[Wapper]

Hi Guys


I am very sorry if this has been asked before but could not find anything in my very quick search.
I took my 2013 V6 TDI Touareg without low range out for some dune driving this weekend. I saw this as an opportunity to get to know the vehicle and what buttons to press when.
Firstly I switched off the traction control (pushing the ESP button once) to allow the EDL to still work. Put in in Sport so that it will change back a gear quicker. This was a complete disaster. Could not get anywhere. Thinking it’s the ESP I switched that of as well. Still not very successful.
After a while I figured out that tip tronic is the way to go and did not have any issues further, BUT when the dune is very bumpy and the vehicle gets thrown from side to side, even with the ESP completely off(Pushing the ESP button for a few seconds) its cuts power to the engine. Probably thinking it might roll over or something. It was just strange that this still happened even with the ESP off.

I might need to order one with lowrange next time. Maybe it’s not an issue then.
By the way this only happened while I was still in auto, when I eventually switched to tip tronic we did not encounter such dunes that was so badly eroded..

 

[Odessa]

you are going to fast and not keeping the revs in a good range of one constant gear to let the vehicle run smoothly.

Do not drive it like the tv adverts show you.

Invest in tuition .... whether it by online or in physical practise to learn how to use the vehicle

or

you will break it .... yourself and cause others a headache which no one needs

thumbs out !!!!

 

[Singh]

Few basics regardless of the vehicle...
What tyre pressures were you running? Were you keeping revs high and decent momentum?
Also, did you use the offroad setting? What kind if tyres?

 

[Wapper]

tires was 0.8 bar, momentum was fine. revs was different for each situation. what i found in drive is that is changes gear when you are almost at the top, then you loose all momentum. when i switched to tip tronic and pulled away in 2nd that wasn't an issue.
i have all terrain tires (geolanders). The issue here is that even when switching off ESP in certain situations it still cutts power to the engine.
i have been doing this kind of thing for a long time now and never had any problems with other vehicles(Hiluxes). its the first time i am driving a automatic with all this electronics which i thought would be an advantage.

 

[Odessa]

Automatics need to be driven in as close to any similarity to a manual so you can choose the correct gear and therefore rev range to have the most desired out come

No P or S .... either flappy paddles or tiptronic .... you have to work the vehicle ..... albeit .... i do not like the tiptronic the response time is rubbish .... the flappy paddles work a dream in sand.... regardless of the fact that i hate them on road cars

 

[noobytoogy]

thumbs out !!!!

THAT is VERY good advice - I wonder if people will know what you mean?

 

[Singh]

Did you hold the esp button down long enough to switch off both or just esp?

 

[Singh]

Tcs is switched off first. And only when in offroad mode by holding the button for more than 3secs the ecs is turned off.
Turn both off and see how you go

 

[Ragman]

what? there are 2 settings on the ESP?

 

[roalco]

Singh is right, for the 7P Touareg that the OP has.

 

[Singh]

what? there are 2 settings on the ESP?

yes Ragman.
Not applicable for t1 t2 though.
Tcs is about managing engine power and cut off when required and esp manages wheel spin- over and understeer skid.
Good that vw engineers have given option to switch both off one by one

 

[Ragman]

ok, not on the 7L then.

Thought I'd missed out on something (again)

planning on heading south to Yeagarup Beach over Christmas,
Was hoping to have a go at Callcup dune,

800m long and 300m above sea level at top apparently
(not sure how high at the base)

 

[schootsie]

Training hill looks easy, If a Stinky cruisercan do it, Treg would eat that up, but what about the real hill? From this vid

it looks like the sand can get really dry is fine so very low tyre pressures, reasonable momentum and mid to slightly higher rev range will cruise it in. Seems to be a steep bit just before the 'flat' turning area before heading the last stage. John

 

[Ragman]

Ha Ha Schootsie, the very dramatic music makes it seem even tougher.

I'm looking forward to trying it out, just hope I don't embarrass myself and tregdom
by forgetting the dam ESP button.

 

[Singh]

Low tyre pressures, esp off, tiptronic and off you go! Look ahead to the video

 

[Odessa]

Nice .... would be curious to know what the engine oil temp is after that

 

[johnholl]

Just took my 2008 T2 V8 off-roading today. Started on some trails which were great and then ended in a huge sand pit. I had my Pirelli Scorpion winter tires on which I'm sure helped as I left pressures alone and just switched traction control off and the Treg handled itself like a pro. I never got stuck and that included climbing some deep sand climbs. I ran the car for over an hour doing everything from donuts to tough climbs and the oil temp stayed steady. I love my Treg even more now!!! I just need to clean it now...,

 

[Odessa]

I think you will find engine oil temps wont go up until you do sustained medium to heavy actively for at least 15 mins. This is what i noticed a few months back when it climbed up to 110c. The key here is "sustained" work where the engine is really doing its job

The same kind of thing as Callcup hill

 

[tmag]

sand driving

in many years of sand driving on everything from land rover IIA, to old grand cherokee to suburbans, I learned that tires with lots of tread features are not your friends. They dig you in rather than letting you glide over the surface. The guys I bought the rover from had put on big, bag mudder tires and the first time on the beach I buried it to the frame. I replaced them with used worn passenger radials and all was good. Make sure you reduce tire pressure (we used to run at 16 psi). The difference in engine load between 18 and 16 PSI is amazing.

 

[Wapper]

Singh you say ESP completely off. does that not switch off the EDL as well. is that not something that could help. When you only switch off TCS (one press) it allows the vehicle to spin but moves power to the non spinning wheel(if you have one) , but does not reduce power to the engine.