Get Driving -> Automatic and DSG transmission Guide for Volkswagen Golf 4 Door 2023

— If the warning does not turn off, do not contin-

ue driving!

WARNING

Downshifting to a lower gear incorrectly can result

in loss of vehicle control and can cause accidents

and serious personal injuries.

— See your authorized Volkswagen dealer for assis-

tance. Otherwise, serious clutch or transmission

damage could result.

WARNING

Clutch malfunction

When the engine is running and a gear is engaged,

the vehicle will start to move as soon as the clutch

pedal is released. This also applies when the park-

ing brake is engaged.

The yellow indicator light comes on.

The clutch pedal is malfunctioning.

— Drive carefully to your authorized Volkswagen

dealer for assistance. Otherwise, serious clutch or

transmission damage could result.

Never shift into Reverse (R) when the vehicle is

moving.

NOTICE

Shifting down to a gear that is too low when driving

at fast speeds or high engine rpm can cause exten-

sive damage to the clutch and transmission. That is

true even if the clutch pedal is pressed so that the

clutch is not engaged.

Automatic and DSG^®transmis-

sion

How the DSG^®automated trans-

mission works

NOTICE

To help prevent damage and premature wear:

Your vehicle may be equipped with a special DSG^®

automated transmission that combines the perform-

ance and economy of a standard manual transmis-

sion with the comfort and convenience of a conven-

tional automatic transmission. The DSG transmission

housing contains two clutches, one that works with

the odd-numbered gears (1, 3, 5 and R) and the oth-

er that works with the even-numbered gears (2, 4,

6). The dual clutch configuration enables rapid shifts

between gears without loss of traction as the dual

clutch seamlessly transfers the engine power from

one driveshaft to the other during gear shifts. An

output shaft for each of the two gearbox units

transmits the drive to the driven wheels via a differ-

ential. The DSG electronic control unit, sensors, and

hydraulic control for clutch engagement and gear

selection form one compact weight-saving unit.

Do not rest your hand on the gearshift lever while

driving. Over time, the pressure will cause prema-

ture wear in the transmission.

Make sure that the vehicle has come to a com-

plete stop before shifting into Reverse (R).

Always depress the clutch pedal all the way when

changing gears.

Do not hold the vehicle on a hill using engine

power with the clutch pedal partially engaged and

the engine running.

Tips and troubleshooting

Clutch is “slipping”

Thanks to the dual-clutch design, the DSG system is

more efficient than a conventional automatic trans-

mission. For example, while idling, a torque convert-

er in a conventional automatic transmission is en-

gaged all the time (increasing load and engine fuel

consumption), while the DSG gradually opens the

clutch, allowing the engine to idle freely. In most

cases, this efficiency combined with its low weight

and intelligent control means that DSG can achieve

the same or better fuel consumption than a manual

transmission. The clutches, like the clutch in

a standard manual transmission are subject to wear

over time. The DSG transmission requires periodic

maintenance that is described in the → Warranty

and Maintenance.

A yellow indicator light comes on.

The clutch does not transfer all of the engine torque.

— Remove your foot from the clutch pedal, if neces-

sary → page 133.

Transmission overheating

The yellow indicator light comes on.

A text message may also appear in the instrument

cluster.

— Shift the selector lever to the P position and all

the transmission to cool.

148

Driving

Switch between Drive (D) and Sport drive (S) by pull-

ing the selector lever once to the rear from gear po-

sition D/S → fig. 101. The selector lever always re-

turns to gear position D/S.

Automatic or DSG^®transmission se-

lector lever

It is possible to access Tiptronic selection from gear

position D/S when either Drive (D) or Sport drive (S)

is active → page 150, Shifting with Tiptronic®.

Tiptronic mode: In Tiptronic mode, M and the cur-

rent gear number may appear in the instrument

cluster along with the current Tiptronic gear.

Automatic Shift Lock (ASL)

The Automatic Shift Lock (ASL) in Park (P) and Neu-

tral (N) prevents drive positions from being engaged

inadvertently, which would cause the vehicle to

move.

To release ASL, you must switch on the ignition, de-

press the brake pedal and hold it down while press-

ing the release button on the selector lever handle in

the direction of the arrow → fig. 101 to move the

selector lever out of Park (P) and into a drive gear.

