[vegaspugdad]

Last month, I purchased a 2021 Hyundai Sonata N-Line. I have absolutely loved the car. However, the one thing that has irked me since I started noticing it is that the DCT seems to be finnicky at low speeds, particularly when decelerating. The DCT seems quite jerky when "downshifting" and sometimes is quite jarring (almost feels like getting tapped by another car). I suspect that, unlike most N-Line drivers, I keep it in "Normal" mode unless I'm feeling particularly spirited. The mode I drive in seems to make no discernable difference to the problem.

I poked around other forums and have found that the transmission also has the same issue in the Kia K5 GT. I only noticed the DCT issue mentioned once in another post on the forums, so I'm wondering if its something that may be unique to my car or if this is, indeed, an issue that other drivers are having but just aren't talking about (for whatever reason).

I've made an appointment to take my N-Line into the dealership to see if there's anything they can do (first week of August). Until then, has anyone else had this issue? Any insights or suggestions?

 

[Circuitsmith]

I was optimistic that the wet clutch DCT would do better than the disastrous dry clutch type, which also burned Ford and VW.
Now I think the whole concept is best left to exotic sports cars.
DCT just doesn't belong in daily driver street cars in stop-and-go, parallel parking etc.

 

[Paul N Line]

It is a little clunky for sure but perfectly normal. How they engineered an MT to do a decent impression of an AT is quite a feat. Still, I would be concerned if my daily commute was a constant stop and go event for miles on end every day. Such as the stretch from the NJ TPKE/route 78 toll plaza over the Newark Bar Bridge to the Holland Tunnel (for those in NJ who know this stretch). Or a rush hour trek across the GWB

To be any smoother I think lots more "automated" clutch slipping would need to be programmed in and this would probably decrease longevity by a lot without incrased service intervals (who wants that?).

I wouldn't be surprised if the engineers had a smoothness vs longevity/maintenance consideration in play during the design phase. For example

• DCT programmed for super smooth and buttery shifts = fluid changes every 20K
• DCT programmed for firm shifts = fluid changes every 100K
• Seems like they compromised somewhere in the middle with the 60K interval

 

[jsolo_sx2011]

As a past MT driver, slow speed was always a challenge, especially stop and go.

This probably annoyed other drivers, but my remedy was to try to keep a good following distance and adjust speed according so this distance was maintained. Usually 10 car lengths or more. Sure people cut in front of me and that was ok. Doing this was much easier than constantly shifting, braking, slipping the clutch, etc. Usually I could keep the car in 2nd gear and poke along as slow as 5 mph (flat surface). I tried to avoid coming to full stops. In some stop and go traffic this is just not possible as traffic literally is stopped for minutes at a time.

 

[rebelgator]

I noticed mine got much smoother around 1,500 miles. There's also a bit of a learning curve in giving it just enough gas to keep it in the gear you want or letting it drop a gear for better coasting.

 

[tarob]

I noticed mine got much smoother around 1,500 miles. There's also a bit of a learning curve in giving it just enough gas to keep it in the gear you want or letting it drop a gear for better coasting.

Agree totally, my experience as well.

 

[mtbsteve]

7,500 plus miles on it so far. I have owned and driven a VW TDI with DSG for 5 years/80k miles. The Hyundai unit is better but not in any significant way - less hunting for gears and not as choppy at low speeds (the VW wasn't that bad anyway). I drive in nearly every weather and traffic condition and even in some prolonged 20-30 minutes of stop and go (over 8-10 miles) it isn't bad. Just like a manual car, you learn to drive it and apply the correct amount of throttle to keep things smooth. That being said, you can catch it acting a little strange, especially in prolonged stop and go when you are just creeping along, and going up a slight incline. I just try to give a little more space to the car in front of me, which honestly is very little still (under a car length), so that I can actually give it some throttle vs just idling forward which helps smooth things out. It has always seemed pretty smooth coming down from high speeds to a nearly full stop and I just came out of almost 5 years in a plug in hybrid that was exceptionally smooth and think this trans is great.

 

[xaran]

Some of the performance sedans (Accura, Alfa and others ) have added a torque converter to the DCT to get the best of both worlds, fast solid shifting of the DCT with driveability in stop and go.

8-Speed DCT (Dual-Clutch Transmission) with torque converter and Sequential SportShift paddle shifters

Originally developed for racing, the dual-clutch design shifts faster, smoother and with greater efficiency than conventional automatic transmissions. Drivers will find it a perfect fit for the high-revving inline-4.

www.acura.com

 

[nos804]

Some of the performance sedans (Accura, Alfa and others ) have added a torque converter to the DCT to get the best of both worlds, fast solid shifting of the DCT with driveability in stop and go.

