Rumble and Vibrations, Golf7 TSI 140 DSG

[Fensterheber23627]

Hello from Norway! New to the forum. Please excuse me writing in English.

Just bought a Nov`12 Golf 7 140 TSI DSG, and love it! OryxWhite, Discover Pro, Pano, 18"Durbans etc.. the whole lot!

But one problem:

Vibrations and "rumble" in car at certain RPM, like 1400-1500. When driving in congested traffic at 0-30km/the DSG tends to shift to gears very quickly up to 3-4 or even 5 or 6 in Comfort and Normal modes, bringing the RPM very low. This makes the whole car suddenly vibrate rather violently, until I press accellerator or brake. Talked to VAG Norway, waiting for a "fix". Now on winter tires 16" exactly same problem. Seems to come from rear suspension, like a resonance or "standing waves" in the car for a few seconds. Rather scary and uncomfortable, and very noticeable to driver and passengers.

Any suggestions? You may definitely write in Deutsch!

Arvid Ka, Norway

[Fensterheber23627]

ACT war Problem!

Had a test drive with VAG/VW dealer today:

The ACT (Zylinder-cut /Eco-mode) was the reason for the vibrations and rumble!

Driving in heavy traffic in the city at speeds around 30-40km/St the RPM would stay around 1400-1500, and the ECO-sign would come on and off. At these low revs the engine has virtually no power, and the vibrations from the assymetric and handicapped engine were VERY noticeable. Happened every time the ECO sign came on - at this RPM. Pushing the brake or accelerator started all four cylinders, eliminating the shaking and vibrations.

According to the dealer this was inevitable with ACT.

Advice: Pulling the DSG gearstick backwards into Sports mode lets the gearbox change into lower gear, raising the RPM to 2000 or more, where the vibrations are hardly noticeable.

I am not very happy with this situation, and would not recommend the ACT option if I had known this.

[MacV8]

Hi,

did your Dealer check for a Motor ECU Update? I have driven some ACT cars but none had such a bad behaviour. On the other side all cars I drove where from the beginning of 2013 or later.

[Fensterheber23627]

Hello MacV8 -danke sehr fûr deine Antwort und Interesse für diesen Thema!

No, my dealer did NOT check for any motorECU updates. Schade!

I will go to my dealer and ask for this, and also any other updates. Also for the Discover Pro, which has Programware 0095(!)

My car is originally from Germany, with German specs, and imported via dealer to Norway (huge savings in price for a fully spec'd car). Norwegian car prices are crazy, due to taxes etc.

I am also waiting for November to have the upcoming Navtech map update. My current map version is 0041ECE 2013. Plan on doing this myself using my 32Gb SD card.

Vielen Dank!

Arvid, Norwegen

[aasinfo]

Zitat:

According to the dealer this was inevitable with ACT.

Advice: Pulling the DSG gearstick backwards into Sports mode lets the gearbox change into lower gear, raising the RPM to 2000 or more, where the vibrations are hardly noticeable.

I am not very happy with this situation, and would not recommend the ACT option if I had known this.

I have tha same engine in my car, and I haven't noticed this kind of vibration/noise, you mentioned.

However I hear some (not loud) interesting noise in ACT mode, like the classical film-camera sound 30 years ago, or in the movie :-)

Also I can feel some vibration in short time between gear changes, I think it coul derived from switching both cluthes at the same time, because of the faded/overlapped mode.

[MacV8]

Hi Arvid,

and despite the update your dealer should of course check the ECU diagnostics if any problems or faults have occured and were recorded.

[Fensterheber23627]

Very good comparison to the old 8mm film movie cameras, Aasinfo - LOL! Loved the pictures!

The description fits perfectly, soundwise, but the vibrations are an added "bonus", unfortunately.

I will definitely book service time for diagnostics and upgrades. But this is a low mileage car and first service is therefore in one years time, so I hope they will not charge me excessively for this extraordinary service. Maybe have an extra oil change at the same time. Thank you all!

[Curd]

Zitat:

Original geschrieben von arvidka

Vibrations and "rumble" in car at certain RPM, like 1400-1500. When driving in congested traffic at 0-30km/the DSG tends to shift to gears very quickly up to 3-4 or even 5 or 6 in Comfort and Normal modes, bringing the RPM very low. This makes the whole car suddenly vibrate rather violently, until I press accellerator or brake. Talked to VAG Norway, waiting for a "fix". Now on winter tires 16" exactly same problem. Seems to come from rear suspension, like a resonance or "standing waves" in the car for a few seconds. Rather scary and uncomfortable, and very noticeable to driver and passengers.

