Consumer action on DSG mileage

[jklymak]

In my car every time I come to a stop the brakes engage and stay engaged for a second or so after the pedal is released.

Just checked, and mine doesn't do this on flats: it starts rolling if I take my foot off the brake. I only get the behavior you describe if I'm on a relatively steep incline.

Our car is brand new but the rear rotors were getting very hot and backing up was hard. So I took advice of many on here and backed off the e-brake so it took 5 or so clicks to engage rather than just 2, and backing up is easier and the rotors appear to be the same heat all the way around the car. So I'm relatively optimistic that loosening the e-brake cable has fixed my hot rotor issue. No doubt this also affected my mileage, but I haven't even got the gauge to drop below Full yet, so its hard to tell ;-).

Just in case anyone is wondering why I was checking the rotors obsessively on a 2 day old car - 2 miles off the lot, the left rear wheel was visibly smoking.

 

[BarnyardsTDI]

Ive hit an Average of 43.2 on an all highway trip. I might add that was from Flagstaff Arizona to Fresno California. 603 Miles on a tank. oh and 300 pounds of stuff in the back. its possible. give it time. I did that with 20,000 already on the car.

 

[Elfnmagik]

Just in case anyone is wondering why I was checking the rotors obsessively on a 2 day old car - 2 miles off the lot, the left rear wheel was visibly smoking.

You'll go through the pad in less 30k.

 

[tcp_ip_dude]

You'll go through the pad in less 30k.

It depends on driving style (highway vs. city). I'm getting ready to turn 30K, my pads look good, haven't measured them, but pretty sure I'm not even half way through them, I'll easily get another 30K out of them, probably more.

 

[Elfnmagik]

Is your left rear rotor to the point of smoking after driving? Mine were quite hot even after highway driving and stopping without using the brakes. I suspect if the same is true of jklymak's, he'll be lucky to see 40k.

 

[740GLE]

At 40K my pads look good all around.

yank the ever living crap out of the ebrake if it only clicks two clicks before getting tight, leave it over night to stretch. This will strech the cable out so that you'll get 4-5 clicks before getting resistance.

 

[tcp_ip_dude]

Is your left rear rotor to the point of smoking after driving? Mine were quite hot even after highway driving and stopping without using the brakes. I suspect if the same is true of jklymak's, he'll be lucky to see 40k.

Sorry, misunderstood. No, if I coast to a stop from highway speed all my rotors are cool (i.e. I can touch with my finger and are slightly warm)

 

[jklymak]

At 40K my pads look good all around.

yank the ever living crap out of the ebrake if it only clicks two clicks before getting tight, leave it over night to stretch. This will strech the cable out so that you'll get 4-5 clicks before getting resistance.

Some folks over on another thread were saying this might be a bad idea as it could damage the brake-side actuator. I'm not sure (would it really be that delicate that you could damage by hand), but went ahead and backed off the brake by accessing the adjustment under the console. I'll report in a few days - but so far things seem better. Hopefully I won't need new pads in 40k miles!

 

[meowguy]

Just a thought. Perhaps the DSG update screws up the setting for the wheel size of the vehicle. That would mess with your mileage. It would be easy enough to check this with a portable GPS unit. Just set your cruise at 60 and see what the GPS speed reading is. That would be close enough to tell.

I can't really imagine what they possibly could have done to the DSG with a software update that would otherwise give you those poor mileage numbers.

 

[BMLO13]

My GPS never matches any of my cars for MPH, and at times will be off on the ODO.

 

[ken_e]

I average between 36-41 MPGs daily, I do a lot of driving with a mix of city and highway. My mpgs shrink around 70 but above 77 they begin to level off again, based on the dash... The worst that I've ever averaged, whilst driving hard on the back roads near my house, was 22 MPGs. The calculated miles per tank are pretty close to the car's readout.

 

[Fordcougar]

Ken, I noticed the same thing today, there seems to be several sweet spots for fuel mileage... today I was in a heavy rush to Orlando, running 77-80mph and I averaged MFI 39.5, Normally I hover 70-75 and only get 35mpg... granted there are a lot of variables, but I wasn't driving gingerly today..

 

[740GLE]

Some folks over on another thread were saying this might be a bad idea as it could damage the brake-side actuator. I'm not sure (would it really be that delicate that you could damage by hand), but went ahead and backed off the brake by accessing the adjustment under the console. I'll report in a few days - but so far things seem better. Hopefully I won't need new pads in 40k miles!

So far I don't think I have caused any damage. Each time I rotate the tires, i check the mechanical linkage on the rear calipers and try and get some play and movement to see if there's any binding, everything seems smooth so far.

