Shift points too low?

[letterk]

As I mentioned in my intro post, just bought a CPO '13 S4 with 18k miles. Test driving it and for the following week, I've been driving "spiritedly" and the car is a blast. So much more fun than my previous G53. Since then I've done a few boring drives to work and noticed something I didn't at first. The car keeps a very low RPM in drive. Idle is about 650 RPM. When I gun it everything is very quick. But just cruising along in traffic or side streets slowly, I find it settling in the 1100-1200 RPM range. When I give it a little gas to accelerate, not stomping on it, it just creeps up in speed. The engine sounds like it's straining a bit. It accelerates slowly until about 1600 RPM and then seems to be fine and responsive. If I give it sufficiently more gas, it downshifts and is great. If I manually downshift, again great. It's like the shift points are just too low. Normal? Can I adjust this myself? Trip to the dealership?

[B8 S4]

The cars stock shift points in drive mode shift exactly when the next gear is avaliable to save gas. You could switch to sport or manual mode to have more control over the RPMs. You could also upgrade your TCU which is software for the transmission avaliable though a few aftermarket vendors: GIAC or APR

[14S4GWM]

Pull back on your shifter where the little "S" is and your shift points will raise. Read your manual too. You cange several things under "car" in your mmi.

[mrmomo313]

It hunts for 7th all the time. Just the nature of the trans. You can manipulate downshifts via accelerator position... Play around with a quick 1/4 throttle, half throttle, 3/4 throttle input, this will select certain lower gears based on how much throttle you give when in Drive... If you don't give enough then yes it will stay in the highest gear and accelerate in it (sometimes feeling a bit strained)..

Member on here actually made a nice vid demonstrating: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0FN_WofLoU

It's normal operation, no need for dealer visit. The reason you feel it come alive around 1600 is because you're getting into boost around there... Below that it's programmed for efficiency

[14S4GWM]

Heres some useful info on some questions you might have

http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...AQ-s-and-DIY-s

[chaos2984]

It hunts for 7th all the time. Just the nature of the trans. You can manipulate downshifts via accelerator position... Play around with a quick 1/4 throttle, half throttle, 3/4 throttle input, this will select certain lower gears based on how much throttle you give when in Drive... If you don't give enough then yes it will stay in the highest gear and accelerate in it (sometimes feeling a bit strained)..

Member on here actually made a nice vid demonstrating: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0FN_WofLoU

It's normal operation, no need for dealer visit. The reason you feel it come alive around 1600 is because you're getting into boost around there... Below that it's programmed for efficiency

This and adding info. All auto transmissions being a true automatic or an Automanual will always try to learn how YOU drive the car. It will learn your characteristics on how you drive and adapt to them. It will adapt to you and achieve best fuel econ as possible. Now If you or a local buy has a Vag com, I believe you can reset the adaptation and get it to start from scratch and learn you. Otherwise it will learn you but take a bit longer. Someone who knows how to reset it can post how to. That might just be our problem.

[The Fat Kid]

"S" + "Dynamic" + "Manual" = Problem Solved

[pdqgp]

The car keeps a very low RPM in drive. Idle is about 650 RPM. When I gun it everything is very quick. But just cruising along in traffic or side streets slowly, I find it settling in the 1100-1200 RPM range.

Are you in D-Drive or S-Sport mode on your DSG? Pull back on the shifter and you enter S-Sport mode where it will keep the RPM's higher in ever day driving. It will only go into 7th/OD if you use cruise when in S mode.

When I give it a little gas to accelerate, not stomping on it, it just creeps up in speed. The engine sounds like it's straining a bit. It accelerates slowly until about 1600 RPM and then seems to be fine and responsive. If I give it sufficiently more gas, it downshifts and is great. If I manually downshift, again great. It's like the shift points are just too low. Normal? Can I adjust this myself?

^^Normal. Sounds like you're cruising around in D-Drive mode.

[brinboston]

is there a way to reset the adaptation without a vag-com? I remember reading somewhere about holding the gas pedal down when the car is not running or something...

