Does LAUNCH control exist

[BAIKAR]

I've only just got my car and heard alot about this 'feature' ! However after reading through the manual I don't see it mentioned anywhere.

My question is this, was it a feature on Golf GTI's and mentioned in their handbooks or is this something that has been made up and passed on? I know it works and i've seen the videos.

The fact that the manual warns against a depressed brake and increasing the engine speed would go way against there being a launch feature! This is bound to be doing some form of damage to the DSG box

[CTRnutter]

Not all dsg cars have the feature, but the rocco does, if it was a major problem they would disable the feature

[wigit]

sir_rocco explains the technique here

http://www.sciroccocentral.co.uk/forum/ ... rol#p14074

[BAIKAR]

yeah i've read all that but my question is if no one ever told you about it how would you know its a feature on the car?

Its not in the manual and so is not a feature of the DSG.

Also its not a disable / enable option. All you are doing is selecting S for the performance ESP OFF so the traction doesn't kick in and then starting a punch up between the brakes and the gearbox.

Only thing it does after that is prevent high revs to save itself before you release the brake surely

[CTRnutter]

yeah i've read all that but my question is if no one ever told you about it how would you know its a feature on the car?

Its not in the manual and so is not a feature of the DSG.

Also its not a disable / enable option. All you are doing is selecting S for the performance ESP OFF so the traction doesn't kick in and then starting a punch up between the brakes and the gearbox.

Only thing it does after that is prevent high revs to save itself before you release the brake surely

i get what you are saying but why is it only a feature that seems to work on the sport models that have it fitted?

[BAIKAR]

ive heard it was a supplement to the edition 30's manual but thats it

anyone doing this is just replicating the process but VW have not advertised it in the scirocco manual for a reason

[CTRnutter]

ive heard it was a supplement to the edition 30's manual but thats it

anyone doing this is just replicating the process but VW have not advertised it in the scirocco manual for a reason

I disagree, if VW didnt want people to do it they wouldnt have enabled the feature, also my gearbox has issues at the mo, if vw thought it was because of me using the launch control i dont think they would be paying for the new gearbox.

but i appreciate we have a different view on this also pretty much every failure reported on the dsg is electrical (mechatronics ecu), where as launching would be mechanical

[BAIKAR]

you keep saying its been enabled . How can it be enabled / disabled? you mentioned that the sport models have this and others don't.

In the models that don't have it 'enabled' what happens when they try the procedure for launch control?

[Hassan Adly]

Hello,

Launch control is definately a feature, which is enabled in some but not all cars with DSG transmissions. The launch control program uses the DSG gearbox electronic controller to safely provide maximum launch acceleration. In cars with launch control enabled, a defined sequence of driver actions is required to activate it, as mentioned above.

LC is not the same as "neutral slamming", where a driver revs in neutral, then slams into gear (very harmful for the transmission). The LC program allows high power to be applied to the wheels in a manufacturer-approved, measured way that does not over-torque the transmission. It relies on the DSG mechatronic unit to control engine RPM and the shift into gear, to safely provide the best acceleration possible.

The Launch Control program is a feature specific to DSG. It is not something that can be featured on manual cars or cars with non-dsg transmissions.

DSG-equipped cars have come with launch control for years, but sometimes it is disabled. For example in the USA LC was factory-disabled in various VW and Audi DSG cars. In 2006 VW released a Technical Service Bulletin instructing dealers to upgrade many DSG-equipped cars with the launch control program, using a software upgrade applied at the service center. Some cars in the US such as some Audi TTs needed to have "European spec" ECUs retro-fitted into their mechatronic units to enable LC.

As far as I can gather, the Scirocco 2.0 TFSI with DSG has LC enabled, while most 1.4TSI's with DSG do not. It remains to be seen if this feature will become available to Scirocco 1.4TSI DSG owners via service center upgrades.

