# I chatted with with VWOA about our '18 Tiguan engine/trans mapping/performance



## CtTigSEL (Sep 22, 2018)

Today I received an email from our dealer about our 1 year anniversary with our 2018 Tiguan SEL.

We've been really unhappy with the performance of our 2018 .. it's a slug off the line, with the accelerator hesitation, etc. I'm sure we all know what I am talking about. I've reported it in different threads and after getting a 2019 Tiguan SE loaner a few months ago, it has been significantly improved in the 2019's

I went to the VW site to get an email address to contact about my complaint, and saw they had live chat available, so I decided to chat it up 

This agent says they are aware of the issue and are working on a fix. I'm not sure if that's true, or just a standard line, but if there is an update coming, we WANT IT!

I'm not sure if anyone else on here has contacted VWOA with the same complaint, but it probably wouldn't hurt to do so. 

Here's the content of our chat today:


•	Thanks for choosing VW Chat! One of our Advocates will be with you shortly. In the meantime, feel free to browse our FAQ Page.
•	Hello! My name is Virenda J. How can I help you?

•	Hi Virenda ... I have a question about our 2018 Tiguan that we purchased new
•	This is our 4th Tiguan since 2009 .. all purchased new

•	Sure, Gene! What is your question?

•	We've been really unhappy with the engine/transmission tuning on the 2018
•	I'm not sure if you are familiar with it, but this car has a hesitation/delay when the accelerator is pressed
•	Its not a warranty issue, its the way the trans/engine is tuned/mapped
•	this has been adjusted on the 2019's and I am wondering about having our 2018 retuned/remapped to bring it up to 2019 specs
•	we've had a 2019 loaner from the dealer and it drives like a completely different car
•	I know that 2018 was the 1st year of the new model, but we really hate it. We're sorry we turned in our 2015 SEL for this 2018 SEL ..and wish we would have waited for the 2019
•	There was a similar trans/engine tuning difference between our 2013 and 2015, that was resolved on the 2015 with a VW retune after consumer complaints

•	Oh no, Gene. I'm sorry that you been having issues with your 2018 Tiguan. What I'd like to do is create a case about your experience with VW, and report your concerns with your Tiguan to VWoA to track for possible repair trends. Do you mind providing me with the information to do so?
•	sure
•	The information needed is your full name, current mailing address, best phone number and email address. Your VIN and current mileage (approximate) will be needed as well.

•	The car is registered to:
•	--redacted--
•	--redacted--
•	--redacted--
•	--redacted--
•	Purchased new in October 2018 from Valenti VW in watertown CT
•	8,325 miles
•	VIN: --redacted--
•	to be quite honest with you, acceleration from a standstill is a bit of a danger. Say making a right or left hand turn from a standstill, even pressing the accelerator to the floor there is a hesitation before the car kicks in
•	I know this is not an issue with my car, it's a problem that other '18 Tiguan owners report as well

•	Thank you for providing those details, Gene. May I also have your current mailing address, best phone number and email address. Have you had a chance to take your Tiguan to your local VW dealership? If so, what are they saying?

•	yes we have discussed this with our service advisors and the parts manager at our dealer (that also has an '18 tiguan)
•	it's not a defect in our particular vehicle, its the design
•	the mailing address is the same as the address above
•	best email - --redacted--
•	and it has without doubt, been changed/improved in the 2019 Tiguan
•	we received a 2019 tiguan as a loaner for service work on our 2018 and it drives like a completely different car .. it accelerates/shifts like our last 2015 did
•	To be quite honest with you, we hate it so much that we are considering losing money to get rid of this car
•	after having 3 other new tiguans and driving them exclusively for the last 10 years

•	I completely understand, Gene. With the information you provided me today, what can VW do to make this situation better for you?

