# Potential Owner But Worried About Slow Throttle



## Jmhumr (Feb 7, 2020)

Hello! I test drove a Tiguan last summer and was quickly turned off by the sluggish throttle response. However, I’m still shopping for an SUV and decided to browse these forums again and noticed that folks have discovered a bunch of remedies. I need convincing that they’ll actually work! The remedies I’ve read about in here are coding, some kind of pedal controller mod, and a potential TSB. 

Should I feel comfortable enough about any of these fixes to buy a Tiguan?

Thanks!


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## IowaTig (Jan 7, 2019)

Only the 2018's have the hesitation, it was addressed on future models. The TSB is the only real fix for the issue, setting the throttle mode in VCDS doesn't address the transmission coding which is where the problem really lies. I've had the TSB fix done and I can tell you it's a completely different car and performs very well since the update.


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## Jmhumr (Feb 7, 2020)

IowaTig said:


> Only the 2018's have the hesitation, it was addressed on future models. The TSB is the only real fix for the issue, setting the throttle mode in VCDS doesn't address the transmission coding which is where the problem really lies. I've had the TSB fix done and I can tell you it's a completely different car and performs very well since the update.


Really? Pretty sure I test drove a 2019. The salesperson even preemptively made a reference to the coding option. 

Is it possible they didn’t address it until midway thru the 2019 production run?


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## schagaphonic (Aug 24, 2008)

Make sure the drive mode is in either "normal" or "sport' mode.

If that's set properly, the car should be responsive. If not, try another car.


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## mattchatr (Jan 26, 2018)

schagaphonic said:


> Make sure the drive mode is in either "normal" or "sport' mode.
> 
> If that's set properly, the car should be responsive. If not, try another car.


2019 here and I know they fixed the issue because as I've commented before, in Sport its almost too touchy - throttle response is decent enough for the engine type and I would dare to say better than anything else in the class thats not a V6 or some kind of super sport version of the car. Its not a quick car by any means, but in town I find it throttles up just fine in Sport, and even better in manual mode.


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## IbsFt (Dec 15, 2018)

Jmhumr said:


> Hello! I test drove a Tiguan last summer and was quickly turned off by the sluggish throttle response. However, I’m still shopping for an SUV and decided to browse these forums again and noticed that folks have discovered a bunch of remedies. I need convincing that they’ll actually work! The remedies I’ve read about in here are coding, some kind of pedal controller mod, and a potential TSB.
> 
> Should I feel comfortable enough about any of these fixes to buy a Tiguan?
> 
> Thanks!


Depends on if you want to keep the warranty or not. Bottom line is drive the Tigs you are interested in and play with the different driving modes. If the pedal response bothers you, then forget about getting one. 

We have a 2019 and it is not good. Recently we drove from Michigan to Florida and back and I did most of the driving. By the end of the trip I was pretty comfortable with the car. Unfortunately, now that we are back to the normal routine, where I drive it occasionally, the dead pedal frustrates me to no end. Sport mode only does so much. They need to fix the tip in behavior of the vehicle, and maybe they can't due to the small displacement engine and turbo lag. The bigger issue in my opinion is that the Tig doesn't seem consistent. Sometimes it seems to respond ok and other times its like what the heck, why isn't it going? It sucks all the fun out of driving an otherwise very good vehicle. We were considering a second Tig for me, but unless they make major changes to the little tractor engine that can't or they offer the VR6 at a reasonable price point, it ain't gonna happen! And VW reducing the bumper to bumper warranty period makes the overburdened 2.0 engine even less attractive.


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## IowaTig (Jan 7, 2019)

IbsFt said:


> The bigger issue in my opinion is that the Tig doesn't seem consistent. Sometimes it seems to respond ok and other times its like what the heck, why isn't it going? It sucks all the fun out of driving an otherwise very good vehicle. We were considering a second Tig for me, but unless they make major changes to the little tractor engine that can't or they offer the VR6 at a reasonable price point, it ain't gonna happen! And VW reducing the bumper to bumper warranty period makes the overburdened 2.0 engine even less attractive.


You're describing the throttle issues with the the 2018's to a T, I wonder if certain build dates of the 2019's have the software issue as well? Once I had the TSB fix done the hesitation and unpredictability of the car - particularly from a stop/in first gear completely went away. Even my wife thought it felt like a completely different car. It's truly a pleasure to drive now.


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## damion16v (May 9, 2002)

I’ve had an S for a few months and I’ve been getting around the response with a stab-and-feather technique, so it’s some oomph without chirping tires. I came from driving a standard forever, so this was totally by accident.


