2011 Golf "hesitation"

[TV 97]

Hello guys, I recently purchased a 2011 Golf TDI 6 speed, and love it! I've had it for about an a half now. The car was used with 57xxx miles. Only issue I can spot with the car is it seems to have some hesitation upon acceleration. Not sure if this is normal due to all the emission stuff or if there is an issue. Upon acceleration after shifting, the engine will rev up like it should but then hesitate as if something is holding it back. It mostly happens only in 3rd gear. Is this something anyone else has experienced? The engine light has not come on so far. Im new to the TDI world so im not quite sure what it could be. Any info would be much appreciated!

Also yesterday the engine was having a really rough idle, almost stuttering. Its starting to drive me crazy!

 

[canux]

The stuttering may be water in your intercooler. See the sticky about that in this forum. The de-fuelling is also a known issue. There are two de-fuelling issues. The first is a hill-cresting issue where the ECU seems to cut fuel when you transition from uphill to downhill. If you haven't experienced this, you will.

The other de-fuelling issue (the one you describe) is a matter of debate. Although I have not weighed in with my theory previously, I believe this is a driving style issue. The ECU will cut fuel if you try to rev the engine beyond 2.5k RPMs or so if you are in "neutral" (meaning not in gear in a standard). In practical terms this means that if you are planning to pass someone and you typically clutch, move out of the gear, then give it gas while you move it into the higher gear, and then drop the clutch, you will be disappointed. Because between the gears you are in neutral and have tried to rev past 2.5k RPM. Again, this is driving style. I end up doing this out of habit when I'm in a real hurry and forget what I'm supposed to do. The car always rudely reminds me of my fault.

This has been previously incorrectly diagnosed as everything from intercooler icing to a failing HPFP. I'm pretty sure folks are not even aware they are driving in this manner. Just make sure you get the car into the next gear and clutched in before you lean on the accelerator and you should see this "problem" go away.

EDIT: re-reading your post it sounds like you are having this issue well after you are in gear. If that is the case then you can safely ignore the above. I would do a fuel filter change, get some fresh diesel and dose it with something like PowerService as a first step. There is lots of info on this forum about fuel filter changes and what to look for when you do one.

 

[sandmansans]

My girlfriends non tdi jetta does this. I think it has something to do with the dsg. I don't experience it under wot, but under Slightly above normal acceleration on the highway it happens from time to time. I know u said u have a 6spd but did u mean Mt or dsg

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[BluGraphTDI]

Does the hesitation happen right around 2000 RPM under slight acceleration?

There is a very common 2000 RPM stutter issue with these cars.

 

[b1jackson]

Yep, freaked me out when I first got the car as it happened when I was low on fuel and I thought I was running out. Happened many times since then and consider it the norm.

 

[TV 97]

Sorry I should have clarified mine is a manual trans. Sandman mine does the same thing. Normal acceleration from a stop light it will do it and with slightly more throttle, but when it occurs if I really step on it it will pick up an pull hard just great. So it seems to be more in the lower RPMS's for me. I do have an intake on the car and a slight exhaust modification, but nothing drastic enough to need a tune, how sensitive are these motors to intake/exhaust flow changes?

 

[sandmansans]

Have u had the ecu flash to accommodate the tunes? Also an CEL on?

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[TV 97]

No I have not done anything tune related. What exactly is the CEL? Again im new to this car its all strange to me.

 

[ksing44]

I vote for normal too! Mine does it all the time. It seems to be most common in 3rd gear, but I've had it happen in other gears too. Like mentioned above, I think it's a "de-fueling" thing controlled by the ECM. Mine typically happens under light throttle, e.g., hill cresting when you might let off the gas a little. It doesn't typically happen under full WOT. I have 82K miles so far on my car and purchased it new in 2010 with 8 miles on the odometer.

Good luck with your car. Try to enjoy the ride and worry less! Or, get a gasser.


PS: I can also get a little rough running during a regen. I can see my EGT is elevated and the car just runs a bit weird, kind of herky jerky I would say.

 

[volks27]

'12 Golf MT 45k km, I'm also having "hesitations" (sorry if I'm thread jacking). Car always starts great but into the "heating up" stages (i.e. few minutes driving) the car has hickups (like a gas car mis-fire). It's easy to notice, even the passengers are commenting "are we going to make it" as a joke. Is this the same behaviour everyone is having ?

 

[ksing44]

^^Yes, that's it!

No worries, just drive that thing!

 

[TV 97]

Sounds like it's a common thing! Mine does the same thing that you guys are describing. As mentioned above mine will also occur in other gears, mostly 2nd and 3rd. Glad to know im not the only one experiencing this. I'll look into changing the fuel filter an see how she does.

 

[ksing44]

^^Please, don't change the fuel filter until it is required by the VW specifications. It's got nothing to do with the hesitation!

PS: As many have commented, you need to drive more and worry less!

 

[tbarnhart]

Mine does that as well. Seems normal for these cars.

 

[Black11TDI]

I notice mine (DSG) more so if I start the car up and take off down the street and pull in the coffee shop drive thru the car will hesitate and sputter a bit, even the Barista noticed it and asked if my pretty car was okay..LOL Yep just a normal cold blooded diesel!

 

[out-n-about]

Funny this is exactly what mine does as well. I only notice it first thing after I start it up and driving for a little bit. Once the car is warmed up I don't seem to notice any hesitation.

Guess I'm not the only one.

 

[CsTDI]

normal. Even set on ROW with hill hold deactivated, you can usually still detect the slightest of hesitation. Noone is exempt