A180 Gear down shift jerky

[dcskoh]

Hi fellow A Class drivers,

 

i have driven the A180 for about 3 months and i realised the gear change - down shift from 3-2-1 in auto mode is sometimes jerky and even my wife can feel the lurch.

It is most noticeable when driving slowly. Esp when i slowly come to a stop, the stationary car will have a slight lurch when it downshift from 2 to 1.

I have reported to C & C, the adviser test drive and he feel the lurch but told me it Normal for this type of gearbox.

Can anybody share with me do your gearbox have this characteristic?

 

Thank you very much

Des

 

[heidtb]

It's a dual clutch gearbox. The shifts all can be felt and it is jerky. Audi/vw all the same but ppl like it as it feels sporty and eager

[mountaingoat_gray]

Hi fellow A Class drivers,

 

i have driven the A180 for about 3 months and i realised the gear change - down shift from 3-2-1 in auto mode is sometimes jerky and even my wife can feel the lurch.

It is most noticeable when driving slowly. Esp when i slowly come to a stop, the stationary car will have a slight lurch when it downshift from 2 to 1.

I have reported to C & C, the adviser test drive and he feel the lurch but told me it Normal for this type of gearbox.

Can anybody share with me do your gearbox have this characteristic?

 

Thank you very much

Des

I experienced it on the demo car. And also on my own car.

 

It takes a mindset change to appreciate how the gearbox works. Don't think of it as an automatic gearbox in the usual sense. Think of it as a manual gearbox, complete with clutch, except that it's all robotically operated.

 

It will lurch like a manual gearbox. Low speed control (e.g. reversing against an uphill when parking) will sometimes be frustrating. Just like a manual.

 

But you get the benefits of a manual too. Fuel efficiency, ability to engine brake, quick acceleration (the DCT is in fact 0.1s faster than manual gearbox for 0-100 sprint). You can drive it like you're on a racing track - put it in manual mode and single gear shifts are very fast. 

 

However take note that the shift points are a bit weird. It tries to keep the engine at a low rpm in the low 1000+s. So acceleration is very laggy because it'll take at least 2 gearchanges to get into the 3000+rpm range. So you may have to pre-downshift if you anticipate hard acceleration. 

DCTs are very controversial. If you're used to a CVT or torque convertor auto gearbox, you'll miss the silky smoothness. However if you're the kind who are more into motoring and want better control and efficiency, then DCT is clearly preferable. 

[dcskoh]

Hi heidtb and mountaingoat_gray,

 

thanks for sharing, appreciate it as this let me feel at ease and accept the gearbox characteristic:)

 

Regards

Des

[Milkbread]

Hi dcskoh, when you say you felt the downshift from 2 to 1, was the driving mode set to Sports mode? Mine will never downshift from 2 to 1 in Eco mode. The gearbox will only downshift from 2 to 1 after coming to a complete stop. 

You can physically feel a very slight lurch after the vehicle stops.

 

But in sports mode, when you slow down and the gear shifts down with the auto blip, it really puts a smile on my face as though you are preparing to enter a corner. 

The gear box characteristic really feels like a manual car with great engine brake.

 

Been driving on sports mode most of the time now, as the eco mode keeps shifting upwards too early. When you slow down due to traffic and try to accelerate again, it really feels unwilling to downshift automatically.

Only gripe on sports mode is moving off: the engine stays around 3-4k rpm before shifting up. But from 3rd gear onwards, its a pleasure to drive.

[dcskoh]

Hi Milkbread, 

 

yes as you mentioned -  driving in E mode and when car has stopped, can feel the lurch of gear changing from 2 to 1. 

still trying to come to terms with this pattern...haha...

[mercNewbie]

hi,

are there any experiences with this 7G-DCT transmission?

 

Heard stories about VW gearboxes

[keongsam26]

MB uses wet gearbox

 

VW uses dry gearbox

 

Then of course there is the argument about clutch size, engine capacity etc. 

 

Many of these discussion online. 

[iceman313]

Hi dcskoh, when you say you felt the downshift from 2 to 1, was the driving mode set to Sports mode? Mine will never downshift from 2 to 1 in Eco mode. The gearbox will only downshift from 2 to 1 after coming to a complete stop. 

You can physically feel a very slight lurch after the vehicle stops.

 

But in sports mode, when you slow down and the gear shifts down with the auto blip, it really puts a smile on my face as though you are preparing to enter a corner. 

The gear box characteristic really feels like a manual car with great engine brake.

 

Been driving on sports mode most of the time now, as the eco mode keeps shifting upwards too early. When you slow down due to traffic and try to accelerate again, it really feels unwilling to downshift automatically.

Only gripe on sports mode is moving off: the engine stays around 3-4k rpm before shifting up. But from 3rd gear onwards, its a pleasure to drive.

what is your FC on sport mode all the way?

[iceman313]

Hi heidtb and mountaingoat_gray,

thanks for sharing, appreciate it as this let me feel at ease and accept the gearbox characteristic:)

Regards

Des

it is the characteristic of the gear box, currently im driving a vw while waiting on the new ride. personally i feel that dsg gear shifting is more responsive then a180 ..

[clariwee]

Just switched from a Golf to A200 today. Felt the same jerky feel from 2-1 in the A200. Never felt that in the Golf ever so it is not a characteristic of all double clutch gearboxes.

 

And also not all DSGs are dry. Those in the higher powered models such as GTI and R are still running on 6-speed wet DSGs.

[routey]

No Jerky feel in my FL A200. I'm still trying to get used to my car not juddering during pick up like my previous vw.

[sgedo]

Isnt not juddering during pick up a good thing?

[routey]

Isnt not juddering during pick up a good thing?

Changing clutch every 6 months is not a good thing