After hearing people needed pads after <40K I don't think there's anything wrong with my method. BTW I did this first month of ownership and just recorded a 48mpg tank over 500 miles, this was some around town driving plus two long trips.

 

[meowguy]

My GPS never matches any of my cars for MPH, and at times will be off on the ODO.

Ok, then run a measured mile. A one tenth mile difference is 10% in fuel economy.

What I am saying is this is worth a check where the OP stated the DSG update caused this problem and apparently he has some data to back that up.

 

[IFRCFI]

Are you driving in "S" or "D" mode more often?

This has been asked several times, now. I don't believe it's been answered by the OP.

 

[xtu1963]

I do mostly city driving during the week and get 33 mpg. On longer trips with highways and less stop and go I have seen ~45 mpg. I have a '11 sedan with DSG and 4500 miles on it. I'm not the least bit disappointed, but then again I only have my Challenger (best case 25 mpg) to compare it to.

 

[GearheadzTV]

FWIW,
With that said, I'm getting pretty crappy mileage on my '11, but I just picked it up last week (only 3700 miles) and I doubt the previous owners did anything to break the car in.
I have faith that I will start average well into the 40's with the '11 after a couple more thousand miles.

I never use the A/C at all. I have 6,000 miles. The number of gallons would indicate I am getting a good fill. Tire pressure good. No crap in the back.

I too wish the mileage was better, but it is steadily improving. Almost 5000miles now.

After 3 months of driving my 11 JSW DSG, I have 9000 miles, my worst tank was the first that the dealer filled and had extended idling during delivery 38.5 mpg. Since then I have not dropped below 40, with a high of 42. 75 percent hwy, 25 in town, highway speed 63-70. If I run the ac or break 70 my mpg suffers, but not like what you describe. I am very happy with the blend of performanc and fuel economy, it after all is not a Prius

I don't know how you all have done it, not that I'm complaining...but I've yet to see a tank north of 36 or so...even all highway. But look it's been like one hundred and fifty degrees around here and i've been running the AC full blast since taking possession of the car. I do mostly city driving though and I think I'm average just north of 30MPG through almost 2500 miles. I'm expecting things to gradually improve, but I'm still satisfied thus far.

but I won't say that I'm thrilled about the results either. I've basically resigned myself to a "wait and see" approach. It's still got less than 2500 miles on it after all...

Yes. Suspension and tune (Revo) and other goodies, but the tune would affect it the most and I think I've gotten better mileage since the tune. My car only has 4300 miles on it so I'm not too worried.

Ive hit an Average of 43.2 on an all highway trip. I might add that was from Flagstaff Arizona to Fresno California. 603 Miles on a tank. oh and 300 pounds of stuff in the back. its possible. give it time. I did that with 20,000 already on the car.

Anyone noticing the trend here...? I was a bit concerned with my mpg's also but I have been patiently waiting for the miles to add up before I express any complaints....
My last fillup gained me about 100+ more miles on the tank...that was from 7,000 to 7520 miles. Prior to that I was at a consistent 400-420 miles to the tank...now it's averaging 500-520 miles and counting.
I suspect, as many have stated in the past, that as the motor breaks in fully we should see a significant increase in mpg's.
All we need is a little patience...
Btw- I have a lead foot which I'm also learning how to keep from smashing down on the throttle. Average Hwy speed is cruising around 70 +- 5

 

[740GLE]

Hand calculated, since day one, same fill up procedure I've never seen lower than 40 even in the dead of winter hardly getting up to NOT most of the time.

 

[WVU TDI]

I believe the lowest tank I've had was 36.4mpg or somewhere around there. Middle of last winter when the car would've had about 10k miles, cold temps, and a 20 minute mostly interstate commute. Lifetime average now up to 40.5 over almost 26,000 miles with my last 10 tank rolling average sitting at 42.9mpg.

 

[runningDoc]

in the less than 1000 miles I've got on my 2011 JSW DSG, I've gotten an average of 33mpg. But thats with heavy heavy NYC driving.

I just recomputed my recent trips to maine (with at least 2hours of stop and go traffic) and I got 41mpg going there (around 8 hours 330miles) and 37mpg going back (driving like a bat out of hell in the rain with roof rack and two bikes on top + 2.5 hours traffic).

I was shocked to see such high milage so early - the car was only 2 days old with 60miles on the odometer).

But city driving I barely scrape over 30mpg... my fuelly is around 33mpg overall and my overall MFI reading is 32mpg.

I pretty much resigned to the fact that living in the city and city driving will lower my over all MPG permanently. But its fun to see what I can do on road trips. Hopefully the engine breaks in and I learn how to maximize mpg during city driving.

