A3 1.8TFSI jerky stop/start and slow reponse

[plankton]

Bought a 2013 A3 1.8TFSI quattro DSG in March. I'd be really happy with it if it weren't for these problems. Just trying to find out if they all do this, or mine has some sort of fault.

Only had one stop/start car before and that was a 2013 MB E250. That one wasn't jerky at all when the car restarted and moved off. The A3 however is jerky upon moving off after restarting. It's not really bad but just annoying as I'd expect this to be smooth as per the Merc.

Other issue is responsiveness - if I try to floor it (or just move off) from a standstill, there is always a pause before it does anything. This is perhaps half a second, but my 11 year old Saab which I traded in for this moved off the instant I touched the accelerator. As it's a DSG, at traffic lights I've tried having my left foot on the brake and my right foot hovering over the accelerator. As soon as the lights change I press the accelerator and take my foot off the brake simultaneously. The 15 year old Fiesta in the other lane moves off immediately, and once the A3 has woken up, it then moves and accelerates past.

When it does go, it's brilliant for a 1.8 Auto. Getting the power down way better than my old Saab which had way too much power for the front wheels. Very frustrating though - thinking of getting rid of this and getting an older car. Two that look interesting locally:

https://www.pistonheads.com/classifi...tuning/9520600

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Audi-a8-4...o/183797741343

[steamship]

Not the same engine, but a similar set-up, I came across this review:

https://www.caradvice.com.au/365360/...rm-report-one/

It lists pluses and minuses at the top, and one of the minuses is "S tronic gearbox can be a bit slow off the mark". Further down the article you get the following:

As we’ve written in the past, the dual-clutch transmission has some hesitancy from a standstill, but once you learn how the gearbox wants to behave it is easy to counteract in most circumstances. There are, however, moments when you plant your foot and seemingly wait a little longer than you’d hope for the initial progress to be made – crossing intersections, for instance.

I have no idea how these DSG gearboxes work, but also found this comment elsewhere:

S holds the box in gear on the clutch so when you hit the throttle it just engages the clutch and goes. D holds the box in neutral so you have a slight delay but you barely notice it (the clutches are very quick in a DSG). Not really checked which M does.

[plankton]

Thanks for that - I'll give it a go in Sport to see if that makes a difference.

I bought this specific car just because it had Adaptive Cruise. That won't be a must have on my next car.

[tc4332]

Originally Posted by plankton

Thanks for that - I'll give it a go in Sport to see if that makes a difference.

I bought this specific car just because it had Adaptive Cruise. That won't be a must have on my next car.

ACC can be a bit marmite and takes some getting used to but is rather good once you learn to trust it.
On the safety side always be ready to jump in.

[tonupkid]

Originally Posted by tc4332

ACC can be a bit marmite and takes some getting used to but is rather good once you learn to trust it.
On the safety side always be ready to jump in.

And... ACC is getting better with each new generation. In addition I like that (My wifes) car is able to jump on the brakes quicker than me in extreme circumstances. It's happened once in three years. I'm not prone to driving close or rear ending people, but these systems are quick to recognise the extent to which seemingly slowing traffic in front is in fact emergency braking.
BTW that situation was caused by an Audi driver making a left turn to go up an acceleration lane on the A38 dual carriageway.
She was nearly T Boned by an artic that had to take to the verge to avoid rear ending the cars in its lane between it and her car.
This was all on the brow of a hill with limited vision of what was unfolding ahead.

[briang9]

Start/Stop technology is another fine example of technology for it's own sake, bugger who invented it should be shot. Thankfully none of my cars have it but whenever I get in any that does it gets switched of sharpish...