Fig. 101 Automatic or DSG transmission selector lever

with shift lever release button (arrow).

If the ignition is switched on, either the current se-

lector lever position or the current gear is shown in

the instrument cluster display.

The ASL is not engaged if the selector lever is moved

quickly through Neutral (N) (e.g., when shifting from

Reverse (R) to Drive (D/S)). This makes it possible to

“rock” the vehicle backwards and forwards if it is

stuck in snow or mud. The ASL engages automatical-

ly if the brake pedal is not depressed, the selector

lever is in Neutral (N) for more than about 1 second,

and the vehicle is traveling no faster than about

3 mph (5 km/h).

– Park

The drive wheels are mechanically locked. Select on-

ly when the vehicle is not moving. To change the se-

lector lever position, switch on the ignition (if it is

off) and then press the selector lever release button

while holding down the brake pedal.

WARNING

Moving the selector lever to the wrong position

can cause loss of vehicle control, a collision, and

serious personal injury.

– Reverse

The reverse gear is engaged. Shift into reverse only

when the vehicle is not moving.

Never accelerate when moving the selector lev-

er.

– Neutral

When the engine is running and a drive position

is engaged, the vehicle will start to move as

soon as the brake pedal is released.

Transmission is in neutral position. No power is

transmitted to the wheels and no engine braking is

available.

Never shift into Reverse (R) or Park (P) when the

vehicle is moving.

– Drive or Sport Drive

WARNING

Standard driving position D: All forward gears shift

up and down automatically. The transmission shifts

as needed depending on engine load, individual driv-

ing style, and vehicle speed.

Unintended vehicle movement can cause serious

personal injury.

Never get out of the driver's seat while the en-

Sport driving position S: All forward gears automati-

cally upshift later and downshift earlier than in posi-

tion D to take full advantage of the engine's power

reserves. The transmission shifts as needed depend-

ing on engine load, individual driving style, and vehi-

cle speed.

gine is running, especially when the transmis-

sion is in a drive gear. If you must leave your ve-

hicle while the engine is running, always set the

parking brake and shift the transmission to Park

(P).

Automatic and DSG transmission

149

Never leave the vehicle in Neutral (N). It will roll

down hills, whether the engine is running or

not.

When the engine is running and a drive gear -

Drive or Sport Drive (D/S) or Reverse (R) - has

been selected, press and hold the brake pedal to

keep the vehicle from moving. The vehicle may

“creep” and move forward or backward even if

the engine is idling slowly.

Never shift into Reverse (R) or Park (P) when the

vehicle is moving.

NOTICE

Even though the transmission is in Park (P), the vehi-

cle may move a couple of inches (a few centimeters)

forwards or backwards if you take your foot off the

brake pedal after stopping the vehicle without first

setting the parking brake.

Fig. 103 Steering wheel with Tiptronic shift paddles (if

equipped).

Tiptronic lets you upshift and downshift manually

with the automatic or DSG transmission. When Tip-

tronic mode is used, the transmission stays in the

current gear and does not upshift or downshift auto-

matically unless the transmission senses a situation

where upshifting or downshifting is necessary to

keep the engine from over- or under-revving.

If the selector lever is moved into Neutral (N)

by mistake when the vehicle is moving, take

your foot off the accelerator pedal. Wait until the

engine speed has dropped to idle speed before mov-

ing the selector lever into a drive gear.

Leaving the selector lever for a long period of

time in any position other than Park (P) when

the ignition is switched off can drain the 12 Volt ve-

hicle battery.

Using Tiptronic with the selector lever

— Push the selector lever sideways to the right from

the D/S position into the Tiptronic position →

in Automatic or DSG® transmission selector lever

on page 149.

—

Briefly push the selector lever forward

to up-

Shifting with Tiptronic^®

–

shift into a higher gear or pull it backward

downshift into a lower gear → fig. 102.

Using Tiptronic with the shift paddles behind the

steering wheel (if equipped)

— The paddles → fig. 103 (arrows) work when the

selector lever is in the Tiptronic position or when

the selector lever is in Drive or Sport Drive (D/S).

You do not have to move the selector lever over

to the right into the Tiptronic position.