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## noreserve (Jan 8, 2016)

The Tig's throttle response is touchy on our 2019 whether in Drive or Sport. It's ironic that it has that character, given that isn't reflective of the slug of an engine that it has. It is jumpy off-the-line and in parking lots where you don't want it to be. I wouldn't call the throttle slow - just poorly programmed. It can be tough to drive smoothly. The difference between Drive and Sport is apparent in that Sport will hold lower gears longer, but that's about all of the Sport you get. There is a ton of room for programming improvement with the mapping. If I were a prospective buyer, I would be more concerned though about a slow vehicle versus a slow throttle. The 0-60 time is at the bottom of the heap, and passing maneuvers are truly risky. As I mentioned in another thread, I had hoped that APR would have been a savior here with another 80 HP/TQ, but we're still waiting.


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## Strykme (Oct 31, 2019)

I have a 2019 SEL P and had the same worry, for the past 20 plus years had v6 cars and traded in 2013 Acura Rdx with 272hp for the TIG. I do not drive like a maniac and feel zero lack of power in the city or on the highway. Put the Tig is the S mode and sometimes it is scary how responsive it is.
Really happy with the car, although I find the seats are a bit too narrow and restrictive.



Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk


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## VWchangeover12 (May 5, 2019)

And I thought the opposite, I am considering a 2020 4 motion and I thought the take off was very slow..Once it got going, OK- I am not sure if I could live with this day to day ..ugh


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## phlegm (Apr 24, 2019)

VWchangeover12 said:


> And I thought the opposite, I am considering a 2020 4 motion and I thought the take off was very slow..Once it got going, OK- I am not sure if I could live with this day to day ..ugh


Interesting. Our 2019 is punchy off the line, so much so that Sport is almost too jerky to use, similar to the comments above.

While I get some 2018s may be sluggish, I'm surprised to hear this about a 2020. Are you comparing to an especially performant vehicle? I ask because a poster last summer complained of the Tiguan being sluggish, and ultimately bought a BMW M3 with racing package. I'd say, yes, the Tiguan is slow off the line compared to that vehicle.


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## VWchangeover12 (May 5, 2019)

Yes to be fair, I drive the GLI mostly now


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## Superchud (Jul 3, 2018)

VWchangeover12 said:


> And I thought the opposite, I am considering a 2020 4 motion and I thought the take off was very slow..Once it got going, OK- I am not sure if I could live with this day to day ..ugh


As the owner of a 2020 Tiguan SEL 4MO, can confirm that it's a little sluggish off the line in normal. Sport is peppier but normal is slow for sure. Not sure if the 4Motion add more weight to an already heavy for its class vehicle.


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## GTINC (Jan 28, 2005)

VWchangeover12 said:


> And I thought the opposite, I am considering a 2020 4 motion and I thought the take off was very slow..Once it got going, OK- ....


And compared to other make's comparable vehicle?


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## GTINC (Jan 28, 2005)

Superchud said:


> .....to an already *heavy for its class* vehicle.


Data please. How have you determined this?


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## IbsFt (Dec 15, 2018)

VWchangeover12 said:


> And I thought the opposite, I am considering a 2020 4 motion and I thought the take off was very slow..Once it got going, OK- I am not sure if I could live with this day to day ..ugh





Superchud said:


> As the owner of a 2020 Tiguan SEL 4MO, can confirm that it's a little sluggish off the line in normal. Sport is peppier but normal is slow for sure. Not sure if the 4Motion add more weight to an already heavy for its class vehicle.


Ours is a 4motion too. I wonder if the tip in is "managed" more severely on the 4 mo to protect the haldex unit compared to the front wheel drive models. That might explain the wildly different tip in experiences (ie sluggish for our 4motions vs too touchy for the fwd?).


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## phlegm (Apr 24, 2019)

IbsFt said:


> Ours is a 4motion too. I wonder if the tip in is "managed" more severely on the 4 mo to protect the haldex unit compared to the front wheel drive models. That might explain the wildly different tip in experiences (ie sluggish for our 4motions vs too touchy for the fwd?).


I have a 4motion and it is touchy off the line in Normal mode, almost too irritating in Sport for long-term use.


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## Superchud (Jul 3, 2018)

IbsFt said:


> Ours is a 4motion too. I wonder if the tip in is "managed" more severely on the 4 mo to protect the haldex unit compared to the front wheel drive models. That might explain the wildly different tip in experiences (ie sluggish for our 4motions vs too touchy for the fwd?).


I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case. Would be curious to see this could be "tuned out" with an APR update...


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## Vento (Feb 16, 1999)

IbsFt said:


> Ours is a 4motion too. I wonder if the tip in is "managed" more severely on the 4 mo to protect the haldex unit compared to the front wheel drive models. That might explain the wildly different tip in experiences (ie sluggish for our 4motions vs too touchy for the fwd?).


I had a 2019 FWD as a loaner and recently got my 2018 fixed with the throttle TSB. I'd say the throttle response is the same between the two, but the FWD felt more sensitive (i.e. the wheels would chirp very easily, putting power down around a corner would make the car feel less stable vs. 4MO which made it feel like you're going faster, etc). Power delivery on the 4MO is just far more smoother than FWD.


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