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Throttle Response Issue *Resolved*

Wascally Wabbit1

Drag Racing Champion
Hello all. If you've been on here over the last year and a half you have likely heard me bitch incessantly about the throttle response on the MK6 golf. I had a manual MK6 TDI with no issues. My issues were not just the initial rev that's a side effect of shortening the intake tube but were from the throttle actually oscillating (a lot and inconsistently). I could hold the throttle steady and it would jump up and down almost 1000 rpm but not always. It was like it was trying to figure out what to do when you hit a certain point while pressing the gas. Needless to say, it has been a nightmare trying to drive a manual transmission that has a throttle with a mind of its own.

I am guessing there is an actual problem here as nobody else seems to be complaining about their throttle response and I guarantee if you had the throttle issues I've had you would be. As a possible solution I looked into the pedal box signal amplifier so I could adjust the pedal signal. Then I thought to replace the whole pedal assembly which also includes the pedal position sensor but while I was reading up on the pedal box I came across a post in a random thread talking about the settings in the MK7 golf and they referred to a process for DSG clutch adaption in the MK6 GTI. I drive a manual but it talked about pedal calibration as well so I gave it a try.

I just copied this from a thread on Reddit.

"Try adapting (also called basic reset) the clutch and see if it fixes your problem. Turn the car off, turn the key to II right before ignition, hold the throttle pedal down to the "button" for 20 seconds, release, turn the car all the way off (DO NOT REMOVE KEY) then back to II, then off again and then start the car. See if you feel a difference, you probably will."

This has made all the difference in the world. It's like driving a different car. Anyway I thought I would throw it out there for those having similar issues and looking for something to try.
 
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torga

Autocross Champion
Wow, I hadn't heard of this. While I haven't experience anything as severe as you, the throttle is sometimes jerkier than I would like. Though, I am coming from a manual throttle car, so I don't think it'll feel that smooth. But hopefully this resolves some of the jerkiness!

Thanks for sharing.
 

Blakcard

Autocross Newbie
i have issues going from 3rd to 4th...throttle/ rpms drop but i thought that was a tune issue with APR. 1st can be jerky. Will give this a try for sure
 

Wascally Wabbit1

Drag Racing Champion
Nice! I followed the same steps to address a shifting issue some time ago. Thread here https://www.golfmk6.com/forums/showthread.php?t=118834

Apparently this voodoo magic works to adapt the kick down basic setting. Although many here will tell you it's a placebo, Charles the Humble Mechanic confirmed to me that the procedure is not voodoo or placebo.

Definitely not a placebo as my issues were very real. Starting off in first without chattering the clutch was almost impossible. I have been driving a stick daily for over 25 years so I can't imagine I just suck at driving stick. My morning commute today was the most enjoyable drive I have had in a while.
 

Tony48

Go Kart Champion
Wow I just did this to my GTI and immediately noticed a lot less chatter / vibration getting going from a stop (manual trans). I didn't have any fluctuating RPM symptoms like OP but I had some noticeable vibration that I figured was an inevitable consequence of stiffer engine/trans/dogbone mounts and an RSR clutch.

I'm all ears if anyone can tell me what this adaptation actually does.
 
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Wascally Wabbit1

Drag Racing Champion
Wow I just did this and immediately noticed a lot less chatter / vibration getting going from a stop (manual trans). I didn't have any fluctuating RPM symptoms like OP but I had some noticeable vibration that I figured was an inevitable consequence of stiffer engine/trans/dogbone mounts and an RSR clutch.

I'm all ears if anyone can tell me what this adaptation actually does.

It's for the DSG trans primarily but must have some relation to all golfs with regard to the throttle. I think the CPU saves specific info in an attempt to learn and adjust and adapting clears all those values. That was what I read somewhere anyway. That being said may eventually will start to go south again I guess just not sure how long. The traction control must have a similar setup as when my car would get super out of synch I could turn on and off my traction control and it would fix it temporarily but then it would eventually go back to the way it was. There are times when my car would jump to 2000 rpm by just touching the gas pedal. Driving through the drive-through was always fun as it sounded like I was reving my engine every time I wanted to move forward.
 
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torga

Autocross Champion
Did it and I'm still not sure if it's a placebo or not, but I'm pretty sure my jerkiness at low speeds or starting casually in 1st have disappeared. I'll continue to pay extra attention over the coming days.
 

