Get Shifting Guide for Volkswagen Golf 4 Door Sixth Generation (2008-2017)

Shifting

ꢀ Introduction

In this section you’ll find information about:

Warning and indicator lights

Pedals

Manual transmission: Gearshift lever

Automatic transmission: Selector lever

Shifting with Tiptronic^®

Driving with automatic transmission

Automatic transmission malfunction

Gear recommendation

Explanatory notes in this section regarding automatic transmissions also apply to the DSG^®

automated transmission.

Your vehicle may be equipped with a special DSG^®automated transmission that combines the

performance and economy of a standard manual transmission with the comfort and convenience of a

conventional automatic transmission. The DSG transmission housing contains two clutches, one that

works with the odd-numbered gears (1, 3, 5 and R) and the other that works with the even-numbered

gears (2, 4, 6). The dual clutch configuration enables rapid shifts between gears without loss of

traction as the dual clutch seamlessly transfers the engine power from one driveshaft to the other

during gear shifts. An output shaft for each of the two gearbox units transmits the drive to the driven

wheels via a differential. The DSG electronic control unit, sensors, and hydraulic control for clutch

engagement and gear selection form one compact weight-saving unit.

Thanks to the dual-clutch design, the DSG system is more efficient than a conventional automatic

transmission. For example, while idling, a torque converter in a conventional automatic transmission is

engaged all the time (increasing load and engine fuel consumption), while the DSG gradually opens

the clutch, allowing the engine to idle freely. In most cases, this efficiency combined with its low weight

and intelligent control means that DSG can achieve the same or better fuel consumption than a

manual transmission. The clutches, like the clutch in a standard manual transmission are subject to

wear over time. The DSG transmission requires periodic maintenance that is described in the

⇒ Chapter Warranty and Maintenance.

When the ignition is switched on and the transmission is in Reverse (R):

ꢀ

The backup lights come on.

The rear window wiper switches on when the windshield wipers are switched on.

The camera for Rear Assist switches on (if equipped).

More information:

ꢀ

Lower center console

Instruments

Braking and parking

Rear Assist

Climate control

Engine control and emission control system

Emergency closing and opening

WARNING

Rapid acceleration can cause skidding and loss of traction, especially on slippery roads,

resulting in a loss of vehicle control, collisions, and serious personal injury.

ꢀ

Only use the kick-down feature or fast acceleration if visibility, weather, road, and traffic

conditions permit and other drivers will not be endangered by your driving and the vehicle's

acceleration.

WARNING

Constant braking causes the brakes to overheat and even to fail leading to collisions and

serious personal injury.

ꢀ

Never “ride” the brakes or apply the brake pedal too often or too long.

Riding the brakes will substantially reduce braking performance, increase stopping

distance, and can cause complete brake system failure.

NOTICE

ꢀ Never “ride” the brakes by keeping your foot on the brake pedal when you do not want to

brake. This will make the brakes wear faster.

ꢀ

Before driving downhill, especially on hills that are long or steep, always reduce speed and

shift into lower gear (manual or automatic transmission). This will let the vehicle use engine

braking and reduce the load on the brakes. Otherwise, the brake system could overheat and

even fail. Only use the brakes when you need them to slow the vehicle down more or to stop.

Warning and indicator lights

ꢀ Please first read and note the introductory information and heed the WARNINGS

Lights

Possible cause

Proper response

up

ꢀ

ꢀ Do not continue driving!

Allow the transmission to cool with the

selector lever in the P position.

Transmission malfunction.

If the warning does not turn off, do not

continue driving. See your authorized

Volkswagen dealer for assistance. Otherwise,

serious transmission damage could result

ꢁ

Brake pedal not depressed.

Apply the brake pedal to select a drive gear

Flashes

Possible cause

Proper response

The release button in the selector lever

did not engage. Vehicle movement is

prevented.

ꢁ

Engage selector lever release button

When the ignition is switched on, several warning and indicator lights come on briefly for a function

check. They go out after a few seconds.