8-Speed DCT (Dual-Clutch Transmission) with torque converter and Sequential SportShift paddle shifters

Originally developed for racing, the dual-clutch design shifts faster, smoother and with greater efficiency than conventional automatic transmissions. Drivers will find it a perfect fit for the high-revving inline-4.

www.acura.com

I would say if your transmission is shifting really rough in slow traffic you may have an issue. My downshifting when slowing down or in slow traffic is usually pretty smooth, a little lurch here or there, just one the parts of a DCT trying to minimize slip. But I frequent a manual transmission too.

I guess I don't drive in an area with tons of start stop traffic, but I have driven a few DCTs for extended periods of time, Fords(which I actually liked despite the many reported issues with them), VW DSG, and now the one in my N-Line.

The quirks of the DCTs have never bothered me, and I am not sure I would want to take the losses of using a torque converter with a DCT setup. The lack of a torque converter is one of the biggest selling points of a DCT, manual power with the speed of an automatic.

But if my daily drive included in hour in stop start I could see getting annoyed with how the DCT handles it.

 

[jmillet]

My DCT is smooth as glass except when I'm exceeding my preset auto cruise control MPH in an effort to rapidly pass the car ahead of me. The computer is not happy The solution is to deactivate the cruise control, accelerate to make the pass and then reset the auto cruise control. I almost always drive in Sport Mode so the "D" up shifts are quick and smooth. When using paddle shifters the shift points are only as smooth as the operator. Downshifts from 3rd to 2nd to 1st can be abrupt if you don't rev match before down shifting.

 

[kirkland]

seems to be a hyundai problem. the regular 8 speed doesn't know what to do at low speeds either. i constantly get loud jerky thuds on mine. test drove new genesis' vehicles and they were the exact same.

 

[Bookworm]

I may have a Santa Fe Calligraphy but it also has the 2.5L DCT HTRAC. I only have put 190 miles on it and the shifting is as smooth as butter. But I have to admit that I'm babying the accelerator for the break-in period.

 

[DT999]

Interesting that the Sonata appears to have a wet DCT per notes above and you're still noticing these drive related "concerns". I have a 2021 Seltos with a dry dual clutch and I certainly notice the same things. Was thinking that the Sonata would be smoother!!

 

[SethD]

The 6-spd auto in my 18 Elantra is not a DCT, but it was having issues with rough, clunky downshifts during deceleration. I took it in to the dealer and they reset the computer. It solved the issue entirely. The transmission by nature does not like driving at 30 or 40mph in situations where I'm letting on and off the throttle briefly and frequently in traffic. It is very indecisive and gear hunts up and down excessively between 4th, 5th, and 6th gears. It's quite jerky and unpleasant.

 

[Mikera67]

Owned the 2017 GTI, the dct in the vw is more refined at slower speeds, mostly downshifts than my n line. Now when you floor it, after second gear the shifts are brutal, in a good way, stronger than the GTI.

Manual shifting in the n line is fine except downshifts, just feels wrong going down from 3rd gear.

I've got 8k on the car and love it.

 

[RomanJohnston]

Interesting. I have not noticed that in my commute. The only quirky part is in the drive way I can put in drive and takes a second to respond when I slowly touch the accelerator. Like it has to lightly spin up a sec before the clutch grabs. My first DCT....figured it was normal. But on the road, no real issues. I drive in normal mode unless I want to get spirited.

 

[Circuitsmith]

The transmission by nature does not like driving at 30 or 40mph in situations where I'm letting on and off the throttle briefly and frequently in traffic. It is very indecisive and gear hunts up and down excessively between 4th, 5th, and 6th gears. It's quite jerky and unpleasant.

I also have the 6-speed conventional auto.
What I do in those situations is switch over to manual shifting and hold a gear that keeps it 2-3000 rpm.
My last 4 cars were manuals, so I'm comfortable taking control.
I also always use manual shifting with cruise control on the highway.

 

[Sunflower43074]

Hi I'm wondering if yall have the same issue I have purchased a 2021 sonata se back in April only has 1900 miles on it sofar I don't like the way it feels when it shifts it likes to go threw gears pretty quick and it also feels herky jerky at times and like it feels kinda sluggish is it me just not use to a new car transmission or should I take it to the dealer

 

[Mikera67]

Different transmission in your car. Doesn't sound right I'd have it checked out anyways.

 

[Sunflower43074]

Yeah I was thinking the same thing I bought with 15 miles on it I really don't drive it alot it just seems so strange it usually is only like that when I'm driving more stop and go on the highway it's great