2009 a3, new, slow from start
 

Hey guys, I just bought an a3 this weekend - a new 2009 one with 28 or so miles on it. The car is beautiful and everything I want - it's sexy, it's fast.

The ONLY problem I have is that when I start from stop the car seems to hesitate, revving the engine (slightly), before moving. For instance, when I'm at a light, stopped dead, and it turns green I can press the gas to the floor and the car doesn't move for about 1 second. Once the car is going, it's very satisfying.

This happens in 'D', 'S', and even in manual shifting model. Any suggestions? Is something wrong and do I need to take it back? Does it need to break in? Tune up?

Thanks!

Break in. Needs to learn your driving habits.

hmm 1 second seems a significant lag to me... i just bought an a3 myself and didin't notice that much of a delay. one thing i did notice was the car jerking a bit when downshifting to first gear, when coming to stop, but that has stopped happening since around 3-400 miles past.

well there is a pending recall on the mech-unit that controlls the transmission.
It could be you have a bad one and these symptoms will just get worse.

x2. Mine's much snappier in S now, but I just trained it by giving it a little more pedal from a dead start. Takes a few hundred miles or so.

Just had my Mechatronics Unit replaced (not a recall AFAIK, but it was covered under my CPO warranty), which eliminated the downshift jerk when coming to a stop, plus many other irritants with the DSG in slow speed conditions. The car has been transformed!

I just bought a new A3 as well yesterday and the car seems to hesitate as well. I have noticed that in the automatic setting it also seems to change gears too quickly, seeming like it hesitates. i.e. by the time I am going about 50 km/h (30 mph) the car is already in 5th gear, so when you hit the accelerator, it feels like it is hesitating but, it because it is in too high of a gear. Will this go away or is it something that I should bring to my dealerships attention?

Its normal, all a3's hesitate a little when taking off, there is 2 clutch's that engage, sorta like a manual transmission. Imagine your driving a stick it takes a second for the clutch's to grab. There is a write up on this if your google it. If the clutch's were always engaged, you wouldn't be able to come to a stop, so when your at a stop they release and when you apply the pedal they grab again. Dsg is modeled after a manual transmission.

Mine goes into 6th by 30mph, but i think its for fuel economy and it doesn't struggle.
I find s-mode uses much more sensible gears, usually 3rd or even 2nd at 30mph.

Its a new car, so u need to take it back to the dealer.