 

[AO928]

2011 JSW here with 5,000 miles so far, and I too have 45+ on the highway and min 30's in city driving. My 33 mile one-way commute generally gets me 40-41MPG.

 

[Candymaker]

2010 Golf 4dr DSG, just crossed over 30k miles. I routinely average 45-47mpg on my commute of 25 miles. Mostly hwy driving (65-70mph) with A/C on, and I'm quite quick on the accelerator usually. I know I could go over 50 with a little effort.

 

[2009TDIx2]

2009 Jetta TDI DSG with 44,000 miles. I am now averaging 49 mpg with almost all highway driving. My daily commute is 40 miles each way all highway.

Turn off the AC, slow down and take long trips. You'll average in the mid 40's.

I have had only one tank under 40 mpg since I bought it new. Lifetime is probably averaging 45 mpg. Big mileage improvement after 40,000 miles. Best tank is 690 miles.

 

[KonaJack]

I have recorded each fill-up down to the tenth of a mile and hundredth of a gallon (for HPFP warranty purposes). I have averaged just over 39 MPG in my 2011 Golf TDI w/DSG in mixed driving (about 36 MPG in winter) and routinely get mid 40's on the freeway (and can get 50 MPG for extended distances in good conditions) I'm very happy with my MPG as it exceeds EPA's numbers's comfortably (ask a Chevy Cruze driver how happy he is with a car that can't get close to it's EPA ratings). However, using cruise control measurably reduces my mileage - by at least 3 -5 MPG. The cruise program merely tries to maintain a constant speed rather than enhancing mileage by reaching cruise speed more quickly and reducing throttle when advantageous. It never "gets in the zone". Also, the mileage drops off significantly when averaging over 65 MPH and when there is a headwind or any increase in elevation during a trip. best mileage is between 55 MPH and 65 MPH. I love the DSG.

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

I guess it's a matter of point of view. KonaJack, your MPG numbers really aren't significantly better than the OP's, and it seems that you can only get 50 if you drive 55-65 MPH. That's what he was saying, too, and, like the OP, I can get 50 on a trip in my wagon at 75-80 MPH. That's the issue.

 

[oxford_guy]

There are a lot of real reasons to be upset with VW (apparently flawed intercooler that is not being replaced for all buyers, HPFP that likely cannot handle US spec fuel with its 520 wear scar), but this doesn't appear to be one of them -- unless you think the trip computer is purposefully designed to report dramatically inflated MPGs. The speedometer could also be inflated.

Inflated speedometer + inflated trip computer = inflated MPG estimates

The EPA ratings clearly state that they are only rough estimates. I could understand being upset with VW (or the EPA) is the car would be marketed as having something like 30/42 and instead gets 20/30 for the average driver. That would show that something definitely is amiss. The EPA rating, and the rating from VW, should reflect the average driver's typical mileage—with a stated range that shows that is possible under real-world conditions in both directions.

By the way, remember the Energy Star scandal wherein products were rated by the manufacturers and their claims weren't tested by the government to see if they were legitimate? Fake products were rated by people posing as manufacturers and they were approved by the Energy Star program.

A gasoline-powered alarm clock and an "air purifier" consisting of a space heater with a feather duster on top? Yep... those were certified!

The GAO's products were fake, but the implications are real. Companies were recently caught selling refrigerators with the Energy Star label that did not actually meet the standard.

 

[KonaJack]

I guess part of the reason I'm "OK" with my mileage is that the CR TDI engine is far more powerful than the previous generation which I acknowledge can definitely provide better mileage. The power and torque makes the CR 2.0 a blast to drive - the tradeoff is one I would conciously make. I gave up a Prius in order to forego a little mileage for a quantum leap in driving enjoyment. If it wasn't for the very stringent emissions standards we now have and VW's method for meeting them, I would guess that the new car might very well match the Mark IV TDI's. I have a feeling, though, that once someone is used to the truly remarkable mileage of the older TDI's, it's hard to give it up, even the with the extra acceleration and cleaner emissions from the new one.

 

[mntbighker]

This has been asked several times, now. I don't believe it's been answered by the OP.

I only use S for twisty mountain roads with hills.

Has anyone considered that possibly the "break-in" process that appears to increase mileage so much could just be that the mis-adjusted rear brakes finally wear to the point they stop dragging?

 

[P.h.Diesel]

Hmmm, good question.

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

Has anyone considered that possibly the "break-in" process that appears to increase mileage so much could just be that the mis-adjusted rear brakes finally wear to the point they stop dragging?

Doubtful. Many people have experienced improved FE after a reasonable break-in period on cars that had no problems with dragging rear brakes, including me. My car improved steadily until I reached 60K, and my OE rear brakes lasted 132K. I doubt they were dragging.