•	updating the engine/transmission tuning/mapping to what the 2019 versions have
•	We have some other functional dislikes with the car that we can live with ... ie: seat comfort is not the best, but not sure that the newer seats being swapped in is a realistic expectation. There is plenty we like about the 2018, but overall we're kind of dissapointed with it versus our older Tiguans.
•	the seats from the 2019 are improved as well .. .but again, not sure that is an ask that we could get. We've very loyal to the VW brand and have always been very pleased with our vehicles - this one not really so much

•	We are currently working on a fix for this issue. Any updates will be specifically for your 2018 model Tiguan. As far as updating it with the 2019 Tiguan engine/software, not sure if that would be compatible with your 2018 Tiguan, Gene.

•	Is your Tiguan currently at your local VW dealership? If so, may I have the name of your VW dealership?

•	The engine and trans are the same in the car, so my assumption is that VW does not want to do this as it changes the fuel mileage ratings for the 2018 .. which are different from the 2019 :-(
•	It's not at the dealer now - our dealer is Valenti VW in Watertown, CT
•	If the delay and overall performance / snappiness of the engine/trans can be fixed with an update that brings it in line with the 2019, then I am for it
•	the 2018 Tiguan is just/ feels completely sluggish - again the 2019 is completely different. If you drove the 2 side by side, you would see it in an instant 
•	so this is a reported issue that you see/have internal notes for?
•	any idea when a fix will be available? The car is a year old now ... I'm chatting with you today because I got a reminder about our 1 year service being due and, as I said, we really dislike it - which is very unfortunate

•	Not at all, Gene. Your concerns with your Tiguan are very important to us here at CARE. VWoA are actively working on a fix for this issue. Once there is a fix you will be notified immediately via mail.
•	I have saved your concerns and request today under case# --redacted--. You can reference that number should you need to reach back out to us again regarding this. Once again I truly apologize for your experience.

•	Ok thanks for your time today

•	No problem! I appreciate you taking the time to inquire about this and allowing us a chance to document your concerns. Is there anything else that I can personally look into for you while we are still connected today?

•	no, that's all. Have a great day

•	You as well! Thank you for your time.  At the end of our conversation, you may receive a survey regarding our interaction. Please take a moment to complete it by clicking the “Close Chat” button within the chat window. Your feedback and ideas are important in understanding how we can make your experiences better in the future.


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## phlegm (Apr 24, 2019)

Thanks for following up on this issue.

As you elude to, it could be a stop-gap response from the agent around the pending fix. Do you recall how quickly she responded about them "working on a fix". I ask because in reality it is nearly impossible for any agent to be deeply knowledgeable about all VW brands, by year, and each possible issue. If she was quick and immediate to respond, I'd lean to BS, but if she took the time to consult someone, it may happen.

From the verbatim, I don't get a sense of any outside consultation on the issue, so unless she had a bulletin about it (and she may have), it could go nowhere. (?)


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## CtTigSEL (Sep 22, 2018)

phlegm said:


> Thanks for following up on this issue.
> 
> As you elude to, it could be a stop-gap response from the agent around the pending fix. Do you recall how quickly she responded about them "working on a fix". I ask because in reality it is nearly impossible for any agent to be deeply knowledgeable about all VW brands, by year, and each possible issue. If she was quick and immediate to respond, I'd lean to BS, but if she took the time to consult someone, it may happen.
> 
> From the verbatim, I don't get a sense of any outside consultation on the issue, so unless she had a bulletin about it (and she may have), it could go nowhere. (?)



It was not an immediate response. The chat window does .... while someone is typing. Most of the responses include some ... then .... before getting a response.


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## CtTigSEL (Sep 22, 2018)

phlegm said:


> Thanks for following up on this issue.
> 
> As you elude to, it could be a stop-gap response from the agent around the pending fix. Do you recall how quickly she responded about them "working on a fix". I ask because in reality it is nearly impossible for any agent to be deeply knowledgeable about all VW brands, by year, and each possible issue. If she was quick and immediate to respond, I'd lean to BS, but if she took the time to consult someone, it may happen.
> 
> From the verbatim, I don't get a sense of any outside consultation on the issue, so unless she had a bulletin about it (and she may have), it could go nowhere. (?)