Wascally Wabbit1

Drag Racing Champion
So in an attempt to definitely conclude that it has solved my issue I drove the same route home from work today as I did yesterday. 30 miles along Pacific Coast Highway all stop and go for an hour+. Yesterday's drive is what finally prompted me to search for a solution as I was so frustrated when I got home I knew this could not just be how the car is. Yesterday I could not, no matter how much I tried, not chatter the clutch when starting off in first. It was impossible. I figured it had to be a sensor and hence the decision to look into replacing the entire pedal mechanism.

Today, the exact same drive (time of day and everything). I did not chatter the clutch once. I was even able to hold myself on an incline with only the clutch (I don't do it often as it's bad for the clutch) which previously was also an impossibility as the rpm fluctuation would have caused a near stall and forced me to push in the clutch. I also noticed there is no more jerkiness on downshifting/deceleration. Lastly, I repeated an experiment I did yesterday where I repeatedly tapped the gas pedal as lightly as possible (barely touching it). Yesterday when I did this it sent the car into a jerky seizure fit. I knew there was no way the pedal should be that touchy. Tried that today and there was zero reaction from the car.

Long story short if it is a placebo effect then I also have a psychic connection to my car. It absolutely works. Maybe better for some than others but for my car there must have been something that had gone south that resetting the throttle fixed.

I am very stoked. I was seriously considering selling the car if I could not get this worked out as it has been an issue since I bought the car 30,000 miles ago and I was just getting to a point of total frustration.
 

torga

Autocross Champion
That's excellent to hear, WW! Glad that you can enjoy your car again.
 

Wascally Wabbit1

Drag Racing Champion
I think doing this on a manual perhaps does part of the DSG reset related to the throttle. I'm not sure. The DSG cars have a button under the gas pedal and I think that is what you are depressing with the pedal during the reset that causes the transmission to start recalibrating. Dunno it may work in conjunction with a throttle reset or something. I have seen a similar reset for the throttle with the Toureg which did not have the button.
 

zrickety

The Fixer
This probably works...but I imagine this is the same as an adaptation with vagcom/vcds? Just for those without the cable. There is adaptation for the throttle body, and for the DSG mechatronic unit.
 

Wascally Wabbit1

Drag Racing Champion
This probably works...but I imagine this is the same as an adaptation with vagcom/vcds? Just for those without the cable. There is adaptation for the throttle body, and for the DSG mechatronic unit.

It is likely the same as the vagcom adaption for the DSG and I do have vagcom but thought I would try this first but was extremely skeptical. I have done the TB adaption with Vagcom many times (actually you can do it without as well). I even recently replaced the throttle body thinking it was a TB positioning sensor issue. Again the DSG car have a button under the pedal. It is green and very noticeable. Look up replacement pedals on eBay and you will see them on the automatic versions. If you drive a manual look under your pedal and you will see the hole the button fits in with no button. So the button must activate the tranny adaption and it must work in conjunction with a throttle pedal alignment or something. Not sure. The Rosstech website shows the blocks where the adaption is activated doing all sorts of stuff. All I know is my issues were significant (not just a little throttle lag or a slight rev) and if you didn't know how to drive stick very well you would have had a hell of a time trying to drive this car. You remember the games your friends played when they would pull forward suddenly when you tried to reach for the door handle to get in their car? Imagine the trottle doing that when you tried to let out the clutch. I’m at 800 rpm, wait no now I'm at 2000 rpm, oh wait now I'm at 1000 rpm....all with your foot steady on the gas. And I live in Southern California where most of my time is in rush hour stop and go traffic. You can see my frustration.

Now that I have driven it for a day (over 100 miles) I see the issues were much worse than I realized. The car is much smoother to drive all around even on the freeway. It is literally like driving a totally different car. It's so easy.

I think people are skeptical of stuff like this because why would VW do some weird procedure with the ingnition and pedal and what not. I gave it a shot because of how I learned to program the key fob on my 2004 Tacoma. You turn the ignition on and off rapidly 10 times then push the lock button then open button on the fob and turn the car off and remove the key. This is what you paid your dealer $200 to do back 15 years ago.
 
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leiito1

Go Kart Champion
Tried this today and felt a pretty decent improvement on the jerkyness and chatter others mentioned on manual trans. Only went out for a short drive though. :thumbsup:
 
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