— To upshift, pull the paddle on the right

you.

toward

–

— To downshift, pull the paddle on the left to-

ward you.

— To switch off Tiptronic mode, pull the paddle on

the right

toward you and hold it there for

Fig. 102 Selector lever in Tiptronic position.

about 1 second.

Tiptronic will switch off automatically if the shift

paddles have not been used for a while and the se-

lector lever is not in the Tiptronic position.

150

Driving

— Remove your foot from the accelerator pedal. The

engine is disengaged and runs in coasting mode.

The vehicle rolls without the braking effect of the

engine.

NOTICE

During acceleration, the transmission will shift

automatically into the next higher gear before

reaching maximum engine speed (rpm).

Cancelling coasting mode:

If you use Tiptronic to shift into a lower gear, the

transmission will downshift only when doing so

will not over-rev the engine.

— Press the brake pedal briefly.

— OR Pull a shift paddle toward the steering wheel

→ page 150, Shifting with Tiptronic®.

— OR Move the selector lever to the Tiptronic posi-

tion.

Driving with automatic or DSG^®

transmission

— OR Change the driving mode from Eco to another

driving mode → page 157, Driving Mode Selec-

tion.

All forward gears shift up and down automatically.

Kick-down acceleration

Driving on hills

The kick-down feature permits maximum accelera-

tion when the selector lever is in the Drive or Sport

Drive (D/S) position or in Tiptronic mode.

The steeper the slope, the lower the gear that must

be selected. Lower gears increase the braking effect

of the engine. Never coast downhill in Neutral (N).

If you push the accelerator all the way down, the ve-

hicle will automatically downshift, depending on ve-

hicle speed and engine speed (rpm). This feature lets

you take advantage of the full acceleration capacity

— Reduce speed.

— Switch to Tiptronic mode by moving the selector

lever from Drive or Sport Drive (D/S) to the right

into the Tiptronic position → page 150, Shifting

with Tiptronic®.

of the vehicle →

With kick-down acceleration, the transmission will

stay in the current gear longer and not upshift until

the engine reaches maximum rpm.

— Downshift by pulling the selector lever back brief-

ly (-).

— OR: Downshift using the paddles on the steering

wheel → page 150, Using Tiptronic with the shift

paddles behind the steering wheel (if equipped).

Launch control program

The launch control program lets you take advantage

of maximum acceleration from a standstill.

Vehicles with Hill Start Assist (Hill Hold): If you stop

and start up again when going uphill, the Hill Start

Assist feature can help prevent the vehicle from roll-

ing backwards as long as the engine is running

→ page 154, Hill Start Assist (Hill Hold).

— Switch off Anti-Slip Regulation (ASR) → page 191,

Braking assistance systems.

— Firmly depress and hold the brake pedal with your

left foot.

— Make sure your steering wheel is straight and the

front wheels are pointing straight ahead.

Vehicles without Hill Start Assist (Hill Hold): If you

stop on a hill with the vehicle in gear, you must de-

press the brake pedal or engage the parking brake to

keep the vehicle from rolling. Do not release the

brake pedal or the parking brake until the vehicle

— Move the selector lever into Sport Drive (S) or the

Tiptronic position. For vehicles with Driving Mode

Selection, select the Sport or Race driving mode

→ page 157, Driving Mode Selection.

has started to move forward →

— With your right foot, depress the accelerator ped-

al all the way. The engine speed automatically in-

creases to about 3200 rpm (Golf GTI) and stays

there.

Coasting with DSG^®automated transmission

In coasting mode, the momentum of the vehicle can

be used to help save fuel. The clutch opens and the

engine no longer brakes the vehicle, so the vehicle

can “coast” over a longer distance. The coasting fea-

ture only works when the selector lever is in posi-

tion D/S and the vehicle speed is between about 25–

80 mph (40–130 km/h).

— Remove your left foot from the brake → . The

vehicle will accelerate from a stop at the maxi-

mum rate.

— Once you have accelerated, switch ASR back on

again!

Starting coasting mode:

— Select the Eco driving mode from the driving

mode selection menu → page 157, Driving Mode

Selection.

Automatic and DSG transmission

151

WARNING

NOTICE

Rapid acceleration can cause skidding and loss of

traction, especially on slippery roads, resulting in

a loss of vehicle control, collisions, and serious

personal injury.