I just received the email with the chat ... it went on for 38 minutes

9/9/2019 11:53:51 AM Virenda J: Hello! My name is Virenda J. How can I help you?
.
.
.
9/9/2019 12:31:10 PM Virenda J: You as well! Thank you for your time.  At the end of our conversation, you may receive a survey regarding our interaction. Please take a moment to complete it by clicking the “Close Chat” button within the chat window. Your feedback and ideas are important in understanding how we can make your experiences better in the future.

To answer your question about how soon the agent replied about a fix being in the works, that answer came in 26 minutes after I started the chat

9/9/2019 12:19:31 PM Virenda J: We are currently working on a fix for this issue. Any updates will be specifically for your 2018 model Tiguan. As far as updating it with the 2019 Tiguan engine/software, not sure if that would be compatible with your 2018 Tiguan, Gene.
9/9/2019 12:20:24 PM Virenda J: Is your Tiguan currently at your local VW dealership? If so, may I have the name of your VW dealership?


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## christophe15 (Nov 12, 2018)

135 complaints on NHTSA, most of the one's posted are about the complete lack of throttle response when depressing the accelerator. Hope the fix comes soon, best option without buying aftermarket fix that others have done is drive in Sport mode (if you have this option) otherwise throttle is "like a box of chocolates" never know what cha gunna get.


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## kicnit (Jul 11, 2018)

Very odd to see this thread. I've asked my dealer to check into it the last two times I've dropped my wifes tig off. Nothing was found, but they acknowledge that there was almost a turbo lag or something going on. They did say that things were coming to fix it. But that was 3 months ago. 

Fast forward to the 5 days ago. I reached out on the live chat, and got a very different answer. Almost like they had no clue what was going on. They requested that I bring the car back to the dealer and have the dealer inspect it again. Dropping it off Wednesday, and will follow up once I hear news. 

kyle


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## phlegm (Apr 24, 2019)

CtTigSEL said:


> I just received the email with the chat ... it went on for 38 minutes
> 
> ...
> 
> ...


Seems fairly positive. I'm always a bit skeptical (especially when agents anticipate a survey).

That said, if Virenda J knows a fix is in the works, shouldn't dealerships be made aware, and they can stop troubleshooting, i.e. relay the same to customers in person?


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## smg64ct203 (Jan 26, 2003)

​
I also bought mine from Valenti. I bought mine August 17 so I’ve had mine for 2 years and have 30k. I hate the way this thing hesitates and I have thought of getting rid of it because of this. A few months back I saw my sales man and I drove a 2019 but to be honest I didn’t really notice a difference. 

Keep us posted.


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## Smokeybeetleman (Aug 13, 2018)

Interesting read because my wife and I literately just traded in the Tiguan for a Subaru Forrester. The Forrester has less hp, torque and no turbo yet makes the Tiguan look like a snail. The main reason we traded it in is because of the shift delays and inconsistency. I tried Carista and that barely changed anything.


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## christophe15 (Nov 12, 2018)

yeah doing the Carista thing does nothing... I think the burger tuning pedal is what everyone claims has done the job. I just don't want to spend money to fix stuff that quite frankly how VW let go to market is beyond me... but love the Tiggy so as things come in to fix, not too worried we are in it for the long haul unless nothing comes out in next few years.


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## moveingfaster (Oct 4, 2006)

I also had a 2019 SE as a loaner and it was a blast to drive. Got my 18 back and was very disappointed. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## rocketjay1 (Jan 25, 2018)

*there not going to do anything*

Good luck with all that. Chances are that you're starting your third year with that car I don't believe that thay care at all. Plus if you lease your lease is on its way out


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## Sn0b0arder87 (Aug 30, 2012)

The dealership I bought my 2019 Tiguan from claims VW made changes to the emissions systems which is what makes the 2019 feel slightly better then the 2018 because of this any fix would mean an expensive recall and emissions testing and not just a tune. Not sure if this info is accurate but I sure am glad I went with a 2019!


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## jfedele22 (Jun 25, 2019)

Just to give my 2 cents, not that anyone cares, but I spoke with my dealership about this when I purchased my CPO. So for starters, I just bought my car, have had it for a couple weeks. 2018 Tiguan SEL w 4Motion.

