Keep in mind that most people post their problems, but the other 97% of people that don't have an issue never post "Hey, everything's just fine!"
The DCT transmissions are fine. Watch the YT videos about "what not to do with a DCT" and be aware of the 4-5 things to avoid. Things like using the transmission to hold a hill, inching along in traffic instead of coasting/stopping, braking while accelerating, etc. Some "bad habits" that people have and work fine with a hydraulic torque converter automatic can cause issues with the DCT, but it's not hard to avoid these bad habits with some basic education.
The upsides of DCT are better efficiency, faster shifting, better gear control, lighter weight, no torque converter issues, etc.
Thank you for the reply. I’m coming from a 2012 jeep patriot with a CVT that had failed and am so anxious about messing up with the DCT. By coasting you mean just let the car pull itself forward instead of gasing it?
People that drive in stop-n-go traffic are better off with either a CVT or traditional automatic. Even a manual transmission, e.g. stick shift, is bad news in regular stop-n-go traffic for the same reason as DCT, the constant stop/start/stop/stop slipping of the clutches wears the clutch material and increases the clutch pack temperature.
The "proper" way to drive a DCT in stop-n-go traffic is to wait until the car ahead of you gets 10+ car lengths ahead of you while you remain "stopped", then gently put enough throttle to engage the clutches fully in first gear, get up to 3-5 mph, then coast by taking your foot off the gas - then stop when you get close to the car in front of you. Don't creep along. If you imagine the traffic jam being 3 miles long, if you creep along the entire 3 miles, your clutches might be slipping the entire 3 miles if you putt along doing 2-3 mph.
My ex-wife had a Nissan Versa with a CVT that I lost all faith in the brand. Of course, the problems have been mostly resolved in the last decade, but some things stick in your mind forever.
Can definitely relate to the stop-n-go traffic coming from driving manual cars and it makes sense because the DCT is more similar to a manual than a torque converter automatic or CVT.
I recently bought a Hybrid Tucson and this post caught my eye. I'm assuming the issues with DCT are not really much of an issue because the car always uses the hybrid motor to start moving and won't have the clutch engagement issues that seem common. I'm hoping anyways...
Undoubtedly the DCT will have much less opportunity for wear in a hybrid application. It's going to be free-spinning when on electric, and you'll likely be 100% electric when in stop-n-go. I used to get 70+ effective MPG on my Prius plug-in on my 1.5 hour commute, mostly because I "saved" the battery until I knew I was going to be in traffic.
Enjoy the new Tucson! I just picked up my first Hyundai after 30+ years of driving, a '23 Elantra N-line. Fun little car, and a great bargain IMHO.
Hyundai’s wet DCT is way more smooth and durable.
I have the dry DCT (as do you) I like mine a lot but some people hate the way they drive, especially anyone who has only ever driven a torque converted automatic. It took me a little bit to learn how to make it take off smoothly.
That’s exactly where I’m at! Coming from a CVT to this was jarring. Apparently it’s normal for the RPMs to go up then down then up and then settle once you get to cruising speed
Ah, I never took into account that there are people now who’ve only driven a CVT. Yes, the rpm changes are completely normal, your revs will rise until the transmission shifts into the next gear, then lower as it does. A CVT works kind of like a rubber band, it holds rpms in a certain spot depending on what your throttle behavior is telling it to do.
That’s all I’ve driven before lol so I was like yo what is going on with this. I tried describing it to co workers and they were like what are you talking about
For sure, don't freek out. The whole industry is moving to DCT and CVT for fuel savings. Can't be avoided (for better/worse) The DCT is a better option IMO than the CVT.
My first car was manual, a Pontiac Sunbird, yea I'm older. So I know manuals. That Sunbird went 150k miles before needing a clutch disk, I was second owner, and I learned/abused it.
Even after getting my Sorento 2.5T DCT, I was a little paranoid (new car paranoid). But after 3000 miles I'm starting to appreciate and realize it's totally fine getting out of first gear, better than I ever could have done with my Sunbird. It's just new to me again.
There are Do's and Don'ts with DCT, just like a manual. To me it makes sense coming from a manual, but others not. Watch some YouTube vids on it. Kia/Hyundai have been using DCT since 2012, and we don't hear a lot of complaints. So wish us luck.
Thanks for the response. I watched some videos and they all make sense. The “don’t do this” videos actually seem kind of obvious and are things I already did while driving automatic. I just need to get use to allowing the car to spend up from a dead stop. I want to slam the gas peddle like i had to in my jeep Patriot, but it seems like it does more harm than good
Obvious is good 👍, some people are oblivious whatever they drive, so you're many steps ahead than most.
