DSG S-Mode

DSG S-Mode - 100%, Passing, Never?

Just picked up a “new-used” 2013 JSW DSG.

I came from driving a 5-speed Passat and it seems as if mode “D” on the DSG seems to lug the motor a lot during cruising around town.

How many of you guys with a DSG pop it in “S” mode all the time? It seems like if I use the throttle gently it will still upshift appropriately and keep the power band around 1800-2200.
I’ve had it for about a month now so I am still getting used to it and haven’t ruled out a tune; just looking to see what others through to are. I’ve done a lot of reading and of course Malone vs Kerma come up a lot.

Other than tipping in the throttle it seems the two tunes are fairly similar from TDIClub member reviews; but as far as cruising rpm info for either DSG tune it’s hard to find info.

I mainly use S for city driving because D lugs around too much for my liking at the 30-40 MPH speeds my commute consists of. There are some sections in 35 MPH zones (stick to about 38-40) where D will have the engine loafing along at 1100-1200 RPM - dropping into sport it kicks it down so the revs are 1800-2000 RPM which audibly sounds better, the NVH when its lugging along at 1100 RPM and hits a small uphill grade is kind of objectionable.

Also the off the line clutch feathering is quite a bit more aggressive in S vs D.

I like the concept of DSG. We have one in the GTI and it does a great job of planning the next shift.

Shift feels instantaneous much faster than I could do with my 5 speed.

Running in "S" mode will definitely raise the RPM between shifts. I usually just use the paddle shifters to grab a lower gear if I need more get up and go. This is not so easy if you don't have paddles.

I have considered getting our DSG tuned but I need to have some engine mods done to appreciate it. I would contact Malone and talk to them about the benefits of a tune.

The nice part is that you can bump the engine power and tune the DSG however, with a standard, you would probably start slipping the clutch with more power.

I move back and forth between S and manual. It would be nice to get a paddle wheel so I can just leave it in S and shift when I want. I don't like the way D is programmed and almost never use it.

misternoggin said:

I move back and forth between S and manual. It would be nice to get a paddle wheel so I can just leave it in S and shift when I want. I don't like the way D is programmed and almost never use it.

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Agree'd; tracking a wheel down with the airbag is the tricky part!

You can get a wheel from the Golf which shouldn't require the airbag. Verify to make sure, but I think you should be good.

KermaTDI has a fantastic DSG tune that eliminates the lugging in D mode.

https://youtu.be/5AWImwRswDM

I've always wondered if the tune would have an adverse effect on the durability of the DSG.

In my opinion it’s pretty hard to lug the engine with so much torque, I never go into sport mode

CDKJudoka said:

I've always wondered if the tune would have an adverse effect on the durability of the DSG.

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This is what concerns me.


I'm confident VW tuned it within its limits; I still think 'D' doesnt stay in the power band and "lugs". Yes the motor has a lot of torque, but when the motor is at 1100-1300 rpm it's really loaded compared to staying in its natural "happy place" of around 1800-2200 where the torque is fully "behind you".


Most guys with a DSG tune don't seem to report issues down the road from the tune however maybe were not hearing about them..






.

I can't see how a tune is putting any more stress on the tranny. Sport mode isn't harder on it but it does decreases fuel economy.

97B4TDi said:

This is what concerns me.


I'm confident VW tuned it within its limits; I still think 'D' doesnt stay in the power band and "lugs". Yes the motor has a lot of torque, but when the motor is at 1100-1300 rpm it's really loaded compared to staying in its natural "happy place" of around 1800-2200 where the torque is fully "behind you".


Most guys with a DSG tune don't seem to report issues down the road from the tune however maybe were not hearing about them...

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A DSG tune won't put any additional stress on the engine. Again please watch the YouTube video I posted above to show a very happy customer with a KermaTDI DSG tune. It reprogrammed the shift points to, in short, keep the engine in it's high-efficiency rev range

ATR said:

A DSG tune won't put any additional stress on the engine. Again please watch the YouTube video I posted above to show a very happy customer with a KermaTDI DSG tune. It reprogrammed the shift points to, in short, keep the engine in it's high-efficiency rev range

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It’s not a concern of stress in the engine more of a concern of elevated wear to the dsg parts.

97B4TDi said:

It’s not a concern of stress in the engine more of a concern of elevated wear to the dsg parts.

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Same for the DSG transmission. The only thing it's doing is keeping the engine spinning a little faster.

I like the more aggressive downshifting S provides, but it also hangs in the gear too long when accelerating. The power really drops off before the up-shift. I feel S only got it half right. I also agree that D can sometimes be chugging along at a very low RPM. I'm ok with it most of the time.

I drive mine manually quite a lot. I don't have paddles (yet), so I move the shifter from D to +/-, and I use those quite often. I use D most of the time, but use S when I want sporty response but don't want to shift manually.

We all realize that the TDI is not really performance oriented right? Even with a tune (Stage II) it's not that fast. It's made for good MPG and long hauls that is why D is the way it is.

D = Fuel Economy (I've not noticed it to LUG I believe it will learn based off your driving habits)

S = Sport Mode (Increases RPM shift points to use more of the power band and provides a more performance oriented (punchier) driving experience without you having to think about shifting. Down shifts are also more aggressive especially when tuned.

Manual = Whatever you want it to be, fuel economy or sport driving.

Optimal shift point when "racing" for the TDI are at 4k that's where the power band rapidly drops off. Many sports cars are at 6-7k. That's a 2k to 3k difference. Knowing this may lower your interpretation of it lugging. D mode shifting at 1.75k or 2k rpms isn't lugging when the optimal shift point when "racing" is at 4k.

You may want to look at a dyno chart if you haven't already you'll see it.

I've found S mode is useful for towing, but tends to hang in a gear when not needed. It is the polar opposite of D, which shifts too early then beats the stuffing outta the DMF. Some DCT cars have more than 2 shift maps. I wish these cars had Eco, Drive, Towing, Sport, Track, etc.