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Questions about Shiftronic

73K views 72 replies 34 participants last post by  itguru4u2 
#1 ·
Maybe I missed something, but the owner's manual seems to be woefully inadequate concerning the Shiftronic.

I browsed a Genesis forum today and someone said that you really only understand Shiftronic if you've driven a manual. Well, I have, and I don't. A manual has 6 gears with specific gates (7 if you include Reverse). The Shiftronic only has a + and -.

One of those people said he almost never drives in Auto. He's always in Sport mode. So how do you do it? How do you go from first to second to third...etc.? Start in +, then move to D, then back to +, then back to D? Or is there a middle ground between the + and - where you can hang out while you want to stay in that gear?

If you're in Drive, and you want to pass a car by downshifting one or two gears, do you hit the - and then go back to D? Or stay at the - until you need to upshift, and then go to +?

This is more confusing to me than a manual, because a manual isn't confusing at all. And shifting without a clutch really bothers me... :confused:
 
#44 ·
As long as were on the topic I've got a question of my own. When exactly is it appropriate to downshift when using the shiftronic? Say I'm coasting along in 3rd gear, approaching a stop sign going about 20-25 mph, is it ok to downshift to 2nd as I slow down? Should I just use the breaks instead? thanks
 
#47 ·
When exactly is it appropriate to downshift when using the shiftronic? Say I'm coasting along in 3rd gear, approaching a stop sign going about 20-25 mph, is it ok to downshift to 2nd as I slow down? Should I just use the breaks instead? thanks
I kind of figure that if I am downshifting and keeping it below 3K RPM I should be OK. I have never blown a transmission in my other cars by doing this- many cars will downshift on their own when going downhill.
You're never going to blow your transmission with the shiftronic... it makes sure of that by refusing to downshift above certain speeds, and forcing upshifts if you over-rev it.

My point is that using your transmission to slow the car down will add wear and tear to the gears, bearings and other internal parts over the years. And this effectively shortens the service life of your whole car, because when your transmission goes (and it usually is the first major component to go) the whole car often gets towed away to the junkyard. All this to squeeze a few extra miles out of your brake pads? Not worth it.
 
#51 ·
Now with the spring, you have to depress it and nothing will happen until you go past the point where you apply more gas than the Cruise control.
I got used to it. The nice thing is you can rest your foot on the gas pedal while cruising.[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the info that does make me feel better at least I know its rather normal.
 
#53 ·
I think paddle shifters have more meaning to the F1 video game generation than to us older guys. I tried them in the SE-R and walked away disappointed. Not even faux-gear "shifting" can save the CVT from feeling like an old Yugo with a slipping clutch.

In the Elantra's defense, its manumatic is one of the slickest units you'll find in this price range. It snaps off crisp high-rpm shifts, and with a nice BWAAAAAA - MMM - BWAAAAAAAAAAAAA sound. That's about as much "fun" as I expect from an econo-sedan. :)
 
#54 ·
Not having a clutch feels strange, but once you get used to using the Shiftronic function, it can come in handy in specific situations. I was coming back from Big Bear a couple years ago in my Sonata, and used the 'manual' shifting method to save my brakes on some of those steep downhill switchbacks.
 
#57 ·
Basically the shiftronic is there because the transmissions are fully electronic now. Before that you could shift to a lower gear and that would open a valve and sometimes you could hear a big clunk and jerking from the mechanics. Now instead of having a ugly P R N D 5 4 3 2 L shifter they put a nice D with a + and - so that it looks clean and functional and adds the convenience of moving the shifter up and down.
 
#58 ·
That's pretty much it. In addition to being fully electronic, our transmission and many other modern units are also "clutch to clutch" designs, meaning they don't use freewheel clutches for each shift. The Hyundai design uses a roller clutch for the 1-2 shift, but for 2 and above, the apply/release of the clutch packs are timed and controlled entirely by computer.

In the old days, shifting below "D" to "3" or "2" or "1" would apply a band or clutch that would prevent the overrun clutch(es) from allowing the car to coast in order to provide engine braking. As many here know, the Hyundai design offers engine braking (and fuel cut above 20-30mph) until you're down in first gear. When using ShifTronic, the "low/reverse brake" is applied to also provide engine braking. The wear on the plates in the low/reverse brake will be negligible in this application because drum it holds is already being held as a reaction point by the low roller clutch and so there is no sudden change in speed or direction that could cause unusual wear.

One question I have (that I could look up on hmaservice if I really needed the answer) is if ShifTronic commands a higher line pressure than the normal use in (D)rive. Depending on how the car is being driven, the shift firmness is controlled by computer via line pressure modulation and fiddling with engine ignition timing. That is easily set with a neat little pulse width modulated solenoid. But on older transmissions, the various "low" ranges also boosted line pressure, probably because these ranges would be used for trailer towing, or engine braking on steep grades, and more pressure on a clutch pack or band-apply piston would minimize slippage and heat buildup under these high-stress condtions. If for some reason ShifTronic applies the same pressure boost, I could see some long-term degradation of clutch piston seals from the high pressure used. But I have to think that Hyundai would also include that parameter in the design to keep warranty claims to a minimum.
 
