VW DSG problem if dead battery

akasudonim

Hi, wondering what would you think of the following, and a bit of a warning I guess for all VAG DSG drivers;

In stop/start traffic yesterday my OH's 152 Sharan would not restart when the traffic moved. Completely dead. No warnings or indications of an imminent problem, just would not restart.

Moved gear selector from Drive to Park in the restarting attempts and that turned out to be the big mistake! Turns out it is not possible to move the DSG to neutral if the battery is dead. Called the local VW dealers service dept as this was happening and they confirmed it could not be changed out of Park!

Eventually got my mechanic to arrive with a set of leads, which from his car gave us power to move the box to Neutral and then push to the roadside. This is after an hour and a half of the car blocking the road!! A new battery resolved the issue.

I've asked VW for clarification, and await their reply. But on a very busy road it was very stressful for the OH. And a lot of confidence lost on what has been an excellent car otherwise

Was also interesting to see the numerous offers of assistance from some drivers and cyclists, and the dogs abuse and horn blowing from others!

If someone has a workaround (that the other half could do if it happens again!) would love to know!!

Zubeneschamali

akasudonim wrote: »

If someone has a workaround (that the other half could do if it happens again!) would love to know!!

Sounds like jumpleads would have sorted it. Half the people who offered to help probably have a set in their boot.

wonski

Stop start system should be disabled automatically if the battery charge drops. Strange that yours just switched off like that.

Is the battery correct type or has it been replaced recently?

Toyotafanboi

You'll need power for the parking pawl in the gearbox to be released which is why it wouldn't come out of P. It probably needed power to be engaged too though so it's peculiar how it happened, was the cause of the car breaking down a flat battery or did the battery go flat trying to get the car going again from another failure?

I think your real lack of confidence should be in why the car shut down and caused this in the first place, not that it can't be removed from "P" when it's already broken down.

Harcrid

There is normally a gearbox override switch or lever that you can release to get into neutral with no power. No idea where it is on the Sharan, but it should be listed in the user manual.

akasudonim

Yep searched for an override switch/lever, but per VW there is none on these!! That's what has me annoyed.

The jump leads gave enough juice to get it into neutral and move it. Actually not sure if mechanic tried to start it at that time with the leads on as I was directing traffic, but he has the faulty battery to test. Once in N we pushed it to the side.

I would also have expected S/S to disable if battery was down, so can't understand it.

And with the new battery in place the alternator was charging it (mech had a meter on it).

I agree re needing to find the root cause - battery definitely didn't deplete in trying to restart - was entirely dead after a few moments. What caused it originally if the alternator is working fine has me worried.

akasudonim

wonski wrote: »

Stop start system should be disabled automatically if the battery charge drops. Strange that yours just switched off like that.

Is the battery correct type or has it been replaced recently?

Yep original battery in the car, has not been replaced, and no other work done on the car bar regualr servicing. It's strange.

biko

I feel your OH's pain, OP.
I was once stuck in traffic when the clutch on a rental gave up the ghost.
Not the nicest of things to happen, even though most seemed understanding.

tossy

I never understood the mentality of people who beep at someone broken down! I mean they didn't stop there for the craic and no one ever googled DSG stuck in park problem to be told - have multiple cars beep at you in traffic - this will release the brake!

DaveyDave

tossy wrote: »

I never understood the mentality of people who beep at someone broken down! I mean they didn't stop there for the craic and no one ever googled DSG stuck in park problem to be told - have multiple cars beep at you in traffic - this will release the brake!

My sister's car died at a light two years ago, couldn't get it started. Cue the beeping. Lad behind us was kind enough to help push it through the lights. Got all sorts of abuse from a taxi driver telling us to get off the road because we can't drive etc. Even his young daughter shouted when they drove past us, she must have been 10. Lovely people.

I hate getting suck in traffic and I'm not the most patient of people when there's congestion but I'd help if I saw someone needing a push. 99% wouldn't bother their arse but the sooner someone helps push a car the sooner traffic can ease up.

akasudonim

OSI wrote: »

On the DSG if you lift up the gear lever boot, there is a yellow switch you can press to release the parking pawl and "engage" neutral.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnOzFLrKHGI

Thanks OSI. Wish I'd known this yesterday!
Just tried this on ours. And showed herself how to do so too. It's simple, if you know how - better with a trim removal tool, though in an emergency anything flat sharp would do to take off the boot.

Pushing down on the yellow plastic part and then pressing the lever button will allow the lever to be moved in N.

Should be surprised that the VW service dept didn't know this, but am not!

akasudonim

tossy wrote: »

I never understood the mentality of people who beep at someone broken down! I mean they didn't stop there for the craic and no one ever googled DSG stuck in park problem to be told - have multiple cars beep at you in traffic - this will release the brake!

DaveyDave wrote: »

My sister's car died at a light two years ago, couldn't get it started. Cue the beeping. Lad behind us was kind enough to help push it through the lights. Got all sorts of abuse from a taxi driver telling us to get off the road because we can't drive etc. Even his young daughter shouted when they drove past us, she must have been 10. Lovely people.

I hate getting suck in traffic and I'm not the most patient of people when there's congestion but I'd help if I saw someone needing a push. 99% wouldn't bother their arse but the sooner someone helps push a car the sooner traffic can ease up.

In fairness the VAST majority were offering assistance, push etc., but still a few along the lines of "Why the fcuk don't you push to the side ...." etc. - 'cause I never thought of doing that! Don't know how many times had to say it was stuck in gear! There were 3 guys in particular that stopped and helped / directed traffic etc., fair play.

BTW had called AGS to let them know of the traffic impact in case they were contacted, and was told to take no notice of the people blowing horns etc., to which I replied I couldn't give an F about them, just letting ye know in case of worse happening.

Zubeneschamali

akasudonim wrote: »

In fairness the VAST majority were offering assistance, push etc.

I'm still guessing that most of the people who offered to help had jump leads.


But I am beginning to suspect that they offered and you said no for some reason.


And somehow it is now my fault that you are an ass.

akasudonim

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

I'm still guessing that most of the people who offered to help had jump leads.

But I am beginning to suspect that they offered and you said no for some reason.

And somehow it is now my fault that you are an ass.

LOL, yeah right :rolleyes: I expect that if someone offering help had jump leads they'd say so. And believe me any help offered that could have solved this would have been graciously accepted - however pushing wasn't going to work and I couldn't see how else they could help - unless like you said they were hiding a set of jump leads and were enjoying the spectacle!

Maybe your ass comment comes from my last post, when I said I didn't give an F about people blowing horns etc., and I didn't at the time - still don't, but really was thinking about the OH in that situation if I was not there, and it would not have been easy - just don't understand the attitude of some drivers!

But you're doing a lot of guessing and suspecting in your post, so I think my reply won't make a difference, and I 'guess' and 'suspect' you'll just keep doing that