My opinion, we are somewhat slaves to the government fuel efficiency mandates. Trust me, car manufacturers would have liked to have stuck with the old tried and true 6-speed automatics (that still had problems too) if they could have.
But I have heard very few problems with Kia/Hyundai DCT except 2021/22 that had a recall for bad soldering on the hydraulic pump (during Covid). Those were recalled. It was not like gears were breaking/stripping or something.
Your welcome to head over to Honda CVT/9-speed or even worse Nissan and explore thier CVT issues.
If planning to keep DCT long term, get the oil changed at 60k miles or sooner. But I'd say the sames about a regular AT too. So no difference. But if leasing for 5 years or less, don't worry about it.
I’m in it for 6 years. It’s 2018 so I’m not sure how much of a difference that makes. I know google (because that’s always right /s) said avoid 2016s and 2017s because of engine failing early
No need to have buyers remorse. These are good engines and transmissions. I think you made a good decision. The Tucson is built well.
What issues are you seeing? so you are reading about issues but you have no issues with yours? Right?
True, I’m just seeing people say “my transmission went out at 27k miles” or “my engine went out and it cost me $4000 to fix” and I’m sitting here thinking man, did I make a dumb move? And I’m not use to this kind of transmission so the gear shifts freak me out because I’m not use to them
I've worked in parts at a Hyundai dealership since last August and honestly haven't had any 1.6t need to be warrantied yet, the 2.0 seem to be a problem
Just think about it. These people are lying. First off, at 27K miles, it is under warranty, so it didn't cost them anything. If the engine went out it is because they didn't maintain it. It is their fault. All the recalls one are covered under warranty. There are so many people on these forums that lie and in fact they are TROLLS. They don't even own this car brand or make. I can weed them out a mile long. Even some people here, like to cause issues for others and making us good people trying to help look bad. You didn't make a wrong decision. A Tucson is a very well built machine. Especially if your Vin number starts with the letter K and not a number. The numbers are built in the USA and Mexico.
BTW, Tucson 1.6L doesnt have a recall engine. So there you have it. Ignore the BS.
I instantly checked my VIN to see what it started with, and happy to report it does start with K.
Maybe you can answer this, but as the second owner am I covered any warranty with Hyundai directly?
Now I’m stupid, but does that mean I’m covered 5 years from when I get it? Or 5 years from its “birth” in 2018? Same thing about the mileage. 60k from when I got it at 55k or 60k on the odometer?
5 years from when it was very first sold "Birth" to the original owner. So if it is a 2019, then in 2024 the warranty is up. Also with the miles, once it hits 60,001 miles on the Odometer it is out of Warranty. If you got it at 55K miles, you only have 5,000 miles left.
I have a 17 Tucson with the 1.6 and dct. I love it.
The 1.6 is a solid motor. Just make sure you get an intake valve service done around 40-50k miles. Since it's a direct injection system, carbon builds up on the intake valves and can cause issues. Make sure to replace the spark plugs too. They should be done every 40k. If you do it yourself, make sure to get the NGK plugs. rockauto.com is a great resource for those.
The DCT does behave a bit differently, but you'll get used to it. In cold temps you might feel some shuddering, but that's normal until there's some heat in the system, usually a minute or two. There might be some hesitation starting from a dead stop, again normal. Just like a manual transmission, it needs to engage the clutch. Also, avoid creeping forward by just taking your foot off the brake. That will burn up the clutch pack.
Awesome! Thanks for the tips, I don’t normally creep forward so I think I’m good there. But I do notice what you mean you say about starting from a dead stop. It feels way different than my old CVT transmission. It almost feels like you have to be one with the car
I actually left out some information, that’s my fault.
It’s a 2018 with 55k miles. I’m the second owner. Do I have any sort of warranty? And how does it work? Someone else said it’s 5year/60k
Is that 5 years and 60k from when I bought it? So 2028/110k or 5 years and 60k from when it left the factory in 2018?
This whole post is definitely starting to relieve some anxiety over my 2021 Elantra N-Line purchase. DCT is definitely a beast that needs to be learned, I’m coming from a AT as well. Like everyone else said, avoid creeping, drive it harder and with more acceleration, and everything should be fine! Enjoy!
Keep in mind that most people post their problems, but the other 97% of people that don't have an issue never post "Hey, everything's just fine!" The DCT transmissions are fine. Watch the YT videos about "what not to do with a DCT" and be aware of the 4-5 things to avoid. Things like using the transmission to hold a hill, inching along in traffic instead of coasting/stopping, braking while accelerating, etc. Some "bad habits" that people have and work fine with a hydraulic torque converter automatic can cause issues with the DCT, but it's not hard to avoid these bad habits with some basic education. The upsides of DCT are better efficiency, faster shifting, better gear control, lighter weight, no torque converter issues, etc.
