DSG reversing uphill

[briwy]

We got our Cali yesterday and were over the moon with it until I tried to reverse it up our drive.
No way will it do it. It will set off and then either stop completely or stall the engine. Trying to start reversing on the slope is impossible. The only way I can get it even part way up is to hold it on the handbrake, give it some revs and let the handbrake off. It then sets off uncontrollably. Totally impossible to reverse at a reasonable, controlled speed.
If we can't get this sorted then it will have to go back as both our entrances require reversing slowly uphill.
Living here in the Peak District it's essential that it will reverse uphill.
Just to rub it in the auto 4wd Bongo is no problem at all, totally controllable.
Is this normal with a DSG box, or is it faulty?
Any ideas would be much appreciated as otherwise its perfect.

Just to give some idea of the slope. That's as far as the Cali will go.

 

[inthemidnighthour]

Hi
we have a 12 plate 180 DSG and a very steep drive
if we reverse in from the flat without stopping we have no problems
however occassionally if we stop on the slope whilst reversing alot of revs are needed to restart reversing
dave and lisa

 

[Tangle Foot]

Does it go up forwards ok?

 

[Californiaman]

I can't say that I've had a problem. Not sure how steep a hill I've tried. I will seek something out at the weekend and have a go!

 

[briwy]

Thanks for the replies.
It's slightly better forward but not good. Wont go smoothly, just lurches forwards.
It's going back to the dealer this afternoon for them to check as at the moment it's impossible to get it onto our property.
Just been out and tried a hill start on the lane leading up to our house and it really struggled to get going. I'm sure there is something amiss so hopefully they can sort it out.

 

[surfbus]

I have a DSG Caravelle.
Exactly the same issues when reversing on a slope.
You slowly increase the revs in reverse with no movement, increase revs a little more .... no movement, increase revs a bit more ... then suddenly it lurches back.
Not a fault, more of a feature that you have to be aware of and treat with caution. :¬)

 

[briwy]

Well hopefully it's sorted.
We took it back and went out with a technician and tried it on a steep hill. True to form it lurched and stalled or shot off like a scalded cat with me driving.
The technician then took over and up it went, smooth as silk.
The problem was obviously me, having previously driven automatics with torque converters I was using the footbrake to hold the vehicle.
After a few practices with Chris the technician instructing I seem to have got the hang of it.
Chris explained that the DSG box is not an automatic in the true sense but a manual box that works automatically. :?
He said that it is OK to hold the vehicle on the revs, basically slipping the clutches. This went completely against the grain with me, as an engineer I fully expected it to do some damage but apparently it's OK. Holding it on the footbrake while trying to get some revs confuses the ECU and it stops the vehicle as it is getting conflicting information, ie trying to rev it but the brake is on.
However, I have now managed to back it up the drive without stalling or smashing into the garage door so all good for now. Next step is to get it round the back without going over a five foot drop onto the conservatory.

 

[Californiaman]

Glad to hear it. I managed to find a reasonable slope and had no problems - also where I park, I climb over a curb and it just creeps up and over like a good 'un. Happy DSG'ing!

 

[Jabberwocky]

Well hopefully it's sorted.
We took it back and went out with a technician and tried it on a steep hill. True to form it lurched and stalled or shot off like a scalded cat with me driving.
The technician then took over and up it went, smooth as silk.
The problem was obviously me, having previously driven automatics with torque converters I was using the footbrake to hold the vehicle.
After a few practices with Chris the technician instructing I seem to have got the hang of it.
Chris explained that the DSG box is not an automatic in the true sense but a manual box that works automatically. :?
He said that it is OK to hold the vehicle on the revs, basically slipping the clutches. This went completely against the grain with me, as an engineer I fully expected it to do some damage but apparently it's OK. Holding it on the footbrake while trying to get some revs confuses the ECU and it stops the vehicle as it is getting conflicting information, ie trying to rev it but the brake is on.
However, I have now managed to back it up the drive without stalling or smashing into the garage door so all good for now. Next step is to get it round the back without going over a five foot drop onto the conservatory.

I know your post was a long time ago Brian but just as relevant today. We have bent bike rack due to the Cali’s reverse lurch action! Thanks for the tips resulting from your experience.

 

[Joefarina]

I don’t know if it’a The same issue. I dad an Audi Q5 with DSG and I got a lot of problems reversing uphill. It had lot of mileage. I solved it selecting p and then reverse again, so it seems to engage clutch better avoiding it to slip a lot. Then I had gear oil changed and washed and the issue disappeared for another 60.000 miles

 

[PeterS]

Well hopefully it's sorted.
We took it back and went out with a technician and tried it on a steep hill. True to form it lurched and stalled or shot off like a scalded cat with me driving.
The technician then took over and up it went, smooth as silk.
The problem was obviously me, having previously driven automatics with torque converters I was using the footbrake to hold the vehicle.
After a few practices with Chris the technician instructing I seem to have got the hang of it.
Chris explained that the DSG box is not an automatic in the true sense but a manual box that works automatically. :?
He said that it is OK to hold the vehicle on the revs, basically slipping the clutches. This went completely against the grain with me, as an engineer I fully expected it to do some damage but apparently it's OK. Holding it on the footbrake while trying to get some revs confuses the ECU and it stops the vehicle as it is getting conflicting information, ie trying to rev it but the brake is on.
However, I have now managed to back it up the drive without stalling or smashing into the garage door so all good for now. Next step is to get it round the back without going over a five foot drop onto the conservatory.