Any suggestions? You may definitely write in Deutsch!

Arvid Ka, Norway

Same vibrations on mine, also 1.4 TSI ACT DSG. Assembled 05.04.2013, now 3.000 km's done. I'm sure this effect was not noticeable on the first 1-2.000 km's... and I have this congested traffic every morning on the 1st 5-7 km's. Today I had some intense views to the rev meter and IMHO sometimes ECO is also active below 1.400 RPM (e.g ~1.250) which is not correct if I have a look to VW's description of ACT.

I'll let this also check @dealer.

KR

Curd

[Fensterheber23627]

Hi Curd!

Thank you for your informative reply!

Nice to know I am not alone!

The Volkswagen ACT specs indicate that ACT is only active (on a warm engine) between 1400 and 4000 RPM. I will drive the car again today and keep a close look at the ECO-sign (or in one of the many Car-menus on the dash display, you may adjust it (using right hand Up and Down switches) to show consumption and 2-Zylinder Betrieb, which coincides with the ECO sign).

I will certainly check whether it is active also at very low revs, like 1250 RPM as you have observed in your car.

My personal opinion is that the lower rev limit of 1400 (or below, as you mentioned) is too low. The assymetrical running pattern of this handicapped small 4 Zylinder slow-running engine in 2-Zylinder Modus is not comfortable. In my car it creates a very noticeable rumble and the whole car vibrates, just like it would on tires that were not weighted properly. Happens several times even on a short journey to and from work in congested traffic, when the DSG switches to 4, 5 or 6th gear and RPM drops to 1400-1500. It is certainly disturbing!

Since this is a 19k km second-hand car, originally from Germany, bought from a VW-associated importer in Norway, (a November 2012 model), I would think it still runs on the original software. I have therefore booked service time to diagnose for faults and also update "everything" like engine ECU, DSG ECU and also have my Discover Pro updated to version 200, which I understand has just been released. Will go in Thursday next week.

Hopefully new software/ECU program may cure my problem? Maybe it would be possible to program/raise the lower RPM limit?? But I am not confident it does. Since this is new techonlogy in a downsized 1,4 litre 140PS engine, maybe others have had similar complaints?

Thank you again, Curd!

[Reifenfüller30427]

Hallo,

gleiches Problem bei mir. Ich habe dies im DSG-Thread geschrieben:

Nach jetzt 5.000 gefahrenen Kilometern mit meinem 7er GTI PP kann ich sagen, dass ich zukünftig kein VW-Automatikgetriebe mehr wählen werde.

 

Das DSG-Getriebe schaltet im ECO-MOdus in allen Gängen so früh hoch, dass man ständig untertourig fährt. Dieses untertourige Fahren sorgt bei mir für Vibrationen. Vor allem in den Gängen 5 und 6.

 

Deshalb würde ich liebend gerne im Normalmodus fahren. Aber auch im Normalmodus schaltet das DSG-Getriebe bei dosierter Fahrweise ähnlich früh hoch.

In allen Gängen wird bei 1.700 U/min in den nächsthöheren Gang geschaltet. Die Drehzahl fällt dann im nächsthöheren Gang auf 1.200 U/min ab. Das ist im Normalmodus eindeutig zu wenig.

Aus diesem untertourigen, vibrierenden Bereich käme man problemlos raus, wenn das DSG erst ab 2.000 U/min in den nächsthöheren Gang schalten würde. Dann fällt die Drehzahl im nächsthöheren Gang nur noch auf 1.500 U/min ab. Damit wäre man aus diesem untertourigen Fahren raus.

 

Der Modus Sport ist so für mich leider völlig unbrauchbar und wohl nur für Rennstrecken gedacht.

[Fensterheber137546]

Zitat:

Original geschrieben von arvidka

My personal opinion is that the lower rev limit of 1400 (or below, as you mentioned) is too low. The assymetrical running pattern of this handicapped small 4 Zylinder slow-running engine in 2-Zylinder Modus is not comfortable. In my car it creates a very noticeable rumble and the whole car vibrates, just like it would on tires that were not weighted properly.

Didn't you do a test drive with this engine? I just had a Golf with ACT for a test drive and I'm pretty sure now I won't order an engine with ACT. I experienced the same things you described (noticeable rumbling and vibrating) while running at 1400-1500rpm. I asked my VW dealer on return of the car and he said this is completely normal and you can't do anything about it. You could theoretically raise the lower RPM limit, but that would result in higher CO2 emissions which leads to higher tax ratings (and if you don't tell your tax office it's tax fraud). So not so easy at all. I think I'll stick to the normal 140PS TSI or even the 122PS (have that now and truth be told it's more than sufficient).