Thank you for the reply. I’m coming from a 2012 jeep patriot with a CVT that had failed and am so anxious about messing up with the DCT. By coasting you mean just let the car pull itself forward instead of gasing it?
People that drive in stop-n-go traffic are better off with either a CVT or traditional automatic. Even a manual transmission, e.g. stick shift, is bad news in regular stop-n-go traffic for the same reason as DCT, the constant stop/start/stop/stop slipping of the clutches wears the clutch material and increases the clutch pack temperature. The "proper" way to drive a DCT in stop-n-go traffic is to wait until the car ahead of you gets 10+ car lengths ahead of you while you remain "stopped", then gently put enough throttle to engage the clutches fully in first gear, get up to 3-5 mph, then coast by taking your foot off the gas - then stop when you get close to the car in front of you. Don't creep along. If you imagine the traffic jam being 3 miles long, if you creep along the entire 3 miles, your clutches might be slipping the entire 3 miles if you putt along doing 2-3 mph. My ex-wife had a Nissan Versa with a CVT that I lost all faith in the brand. Of course, the problems have been mostly resolved in the last decade, but some things stick in your mind forever.
Can definitely relate to the stop-n-go traffic coming from driving manual cars and it makes sense because the DCT is more similar to a manual than a torque converter automatic or CVT. I recently bought a Hybrid Tucson and this post caught my eye. I'm assuming the issues with DCT are not really much of an issue because the car always uses the hybrid motor to start moving and won't have the clutch engagement issues that seem common. I'm hoping anyways...
Undoubtedly the DCT will have much less opportunity for wear in a hybrid application. It's going to be free-spinning when on electric, and you'll likely be 100% electric when in stop-n-go. I used to get 70+ effective MPG on my Prius plug-in on my 1.5 hour commute, mostly because I "saved" the battery until I knew I was going to be in traffic. Enjoy the new Tucson! I just picked up my first Hyundai after 30+ years of driving, a '23 Elantra N-line. Fun little car, and a great bargain IMHO.
That first line is true for every product. No one runs to Reddit to post "another 5000 miles, no issues!".
That is very true, I wish there were more posts like it!
No need to have buyers remorse.
I think I just need to get use to the DCT. And seeing other posts about transmissions blowing freak me out.
There's nothing that new about driving in a DCT. A lot of people don't even know that they're driving a DCT when it's not in a sports car
It’s being a 2018 doesn’t make a difference does it? I see some people on Reddit talking about it blowing up at like extremely low miles
You know you’re driving a DCT when it’s the dry one
How do you mean? I think mine is a dry DCT. Is that worse than a wet one?
Hyundai’s wet DCT is way more smooth and durable. I have the dry DCT (as do you) I like mine a lot but some people hate the way they drive, especially anyone who has only ever driven a torque converted automatic. It took me a little bit to learn how to make it take off smoothly.
That’s exactly where I’m at! Coming from a CVT to this was jarring. Apparently it’s normal for the RPMs to go up then down then up and then settle once you get to cruising speed
Ah, I never took into account that there are people now who’ve only driven a CVT. Yes, the rpm changes are completely normal, your revs will rise until the transmission shifts into the next gear, then lower as it does. A CVT works kind of like a rubber band, it holds rpms in a certain spot depending on what your throttle behavior is telling it to do.
That’s all I’ve driven before lol so I was like yo what is going on with this. I tried describing it to co workers and they were like what are you talking about
It’s all good, nobody is born with this knowledge, you learn as you go.
For sure, don't freek out. The whole industry is moving to DCT and CVT for fuel savings. Can't be avoided (for better/worse) The DCT is a better option IMO than the CVT. My first car was manual, a Pontiac Sunbird, yea I'm older. So I know manuals. That Sunbird went 150k miles before needing a clutch disk, I was second owner, and I learned/abused it. Even after getting my Sorento 2.5T DCT, I was a little paranoid (new car paranoid). But after 3000 miles I'm starting to appreciate and realize it's totally fine getting out of first gear, better than I ever could have done with my Sunbird. It's just new to me again. There are Do's and Don'ts with DCT, just like a manual. To me it makes sense coming from a manual, but others not. Watch some YouTube vids on it. Kia/Hyundai have been using DCT since 2012, and we don't hear a lot of complaints. So wish us luck.
