8.5R Gremlins

[Hawaii-Five-O]

14 minutes ago, Jack_is_Back said:

Don't know if this is strictly a gremlin but... does anyone find the gearbox a bit slow to upshift when using the paddles?

 

It's putting me off using M+ as I find myself bumping into the limiter at times. The shift themselves are very quick - as you would expect with a twin-clutch - but the reaction time from clicking the paddle seems very slow to me. I'm talking full-bore upshifts with foot flat to the floor changing up in the higher rev-range.

 

From memory other autos I've had were much snappier - BMW ZF, PDK, even my 7.5 GTI was quicker than this I reckon.

Have a look at this thread here. Could be the dreaded paddle shift gremlin.

[AHG]

5 hours ago, Jack_is_Back said:

does anyone find the gearbox a bit slow to upshift when using the paddles?

Did you try it with ESC on Sport ?

[Jack_is_Back]

14 hours ago, AHG said:

Did you try it with ESC on Sport ?

Mmm not entirely sure. Just in standard Race or Race/Special mode - does that move it into ESC Sport?

[Jack_is_Back]

19 hours ago, Hawaii-Five-O said:

Have a look at this thread here. Could be the dreaded paddle shift gremlin.

Thanks but I have that too. This is a different issue (which I presume is not related but who knows).

[AHG]

1 hour ago, Jack_is_Back said:

Mmm not entirely sure. Just in standard Race or Race/Special mode - does that move it into ESC Sport?

No, it doesn’t.

 

ESC is meant to prevent slip

sometime sit does so by curbing the throttle’s enthusiasm

If it stops happening in ESC Sport may be your tyres are slipping or something else is making the software think you are going to slip.

If it is the same, then it may be a ‘box issue (protective software, too much resistance or something like that).

[j_i_g_g_y]

Same SOS/overhead lighting module as the 8? I wonder if the early 8.5's are using a faulty module that got updated (could be weather related?)
 

Do you have a link to more info on this?

I’m having issues with the sunroof choosing to be unresponsive to the controls after driving a bit.

Turning tue car off and waiting some period of time, then restarting it, resets it, but it’s happened three times now and once with the sunroof left open, unable to be closed.

2025 mk8.5 in Canada


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[AHG]

If you press and hold the key fob for 10sec doesn’t it close the sunroof as well as the windows ?

[R_wannabe_owner]

5 hours ago, j_i_g_g_y said:

Do you have a link to more info on this?

I’m having issues with the sunroof choosing to be unresponsive to the controls after driving a bit.

Turning tue car off and waiting some period of time, then restarting it, resets it, but it’s happened three times now and once with the sunroof left open, unable to be closed.

2025 mk8.5 in Canada


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quite a few sunroof issues reported over on the Seat / Cupra forum on the Formentor - I’m assuming VAG use the same sunroof control panel across the various VAG brands, so sunroof-related issues in the Formentor - and the issues you’ve experienced with your R’s sunroof - may be common to other models of car across the various brands too.
 

Many of the issues reported on the Formentor seem to be related to faulty sunroof control panels and / or are temperature-related (i.e. sunroofs not closing / not responding to use of the control panel in warmer/colder weather). Some owners have had the control panel replaced but this doesn’t always fix the issues they’d been experiencing.
 

Links below to some of the discussion topics over on SeatCupra.net;

 

https://www.seatcupra.net/forums/threads/sunroof-issues.478257/
 

https://www.seatcupra.net/forums/threads/formentor-roof-control-panel-issue.469819/

 

https://www.seatcupra.net/forums/threads/my-2023-formentor-experience.478412/

 

https://www.seatcupra.net/forums/threads/leon-mk4-sunroof-panel-overheating.475801/

 

https://www.seatcupra.net/forums/threads/ml4-sunroof-sun-exposure.473562/

[blizzard60]

5 hours ago, j_i_g_g_y said:

Do you have a link to more info on this?

I’m having issues with the sunroof choosing to be unresponsive to the controls after driving a bit.

