7-speed box, is it possible to modify the shift points?

[andrew shepherd]

Morning all, very happy new (2011) 3.0tdi C7 owner, having upgraded from a C5 and previously C4. However, it's the first time with an auto box, and I'm struggling to like it. It's pretty hilly round here (french alps) and it makes me wince that the box hangs on to D1 up to 2,800 rpm and D2 to over 3k when driving gently downhill on part-throttle for no reason, particularly with a cold engine. I find myself constantly shifting to sequential to knock it up a gear.

Is there any way to modify the shift point programming, either VCDS or at the dealers/gearbox specialists? I see mention of a gearbox adaption / re-learning procedure, but it seems to be for shift smoothness rather than learning new shift points? This may be a deal-breaker for me, but manuals are rare as hens teeth in France, I'd probably have to import from Germany at great faff-factor. Any help/advice gratefully received . Many thanks!

[Elansear]

Hi Drive it in manual. Don't want to appear rude but that must be easier than trying to get the shift points changed, suspect it would need engine and box re-mapping could get expensive.

[Gazwould]

We can only dream of xHP .

[Whippy53]

The box can be remapped, but it needs to be done by a reliable co, and it won't be cheap, but that's up to you.

[andrew shepherd]

Ok many thanks gents, I was hoping perhaps for an xHP-like solution or the adaption feature being of use, but it seems not. Hopefully I'll learn to live with it, but changing the car looks like a better option than changing the gearbox if I can't! Thank again for the replies .

[johnsimcox]

Ok many thanks gents, I was hoping perhaps for an xHP-like solution or the adaption feature being of use, but it seems not. Hopefully I'll learn to live with it, but changing the car looks like a better option than changing the gearbox if I can't! Thank again for the replies .

The gearbox "learns" how the driver drives. If you have only recently acquired the car it is probably still working based on the previous owner's driving style. I seem to recall there was someway to force the gearbox to forget what it has learnt, perhaps someone on here can advise

[A8Cruiser]

Downhills, it is probably programmed to hold on to those gears, as it uses engine braking.
Changing up a gear going downhill, means it can roll and coast faster - so you use the brakes more.

Obviously if you are on a fast downhill stretch, then it will change up as it realises you are at speed.

Or have I missed something?

[andrew shepherd]

A8Cruiser herein lies the nub of my frustration, the gradient of the hill I descend every time I leave the house seems to expose the shortcomings of the mapping. It's fairly steep with a series of hairpins connected by longish straights. As I exit a slow hairpin it has changed down to 1st or 2nd, pulling out of the hairpin I have to give it a whiff of throttle to get going down the straight, I think it sees the resulting surge of revs as an intent to accelerate briskly and is programmed to hang on to the gear and let it rev out (even though there's only a small throttle opening, and the gradient would allow brisk acceleration a gear or two higher anyway). Eventually with the car revving like crazy in 1st or 2nd it has to change up, and we repeat the process in 2nd or 3rd.

I would love it to change up into 4th allowing me to coast down to the next bend on a closed throttle at sensible revs and with just the right amount of engine braking, but it doesn't. Instead it hangs on to 3rd at 3k+ which provides too much engine braking, which I consequently have to stay on the gas for the length of the straight to overcome. I can't force it to change up to 4th (other than manually) without nailing it down the straight and then barrelling into the next hairpin full on the brakes. It's much better out and about, and the effect seems less pronounced once the engine is warm (I think it's also part of the algorithm to keep the revs up when the engine's cold so as to hasten arrival at the low-emissions nirvana of a warm engine and leaner mixture). However, naturally, most times I leave the house it's with a cold engine.

I'm getting used to driving down the hill "manually", but imho it's pretty shoddy engineering for a premium car, don't they test these things on hills?

[johnsimcox]

here is the link to a video for resetting the transmission. Might be worth a try Audi ECU Transmission Reset | Fix Jerking CVT Issue | MrCarMAN - YouTube. Whilst it says it is for CVT apparnetly it works for DSG as well

[A8Cruiser]

Ah, the cold engine.
Yes, it will do that. All of my tiptronic boxes hang on to 1st and 2nd at first start off in the morning (All 5, 6 & 8 speed jobs). As you say, going upto 3K straight off before changing up.
I do sometimes hit the paddle (only times I do!) to change it up. My road is flat, and narrow so I drive it slowly in the mornings as there are usually kiddies about going to school and the parents are too busy on their phones to notice the kids....

I hate revving a cold engine, and would prefer it to change up quicker, but as you say the 'low emissions nirvana' comes quicker to keep the legislators happy (ish).

I suppose you can try the reset procedure so it learns from new again, or change up manually.