Thanks for your information above - I have exactly the same problem with a new T6. After some time can you confirm that you are now OK with using the throttle to hold the vehicle with the clutch “slipping” as it were? And what of the issue that if in starting the engine on a slope then moving the gear lever into reverse the driver must use either the foot brake or handbrake to hold the vehicle stationary on the slope. But the instant the Foot brake is released the car runs fwd despite being in Reverse and having some revs applied.

It honestly seems to be a dangerous and bewildering process.

have you mastered a technique and can you describe it please?

 

[Alan Andrews]

Good to see this thread live again.

When I first got our T6 Ocean DSG, I also felt there was something wrong with the van, so took it to the VW Cali centre for inspection, and like you was told that everything was normal.

I posted the issue on here also.

After a year of use, it still catches me out occasionally when I have 'lost' the technique.

I now know to use the throttle to control the reversing and is fine.

I was told that it is because the hill hold kicks in, so using the brake just confuses the system more.

I do not know whether it is possible to disable the hill hold in order to test the theory.

 

[PeterS]

Good to see this thread live again.

When I first got our T6 Ocean DSG, I also felt there was something wrong with the van, so took it to the VW Cali centre for inspection, and like you was told that everything was normal.

I posted the issue on here also.

After a year of use, it still catches me out occasionally when I have 'lost' the technique.

I now know to use the throttle to control the reversing and is fine.

I was told that it is because the hill hold kicks in, so using the brake just confuses the system more.

I do not know whether it is possible to disable the hill hold in order to test the theory.

Hi Alan

ive discovered this much at least after my near disastrous crash into a fence when facing it downslope in a council car park ...

I experimented on several sloping roads just simulating a “reverse park” on quite steep slopes. If I came to a stop, then engaged reverse and then moved from foot rake to accelerator fairly quickly but smoothly, no problem. The vehicle clearly held itself stationary, then smoothly reversed according to the throttle inputs I made.

BUT ... I’m certain that if I park facing DOWN a quite steep slope, turn off the engine and park by engaging Park thence the hand brake then starting up again, engaging R and trying to reverse there is no way the vehicle holds itself after I release the foot brake, the bloody thing rolls forward - dangerously and in quite an alarming fashion.

I’m not imagining this and believe that the only way to overcome it is to use the handbrake to hold the vehicle then, with R engaged, apply appropriate throttle until it engages enough to hold and ultimately move the vehicle in reverse up the slope.

I keep asking myself why on earth has VW invented the DSG gearbox, 70 years after the Yanks perfected a sloppy old lazy automatic box that does the job well? Were they all bored one day and decided “Vy don’t vee invent zee wheel again Fritz”. I’m honestly looking for what advantages the nasty, grabbing, savage lurching DSG confers on the hapless owner?

 

[clarinetbcn]

I keep asking myself why on earth has VW invented the DSG gearbox, 70 years after the Yanks perfected a sloppy old lazy automatic box that does the job well? Were they all bored one day and decided “Vy don’t vee invent zee wheel again Fritz”. I’m honestly looking for what advantages the nasty, grabbing, savage lurching DSG confers on the hapless owner?

The DSG is not an automatic gearbox, it is essentially a manual gearbox with a computer controlled automatic clutch system combined with a computer controlled shift lever. Why? Torque converter automatics are smooth because of the internal slippage of their fluid couplings. This slippage is also the reason for their lower efficiency and higher consumption compared to manuals. The DSG is Volkswagen’s atempt to create a transmission with the efficiency of a manual and the convenience of an automatic, resulting in a highly complex piece of machinery controlled by even more complex software. Obviously there is room for improvement, but a lot of the problem is that for marketing reasons VW sells this as an automatic transmission, and people who have experience with automatics are surprized that it doesn’t behave like one.

 

[Meoncoast]

I have never had an issue with our vans both DSG, our drive is on a slope and I back out into our road. The gearbox works 100% for me, perhaps I do not have an issue as the DSG is the only auto box I have driven.

 

[SailSki]

I only have a slight slope to reverse back up in the underground car park I use - as long as I give the gearbox a couple of seconds to settle after selecting reverse everything is fine and I goes back smoothly, but if I don’t wait it rolls forward. Patience seems to be the key