[letterk]

Thanks for all the quick comments. It's possible I may be confused with the S vs D when in Dynamic. I thought when in Dynamic, it automatically sets it in Sport mode, so didn't pay attention to that. My fault and something I should have checked first. However, mine does not set to S when in Dynamic. If I turn off the car in Dynamic, when I turn back on, it's in Dynamic, but I noticed it was in D not S. If I set Individual for all Dynamic, turn the car off, turn it back on it's in Individual but with S. I'm confused why that would be different if both are set to Dynamic. If I cycle through the drive modes and come back to Dynamic, it is set to S.

Furthermore, I read about how the car learns your driving habits. It's a 3 year old car with very low miles, and based on the CD left in the car, I'm guessing the previous owner wasn't an aggressive driver. So I tried the manual reset (the holding down gas pedal sequence...). Not sure if it did anything. However, the next time I drove the car, in Dynamic, it changed back and forth from S to D by itself. Like it was in Auto. I watched it do this for about 20 miles. Of course, now I can't get it to do it again.

[Lamprey]

Thanks for all the quick comments. It's possible I may be confused with the S vs D when in Dynamic. I thought when in Dynamic, it automatically sets it in Sport mode, so didn't pay attention to that. My fault and something I should have checked first. However, mine does not set to S when in Dynamic. If I turn off the car in Dynamic, when I turn back on, it's in Dynamic, but I noticed it was in D not S. If I set Individual for all Dynamic, turn the car off, turn it back on it's in Individual but with S. I'm confused why that would be different if both are set to Dynamic. If I cycle through the drive modes and come back to Dynamic, it is set to S.

Unless you use a VagCom modification the transmission always starts in D. You always have to manually "tap" it into S mode after you start the car.

[bberg22]

Thanks for all the quick comments. It's possible I may be confused with the S vs D when in Dynamic. I thought when in Dynamic, it automatically sets it in Sport mode, so didn't pay attention to that. My fault and something I should have checked first. However, mine does not set to S when in Dynamic. If I turn off the car in Dynamic, when I turn back on, it's in Dynamic, but I noticed it was in D not S. If I set Individual for all Dynamic, turn the car off, turn it back on it's in Individual but with S. I'm confused why that would be different if both are set to Dynamic. If I cycle through the drive modes and come back to Dynamic, it is set to S.

Furthermore, I read about how the car learns your driving habits. It's a 3 year old car with very low miles, and based on the CD left in the car, I'm guessing the previous owner wasn't an aggressive driver. So I tried the manual reset (the holding down gas pedal sequence...). Not sure if it did anything. However, the next time I drove the car, in Dynamic, it changed back and forth from S to D by itself. Like it was in Auto. I watched it do this for about 20 miles. Of course, now I can't get it to do it again.

I find that my personal favorite driving mode is Dynamic in D because it gives you better throttle response and steering but very easy to switch to S or M quickly for full performance.

I wonder if they have the car start in D to help prevent/discourage people from flogging the car too hard when its cold...

[MrFunk]

Just like any other Automatic trans. It hunts for top gear.

[jsh139]

is there a way to reset the adaptation without a vag-com? I remember reading somewhere about holding the gas pedal down when the car is not running or something...

You can re-adapt the throttle plate by following these instructions. Not sure if this helps with shift points, though.

Manual throttle body adaptation:

The Throttle is "Drive By Wire" and adapts to your particular driving style. Do a TBA (Throttle body adaption).

1. Get in your car, it doesn't matter if you close the door or not.

2. Turn the key to the on position, the position just before the starter turns over.

3. Press the gas pedal to the floor with the key in the "on" position.

4. Hold the pedal to the floor for five seconds, then turn the key back to the "off" position(don't remove the key), then release the gas pedal.

5. Wait 2 mins. for a full alignment. During this time you may hear very faint noises and clicks. I
only heard one sitting in my car, if I got out and popped the hood I might hear more.

6. Drive the car as you always do.

Depending on your driving style, this may or may not be a big factor. I do a lot of city driving so
I noticed a big change after erasing my history. It is not hard to do this, just follow the
instructions - Key on, pedal down, 5 sec, key off pedal up, wait 2 minutes.