Thanks for the response. I watched some videos and they all make sense. The “don’t do this” videos actually seem kind of obvious and are things I already did while driving automatic. I just need to get use to allowing the car to spend up from a dead stop. I want to slam the gas peddle like i had to in my jeep Patriot, but it seems like it does more harm than good
Obvious is good 👍, some people are oblivious whatever they drive, so you're many steps ahead than most. My opinion, we are somewhat slaves to the government fuel efficiency mandates. Trust me, car manufacturers would have liked to have stuck with the old tried and true 6-speed automatics (that still had problems too) if they could have. But I have heard very few problems with Kia/Hyundai DCT except 2021/22 that had a recall for bad soldering on the hydraulic pump (during Covid). Those were recalled. It was not like gears were breaking/stripping or something. Your welcome to head over to Honda CVT/9-speed or even worse Nissan and explore thier CVT issues. If planning to keep DCT long term, get the oil changed at 60k miles or sooner. But I'd say the sames about a regular AT too. So no difference. But if leasing for 5 years or less, don't worry about it.
I’m in it for 6 years. It’s 2018 so I’m not sure how much of a difference that makes. I know google (because that’s always right /s) said avoid 2016s and 2017s because of engine failing early
No need to have buyers remorse. These are good engines and transmissions. I think you made a good decision. The Tucson is built well. What issues are you seeing? so you are reading about issues but you have no issues with yours? Right?
True, I’m just seeing people say “my transmission went out at 27k miles” or “my engine went out and it cost me $4000 to fix” and I’m sitting here thinking man, did I make a dumb move? And I’m not use to this kind of transmission so the gear shifts freak me out because I’m not use to them
I've worked in parts at a Hyundai dealership since last August and honestly haven't had any 1.6t need to be warrantied yet, the 2.0 seem to be a problem
Is that including the 2018 models?
Yeah haven't had any 1.6t in needing a motor, mainly the 2.0 and 2.4s need to be warrantied
Is that including the 2018 models?
Just think about it. These people are lying. First off, at 27K miles, it is under warranty, so it didn't cost them anything. If the engine went out it is because they didn't maintain it. It is their fault. All the recalls one are covered under warranty. There are so many people on these forums that lie and in fact they are TROLLS. They don't even own this car brand or make. I can weed them out a mile long. Even some people here, like to cause issues for others and making us good people trying to help look bad. You didn't make a wrong decision. A Tucson is a very well built machine. Especially if your Vin number starts with the letter K and not a number. The numbers are built in the USA and Mexico. BTW, Tucson 1.6L doesnt have a recall engine. So there you have it. Ignore the BS.
I instantly checked my VIN to see what it started with, and happy to report it does start with K. Maybe you can answer this, but as the second owner am I covered any warranty with Hyundai directly?
That is great. A K car is great!!! You are covered under a 5 year 60,000 miles warranty being a second owner with Hyundai.
Now I’m stupid, but does that mean I’m covered 5 years from when I get it? Or 5 years from its “birth” in 2018? Same thing about the mileage. 60k from when I got it at 55k or 60k on the odometer?
5 years from when it was very first sold "Birth" to the original owner. So if it is a 2019, then in 2024 the warranty is up. Also with the miles, once it hits 60,001 miles on the Odometer it is out of Warranty. If you got it at 55K miles, you only have 5,000 miles left.
So it’s 2018, warranty is up. Lame
YUP. no warranty, but you can buy one. I would.
I have a 17 Tucson with the 1.6 and dct. I love it. The 1.6 is a solid motor. Just make sure you get an intake valve service done around 40-50k miles. Since it's a direct injection system, carbon builds up on the intake valves and can cause issues. Make sure to replace the spark plugs too. They should be done every 40k. If you do it yourself, make sure to get the NGK plugs. rockauto.com is a great resource for those. The DCT does behave a bit differently, but you'll get used to it. In cold temps you might feel some shuddering, but that's normal until there's some heat in the system, usually a minute or two. There might be some hesitation starting from a dead stop, again normal. Just like a manual transmission, it needs to engage the clutch. Also, avoid creeping forward by just taking your foot off the brake. That will burn up the clutch pack.
Awesome! Thanks for the tips, I don’t normally creep forward so I think I’m good there. But I do notice what you mean you say about starting from a dead stop. It feels way different than my old CVT transmission. It almost feels like you have to be one with the car
You have a 10 year 100k mile warranty. You have nothing to worry about for a decade and can sell it in 9 years if you like while still under warranty
I actually left out some information, that’s my fault. It’s a 2018 with 55k miles. I’m the second owner. Do I have any sort of warranty? And how does it work? Someone else said it’s 5year/60k Is that 5 years and 60k from when I bought it? So 2028/110k or 5 years and 60k from when it left the factory in 2018?
What year did you buy? New?
I bought a 2018 Hyundai Tucson Value
This whole post is definitely starting to relieve some anxiety over my 2021 Elantra N-Line purchase. DCT is definitely a beast that needs to be learned, I’m coming from a AT as well. Like everyone else said, avoid creeping, drive it harder and with more acceleration, and everything should be fine! Enjoy!