Hey guys,
Just picked up an 07 1.9 TDI DSG caddy this week and it seems that when taking off from a stop the van wants to axle tramp/shudder. You can drive around it fairly easily to prevent it from happening. it's particularly prone to doing it when starting on an incline.
Any idea where to start looking for an issue? My first though is suspension bushings the 2nd and scarier thought is clutch packs in the DSG.
I did some searching but couldn't find much on it. Hoping someone can point me in the right direction.
Cheers guys
Shuddering/tramping under acceleration
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son of eevil
- Caddy Fan
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- Doc
- Not God, just a bellend
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- Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 1:00 am
- Engine size/power: 2.0TSI EA888 Gen3
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Re: Shuddering/tramping under acceleration
There's several possibilities.
Your van has a DQ250 DSG gearbox which should have an oil and filter service on a 40,000 mile interval. Do you know if it's had it or is maybe due one?
The juddering can often be a symptom of a failed dual mass flywheel. Are there any strange noises in the area of the flywheel that might point to such an issue?
Tyre condition and tracking are another possibility, the maximum forces on your tyre are the initial take off from standstill so poor thread, misalignment or poor contact with the road due to excessive suspension geometry might be an issue. Are your tyres in good condition, has the tracking been checked recently?
Worn bushes on the front suspension are possible causes also. The track rod ends, wishbone front and rear mounts are all points where the geometry of the wheel might be changing as you take off from standstill. Have you had these checked or know of any replacement that has been carried out?
Your van has a DQ250 DSG gearbox which should have an oil and filter service on a 40,000 mile interval. Do you know if it's had it or is maybe due one?
The juddering can often be a symptom of a failed dual mass flywheel. Are there any strange noises in the area of the flywheel that might point to such an issue?
Tyre condition and tracking are another possibility, the maximum forces on your tyre are the initial take off from standstill so poor thread, misalignment or poor contact with the road due to excessive suspension geometry might be an issue. Are your tyres in good condition, has the tracking been checked recently?
Worn bushes on the front suspension are possible causes also. The track rod ends, wishbone front and rear mounts are all points where the geometry of the wheel might be changing as you take off from standstill. Have you had these checked or know of any replacement that has been carried out?

2013 Caddy with EA888 Gen3 2.0TSI DSG, Superplus MSP19 , Caddy4 rear lights, Polo GTI (mk7 style) steering wheel, Relentless Tuning front coilovers, Audi A6 S-Line front seats, Boxster fronts & GTI rear Brakes, 3D Colour Premium dash cluster, Caddy life arm rest, Motexion bulkhead, MIB head unit
All posts written by me are the intellectual property of the caddy2K forum and I do not consent to copying or redistribution of any sort
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son of eevil
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Re: Shuddering/tramping under acceleration
The dealer I brought it from claimed it just had a full service. I wouldn't trust him not to lick a shit flavoured lollipop though. When I pulled the air filter it hadn't been done.
I actually have the oil in the back and I'm waiting on the oil filter to come in so I can replace it.
Do you think poor service interval could cause it and would you expect it to go away after a change?
I just had new wheels, tyres and a wheel alignment done and so far no change. There was a 1.8 degree of negative toe on the left wheel, both are now back to 0.5.
I haven't checked the bushes yet but I'll probably get around to it tomorrow.
I've felt "slight" vibration at over 60mph but it's not consistent, nothing at idle either. Doesn't seem consistent with the flywheel but I'm not sure.
Thanks Doc for such an in-depth response!
Sent from my SM-G991B using Tapatalk
I actually have the oil in the back and I'm waiting on the oil filter to come in so I can replace it.
Do you think poor service interval could cause it and would you expect it to go away after a change?
I just had new wheels, tyres and a wheel alignment done and so far no change. There was a 1.8 degree of negative toe on the left wheel, both are now back to 0.5.
I haven't checked the bushes yet but I'll probably get around to it tomorrow.
I've felt "slight" vibration at over 60mph but it's not consistent, nothing at idle either. Doesn't seem consistent with the flywheel but I'm not sure.
Thanks Doc for such an in-depth response!
Sent from my SM-G991B using Tapatalk
Last edited by Doc on Fri Mar 12, 2021 10:52 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Removed unnecessary quote of entire previous post
Reason: Removed unnecessary quote of entire previous post
- Doc
- Not God, just a bellend
- Posts: 18787
- Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 1:00 am
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Re: Shuddering/tramping under acceleration
Definitely worth a gearbox oil change if you don't have the history or know if it's actually been done. The DQ250 is very sensitive to oil quality.