Keep the key in for the entire thing.

http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...681#post193681

[letterk]

You can re-adapt the throttle plate by following these instructions. Not sure if this helps with shift points, though.

http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...681#post193681

Yeah, I did that yesterday. At least I think I did. I don't have a key to turn, so just pressed the start button without foot on the brake.

[pdqgp]

There are a number of combinations and combined with my two tunes, I can't keep things straight. I do know that whenever I shut my car off it goes back to Auto not Dynamic or Comfort or even Individual which the latter is where I have my preference as I configured things to my liking. I also know that when I switch to dynamic the car does change over the S-Sport mode not D-Drive.

In the end, I like S-Sport mode for around town and on the highway I like D-Drive. It's simple enough to switch back and forth though.

[jsh139]

Yeah, I did that yesterday. At least I think I did. I don't have a key to turn, so just pressed the start button without foot on the brake.

Yeah, that should work. I've done this in my car before and I don't have a key to turn, either. You can tell it worked if the car feels like it's in Dynamic mode when it's in Comfort or Auto.

[Dr GP]

Just like any other Automatic trans. It hunts for top gear.

The S4 does not have an automatic transmission like any other. It has an computer controlled dual clutch manual transmission without a clutch pedal . There is no torque converter" like any other Automatic trans".

[MrFunk]

The S4 does not have an automatic transmission like any other. It has an computer controlled dual clutch manual transmission without a clutch pedal . There is no torque converter" like any other Automatic trans".

LOL... it is an auto... the technology behind it is not relevant. Two pedals and car changing gears for you means auto. I dont know why this debate comes up but for some reason people take offence... if you did not buy a manual then you bought an auto. Call it DSG if you would like... the dsg/auto hunts for top gear just like any other auto trans car.

Ane yes... i understand the concept of a dual clutch automatic transmission

Sent from my SM-G925P using Tapatalk

[letterk]

OK, couple more things. Tell me if these are normal.

Twice this past week, pulled up onto my driveway, stopped while in gear waiting for the garage door to open, lightly pressed on the gas and heard about a quarter second of gears grinding. First time I thought I was just hearing things. Second time I had the stereo off and clearly heard gears grinding.

Periodically, when I reach 75-80 mph, I start to get a decent amount of vibration. Feel it in the steering wheel and seats. Back off to 70mph and it goes away. I drive the same way to work every day. Some days no vibration, some days vibration. On days when there is vibration, the idle feels rougher when stopped. I initially thought the wheels need to be balanced, but why would it not happen some days?

Was slowly driving away from a red light turned green in D, slight down hill, pressed the gas down lightly and the trans shifted quickly up two gears so that is was struggling hard. I tried to give it a lot of gas, at least half, and nothing. Just grunted through the intersection. I pulled into a parking lot and tried to recreate it, but couldn't.

[mungie]

Twice this past week, pulled up onto my driveway, stopped while in gear waiting for the garage door to open, lightly pressed on the gas and heard about a quarter second of gears grinding. First time I thought I was just hearing things. Second time I had the stereo off and clearly heard gears grinding.
Definitely not normal

Periodically, when I reach 75-80 mph, I start to get a decent amount of vibration. Feel it in the steering wheel and seats. Back off to 70mph and it goes away. I drive the same way to work every day. Some days no vibration, some days vibration. On days when there is vibration, the idle feels rougher when stopped. I initially thought the wheels need to be balanced, but why would it not happen some days?
When going 75-80, pop the shifter into neutral. That way you isolate the issue. Mine vibrated in neutral at speed when I used cheap tires and a cheap shop to mount them

Was slowly driving away from a red light turned green in D, slight down hill, pressed the gas down lightly and the trans shifted quickly up two gears so that is was struggling hard. I tried to give it a lot of gas, at least half, and nothing. Just grunted through the intersection. I pulled into a parking lot and tried to recreate it, but couldn't.
Seems strange, mine never does unwanted upshifts. Check your battery. My trans was behaving very strangely on a dead/dying battery. When was your last DSG service (ATF fluid and filter)?

[Audi_here]

Any idea what happened. Have same issue even after trans replacement on my 14