WARNING

Failure to heed warning lights and instrument cluster text messages can cause the vehicle to

break down in traffic and result in a collision and serious personal injury.

ꢀ

Never ignore warning lights or text WARNINGS.

Always stop the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so.

Whenever stalled or stopped for repair, move the vehicle a safe distance off the road, turn

on the emergency flashers, stop the engine, and use other warning devices to warn

approaching traffic.

NOTICE

Failure to heed warning lights or text WARNINGS can result in vehicle damage.

Pedals

Fig. 126 Pedals in vehicles with manual transmission: 1 Accelerator pedal, 2 Brake pedal, 3 Clutch pedal.

Fig. 127 Pedals in vehicles with automatic transmission: 1 Accelerator pedal, 2 Brake pedal.

ꢀ Please first read and note the introductory information and heed the WARNINGS

All pedals must always be able to move freely in and out without interference from floor mats or other

things.

Only use floor mats that leave the pedal area free and are held securely in place with floor mat

fasteners to help prevent sliding.

If a brake circuit malfunctions, more brake pedal travel is needed to bring the vehicle to a full stop, and

it is important that nothing is in the way when you have to depress the brake pedal harder and farther

than normal.

WARNING

Objects in the driver footwell can prevent the pedals from moving freely. This can cause loss

of vehicle control and increase the risk of serious personal injuries.

ꢀ

Always make sure that nothing can interfere with the pedals.

Always fasten floor mats securely to the floor.

Never put floor mats or other floor coverings on top of already installed floor mats.

Always make sure that nothing can fall into the driver footwell while the vehicle is moving.

NOTICE

Always make sure that the pedals are able to move freely and that nothing can interfere with

them. If a brake circuit fails, more brake pedal travel will be needed to bring the vehicle to a

stop. The brake pedal must be pressed farther and harder than normal.

Manual transmission: Gearshift lever

Fig. 128 Gearshift pattern of a 5-speed manual transmission.

Fig. 129 Gearshift pattern of a 6-speed manual transmission.

ꢀ Please first read and note the introductory information and heed the WARNINGS

The positions of the individual gears are shown on the gearshift lever ⇒ fig. 128 or ⇒ fig. 129.

ꢀ

Depress the clutch pedal all the way and hold.

ꢀ

Move the gearshift lever into the desired position ⇒

Release the clutch pedal to engage the gear.

.

The clutch pedal must be fully depressed to start the engine.

Shifting into reverse

ꢀ

Only shift to the reverse gear when the vehicle is not moving.

ꢀ

Depress the clutch pedal fully and hold ⇒

Move the gearshift lever to neutral and press down.

.

ꢀ

Move the shift lever to the left and then push forward into the reverse gear position ⇒ fig. 128 (R)

or ⇒ fig. 129 (R).

ꢀ

Release the clutch pedal to engage the gear.

Downshifting

You should always downshift gear by gear when driving, meaning always into the next lowest gear. Do

not downshift when the engine rpm (revolutions per minute) is too high ⇒ . At fast speeds or high

engine rpm, skipping over one or more gears when downshifting can cause damage to the clutch and

transmission, even if a gear is not engaged ⇒

.

WARNING

Downshifting to a lower gear incorrectly can result in loss of vehicle control and can cause

accidents and serious personal injuries.

WARNING

When the engine is running and a gear is engaged, the vehicle will start to move as soon as

the clutch pedal is released. This also applies when the parking brake is engaged.

ꢀ

Never shift into Reverse (R) when the vehicle is moving.

NOTICE

Shifting down to a gear that is too low when driving at fast speeds or high engine rpm can

cause extensive damage to the clutch and transmission. That is true even if the clutch pedal is

pressed so that the clutch is not engaged.

NOTICE

To help prevent damage and premature wear:

ꢀ Do not rest your hand on the gearshift lever while driving. Over time, the pressure will

cause premature wear in the transmission.

ꢀ

Make sure that the vehicle has come to a complete stop before shifting into Reverse (R).

Always depress the clutch pedal all the way when changing gears.