#60 ·
I did a quick check at hmaservice and a google search, too, and the most I can find is the design pressure limit for the various solenoids used to shift the transmission.

Didn't mean to lose people in the description above, but the simplest rephrasing would be that ShifTronic is more of a "request your gear" feature and may do less than the "low" ranges of yesterday's transmissions.

The Hyundai design is far simpler, but relies entirely on proper computer control for smooth shifting and long life. Some of the early Santa Fe and Sonata models (their transmissions are larger but operate on the same priniciples) had an awful thump followed by locking into fourth gear (limp mode) because of a software error. In many cases, solenoids were replaced along with a computer update to resolve the problem.

The way our transmissions work, there isn't enough of a risk of damage or premature wear to recommend that ShifTronic never be used. But other than the posts above where people use it for downhill engine braking, or to preselect a lower gear to prepare for a burst of acceleration that the driver anticipates but the computer never could, ShifTronic is more of a fun pastime that increases fuel consumption (in most cases) and allows the driver to override the existing shift programming.
 
#61 ·
I still think people who hate on the Shiftronic simply aren't using it right as I mentioned on page one over a year ago. It's not meant to be a fun sport mode at all but I continue to use it daily in all sorts of situation as a suppliment to automatic driving, I don't even realize it half the time anymore, it's become reflex. I'm also not concerned at all with using the transmission under certain conditions instead of my brakes. At 40k a year I plan to trade it in this spring on the second anniversary and take advantage of my Hyundai Assurance guarantee before that 100k warranty is up and probabaly all on the original brakes and tires too because of it.
 
#63 ·
There are automatic transmissions from the 1950s that are still running without a rebuild, although those oldies are usually in need of some new seals and a band adjustment. What kills automatics - besides outright abuse - is heat. I figure these new Hyundai automatics should last at least 250k miles (400k km) without a rebuild if they receive proper care and aren't overheated.

Re: ShifTronic - I tend to use it during these cold months to request upshifts before the computer wants to shift on its own. Thanks to the cold start emissions regulations, the car seems to be programmed to wind up to 2500rpm before upshifting, which combines with advanced ignition timing to warm things up faster. I prefer to shift earlier and allow the higher engine load (higher cylinder pressures) to contribute to the warming.
 
#64 · (Edited)
My wife's previous car, a 94 honda accord wagon, had 450,000kms on it's original automatic trans.

Not a Hyundai, I know, but they should and will last. Proper maintenance and not beating on it regularly will keep it working fine for years and years.

These Elantra automatics, I noticed while doing the first oil change a couple weeks ago, are equipped with transmission fluid coolers. Not only does that help transmission operation but will significantly increase longevity.

Part of the reason I chose the automatic is because I didn't want to have to change the clutch down the road. Much easier and less expensive to just change/flush the fluid. That's not to say I don't think the original clutch will last that long, it could. My 89 Supra still has the original clutch after 24 years and 250,000kms. ;)
 
#65 ·
...equipped with transmission fluid coolers.
Really? I must have missed that when I changed the oil/filter on the 2011. I get them free on my 2013. I'm gonna have to crawl under there and have a look when the weather gets nicer. That's certainly some good news.
 
#73 ·
Well, I just got my 2014 Sonata with this, and I use the "bump shift" pretty much exclusively. As previously noted, it is essentially a manual with the dummy switch built in [it won't let you harm the car].

There are very specific ranges for each gear, just as in a manual. You can take 1st up to 25mph or so, but there is no point unless you're 18 and drag racing. And conversersly, the car will allow you to downshift into 1st if you're in that range, but why would you?

I use it exclusively because no matter how smart a car is, it can not look out the window and see what the traffic conditions are. If I'm stuck in moderate traffic and I am coming off a red light, I accelerate very lightly and at 2,000 RPM I bump to 2nd. No need for speed... and I don't go to 3rd, which the computer wants to do - because I KNOW that up ahead of me in about 50 yards I have to start slowing down. Leave it in 2nd, take the foot off the gas (the gas mileage shoots up) and the engine slows the vehicle without a shift of gears. As the traffic moves forward I am usually in position at the lower end of 2nd gears range to accelerate at a decent speed and I never changed a thing.

Sometimes I know I need extra speed because of a short on-ramp. I will intentionally leave it in a lower gear as I accelerate into it's powerband and use that power as needed to merge. The automatic wants to upshift. By preventing it I have immediate power when needed, while also preventing unecessary shifts.

You can do this all day... traffic, turns, whatever. The computer can't see or know what you want to do or what traffic conditions are immediately ahead. And in the end over the last 10 tanks of gas, I have a better MPG in manual thanks to the D-CVVT which keeps the engine burning at EXACTLY the right speed for what I want to do.

There is nothing wrong with Automatic... but if you recognize your gear ranges, and you become familiar with them so you don't have to think about it you will out-perform the automatic in every way.
 
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