DSG in the snow

[Rolfe]

I mentioned them earlier in this thread with some links. I have since found out however they can deteriorate very rapidly i.e. one journey if driven on partly covered snow roads

The thaw has set in here good and proper.  And my AutoSocks showed up this morning!  Never mind, I expected that, I'm all sorted for the next time this happens.... (in 2018, or maybe never if global warming really gets going.... or if the Atlantic Conveyor stops I'll need studded tyres anyway....)

Anyway, the instructions say,

AutoSock should only be used on ice and snow, and should be removed immediately once the conditions no longer require it to be used, or when the vehicle is parked.  [....]  AutoSock is not a substitute for winter tyres!

I think that's the point.  You don't use them for a "journey", you only use them to get you over the bad snow section, then you take them off again.

Rolfe.

[keelaw]

http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle/AllCars/246496/

[Rolfe]

I'm finding that so long as the snow isn't too deep or the hill too steep, if I just stick the DSG in either D or R and then don't touch the accelerator, it will sort itself out without wheelspin.  I'm wondering if this is an actual feature built into the DSG as opposed to having a selectable snow/ice setting, and that the computer works it out?

I noticed this post on the comments attached to that video, talking about snow/ice settings on automatics.

Winter mode worked well on my Scorpio - all it did though was start in second and inhibit kickdown if you floor it, though, which is common sense for a manual driver.

Some of the newer ones are supposed to be able to work out for themselves that there's no grip and do a similar thing.

I'm thinking, maybe the Golf is one of these "newer ones" and that's why it doesn't seem to do what we expect it to do?  As I said, there was supposed to be a DVD or something about using the DSG, which I never saw hide nor hair of.  I'd have imagined it would have dealt with that sort of issue.

Or is there something in the handbook I haven't seen?

Rolfe.

PS.  It's snowing again here.  Yesterday the council carted the heaps of snow away from our street in lorryloads, leaving a skating rink behind.  This morning there was another inch or so of snow on top of it.  I didn't use the AutoSocks as I only had to cover 50 yards to get to a gritted, flat road, so I just shovelled the drive.  Again.  I hope all this hard work is at least good for the health.

[keelaw]

i think "low speed creep" function is mainly for parking... could be a happy co-incidence that it works in the snow.

i doubt also that the DSG puts itself into 2nd... surely it would display "2" on the MFD?

[Rolfe]

I don't know what it's doing.  Sometimes I didn't see any gear indicated.

It didn't work too well this evening, when the snow I was parked in was frozen round the wheels.  I thought I might have to fit the AutoSocks just to get going and out of the car park, but a colleague with a shovel managed to get me enough traction to start moving.

Rolfe.