SO, I don't know how much of this is actually true, BUT when I bought my car I voiced this concern. I was told that there was a minor update made, and a bigger one coming in the future. Being a techy guy, I was also advised to change the throttle response setting through Carista, Etc. I did it through OBDEleven, and I have to be honest, I did notice a change. Is there still some hesitation? Yeah, however I feel that now it doesn't pose a safety concern. I have to cross a 5 lane road by us frequently, and before it would put a pit in my stomach. Now? I feel a lot more at ease.

I will put this as a disclaimer though; I work for BMW and drive X1's and X2's quite frequently. The turbo lag in them is absolutely terrible, to the point where we've had customers either go to X3 or just look elsewhere, so I am kind of used to the second or, sometimes even two, of hesitation. 

I would suggest doing the Carista change IF you're going to use it for other things. It did wonders in my opinion.


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## DanSan (Oct 3, 2007)

jfedele22 said:


> Just to give my 2 cents, not that anyone cares, but I spoke with my dealership about this when I purchased my CPO. So for starters, I just bought my car, have had it for a couple weeks. 2018 Tiguan SEL w 4Motion.
> 
> SO, I don't know how much of this is actually true, BUT when I bought my car I voiced this concern. I was told that there was a minor update made, and a bigger one coming in the future. Being a techy guy, I was also advised to change the throttle response setting through Carista, Etc. I did it through OBDEleven, and I have to be honest, I did notice a change. Is there still some hesitation? Yeah, however I feel that now it doesn't pose a safety concern. I have to cross a 5 lane road by us frequently, and before it would put a pit in my stomach. Now? I feel a lot more at ease.
> 
> ...


What you're experiencing is a placebo. Multiple people can tested it, nothing about throttle response actually changes. It the change between normal to sport mode for example.


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## jfedele22 (Jun 25, 2019)

Placebo or not, my mother who uses my car occasionally when she needs to move stuff for her side job, commented about how it felt "snappier" and asked if it was because she put 91 in it like I told her. And she had no idea the change I had made the week before. So even if it does start off say in "sport mode" it does something until a true fix is released. And like I said, is it perfect? God no, however I am used to cars with laggy throttles, so for me, I did notice a difference. 

I guess I will do disclaimers from now on, "Results may vary."


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## Munkoli (Sep 4, 2014)

jfedele22 said:


> Placebo or not, my mother who uses my car occasionally when she needs to move stuff for her side job, commented about how it felt "snappier" and asked if it was because she put 91 in it like I told her. And she had no idea the change I had made the week before. So even if it does start off say in "sport mode" it does something until a true fix is released. And like I said, is it perfect? God no, however I am used to cars with laggy throttles, so for me, I did notice a difference.
> 
> I guess I will do disclaimers from now on, "Results may vary."


No, I don't think you understand what he is saying. It is not that there is a small change in response. There is NO change in throttle response with that setting. Your mother noticed something else about the car that felt snappier that day, not this setting change as it doesn't change the throttle response at all. You say you noticed a difference and the facts are that you didn't so this is why he calls it a placebo.


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## IbsFt (Dec 15, 2018)

https://www.consumerreports.org/fue...-special-software-to-exaggerate-fuel-economy/



> In the latest investigation, the EPA confirmed software in VW cars was shifting gears inappropriately (to achieve optimal fuel economy) during the lab tests used to estimate fuel efficiency. The cars and SUVs wouldn’t make the same kinds of gear shifts in the real world, which means consumers were actually getting lower gas mileage.


 One has to wonder if the 2018 Tig software is the high mpg version with the cheat removed. All automakers design to do well on the EPA testing, but having the car recognize it is being tested and run differently is going a bit too far. 

That said, I'd gladly sign a waiver to allow VW to make our 2019 perform correctly, even if it cost 1 or 2 mpg! I can't even imagine what it must be like driving a 2018 if it is that much worse than the 2019s. What was VW thinking??


