Harsh upshifts RS3 (8v) FL on manual normal ?

[Vagfan]

Hi guys,

I am almost signing a contract for buying an Audi RS3 (8v) FL. Model 2018, 13K miles on it. I am in doubt on the DSG (DQ500) behaviour of this car and hope to verify this here so i can buy it with full trust. Because i have never driven an RS3 before i dont know what 'normal' behavior is on this cars gearbox. My current car is a stage 1 tuned Seat Leon Cupra 280 (DQ 250). This DSG runs smoothly, even on manual and full throttle upshifts. Only on downshifts it can be a little jerky when cold, but warm it shifts like butter all around.

....But then the RS3 which i testdrove (only a few miles)...In drive / comfort the RS3 runs quiet, smooth, similar to the Cupra. No weird sounds etcetera. But when you put it in manual through the gearlever (for you guys push it to the left) and get busy with the paddles behind the wheel it becomes a different story. The more throttle i gave it, the more 'dry' and harsh the gearshifts became up to such and extent that i am questioning if it's factory programmed or just plain wrong. It even felt like a sequential gearbox at some point. Very fast shifting but intuitive it 'slams' the next gear into place in stead of laying it in. It feels like short, dry kicks in my back. The downshifts are OK, it's only felt during upshifts. Maybe i have to get used to it because it's a RS ? Maybe it's software programmed to get a more sporty perception ? Or something goes wrong under higher pressure/upshifts. When i switched back to comfort/drive the DSG came to rest immediately, shifts again quietly and smoothly.

I was allowed to read the car with my ODEleven and no faults came up on the gearbox. I got this output :

02 Elektronics gearbox
System : GSG DQ500
Software number : 0DL300012H
Software version : 2110
Hardware number : 0GC927711G
Hardware version: H06
ODX name: EV_TCMDQ500021
ODX version: 001001
Long coding : 0014
Fault codes:
No faulty codes found

My question: is this normal and programmed behaviour for a Audi RS3 FL (i went along with a R8 V10 last year and that also slamed the gears in manual) or is this not factory like ?
Greetings Guido

 

[Sequence]

They will be firmer compared to the cupra for certain, but if it feels like a bit of a kick In the back this is a good indication the car may be modified with ecu/tcu software. As when the clamping pressure is increased with most tcu software the full throttle upshifts will where you feel a solid kick.

 

[xRS3]

Hi guys,

I am almost signing a contract for buying an Audi RS3 (8v) FL. Model 2018, 13K miles on it. I am in doubt on the DSG (DQ500) behaviour of this car and hope to verify this here so i can buy it with full trust. Because i have never driven an RS3 before i dont know what 'normal' behavior is on this cars gearbox. My current car is a stage 1 tuned Seat Leon Cupra 280 (DQ 250). This DSG runs smoothly, even on manual and full throttle upshifts. Only on downshifts it can be a little jerky when cold, but warm it shifts like butter all around.

....But then the RS3 which i testdrove (only a few miles)...In drive / comfort the RS3 runs quiet, smooth, similar to the Cupra. No weird sounds etcetera. But when you put it in manual through the gearlever (for you guys push it to the left) and get busy with the paddles behind the wheel it becomes a different story. The more throttle i gave it, the more 'dry' and harsh the gearshifts became up to such and extent that i am questioning if it's factory programmed or just plain wrong. It even felt like a sequential gearbox at some point. Very fast shifting but intuitive it 'slams' the next gear into place in stead of laying it in. It feels like short, dry kicks in my back. The downshifts are OK, it's only felt during upshifts. Maybe i have to get used to it because it's a RS ? Maybe it's software programmed to get a more sporty perception ? Or something goes wrong under higher pressure/upshifts. When i switched back to comfort/drive the DSG came to rest immediately, shifts again quietly and smoothly.

I was allowed to read the car with my ODEleven and no faults came up on the gearbox. I got this output :

02 Elektronics gearbox
System : GSG DQ500
Software number : 0DL300012H
Software version : 2110
Hardware number : 0GC927711G
Hardware version: H06
ODX name: EV_TCMDQ500021
ODX version: 001001
Long coding : 0014
Fault codes:
No faulty codes found

My question: is this normal and programmed behaviour for a Audi RS3 FL (i went along with a R8 V10 last year and that also slamed the gears in manual) or is this not factory like ?
Greetings Guido

There is an OEM update for the gearbox which helped massively on mine for this

 

[Slowracer]

At one stage my shifts were a little harsh and snappy using WOT in sports mode. The dealer did a reset on the gearbox and now its very tame, a little too tame in fact.

 

[xRS3]

There is an OEM update for the gearbox which helped massively on mine for this

hi noticed my reply was edited can I ask why??