When stopping on hills with the transmission in

a drive gear, do not use the accelerator to help

prevent the vehicle from rolling backwards. This

can cause the automatic or DSG transmission to

overheat and be damaged.

Only use the kick-down feature, Launch Control

Program, or fast acceleration if visibility, weath-

er, road, and traffic conditions permit and other

drivers will not be endangered by your driving

and the vehicle's acceleration.

Never let the vehicle coast or roll down a hill in

Neutral (N), especially when the engine is not run-

ning. The transmission will not be lubricated and

will be damaged.

Always adapt your driving to the traffic flow.

Launch Control acceleration uses the maximum

acceleration capability of the vehicle but places

significant loads on the drive train and related

parts. If you do use the Launch Control feature, do

not use it regularly or often to help prevent un-

necessary wear on the vehicle and its systems.

Note that the drive wheels can spin and the ve-

hicle can swerve when ASR is switched off, es-

pecially when the road is slippery.

Once you have accelerated, switch ASR back on

again.

Tips and troubleshooting

Fig. 104 Removing the selector gate cover.

Fig. 105 Releasing the selector lever lock (versions and ).

152

Driving

When the ignition is switched on, several warning

and indicator lights come on briefly for a function

check. They go out after a few seconds.

The emergency release is under the selector gate

cover on the right side when viewed in the driving

direction.

Removing the selector gate cover:

Transmission overheating

— Set the parking brake. If the parking brake cannot

be set, you must find another way to help prevent

The yellow indicator light comes on.

the vehicle from moving →

An acoustic warning may sound and a text message

may also appear in the instrument cluster.

— Switch off the ignition.

— Open the storage compartment in front of the se-

lector lever

The DSG transmission may overheat due to frequent

starts, extended “creeping,” or stop-and-go traffic.

— Using your hands, pull upward on the front of the

selector gate cover to release it, then pull the se-

lector lever sleeve upward → fig. 104.

— Shift the selector lever to the P position and let

the transmission cool down.

— If the warning does not turn off, do not contin-

ue driving!

— Slip the cover up and over the selector lever →

Depending on equipment, the selector lever can be

released differently.

— See your authorized Volkswagen dealer for assis-

tance. Otherwise, serious clutch or transmission

damage could result.

Version one: → fig. 105

— With the screwdriver from the vehicle tool kit,

carefully push the colored release lever in the di-

rection of the arrow and hold it in this position .

If the engine does not start

The green indicator light comes on.

The brake pedal is not depressed.

— Depress the brake pedal.

— Press the release button in the selector lever han-

dle and shift the selector lever to Neutral (N).

— Carefully press the selector gate cover back in

place, making sure that the electrical wiring stays

in the correct position and is not pinched or dam-

aged.

— Make sure the transmission selector lever is in po-

sition P.

— Try to start the engine again → page 143, Starting

the engine.

Version two: → fig. 105

— With the screwdriver from the vehicle tool kit,

carefully push down on the middle of the colored

release lever in the direction of the arrow and

hold it in this position.

— Also refer to electronic parking brake → page 178,

Parking brake.

If the vehicle does not shift

— Press the release button in the selector lever han-

dle and shift the selector lever to Neutral (N).

The green indicator light flashes along with a text

message in the instrument cluster display.

— Carefully press the selector gate cover back in

place, making sure that the electrical wiring stays

in the correct position and is not pinched or dam-

aged.

In rare cases, the ASL may not engage on vehicles

with a DSG^®automated transmission. If this hap-

pens, power to the drive wheels will be interrupted

to prevent the vehicle from moving unexpectedly.

Emergency shift program

— Depress the brake pedal.

If all selector lever position indicators in the instru-

ment cluster display are highlighted against a bright

background, there is a system malfunction. The au-

tomatic or DSG transmission will then operate in the

emergency shift program. The emergency shift pro-

gram lets you drive the vehicle, but at a reduced

speed and without being able to use all of the for-

ward gears.

— Press the release button on the transmission se-

lector lever and try to shift again.

— OR: Shift the selector lever to Neutral (N) or Park

(P), then try to select a drive position again.

