S Tronic gear choice on steep downhill

[Shytot]

Hi,

I've had my 2l TFSi for a month or so now and the gearbox generally responds well and chooses the "right" gears.

I've started visiting my work office once a week and although most of the drive is motorway / A roads the last mile or so is down a reasonably steep hill.

I've noticed that the auto gearbox seems to select a very low gear for this hill (2nd or 3rd) but it doesn't seem to compensate for the speed that I'm actually doing (maybe up to 30/35 mph) and so I get this very laboured  high revs and to be honest it doesn't sound healthy.

I don't have hill assisit or hold on and the simplest thing to do is to switch to manual and change gear (or slow down!)  but it is a bit annoying.

I've previously travelled down this same hill in a 3l diesel and never had the issue  - but that is a lower revving engine and it was an 8 speed auto gearbox.

It's not a showstopper but just wondered if anyone can offer any input as to why this might be happening.

On my VW I could reset the gearbox with ignition on and foot flat down on accelerator for 10 seconds - but I don't think that would solve this.

[Steve Q]

Just seen this: 

https://www.audiworld.com/forums/q7-mkii-discussion-211/going-down-gear-2914297/

Doesn't seem to off a cure though, sorry. And this for dsg: 

https://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/2371332

[Shytot]

Thanks Steve 👍 

Looks like it's a feature! 

It just sounds awful. 

I'll blip the throttle to recover if I don't want to listen to it. 

[Steve Q]

15 minutes ago, Shytot said:

Thanks Steve 👍 

Looks like it's a feature! 

It just sounds awful. 

I'll blip the throttle to recover if I don't want to listen to it. 

You're welcome, sorry I can't help more. Just seems a characteristic of the s tronic/dsg box. 

[Shytot]

43 minutes ago, Steve Q said:

You're welcome, sorry I can't help more. Just seems a characteristic of the s tronic/dsg box. 

Yes I realised after posting that the VW was not DSG and wasn't as "clever"! 😁 

[Shytot]

So after a bit more experience it is definitely using engine braking - so it should be "economical" 

As an offshoot it also helps on cruise control when you are decelerating. 

Going from the 70mph (ish) setting to 50/55 for roadworks on the m6 (they're working overnight apparently) just by dropping the CC in 5 mph decrement it uses engine braking to get your speed down rapidly - for me it's a very useful feature 👍 

[Steve Q]

That's good then 🙂 all's well that ends well 👍