 

[Terminator x]

My recollection is that the shift kicks hard under manual and WOT. How it should be as gearbox is "sporty" ?

Within the first month of me getting it the gearbox made an almighty bang so loud I thought it had broken! Never happened again after that thankfully.

TX.

Sent from my BBB100-2 using Tapatalk

 

[dave_beastttt]

You could try a reset, turn ignition on and press accelerator fully down for 20 seconds, release then start the engine

 

[Vagfan]

Thx for the info lads. I have bought the car ! It will get factory maintance before delivery (haldex and engine oil + new brake fluid) and new Michelin Pilot Sport 4s all around. I will keep it stock for at least a year because it has factory warranty untill may 2022. If there's something wrong with the car, i will notice that within this timeframe i guess.

Below my current car (Leon Cupra) and next to it the RS3. At the end of june it should be ready for delivery. Can´t wait !!
[url=https://ibb.co/xLsPfnh][/URL]

 

[Slowracer]

Thx for the info lads. I have bought the car ! It will get factory maintance before delivery (haldex and engine oil + new brake fluid) and new Michelin Pilot Sport 4s all around. I will keep it stock for at least a year because it has factory warranty untill may 2022. If there's something wrong with the car, i will notice that within this timeframe i guess.

Below my current car (Leon Cupra) and next to it the RS3. At the end of june it should be ready for delivery. Can´t wait !!
[url=https://ibb.co/xLsPfnh][/URL]

Congrats, I'm sure you will love it.

 

[Vagfan]

So the car has finally arrived! No pictures yet because of the ****** weather over here. First impression...`what a machine´ ! Great B&O music and that engine sound...
The hard shifts are still there, but only in manual en with more then 50% throttle. In D everything is ok. Only point of attention is the noise the gearbox makes when downshifting. Did not notice it before. I can hear the cogs shifting and clunking in the lower gears. From 3 to 2 it´s there and from 2 to 1st is really audible. I have read that it is a product feature, but still, i will monitor it. Also it´s jerky in slow traffic. Only with a really smooth (throttle)feet you can influence it a little.

 

[Sequence]

So the car has finally arrived! No pictures yet because of the ****** weather over here. First impression...`what a machine´ ! Great B&O music and that engine sound...
The hard shifts are still there, but only in manual en with more then 50% throttle. In D everything is ok. Only point of attention is the noise the gearbox makes when downshifting. Did not notice it before. I can hear the cogs shifting and clunking in the lower gears. From 3 to 2 it´s there and from 2 to 1st is really audible. I have read that it is a product feature, but still, i will monitor it. Also it´s jerky in slow traffic. Only with a really smooth (throttle)feet you can influence it a little.

Congrats on the RS, What you have described is exactly how mine is and others I have been around you can hear some noises from the gears and yea it is a bit messy in slow moving traffic all normal.

 

[Vagfan]

Good to know. I wasn´t concerned yet, have extended waranty untill late next year and i will keep it stock at least untill then. It´s only that in the Leon Cupra 280 i had before you couldn´t here a thing, but that´s the DQ250 gearbox. I´m gonna enjoy the hell out of this car, that´s for sure

 

[Vagfan]

So a couple of weeks down the road getting to know the car. It still blows my mind, that powerdelivery and this is only stock ! I notice that the car is 'set up' to drive dynamicly. Slow driving isn't it's thing. It jerks in traffic and clunks coming to a full stop (i think this is the DSG disconnect the clutches and shift into first gear?). The faster you get to a full stop, the less the gearbox clunks and vice versa. And also i can feel and hear some drivetrain slack at lower speeds coming on and off throttle.
But when you give it the beans....

 

[Terminator x]

^^ only shifts to 1st when stopped afaik.

TX.

Sent from my BBB100-2 using Tapatalk

 

[Sequence]

So a couple of weeks down the road getting to know the car. It still blows my mind, that powerdelivery and this is only stock ! I notice that the car is 'set up' to drive dynamicly. Slow driving isn't it's thing. It jerks in traffic and clunks coming to a full stop (i think this is the DSG disconnect the clutches and shift into first gear?). The faster you get to a full stop, the less the gearbox clunks and vice versa. And also i can feel and hear some drivetrain slack at lower speeds coming on and off throttle.
But when you give it the beans....

All normal operation, they certainly prefer moving at pace than slow town work. Glad you are enjoying it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Vagfan]

Still a smile om my face driving the car (almost daily.) The jerking and audible clunking from 3th to second and first are still there. Although i am not worried because of the feedback you guys gave me (there is a ton of info on this forum, in contrast to what we have in NL, almost none). I have asked the Audi dealer to upload the most recent DSG software. I have got version 2110 and there's a 2120. Problem is, they dont want to do it for free although i have the factory warranty. That can't be OK is it ?
Dont know if it will smooth out the trans and what the differences between these versions are. But after a drive with another RS3 (with version 2120) i know my gearbox can be better.