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## jfedele22 (Jun 25, 2019)

Then I'm just curious, why does the option exist? If it alters nothing, why is it known on Carista and OBDEleven? Also, made a call to my buddy and Sales Manager at my dealership. He told me that it keeps the throttle in the "Sport Setting" as opposed to Eco or normal. I get that with testing there is no measurable difference, but in my opinion and many others on other forums, it does make a minimal difference. 

Regardless, he told me he has spoken with their regional rep, and the guy said something like late winter/early spring there could be a service campaign? That's also for my dealership in USA, not sure about Canada. But in the same sentence he told me not to hold my breath so, fingers crossed at least.


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## Munkoli (Sep 4, 2014)

jfedele22 said:


> Then I'm just curious, why does the option exist? If it alters nothing, why is it known on Carista and OBDEleven? Also, made a call to my buddy and Sales Manager at my dealership. He told me that it keeps the throttle in the "Sport Setting" as opposed to Eco or normal. I get that with testing there is no measurable difference, but in my opinion and many others on other forums, it does make a minimal difference.
> 
> Regardless, he told me he has spoken with their regional rep, and the guy said something like late winter/early spring there could be a service campaign? That's also for my dealership in USA, not sure about Canada. But in the same sentence he told me not to hold my breath so, fingers crossed at least.


I never said it did nothing. It is involved with the timing of the steering resistance when you switch throttle profiles (in and out of Sport mode) which is why on OBDEleven the variable is called... Throttle Profile Switchover..... and why it is found in the Steering modules, not the Engine modules.
This thing has been done to death in the Golf MK7 forums.
It doesn't keep it in Sport mode. Keep telling yourself it makes a difference then even though you know it doesn't if that makes you feel better. Placebo is a powerful thing. And your friend at the dealer is talking out of his exhaust pipe.

Best option is to use that firmware update that was just posted in another thread. But I'm not sure what the warranty issues would be of doing that outside of or before the service campaign.


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## xmittensxcorex (Sep 23, 2006)

I don't know if i'm one of the lucky ones or if I only have a slight version of this, but my 2018 SEL Premium 4Motion feels good off the line. The only oddity I noticed was in Eco mode. The torque converter seemed to take the load and the car couldn't decide between 1st and 2nd. I drove like that for 6 months, then switched to Normal mode, and feel like (and have seen) my mpg increase and the occasional hesitation disappear. Is this what you guys are talking about, or is it something worse? I believe my manufacturer date is 8/18, so if this is something different you are reporting, maybe it was fixed based on manufacturer date instead of model year, or my dealer caught it before release?


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## gads1 (Mar 1, 2015)

sorry to hear about these probs. As a Gen1 Tiguan driver considering a Gen2, this is very good info. 
After reading the thread, it doesn't sound like there's a clear understanding if the "dog off line" issue is due to emissions, mapping, transmission, or large combination of everything. 

In the case it's only mapping, has anyone taken the plunge for APR ECU tuning upgrade. Granted, it's $700 (plus shop fee) but it's done via ODBII. Plus, if you like it and want to do turbo upgrade in future, you get discount on next step. 

just curious if this entirely resolves the problem. I might suggest someone with the issue call APR and discuss. They likely are aware of issue and can directly comment if changing ECU mapping resolves the issue. -GA :bs:





CtTigSEL said:


> Today I received an email from our dealer about our 1 year anniversary with our 2018 Tiguan SEL.
> 
> We've been really unhappy with the performance of our 2018 .. it's a slug off the line, with the accelerator hesitation, etc. I'm sure we all know what I am talking about. I've reported it in different threads and after getting a 2019 Tiguan SE loaner a few months ago, it has been significantly improved in the 2019's
> ...


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## Row1Rich (Sep 11, 2001)

gads1 said:


> sorry to hear about these probs. As a Gen1 Tiguan driver considering a Gen2, this is very good info.
> After reading the thread, it doesn't sound like there's a clear understanding if the "dog off line" issue is due to emissions, mapping, transmission, or large combination of everything.
> 
> In the case it's only mapping, has anyone taken the plunge for APR ECU tuning upgrade. Granted, it's $700 (plus shop fee) but it's done via ODBII. Plus, if you like it and want to do turbo upgrade in future, you get discount on next step.
> ...


