Useful Tips on Driving Cars Equipped with DSG Transmissions

Progress does not stand still as new technologies emerge in the automotive industry every day. Special attention should be paid to significant achievements of automobile engineers in the field of automobile technologies. Pre-selective transmission technologies gained significant popularity with the release of DSG6 (DQ-250) and DSG7 (DQ-200) transmissions designed by Volkswagen.

Cross-section of DSG6 (DQ250)

Cross-section of DSG7 (DQ200)

DSG is an automated manual transmission equipped with 2 clutches and a separate control unit called Mechatronics. Nowadays, DSGs are considered to be one of the most common robotic transmissions offered on the market. Despite numerous advantages, DSG transmissions are quite complex and often cause criticism among common drivers because of numerous repair issues. Thus, it is necessary to take into account some peculiarities of these transmissions and adhere to some operating rules to prolong the service life of these sophisticated units. In this article we will consider the main recommendations on practical usage of DSG transmissions.

How to Use DSG Transmission Properly

DSG units combine the dynamics of manuals and the comfort of automatics. VW engineers made a lot of efforts to design an ideal transmission solution. Despite numerous drawbacks in initials designs of DSGs, experts consider pre-selective gearboxes to be one of the most promising transmission technologies. Currently, the automotive market follows the trend of comprehensive automation of all car systems. Despite similarities of DSG transmissions to manuals (in design) and automatics (in operating principles), driving a car equipped with a DSG differs from cars equipped with other types of transmissions (manual transmission, CVT, automatic transmission, robotic transmission with a single-plate clutch).

DSG6 vs. DSG7

Moreover, DSG operating rules differ depending on the DSG model (6 or 7) installed on a particular car model. The thing is that the DSG6 transmission is equipped with a “wet” clutch (this clutch operates in the oil bath), while the DSG7 unit has a “dry” clutch. With time clutch discs on both DSG models wear out, but in case with DSG7 it happens much faster. It means that an aggressive driving, sudden accelerations from a standstill are strictly prohibited for DSG7, while with DSG-6 units such situations are tolerable.

DSG transmission explained

The thing is that “wet” clutches operating in oil baths are more protected from wear and overheating than their “dry” analogs. Moreover, the DSG6 system was originally designed for more torque (about 350 Nm), while the 7-speed version can handle no more than 250 Nm. In practice, it means that the chip-tuning and severe operating conditions will rapidly “kill” the DSG7 system. If these recommendations are neglected, the new DSG7 transmission may get out of order even before covering 50-70 thousand kilometers, resulting in highly-priced repairs.

How to use DSG transmission properly in traffic jams

• It is not recommended to set the gear selector to N position. Modern robotic transmissions drop out of meshing simply by pressing the brake pedal. In other words, when the brake is pressed, the car is in neutral.
• Do not drive very short distances frequently alternating gas-brake pedals. Each time when you release the brake – it's as if you release the clutch, it automatically starts coming into contact with the flywheel, and it slips due to incomplete contact. When you release the brake and start driving at a speed of 5-6 km/h, then the full engagement takes place.
• Let the car in front drive at a distance of about 5 meters from your car and follow this car at a low speed in first gear.
• The resource of DSG6 and DSG7 directly depends on whether the transmission in a traffic jam will shift to the 2-nd gear or not. Frequent shifts from the 1-st to the 2-nd gear and vice versa in traffic jams will kill any robotic transmission with 2 clutches (clutch and flywheel wear and overheat). To avoid such situations, it is better to switch to manual control. To put it simply, drivers independently engage the 1-st gear and do not shift to the second in the situation described above.

Info on operating DSG transmission from Volkswagen

More rules and recommendations on DSG transmissions

To enhance the resource of DSG transmissions, experts also recommend active pressing of the brake pedal when shifting gears. If drivers step on the brake pedal not hard enough, the DSG mechanism does not fully open clutch discs, thereby increasing wear of this transmission component. It is also important to bear in mind that the “shifting to N” rule during stops relevant to robotic transmission with a one-disc clutch affect DSG transmissions to a lesser extent. In other words, it is not necessary to engage N gear at traffic lights and when idling for up to 60 seconds, as frequent gear shifting leads to wear of transmission components.

DSG transmissions (especially a 7-speed version) are even more sensitive to slippages than automatic transmissions. Thus, it is strictly prohibited to slip in the mud, on ice, and when starting from a standstill in the manual mode. When parking the car equipped with the DSG transmission, it is necessary not only to shift to the “Parking” gear, but also to engage the hand brake in order to prolong the service life of a special blocking mechanism, which prevents the car from rolling back. Gear shifts must be smooth, with a slight delay of about 1 second. During this time, the electronic part of the transmission manages to adjust to the process.

Useful tips on driving a car with a dual-clutch transmission

It should be added that a car equipped with the DSG transmission should not be overloaded by towing a trailer or other vehicle, as well as heavy loads in the car itself. In practice, cars (heavy in themselves) equipped with the DSG-7 transmission (for example, Skoda Superb) with the cabin full of passengers and additional cargo can weight about two tons. Taking into account that this transmission is not intended for heavy loads, it can fail because of overloading. As for the DSG6 unit, this transmission is more durable and operates in pair with more powerful engines. However, it doesn’t mean that a car with this transmission can always be used for towing.

DSG transmissions require more frequent maintenance servicing than manual transmissions. For example, the clutch in the DSG6 transmission operates in oil, and the volume of required lubricant is quite large. For this reason oil changes in the DSG system must be performed every 60 thousand kilometers. In addition to oil, repair specialist also have to replace the transmission filter. These operations should be performed by professional technicians who have necessary equipment. If your DSG-equipped vehicle gets stuck in mud or snow, it is not recommended to push-start (kick-start) your car. It is desirable to engage the N-gear and call a tow truck to avoid possible transmission issues. If it is necessary to tow a car equipped with the DSG transmission, it is necessary to follow the rules and recommendations specified in the car manual.

Mechatronics unit

DSG Mechatronics unit

The mechatronics control unit is quite vulnerable unit which requires regular checks. Moreover, this unit can be easily overheated. Plastic tubes transmitting coolant to the heat exchanger frequently turn out to be a soft spot for DSG transmissions. These tubes crack and break off because of vibrations. But even if, technically, the transmission is fully operational, it is enough to get into a long-time traffic jam, holding the car with a brake, to overheat the control module. In such cases, cars with automatic transmissions or CVTs will be OK, but for DSG, as even VAG says in its manuals, if the car stays in the jam longer than a minute, it is necessary to shift to the N gear in order to avoid overheating of the mechatronics unit. In particular, “dry” DSGs regularly fail for this very reason.

All in all, DSGs cannot be considered as the most reliable solutions due to numerous drawbacks related to its design complexity. Moreover, the repair of this transmission usually doesn’t come cheap and not any repair shop can fix these complex units properly, but the many drivers who once had a chance to see these transmissions in action prefer to stick with it despite all problems. VAG doesn’t stay complacent and constantly improves the design and operating algorithms of DSG6 and DSG7, enhances the quality of mechatronics software, etc. Thus, it can be expected that the reliability and maintainability of these gear shifting solutions will gradually improve.

If you want to learn more about design of DSG transmissions and repair peculiarities click on the following link: https://go4trans.com/technical-transmission-general-articles/what-is-dsg-transmission-and-its-typical-repair-issues/