Another point of attention is the (very) slow decline of coolant in the overflow bowl. I always check it when dead cold. I filled it about 6 weeks ago to about 90% max (cold). I always leave some room for expanding when hot. In the meantime I have driven some 900 miles with it and this tomorrow i checked it. Now it was exactly in between min/max, so at 50%. It declined during the 6 weeks at a very slow rate. Bit by bit a little lower, so now there's 40% between min/max gone ? Took my flaslight out, no visible traces at the waterpump, not on the undertray or driveway. The coolant is nice (pink) transparant and the oil is transparant brown/black. Where is that coolant gone ?? My former car, a Leon Cupra also ´used´ some coolant from new, had to top it once a year, but this is much more. I have read that all Seat, VW, Audi´s can ´use´ some coolant by evaporation etc. But at this rate i have to top it up from min to (almost) max every 1500/2000 miles or so. Are there drivers here who experience the same without really having a leak ?

 

[wuta3]

Still a smile om my face driving the car (almost daily.) The jerking and audible clunking from 3th to second and first are still there. Although i am not worried because of the feedback you guys gave me (there is a ton of info on this forum, in contrast to what we have in NL, almost none). I have asked the Audi dealer to upload the most recent DSG software. I have got version 2110 and there's a 2120. Problem is, they dont want to do it for free although i have the factory warranty. That can't be OK is it ?
Dont know if it will smooth out the trans and what the differences between these versions are. But after a drive with another RS3 (with version 2120) i know my gearbox can be better.

Another point of attention is the (very) slow decline of coolant in the overflow bowl. I always check it when dead cold. I filled it about 6 weeks ago to about 90% max (cold). I always leave some room for expanding when hot. In the meantime I have driven some 900 miles with it and this tomorrow i checked it. Now it was exactly in between min/max, so at 50%. It declined during the 6 weeks at a very slow rate. Bit by bit a little lower, so now there's 40% between min/max gone ? Took my flaslight out, no visible traces at the waterpump, not on the undertray or driveway. The coolant is nice (pink) transparant and the oil is transparant brown/black. Where is that coolant gone ?? My former car, a Leon Cupra also ´used´ some coolant from new, had to top it once a year, but this is much more. I have read that all Seat, VW, Audi´s can ´use´ some coolant by evaporation etc. But at this rate i have to top it up from min to (almost) max every 1500/2000 miles or so. Are there drivers here who experience the same without really having a leak ?

See my post on water pump fail. I couldn't really see much, there wasn't really anything to see on the undertray or ground. When the water pump fails you lose coolant and it can mix with the bearing grease meaning it doesn't really drip a lot ... it just burns off.

I was slowly losing coolant, and the system pressure tested fine. Turned out the water pump was knackered which was easy to see once the engine mount was off.

 

[8YARWY]

Still a smile om my face driving the car (almost daily.) The jerking and audible clunking from 3th to second and first are still there. Although i am not worried because of the feedback you guys gave me (there is a ton of info on this forum, in contrast to what we have in NL, almost none). I have asked the Audi dealer to upload the most recent DSG software. I have got version 2110 and there's a 2120. Problem is, they dont want to do it for free although i have the factory warranty. That can't be OK is it ?
Dont know if it will smooth out the trans and what the differences between these versions are. But after a drive with another RS3 (with version 2120) i know my gearbox can be better.

Another point of attention is the (very) slow decline of coolant in the overflow bowl. I always check it when dead cold. I filled it about 6 weeks ago to about 90% max (cold). I always leave some room for expanding when hot. In the meantime I have driven some 900 miles with it and this tomorrow i checked it. Now it was exactly in between min/max, so at 50%. It declined during the 6 weeks at a very slow rate. Bit by bit a little lower, so now there's 40% between min/max gone ? Took my flaslight out, no visible traces at the waterpump, not on the undertray or driveway. The coolant is nice (pink) transparant and the oil is transparant brown/black. Where is that coolant gone ?? My former car, a Leon Cupra also ´used´ some coolant from new, had to top it once a year, but this is much more. I have read that all Seat, VW, Audi´s can ´use´ some coolant by evaporation etc. But at this rate i have to top it up from min to (almost) max every 1500/2000 miles or so. Are there drivers here who experience the same without really having a leak ?

Before I bought the TVS DSG tune in December I went from 2110 to 2118 then 2120 with no issues.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Vagfan]

Did you notice any difference between, say version 2110 and 2120 ?

@wuta3: i will monitor it. I have added G13 again untill 90% max. If it's the waterpump, the issue should be getting more worse over time. I have warranty untill the beginning of 2023.