Turning tue car off and waiting some period of time, then restarting it, resets it, but it’s happened three times now and once with the sunroof left open, unable to be closed.

2025 mk8.5 in Canada


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Unfortunately same part on the MK8.5 that’s been used on the MK8 for years.

 

TSB 2072114/8 covers this known issue (NAR).

 

Check out this thread: https://www.vwvortex.com/threads/phantom-touch-auto-dialing-roadside-assistance.9544480/#replies

 

I know it doesn’t seem from the title it’s related, but it is all to do with the upper console and sunroof/lights/SOS lights are all covered by the same TSB.

[j_i_g_g_y]

9 hours ago, blizzard60 said:

 

Unfortunately same part on the MK8.5 that’s been used on the MK8 for years.

 

TSB 2072114/8 covers this known issue (NAR).

 

Check out this thread: https://www.vwvortex.com/threads/phantom-touch-auto-dialing-roadside-assistance.9544480/#replies

 

I know it doesn’t seem from the title it’s related, but it is all to do with the upper console and sunroof/lights/SOS lights are all covered by the same TSB.

Where does one look up information on these TSB's?  Search results are all over the place, and I'd like to refer to the official issue if at all possible when reaching out to the dealer.

[blizzard60]

12 hours ago, j_i_g_g_y said:

Where does one look up information on these TSB's?  Search results are all over the place, and I'd like to refer to the official issue if at all possible when reaching out to the dealer.

NHTSA should have them. 99% of the time it’s the same TSB in Canada.

[scuderiafolene]

On 16/07/2025 at 14:51, Jack_is_Back said:

Don't know if this is strictly a gremlin but... does anyone find the gearbox a bit slow to upshift when using the paddles?

 

It's putting me off using M+ as I find myself bumping into the limiter at times. The shift themselves are very quick - as you would expect with a twin-clutch - but the reaction time from clicking the paddle seems very slow to me. I'm talking full-bore upshifts with foot flat to the floor changing up in the higher rev-range.

 

From memory other autos I've had were much snappier - BMW ZF, PDK, even my 7.5 GTI was quicker than this I reckon.

 

Well. I thought so as well but I wasn't paying much attention - until I did. Was out and trying to re create the shifters being stuck in S and then I noticed it pretty clearly. Is this the phenomenon you are speaking of:

https://vimeo.com/1103855997

 

[AHG]

What are those pings in the background each time you upshift to 7 ?

 

I’m tempted to try this in my 8, to de if they smoothed it for the 8.5 or if it’s the DQ381.2’s normal operation. 
 

Did you try it with ESC Sport ?

It may be different with it

[scuderiafolene]

3 hours ago, AHG said:

What are those pings in the background each time you upshift to 7 ?

 

I’m tempted to try this in my 8, to de if they smoothed it for the 8.5 or if it’s the DQ381.2’s normal operation. 
 

Did you try it with ESC Sport ?

It may be different with it

Haha I put it for laughs 😆😅 The R experience. 

 

Well I was speculating with a friend yesterday maybe it has to do with so low revs as M3-M4-M5 seems slow but not at all as noticeable, but will get more videos and better angle later.

 

If you have a safe place to try, please do, you dont have to record it but it becomes very obvious 

[Jack_is_Back]

14 hours ago, scuderiafolene said:

 

Well. I thought so as well but I wasn't paying much attention - until I did. Was out and trying to re create the shifters being stuck in S and then I noticed it pretty clearly. Is this the phenomenon you are speaking of:

https://vimeo.com/1103855997

 

Similar mate. I can see there you are asking for 3 or 4 gearchanges in quick succession, and mine will behave exactly the same as yours in that scenario.

 

For me it can be a single gearchange, say going 1st to 2nd or 2nd to 3rd at full chat. If the next gear is preselected (as it is supposed to be) it seems to take far too long to react to a paddle click, I would expect it to be near instant. The speed this thing revs out it's bumping the limiter before it changes.

 

I'm having to adapt to shift up 'early' so I avoid it, which feels wrong.