[BAIKAR]

good info but I gather yours is the 1.4tsi and you don't have LC is that correct?

if you try LC in your car what does it do?

[Hassan Adly]

Hello,

Yes my car is a 1.4TSI with DSG. Launch Control doesn't work on my car.

When I try it (and I've tried several times, following various procedures I read about), what I get is the RPM stays under 1000, the car seems to be pushing against the brakes. When I release the brakes it's no different that if I would just accelerate from a standstill normally.

The way it should be is that the RPM would rise up to about 3000-3500 RPM, and when I release the brake I should get a rush of power and probably some wheelspin.

I hope this helps.

Hassan

[BAIKAR]

ah so theres a big difference between cars that have it and not. its all down to the revs that the car lets the engine go to even with the pedal on the floor. If the revs limit to around 1000 you don't and if it goes as far as 3000 you have.

thanks Hassan, i've read of it being flashed to the ecu in the VW workshop for other cars so maybe they will do it for yours in time

[Herby44]

Not sure if dealer was correct or whether this has been mentioned before but when I picked my car yesterday the chap who I dealt with asked if I knew about the launch control function (obviously having read about it on here I did ). He then went on to say that the car logs each time the launch control is used and if you use it more than three times the warranty is invalidated (presumably just gearbox)

Only saying what he told me and he may have told me total rubbish but thought it was best to share

[jonallen628]

He then went on to say that the car logs each time the launch control is used and if you use it more than three times the warranty is invalidated (presumably just gearbox)

Not shooting the messenger but i would love to know where this is written?

[Herby44]

Not shooting the messenger but i would love to know where this is written?

Yeah no worries, sounded like rubbish to me at the time.

My initial thought was why bother having it at all if they're gonna do that.

[jonallen628]

Not shooting the messenger but i would love to know where this is written?

Yeah no worries, sounded like rubbish to me at the time.

My initial thought was why bother having it at all if they're gonna do that.

Have heard the 3 times usage stated elsewhere, does anyone know of an actual case where a Warranty hasn't been honoured due to launch control usage?

[nickp]

Wow that's nuts if it's true.

CTRnutter, if you are reading this I'm guessing (and sorry if I'm wrong) that you had tried launch control at least three times before your gear box went up the spout.
I only say that cos I remember seeing vids and pics posted from a track day that you attended.
Was the use of Launch Control ever mentioned to you by the VW engineers when they changed your gear box?

I haven't even tried Launch Control on mine yet but I was planning to soon

If it's true it's a bit like being given three wishes by a Genie...........Use them wisely my son.

[pat15312]

Just to addfuel to the fire...
In my 1.4 TSI MANUAL if I put the car in first, leave the clutch all the way down, leave the ESP on and then put my foot too the floor on the accelerator pedal, it holds the revs at 4000rpm.
I don't know if this is some kind of launch control or perhaps just a feature that VW implements to stop you from over revving the engine when it doesn't have any load connected to it.
my 2p's worth

[bianco]

Just to addfuel to the fire...
In my 1.4 TSI MANUAL if I put the car in first, leave the clutch all the way down, leave the ESP on and then put my foot too the floor on the accelerator pedal, it holds the revs at 4000rpm.
I don't know if this is some kind of launch control or perhaps just a feature that VW implements to stop you from over revving the engine when it doesn't have any load connected to it.
my 2p's worth

Thats a safety feature. I does the same if its in neutral.

[breezimus]

Not sure if dealer was correct or whether this has been mentioned before but when I picked my car yesterday the chap who I dealt with asked if I knew about the launch control function (obviously having read about it on here I did ). He then went on to say that the car logs each time the launch control is used and if you use it more than three times the warranty is invalidated (presumably just gearbox)

The salesman went through the launch control procedure with me when I picked mine up, as though it was a selling point on the car.

I'm guessing that your guy was talking Boll**ks. Car salesmen are almost as bad as copier salesmen in the Bulls**t department...