Do not hold the vehicle on a hill using engine power with the clutch pedal partially engaged

and the engine running.

Automatic transmission: Selector lever

Fig. 130 Automatic transmission selector lever with shift lever release button (arrow).

ꢀ Please first read and note the introductory information and heed the WARNINGS

Automatic transmission vehicles have an Automatic Shift Lock (ASL). With ASL, you must switch on

the ignition, depress the brake pedal and hold it down while pressing the release button on the

selector lever handle in the direction of the arrow ⇒ fig. 130 to move the selector lever out of Park (P)

and into a drive gear. When the selector lever is in Neutral (N), you also have to depress the brake

pedal before you can move the selector lever to Drive/Sport Drive (D/S), or Reverse (R).

If the ignition is switched on, either the current selector lever setting or the current gear is shown in the

instrument cluster display.

Selector

lever

position

Designation

Meaning ⇒

Selector

lever

position

Designation

Park

Meaning ⇒

ꢂ

The drive wheels are mechanically locked.

Select only when the vehicle is not moving. To change the

selector lever position, switch on the ignition (if it is off) and then

press the selector lever release button while holding down the

brake pedal.

ꢃ

ꢄ

ꢅ

Reverse

Neutral

The Reverse gear is engaged.

Shift into Reverse only when the vehicle is not moving.

Transmission is in Neutral position. No power is transmitted to

the wheels and no engine braking is available.

Drive (standard

driving position)

All forward gears shift up and down automatically. The

transmission shifts as needed depending on engine load,

individual driving style, and vehicle speed.

ꢆ

Sport Drive (sport

driving position)

All forward gears automatically upshift later and downshift

earlier than in Drive (D) to take full advantage of the engine's

power reserves. The transmission shifts as needed depending

on engine load, individual driving style, and vehicle speed. The

system will not, however, switch to the highest forward gear.

The timing of the gear shift is determined by the engine load,

your individual driving style, and the vehicle speed.

Switch between Drive (D) and Sport drive (S) by tapping the

selector lever once to the rear from gear position D/S . The

selector lever always returns to gear position D/S.

Changing gear

selection

ꢁ

It is possible to access Tiptronic selection from gear position

D/S when either Drive (D) or Sport drive (S) is active

Automatic Shift Lock (ASL)

The Automatic Shift Lock (ASL) in Park (P) and Neutral (N) prevents drive positions from being

engaged inadvertently, which would cause the vehicle to move.

To release the ASL, depress and hold the brake pedal with the ignition switched on. Press the release

button on the selector lever at the same time.

The ASL is not engaged if the selector lever is moved quickly through Neutral (N) (e.g., when shifting

from Reverse (R) to Drive (D)). This makes it possible to “rock” the vehicle backwards and forwards if

it is stuck in snow or mud. The ASL engages automatically if the brake pedal is not depressed and the

lever is in Neutral (N) for more than about 1 second and the vehicle is traveling no faster than about

3 mph (5 km/h).

In rare cases, the ASL may not engage on vehicles with a DSG^®automated transmission. If this

happens, power to the drive wheels will be interrupted to prevent the vehicle from moving

unexpectedly. The green indicator light ꢁ will blink and a text message will be displayed. To engage

the Automatic Shift Lock (ASL):

ꢀ

Depress and then release the brake pedal. Try to engage the ASL again.

WARNING

Moving the selector lever to the wrong position can cause loss of vehicle control, a collision,

and serious personal injury.

ꢀ

Never accelerate when moving the selector lever.

When the engine is running and a drive position is engaged, the vehicle will start to move

as soon as the brake pedal is released.

ꢀ

Never shift into Reverse (R) or Park (P) when the vehicle is moving.

WARNING

Unintended vehicle movement can cause serious personal injury.

ꢀ Never get out of the driver's seat while the engine is running, especially when the

transmission is in a drive gear. If you must leave your vehicle while the engine is running,

always set the parking brake and shift the transmission into Park (P).

ꢀ Never leave the vehicle in Neutral (N). It will roll down hills, whether the engine is running

or not.

