DSG pedal layout and smaller feet

[ben_hants]

My wife and I test drove a DSG Golf R today. As expected both loved it in pretty much every way. Apart from my wife and the pedal layout.

Basically with her size 5 feet she can't find a position for her foot where she can be on the accelerator and move to the brake without lifted her heal and repositioning it because of the difference in 'recess' of the two pedals. With my size 11s I can do it easily. If she moves her seat back further she can place her foot so it can access both but then can't fully depress the brake or accelerator before running out of leg extension. What makes this worse is she has a dodgy hip and lifting and repositioning her foot is uncomfortable when done regularly.

Is this a common problem? We have not had an auto before and coming from a clio 197 where the pedals are far flatter in layout it's a possible deal breaker we were not expecting. I had thought a DSG box might have been perfect for her dodgy hips which are painful in heavy traffic in a manual.

Anyone know of aftermarket pedals that address this? With access to a 3d printer and a reasonable workshop I'm wondering if I could manufacture a solution.

Edited by ben_hants on Sunday 28th January 21:16

[annodomini2]

Hand controls?

[ben_hants]

It's not quite that bad :-)

I rekon a new brake pedal recessed 15mm further back or an accelerator pedal cover that brought the front face 20mm forward should do it.

[catso]

[ben_hants]

Or a really big clowns shoe. She'd like that.

Serious question - why the significant difference height of the two pedals? The only thing I can think of is that under heavy braking with the pedal pressed through a lot of its travel the pedals become level so you can slide across back to the accelorator more easily. But in normal pottering along mode when you suddenly need to do an emergency stop its a long way to bring you foot up and across to get on the brake. As I say not a big issue with my big feet but not everyone is so equipped.

Edited by ben_hants on Sunday 28th January 21:07

[Sheepshanks]

Are you a racing driver? In what kind of pottering would you need to emergency brake, then find it useful to be able to slide back onto the gas?

I'm sure I've never braked in any car by swivelling my foot on its heel. I'm trying to visualize what it's like in wife's DSG Tiguan - I'm sure I lift my foot up and press the brake pedal with the ball of my foot, with my heel in the air, not on the floor.

[ben_hants]

Sadly no racing driver (though enjoy a track day).

I think I may have not explained it clearly. Two different situations. The slide across thing was my supposition for why they might be set up as they are. The emergency brake was a reason why the setup does not seem optimum.

Interesting - spent most of the day trying to work out what I do when I'm not thinking about it so much. So if you brake with your heel of the floor what do you do when holding the car at a standstill with your foot on the brake? What size are your feet?

The big issue I suspect is her hip. She's perfectly safe but has a relatively small range of motion when she does not get uncomfortable. New car needs to feel right to justify it's place.

Edited by ben_hants on Sunday 28th January 21:24

[Quattromaster]

Get her to teach herself left foot braking.

It's what I did on my S3 which I'm guessing has the same set up.

[Sheepshanks]

ben_hants said:

So if you brake with your heel off the floor what do you do when holding the car at a standstill with your foot on the brake? What size are your feet?

I just keep my foot on the brake - although I could use auto-hold, but don't.