2010 TDI acceleration problem

[smctdi]

Hi all. I tried a search but really did not know what I was looking for on this topic.

I just bought a 2010 TDI Wagen last week. I've noticed that it does not accelerate very smoothly. There seems to be some type of "lag time" between pushing on the accelerator and the car moving forward. Is this normal for a turbo diesel engine?

[chittychittybangbang]

Let me guess - it has the DSG transmission? It's not related to the engine.

Many are reporting this problem...or quirk? Some say it's minor and is reduced by adjusting how fast and far you press down on the pedal. In some test drives of the 2009-2010 models I've felt it too but it was minor and it didn't happen consistently. Another car had no lag. Maybe others can chime in on how to minimize it.

[smctdi]

Yes, it is the DSG transmission. I was wondering if that might be the problem. I haven't contacted the dealer yet, but I may on Monday if I can't find any support for this being a normal performance quirk. It really caught me by surprise as I went to accelerate into a left turn and almost got hit by oncoming traffic. Once i depressed the accelerator It seemed as thought the car just rolled forward for about five feet before something kicked in and I accelerated through the turn.

[Tomspassat]

Always leave plenty of room to pull out.

This is a common complaint. Tell the story to your dealer to make sure that they look into it.

[stevehecht]

Is this problem common to all model VWs with DSGs?

[chittychittybangbang]

No but some seem to have it worse than others. I just read a review of the Mitsubishi dual clutch transmission. I'm not sure who makes it but they complained of bad lag from a stop. I haven't heard of this problem on Porsches with PDK dual clutch transmission. I'm not sure the exact cause but I believe that the feeling is due to slow clutch take up from a stop.

[rookie]

What are the symptoms of the lag? Does it happen more in cold vs. hot? Maybe its related to ATF temperature?

[smctdi]

I try to avoid stepping on the accelerator when the car is cold so I'm not sure if it would happen then. I've noticed that the lag time is decreased if I drive differently than I used to. The car seems to require a very slow steady depression of the accelerator. That decreases the lag time but it is still a bit jerky from 0 to 20 miles an hour.

[chittychittybangbang]

Very cold ATF temperature and cold/low pressure air could result in the no start problem that is described in the DSG FAQ. This only occurs at high altitude and cold temps and with diesel engines.

I don't know if ATF temp is related to this lag problem but some have described creeping of the transmission at very cold temps.

[rsdi4]

IMHO, this technology needs a little more refinement if totally different cars are having this quirk vs. having this problem.