ꢀ

When the engine is running and a drive gear - Drive (D), Sport Drive (S), or Reverse (R) -

has been selected, press and hold the brake pedal to keep the vehicle from moving. The

vehicle may “creep” and move forward or backward even if the engine is idling slowly.

ꢀ

Never shift into Reverse (R) or Park (P) when the vehicle is moving.

NOTICE

Even though the transmission is in Park (P), the vehicle may move a couple of inches (a few

centimeters) forwards or backwards if you take your foot off the brake pedal after stopping the

vehicle without first setting the parking brake.

If the selector lever is moved into Neutral (N) by mistake when the vehicle is moving, take your

foot off the accelerator pedal. Wait until the engine speed has dropped to idle speed before moving

the selector lever into a drive gear.

Shifting with Tiptronic^®

Fig. 131 Selector lever in Tiptronic position.

Fig. 132 Steering wheel with Tiptronic shift paddles (if equipped).

ꢀ Please first read and note the introductory information and heed the WARNINGS

Tiptronic lets you upshift and downshift manually with the automatic transmission. When Tiptronic

mode is used, the transmission stays in the current gear and does not upshift or downshift

automatically unless the transmission senses a situation where upshifting or downshifting is necessary

to keep the engine from over- or under-revving.

Using Tiptronic with the selector lever

ꢀ

Push the selector lever sideways to the right from the D/S position into the Tiptronic position ⇒

in Automatic transmission: Selector lever.

Briefly push the selector lever forward (+) to upshift into a higher gear or backward (–) to downshift

ꢀ

into a lower gear ⇒ fig. 131.

Using Tiptronic with the shift paddles behind the steering wheel (if equipped)

ꢀ The paddles ⇒ fig. 132 (arrows) work when the selector lever is in the Tiptronic position or when

the selector lever is in Drive or Sport Drive (D/S). You do not have to move the selector lever over to

the right into the Tiptronic position.

ꢀ

To upshift, pull the paddle on the right + ꢇꢈꢈ toward you.

To downshift, pull the paddle on the left – toward you.

ꢀ To switch off Tiptronic mode, pull the paddle on the right + ꢇꢈꢈ toward you and hold it there for

about 1 second.

Tiptronic will switch off automatically if the shift paddles have not been used for a while and the

selector lever is not in the Tiptronic position.

NOTICE

ꢀ

During acceleration, the transmission will shift automatically into the next higher gear

before reaching maximum engine speed (rpm).

If you use Tiptronic to shift into a lower gear, the transmission will downshift only when

ꢀ

doing so will not over-rev the engine.

Driving with automatic transmission

ꢀ Please first read and note the introductory information and heed the WARNINGS

All forward gears shift up and down automatically.

Driving on hills

The steeper the grade, the lower the gear that must be selected. Lower gears increase the braking

effect of the engine. Never coast downhill in Neutral (N).

ꢀ

Reduce speed.

Switch to Tiptronic mode by moving the selector lever from Drive or Sport Drive (D/S) to the right

into the Tiptronic position ⇒ Shifting with Tiptronic®.

ꢀ

Downshift by pulling the selector lever back briefly (-).

ꢀ OR: Downshift using the paddles on the steering wheel ⇒ Using Tiptronic with the shift paddles

behind the steering wheel (if equipped).

If you stop and start up again when going uphill, you should use Hill Hold ⇒ Starting assistance

systems as long as the engine is running.

Vehicles without Hill Hold: If you stop on a hill with the vehicle in gear, you must depress the brake

pedal or engage the parking brake to keep the vehicle from rolling. Do not release the brake pedal or

the parking brake until the vehicle has started to move forward ⇒

.

Kick-down acceleration

The kick-down feature permits maximum acceleration when the selector lever is in the Drive (D), Sport

Drive (S), or Tiptronic mode.

If you push the accelerator all the way down, the vehicle will automatically downshift, depending on

vehicle speed and engine speed (rpm). This feature lets you take advantage of the full acceleration

capacity of the vehicle ⇒

.

