The other day I came around a corner in 1st gear. I got on it a bit but before going into 2nd someone pulled out in front of me. So I just let off the throttle, while leaving it in 1st. When I did this it about jerked me out of my seat!
I've felt the torque jerkiness before while in 1st gear but this was what I would label as SEVERE. Could this have been turbo surge?

 

yup

 

Does surging cause any damage?

 

The same thing happened to me in my Lancer...I came around a corner at a stop light and I was jerked so hard I thought someone smashed into me.

 

I get it all the time becuase people are stupid drivers.

 

Isn't that just how all manual transmission cars are? When you let off the gas, the injectors cut out, and in lower gears, doesn't lead to the car jerking?

 

not like this. i've never encountered a vehicle do it like this before.

 

Short gearing and stiff mounts.

 

Not surge... AWD vehciles are very twitchy... It makes the effect seem a lot harder than normal...