[Curd]

Zitat:

Original geschrieben von CarstenH77

Zitat:

Original geschrieben von arvidka

My personal opinion is that the lower rev limit of 1400 (or below, as you mentioned) is too low. The assymetrical running pattern of this handicapped small 4 Zylinder slow-running engine in 2-Zylinder Modus is not comfortable. In my car it creates a very noticeable rumble and the whole car vibrates, just like it would on tires that were not weighted properly.

Didn't you do a test drive with this engine? I just had a Golf with ACT for a test drive and I'm pretty sure now I won't order an engine with ACT. I experienced the same things you described (noticeable rumbling and vibrating) while running at 1400-1500rpm. I asked my VW dealer on return of the car and he said this is completely normal and you can't do anything about it. You could theoretically raise the lower RPM limit, but that would result in higher CO2 emissions which leads to higher tax ratings (and if you don't tell your tax office it's tax fraud). So not so easy at all. I think I'll stick to the normal 140PS TSI or even the 122PS (have that now and truth be told it's more than sufficient).

For me I have tested a ACT in November 2012 (der Golf bewegt Deutschland) and this car had also as mine on the first 2.000 km's only an uncomfortable sound on 2-cylinder-mode. The rumbles and vibrations started later on...

Kind regards

Curd

[Curd]

Zitat:

Original geschrieben von arvidka

 

Hopefully new software/ECU program may cure my problem? Maybe it would be possible to program/raise the lower RPM limit?? But I am not confident it does. Since this is new techonlogy in a downsized 1,4 litre 140PS engine, maybe others have had similar complaints?

Thank you again, Curd!

Hi,

do you have "Fahrprofilauswahl" installed in your car (possibility to switch between driving modes "normal" / "sport" / "eco" / "individual/custom") ?

I just found out that I'm currently driving on my custom profile with engine set to "eco".

I will start a test drive with profile "normal" latest tomorrow.

KR

Curd

[Curd]

Quotation from Volkswagen AG:

Zitat:

Ein schonender Umgang mit Ressourcen: Diesen von Volkswagen gelebten Anspruch verdeutlicht besonders die Einführung des Aktiven Zylindermanagements ACT. Bei Fahrten im Drehzahlbereich zwischen 1.400 und 4.000 U/min und bei Geschwindigkeiten von bis zu 130 km/h können unabhängig vom gewählten Gang zwei der vier Zylinder – vollkommen unmerklich – deaktiviert werden. Das optimiert den Wirkungsgrad des Motors. Die Multifunktionsanzeige informiert Sie darüber, in welchen Modus der Motor sich gerade befindet.

Bei Fahrzeugen mit Aktiven Zylindermanagement ACT kann der Kraftstoffverbrauch im kombinierten Fahrzyklus um bis zu 0,5 l/100 km und der CO2-Ausstoß um 10 g/km gesenkt werden. Je nach Fahrsituation kann die Ersparnis sogar bis zu 1 l/100 km betragen.

Any comments?

Mine: rumble and vibrations are not acceptable.

/Curd

[Fensterheber23627]

Yes, I do have the driving mode selector (forward button to the left of gearshift lever). I have tried Eco, Normal, Sport and Individual (with motor in Sport). The problem is somewhat less pronounced in Sport mode due to higher revs, but ECO and Normal (which I would prefer -economywise) show same tendencies - always keeping very low RPMs in the "problem area" around 1400 -1500 RPM. Going on a flat road or with very little accellerator pedal pressure, it jumps in and out of ECO/Zylindercut, so the vibrations and rumble come and go. Sehr unkomfortabel, and not acceptable.

We should all let VAG know about this problem with the ACT! Wish my car didn't have this feature.

It was bought off the showroom floor, but I had tried two other dealer cars for a few kilometres, but I don`t know if they had ACT. The ACT-feature was not listed in the advertisement for my car either.

This is a link to the dealer in Bergen, Norwegen, and this is a similar car (the ad for my car has been removed), but mine is exactly like this one:

Link

This is my first VAG for many years, coming from BMW 5-series, so I am disappointed. Do the Audis or Skodas with the same engines have the same kind of trouble? Anyone know? May take a check on the Audi forum as well....

I shall have to wait for the upgraded software next Thursday, but I have small expectations as to whether this has been resolved just by updating software. Will let you know my experiences. I have registered this problem with rumble and vibrations as a customer complaint from me at the dealer. I will print out this thread to show them I am not alone, and I am not too sensitive about vibrations - this is a VAG problem!