With kick-down actuated, the transmission will stay in the current gear longer and not upshift until the

engine reaches maximum rpm.

WARNING

Rapid acceleration can cause skidding and loss of traction, especially on slippery roads,

resulting in a loss of vehicle control, collisions, and serious personal injury.

ꢀ

Only use the kick-down feature or fast acceleration if visibility, weather, road, and traffic

conditions permit and other drivers will not be endangered by your driving and the vehicle's

acceleration.

ꢀ

Always adapt your driving to the traffic flow.

Note that the drive wheels can spin and the vehicle can swerve when ASR is switched off,

especially when the road is slippery.

ꢀ

Once you have accelerated, switch ASR back on again.

NOTICE

ꢀ When stopping on hills with the transmission in a drive gear, do not use the accelerator to

help prevent the vehicle from rolling backwards. This can cause the automatic transmission to

overheat and be damaged.

ꢀ Never let the vehicle coast or roll down a hill in Neutral (N), especially when the engine is

not running. The transmission will not be lubricated and will be damaged.

Automatic transmission malfunction

ꢀ Please first read and note the introductory information and heed the WARNINGS

Emergency shift program

If all selector lever position indicators in the instrument cluster display are highlighted against a bright

background, there is a system malfunction. The automatic transmission or the DSG^®automated

transmission will then operate in the emergency shift program. The emergency shift program lets you

drive the vehicle, but at a reduced speed and without being able to use all of the forward gears.

In some cases, vehicles with a DSG transmission may not be able to shift into reverse. It is then

impossible to drive the vehicle backwards.

In any event, have the automatic transmission checked by an authorized Volkswagen dealer or

authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.

Overheating of the DSG^®automated transmission

The DSG transmission may overheat, for example, due to frequent starts, extended “creeping,” or

stop-and-go traffic. Overheating is indicated by the warning light ꢀ and, if applicable, by a text

message in the instrument cluster. An additional warning chime may sound. Stop and let the

transmission cool down ⇒

.

The vehicle does not move forward or in reverse even though a drive position is selected

with the selector lever

If the vehicle does not move in the desired direction, the system may not have engaged the drive

position correctly. Press the brake pedal and select the drive position again.

If the vehicle still does not move in the desired direction, there is a system malfunction. See your

authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility for assistance to have the

system checked.

NOTICE

ꢀ As soon as you get any of these warnings about transmission overheating, you must either

park the vehicle in a safe place or drive faster than 12 mph (20 km/h).

ꢀ

If the text message and acoustic warning repeat themselves every 10 seconds or so, you

must park the vehicle in a safe place as soon as you can safely do so and stop the engine. Let

the transmission cool down.

ꢀ

To help prevent damage to the transmission, do not drive the vehicle again until the

acoustic warning has stopped. As long as the engine is overheated, avoid stop and start

driving and avoid low speeds (“walking pace”).

Gear recommendation

Fig. 133 In the instrument cluster display: Gear recommendation.

ꢀ Please first read and note the introductory information and heed the WARNINGS

Your vehicle may be equipped with a gear recommendation feature. The gear recommendation

displays a gear in the instrument cluster display that can help reduce fuel consumption.

For vehicles with an automatic transmission: The selector lever must be in the Tiptronic position

⇒ Shifting with Tiptronic®.

Key to fig. 133:

(A)

(B)

Current gear.

Recommended gear.

If the optimal gear is already selected, another gear is not recommended . Only the current gear is

displayed.

WARNING

The gear recommendation is only intended to assist the driver to select a gear for optimum

fuel economy. The gear recommendation cannot take road and traffic conditions into

account.

ꢀ The driver is responsible for selecting the correct gear for the current driving conditions,

such as when passing, when driving on hills or when towing a trailer.

Selecting the optimal gear helps to reduce fuel consumption.

The gear recommendation display turns off if you depress the clutch pedal (manual transmission)

or move the selector lever out of the Tiptronic position (automatic transmission).

Shifting for Your Volkswagen Golf 4 Door Sixth Generation (2008-2017)

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