (again DSG is a manual gear box shifted by a Computer Brain) to relearn what is going on.

One more thing before I go Bill, If You know so much about this, Then show my your VWoA ASE Certifications on DSG Training! The Guy I talk to at David Maus VW North, on Lee Rd in Orlando has been working on VWs for 30 Years, and is Shop Foreman. [inappropriate content removed]

I'm just trying to give these people what I know, and what I get from Technicians that 100s on this area trust. So, again, crawl yourself back over to Vortex, and let the grown ups with the certifications, or the knowledge passed on to them by certified techs, teach the newbs.

Have a nice day.