Since we got our Vel Exec in July 2016, probably the only issue we've had with it, to mean anything, has been the DSG gearbox when setting off in Reverse Up-hill.
Sometimes, when either of us jumps in it, when we've parked it facing downhill, and had to reverse out of a tight parking spot; the DSG clutch doesn't engage properly, and you end up revving the engine significantly higher than you would like to, then the clutch engages and you shoot-off in reverse, momentarily without proper control.
You are then in a situation of going for the brakes to regain control, and you can be effectively left-foot braking because you don't want the clutch to disengage because the hill-assist has now disconnected; with the potential to roll forward into any obstacles; and as you left-foot brake the engines revs automatically drop away, disengaging the clutch, allowing the van to role forward.......ah.
I've taken the vehicle twice to the dealers but just can't get the vehicle to replicate the issues, as I'm always looking for a similar set of circumstances. We have a tow bar, and trying to reverse onto a tow ball particularly on a hill or muddy ground is also very tricky to control properly and not damage the bumper by overshooting. I pointed out to the dealer that an accident was waiting to happen. We did whenever possible avoid hill parking spots, and if we did have to park on one find plenty of space, and/or reverse into the spot, so a forward gear would be all that was needed.
This summer in a strange set of events involving a slightly panicked driver (The Mrs) who had just set off in the van, and realized she had left her jacket with her new i-phone in the pocket hung on a fence post in a busy area. The situation was made about 1000% worse as she tried to turn the van around in a national trust car park, she came across 5 pathetic woke car parking attendants dressed in something approaching Nuclear-Biological-Chemical suits who totally overreacted and effectively blocked the Mrs's path, resulting in her having to park up facing downhill. Anyway, the result was in trying to reverse out with 5 daft carpark attendants stressing the situation the van rolled forward into a single low metal post (not really visible from the parked position)
At least the coat and i-phone were recovered OK,
Then 3 weeks later I was parked at a busy retail park in the van on a slight incline with the nose facing downhill against steel bollards (should have reversed into the spot, but an adjacent car was over to one side); by the time I got back to the van a large panel van had parked next to me, so I was blind to one side. i engaged reverse and tried to creep out (but the van revs need to be increased far too high to engage the clutch) when a lady with a pushchair appeared from behind the parked panel van. It was a scary situation and could have ended badly. In any normal circumstance, she would have seen me start to creep backwards; but the DSG clutch didn't do that, and we went from nothing to a sudden lurch.
So that was it, I had to sort the DSG clutch once and for all. Having seen Oli's posts @BognorMotors regarding the TVS DSG-remap, I immediately pm'd Oli, and we had a good chat.
So my Van has now had a TVS DSG remap (and engine ECU remap, just for the hell of it
), and to say the van is a totally fixed 100% is an understatement, It drives like a totally different van.
Reverse is perfectly controlled by just the throttle, on any gradient/terrain
If I choose to left foot brake, I now can (Launch Control, well sort of), without the engine revs automatically dying.
The changing pattern is more optimized
I seldom need to use sport mode, as the DSG better understands and responds to driver and terrain inputs. If you floor the throttle the van now responds as if in sport mode by dropping multiple gears, yet cruises just the same.
The Engine & DSG gearbox now feel fully Optimised
A new unpainted bumper was only £300+VAT from TPS + an insert (which I think is good value).
But more importantly, this will not happen to us again
, and the van is no longer a menace to other highway users (well, mostly)
It has only just dawned on me the reason I couldn't get it to replicate the problem at the dealers, was the whole bunch of circumstances that have to be in place, such as posts to roll into just 100mm away from the front dumper; vehicles and pedestrians all around you etc etc which affects how you control the vehicle.
I would not hesitate to contact Oli if there is any aspect of what I've said that resonates with you.
Sometimes, when either of us jumps in it, when we've parked it facing downhill, and had to reverse out of a tight parking spot; the DSG clutch doesn't engage properly, and you end up revving the engine significantly higher than you would like to, then the clutch engages and you shoot-off in reverse, momentarily without proper control.
You are then in a situation of going for the brakes to regain control, and you can be effectively left-foot braking because you don't want the clutch to disengage because the hill-assist has now disconnected; with the potential to roll forward into any obstacles; and as you left-foot brake the engines revs automatically drop away, disengaging the clutch, allowing the van to role forward.......ah.
I've taken the vehicle twice to the dealers but just can't get the vehicle to replicate the issues, as I'm always looking for a similar set of circumstances. We have a tow bar, and trying to reverse onto a tow ball particularly on a hill or muddy ground is also very tricky to control properly and not damage the bumper by overshooting. I pointed out to the dealer that an accident was waiting to happen. We did whenever possible avoid hill parking spots, and if we did have to park on one find plenty of space, and/or reverse into the spot, so a forward gear would be all that was needed.
This summer in a strange set of events involving a slightly panicked driver (The Mrs) who had just set off in the van, and realized she had left her jacket with her new i-phone in the pocket hung on a fence post in a busy area. The situation was made about 1000% worse as she tried to turn the van around in a national trust car park, she came across 5 pathetic woke car parking attendants dressed in something approaching Nuclear-Biological-Chemical suits who totally overreacted and effectively blocked the Mrs's path, resulting in her having to park up facing downhill. Anyway, the result was in trying to reverse out with 5 daft carpark attendants stressing the situation the van rolled forward into a single low metal post (not really visible from the parked position)
At least the coat and i-phone were recovered OK,
Then 3 weeks later I was parked at a busy retail park in the van on a slight incline with the nose facing downhill against steel bollards (should have reversed into the spot, but an adjacent car was over to one side); by the time I got back to the van a large panel van had parked next to me, so I was blind to one side. i engaged reverse and tried to creep out (but the van revs need to be increased far too high to engage the clutch) when a lady with a pushchair appeared from behind the parked panel van. It was a scary situation and could have ended badly. In any normal circumstance, she would have seen me start to creep backwards; but the DSG clutch didn't do that, and we went from nothing to a sudden lurch.
So that was it, I had to sort the DSG clutch once and for all. Having seen Oli's posts @BognorMotors regarding the TVS DSG-remap, I immediately pm'd Oli, and we had a good chat.
So my Van has now had a TVS DSG remap (and engine ECU remap, just for the hell of it
), and to say the van is a totally fixed 100% is an understatement, It drives like a totally different van.Reverse is perfectly controlled by just the throttle, on any gradient/terrain
If I choose to left foot brake, I now can (Launch Control
, well sort of), without the engine revs automatically dying.The changing pattern is more optimized
I seldom need to use sport mode, as the DSG better understands and responds to driver and terrain inputs. If you floor the throttle the van now responds as if in sport mode by dropping multiple gears, yet cruises just the same.
The Engine & DSG gearbox now feel fully Optimised
A new unpainted bumper was only £300+VAT from TPS + an insert (which I think is good value).
But more importantly, this will not happen to us again
, and the van is no longer a menace to other highway users (well, mostly)It has only just dawned on me the reason I couldn't get it to replicate the problem at the dealers, was the whole bunch of circumstances that have to be in place, such as posts to roll into just 100mm away from the front dumper; vehicles and pedestrians all around you etc etc which affects how you control the vehicle.
I would not hesitate to contact Oli if there is any aspect of what I've said that resonates with you.
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