Engine Shudder When Shifting From Man to "D"

I've had this twice now and wonder if it's a problem or just a quirk of the NMS Passat. I have a 13' with the DSG. If I use the manual mode and then forget to put it back in "D", come to a full stop, accelerate again, see that the car does not shift and then throw it back in "D" around 3k rpm it happens. It feels like the ECU cuts off the engine, the whole car jerks hard once, the glow plug and DPF warning lights come on and then it recovers and is fine after a moment.

Anyone else have this experience?

This is the first time I've heard of this one, and... you shouldn't be having this experience either. With warning lights flashing, it should be storing a code, so I would have it looked at by someone competent.

Stop forgetting to put it back in D - or remember to shift out of 1st?

You need to scan for codes to see what's going on. This is the first I've heard of this complaint.

Are you still accelerating or have the accelerator held down when you throw it back into D? Maybe try it again but this time let off the accelerator completely and throw it back to D, and see what happens. This brings up a question, can we do the "no lift to shift" with DSG? I haven't been lifting off the accelerator pedal to shift in manual mode. Probably not bad during a normal acceleration, but when I gun it, might not be good for the trans?

I started out on my 09 DSG lifting at shift points. The DSG was not happy dooing this, making for very weird on/off fuel delivery.

It is designed to shift how ever it needs to shift to create a seamless transition from gear-to-gear regardless of pedal position. You should NOT lift when shifting gears manually or automatically.

13 TDI auto does same thing shifting from S to D lights and all. But is not always it seems like rpm or acceleration rate trigger instance but it is a jerk and the glow light comes and then goes back away. I go in today for 6k dealer visit. I am asking.

Can someone who is having an issue get their camera phone out and record this happening? Thanks!

docjynx said:

13 TDI auto does same thing shifting from S to D lights and all. But is not always it seems like rpm or acceleration rate trigger instance but it is a jerk and the glow light cones and then comes back. I go in today for 6k dealer visit. I am asking.

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This happened to me one of the very few times I used S mode. I was at a red light and in a lane that was going to end prior to an Interstate merge, so I dropped it into "S" so I had improved acceleration. As I started to merge onto the highway, I put it back into D, and what you described happened.

So, if memory serves, it went like this:

- In D, stopped at red light.
- Shifted into S while still stopped.
- Accelerated to about 50-60MPH.
- Shifted into D.
- All hell broke loose for a second, then everything was normal and I haven't had an issue since.

I haven't used S since then, not because I was afraid of that happening again, but rather because I very rarely use it at all.

That is very strange. Ours transitions from Sport or Manual to Drive seamlessly with no interruptions, errors or warning lights.

VeeDubTDI said:

That is very strange. Ours transitions from Sport or Manual to Drive seamlessly with no interruptions, errors or warning lights.

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Well, I merge onto an Interstate every morning on my way to work, so maybe I'll try it again next week.

I think it has to do with higher rpm operation. I've successfully shifted from man or S to D but only after reaching cruising speed and low rpm again. It's like the ECU has no instruction on how to handle a switch back to D at more than 3K rpm and freaks put for a second.

Scottie3000 said:

I think it has to do with higher rpm operation. I've successfully shifted from man or S to D but only after reaching cruising speed and low rpm again. It's like the ECU has no instruction on how to handle a switch back to D at more than 3K rpm and freaks put for a second.

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I can believe that. My RPMs were still relatively high when I shifted and it exhibited that behavior. The (few) other times I've shifted from S to D without issue, the RPMs were in the 1500-2000 range.

Does the problem happen when you're using heavy throttle application or does it happen at light throttle and high RPMs?

VeeDubTDI said:

This is the first I've heard of this complaint.

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This. I've shifted between "modes" at high RPM and heavy throttle -- it was flawless.

I would consider a high RPM, low throttle shift to be operator error. Perhaps that's why it bucks, assuming those are actually the conditions when this problem is encountered.

If those aren't the conditions then something weird is going on. However, I suspect that these high RPM, low throttle mode changing situations are causing the transmission to freak out and do a double upshift in order to get into the appropriate gear for the load conditions. Perhaps there is an addiitonal factor of drivers reapplying the accelerator during the shift(s) that is causing even more confusion.

Just my $0.02!

I replied to the wrong thread, sorry!

VeeDubTDI said:

Does the problem happen when you're using heavy throttle application or does it happen at light throttle and high RPMs?

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Im pretty sure both times for me it was light throttle, high RPMs Like "Oh, im in manual mode, lets me flick this back into drive and let it shift up a few gears. "

Even so, I've done the same thing in my MKV GTI without incident.

Same here mild not even 3/4 more like half.

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