WE'D ALL BE RUNNING THAT SOFTWARE IF IT WERE AVAILABLE TO US! (sorry for the rant)

Unfortunately, it's for ROW Tigs only


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## mssinger (Aug 7, 2019)

VWOA will not buyback my 2018 Tiguan with an array of never ending issues... VW dealership’s mechanic can’t duplicate the problem... VW tech had to come in to diagnose etc... Car stalls at the intersection, need to restart engine,.. issues with transmission, seatbelt, rattling and so on.... don’t waste your time! There’s a better solution! The 2019 Tiguan loaner is flawless compared to the 2018. 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂


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## Row1Rich (Sep 11, 2001)

mssinger said:


> VWOA will not buyback my 2018 Tiguan with an array of never ending issues... VW dealership’s mechanic can’t duplicate the problem... VW tech had to come in to diagnose etc... Car stalls at the intersection, need to restart engine,.. issues with transmission, seatbelt, rattling and so on.... don’t waste your time! There’s a better solution! The 2019 Tiguan loaner is flawless compared to the 2018. 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂


My 2018 has been flawless.


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## Munkoli (Sep 4, 2014)

mssinger said:


> VWOA will not buyback my 2018 Tiguan with an array of never ending issues... VW dealership’s mechanic can’t duplicate the problem... VW tech had to come in to diagnose etc... Car stalls at the intersection, need to restart engine,.. issues with transmission, seatbelt, rattling and so on.... don’t waste your time! There’s a better solution! The 2019 Tiguan loaner is flawless compared to the 2018. 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂


Why I avoid first year of a new platform.


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## Munkoli (Sep 4, 2014)

Row1Rich said:


> WE'D ALL BE RUNNING THAT SOFTWARE IF IT WERE AVAILABLE TO US! (sorry for the rant)
> 
> Unfortunately, it's for ROW Tigs only


They are working on it. Only just broken the cypher encryption, but it will be soon I think, very soon.


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## mlsstl (Nov 28, 2018)

Smokeybeetleman said:


> Interesting read because my wife and I literately just traded in the Tiguan for a Subaru Forrester. The Forrester has less hp, torque and no turbo yet makes the Tiguan look like a snail. The main reason we traded it in is because of the shift delays and inconsistency. I tried Carista and that barely changed anything.


I came from a '15 Subaru Outback and my wife still has her '16 Crosstrek. I've also driven all of the other Subaru models, and to a T they all have very aggressive throttle tip-in off the line. I think part of that is Subaru's use of CVTs instead of traditional automatic transmissions. 

My problem with my 2018 Tiguan is that it is so damn inconsistent off the line. Sometimes it hesitates and lags, and sometimes it works exactly like one would want. The best description I have is it reminds me of the old days with a manual clutch when you let the clutch pedal out just a shade too fast and lag the engine. You'd have to push the clutch pedal back in 1/2" or so and then let it back out a shade more slowly. I've never had an automatic transmission act like that before. That said, I do believe the Carista throttle fix did help things, but was not a complete cure.


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## Zabes64 (Aug 29, 2018)

I've got both an 18 and a 19 SEL-P R Line, I actually hate the remapping on the 19, doesn't shift for forever in low gears, revs to almost 3000 before shifting.

I've never had an issue with the 18 and if there is ever a case I'm sure I'll need more power, I move over to tiptronic and downshift for the power I need.

Now I've got more than enough other issues, squeaking steering wheel, creaking sunroof, passenger sideview mirror not resetting on the 19, and brakes that will need to be replaced at 5000 miles on the 18 (which VW is looking at) but never an issue with power.


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## LarsTomasson (Jul 2, 2018)

*inconsistent engine response*

my 2018 (24k miles) sometimes is fast off the line, other times it is slow. The most annoying thing is, you don't know what it will do when you press the accelerator. My ex has a 2019, and it does not seem to have the issue. My guess is that the fix is more than software, and VW will not be fixing any of the 2018 cars. Probably best to dump the car before the word gets out.


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