Emergency release for the transmission selector

lever lock

If the power supply fails (due to a dead vehicle bat-

tery, for example) and the vehicle has to be pushed

or towed, the emergency release must be used to

move the selector lever to Neutral (N). You will need

the screwdriver from the vehicle tool kit to release

the selector lever → page 227, Vehicle tool kit.

In some cases, vehicles with a DSG transmission may

not be able to shift into reverse. It is then impossible

to drive the vehicle backwards.

Automatic and DSG transmission

153

In any event, have the automatic or DSG transmis-

sion checked by an authorized Volkswagen dealer or

authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.

Always stop the vehicle as soon as it is safe to

do so.

Whenever stalled or stopped for repair, move

the vehicle a safe distance off the road, turn on

the emergency flashers, stop the engine, and

use other warning devices to warn approaching

traffic.

If the vehicle does not move even though a drive po-

sition is selected with the transmission selector lev-

If the vehicle does not move in the desired direction,

the system may not have engaged the drive position

correctly.

NOTICE

Even with the selector lever is in Neutral (N), the au-

tomatic or DSG transmission will be damaged if the

vehicle is towed (or you let it coast) for an extended

period or at high speed with the engine shut off.

— Press the brake pedal and select the drive position

again.

— If the vehicle still does not move in the desired di-

rection, there is a system malfunction. See your

authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized

Volkswagen Service Facility for assistance to have

the system checked.

NOTICE

As soon as you get any of these warnings about

transmission overheating, you must either park

the vehicle in a safe place or drive faster than

12 mph (20 km/h).

WARNING

Never shift the transmission out of Park (P) with-

out first firmly applying the parking brake. Other-

wise, the vehicle can start to roll unexpectedly, es-

pecially on hills or inclines, and cause an accident

and serious injuries.

If the text message and acoustic warning repeat

themselves every 10 seconds or so, you must park

the vehicle in a safe place as soon as you can

safely do so and stop the engine. Let the trans-

mission cool down.

WARNING

To help prevent damage to the transmission, do

not drive the vehicle again until the acoustic

warning has stopped. As long as the engine is

overheated, avoid stop and start driving and avoid

low speeds (“walking pace”).

Failure to heed warning lights and instrument

cluster text messages can cause the vehicle to

break down in traffic and result in a collision and

serious personal injury.

Never ignore warning lights or text WARNINGS.

lease and the vehicle will roll downhill. Furthermore,

if any requirement for engaging Hill Start Assist is no

longer met while the vehicle is stopped, Hill Start

Assist disengages and the brakes are automatically

released and will no longer hold the vehicle.

Hill Start Assist (Hill Hold)

Some vehicles are equipped with Hill Start Assist

(Hill Hold), a feature that helps keep the vehicle from

rolling backwards when starting out on a hill, for ex-

ample after stopping at a traffic light. You don't

have to apply and release the parking brake while

depressing the accelerator. For Hill Start Assist to

work, the engine must be running and the vehicle

must be in First Gear or Reverse (manual transmis-

sion) or in Drive or Sport Drive (D/S) or Reverse (R)

(automatic or DSG transmission) and you must use

the foot brake to hold the vehicle before starting to

move.

Hill Start Assist is activated automatically when the

following points are met at the same time:

— Hold the stopped vehicle on an incline with the

foot brake or parking brake.

— The engine must be running “smoothly.”

— All four wheels must have sufficient contact with

the road.

— Automatic or DSG transmission: vehicle must be

in Drive or Sport Drive (D/S) if headed up a hill or

Reverse (R) if backing up a hill, and the foot brake

must be depressed to keep the vehicle from mov-

ing.

Hill Start Assist keeps the brake applied for almost

2 seconds with the same force you used to prevent

the vehicle from moving. This gives you time to take

your foot off the brake, let the clutch out on a man-

ual transmission vehicle, and gently depress the ac-

celerator to get the vehicle moving again. If you do

not depress the accelerator pedal and get the vehi-

cle moving again within this time, the brakes will re-

— Manual transmission: The vehicle must be in 1st

gear (1) if headed up a hill or in Reverse (R) if

backing up a hill; you must hold the clutch down

154

Driving

Driving -> Automatic and DSG transmission for Your Volkswagen Golf 4 Door 2023

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