2013 Caddy with EA888 Gen3 2.0TSI DSG, Superplus MSP19 , Caddy4 rear lights, Polo GTI (mk7 style) steering wheel, Relentless Tuning front coilovers, Audi A6 S-Line front seats, Boxster fronts & GTI rear Brakes, 3D Colour Premium dash cluster, Caddy life arm rest, Motexion bulkhead, MIB head unit
All posts written by me are the intellectual property of the caddy2K forum and I do not consent to copying or redistribution of any sort
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son of eevil
- Caddy Fan
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Re: Shuddering/tramping under acceleration
Excellent, I've heard that otherwise the DQ250 with the wet clutch is a very solid box and faults are not common.
(Why I held out for the 1.9 instead of getting the 1.6)
Sent from my SM-G991B using Tapatalk
(Why I held out for the 1.9 instead of getting the 1.6)
Sent from my SM-G991B using Tapatalk
Last edited by Doc on Fri Mar 12, 2021 11:12 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Removed unnecessary quote of entire previous post
Reason: Removed unnecessary quote of entire previous post
- Doc
- Not God, just a bellend
- Posts: 18787
- Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 1:00 am
- Engine size/power: 2.0TSI EA888 Gen3
- Location: Monaghan, Ireland & Derbyshire, UK
Re: Shuddering/tramping under acceleration
I know of several DA250 gearboxes working at over 400BHP without problems so you should be fine so long as it's cared for with regular servicing.

2013 Caddy with EA888 Gen3 2.0TSI DSG, Superplus MSP19 , Caddy4 rear lights, Polo GTI (mk7 style) steering wheel, Relentless Tuning front coilovers, Audi A6 S-Line front seats, Boxster fronts & GTI rear Brakes, 3D Colour Premium dash cluster, Caddy life arm rest, Motexion bulkhead, MIB head unit
All posts written by me are the intellectual property of the caddy2K forum and I do not consent to copying or redistribution of any sort
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son of eevil
- Caddy Fan
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- Joined: Mon Mar 08, 2021 11:23 am
- Engine size/power: 1.9 TDI (104bhp)
Re: Shuddering/tramping under acceleration
This van has always done this since I've owned it (5 years) and here are the things I have done over the years none of which have fixed the issue:
New passenger, driver and dogbone mounts (all were shagged)
New DMF (old one was rattling like hell)
New shocks front and rear
New tie rod ends
Swaybar droplinks
New tyres
Whole second hand gearbox
Whole second hand engine
Driver and passenger axles.
Control arm mounts and bushing
ball joints
The engine mounts, DMF, Gearbox, tyres, tie rod ends, drop links, gearbox, passenger side axle were all done in the last 2 months.
(The mechatronics unit in the old box shat the bed so I got a second hand gearbox with 140,000k's and I decided that while I had everything out of the way I'd put new stuff in hence why all the mounts bushings and rubbers were done at the same time)
I do not know what could possibly be causing this issue I really feel like anything that could cause it has been replaced but I must be missing something.
New passenger, driver and dogbone mounts (all were shagged)
New DMF (old one was rattling like hell)
New shocks front and rear
New tie rod ends
Swaybar droplinks
New tyres
Whole second hand gearbox
Whole second hand engine
Driver and passenger axles.
Control arm mounts and bushing
ball joints
The engine mounts, DMF, Gearbox, tyres, tie rod ends, drop links, gearbox, passenger side axle were all done in the last 2 months.
(The mechatronics unit in the old box shat the bed so I got a second hand gearbox with 140,000k's and I decided that while I had everything out of the way I'd put new stuff in hence why all the mounts bushings and rubbers were done at the same time)
I do not know what could possibly be causing this issue I really feel like anything that could cause it has been replaced but I must be missing something.
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kobat79
- 200BHP+
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- Engine size/power: 1.9 TDI (104bhp)
- Location: Co. Louth, Ireland
Re: Shuddering/tramping under acceleration
My DA250 does what sounds like a very similar thing from take off. If you come on the power smoothly and gently it is fine, but if you go hard it can be very 'jerky'. The van has 233k miles and it's been like this since I bought it a couple of years ago. It's not been an issue so far and I just take account of it in my driving style.
It's been in the back of my mind to do a gearbox oil and filter change to see if that helps. Did you do an oil and filter change to either your original box when Doc suggested it, or indeed to the replacement box with 140k on it?
It's been in the back of my mind to do a gearbox oil and filter change to see if that helps. Did you do an oil and filter change to either your original box when Doc suggested it, or indeed to the replacement box with 140k on it?
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son of eevil
- Caddy Fan
- Posts: 67
- Joined: Mon Mar 08, 2021 11:23 am
- Engine size/power: 1.9 TDI (104bhp)
Re: Shuddering/tramping under acceleration
both old and new box have had fresh oil and filters