Hyundai Santa Fe (TM): Driving your vehicle / Dual clutch transmission

Dual clutch transmission operation

The dual clutch transmission has eight forward speeds and one reverse speed.

The individual speeds are selected automatically when the shift button is in the D (Drive) position.

• The dual clutch transmission can be thought of as an automatically shifting manual transmission. It gives the driving feel of a manual transmission, yet provides the ease of a fully automatic transmission.
• When D (Drive) is selected, the transmission will automatically shift through the gears similar to a conventional automatic transmission. Unlike a traditional automatic transmission, the gear shifting can sometimes be felt and heard as the actuators engage the clutches and the gears are selected.
• The dual clutch transmission incorporates a wet-type dual clutch mechanism, which allows for better acceleration performance and increased fuel efficiency while driving. But it differs from a conventional automatic transmission because it does not incorporate a torque converter. Instead, the transition from one gear to the next is managed by clutch slip, especially at lower speeds. As a result, shifts are sometimes more noticeable, and a light vibration can be felt as the transmission shaft speed is matched with the engine shaft speed. This is a normal condition of the dual clutch transmission.
• The wet-type clutch transfers torque more directly and provides a directdrive feeling which may feel different from a conventional automatic transmission. This may be more noticeable when launching the vehicle from a stop or when traveling at low, stop-and-go vehicle speeds.
• When rapidly accelerating from a lower vehicle speed, the engine rpm may increase dramatically as a result of clutch slip as the dual clutch transmission selects the correct gear. This is a normal condition.
• When accelerating from a stop on an incline, press the accelerator smoothly and gradually to avoid any shudder feeling or jerkiness.
• When traveling at a lower vehicle speed, if you release the accelerator pedal quickly, you may feel engine braking before the transmission changes gears. This engine braking feeling is similar to operating a manual transmission at low speed.
• When driving downhill, you may wish to move the gear shift button to Manual Shift mode and downshift to a lower gear in order to control your speed without using the brake pedal excessively.
• When you turn the engine on and off, you may hear clicking sounds as the system goes through a self-test. This is a normal sound for the dual clutch transmission.
• During the first 1000 miles (1,500km), you may feel that the vehicle may not be smooth when accelerating at low speed. During this break-in period, the shift quality and performance of your new vehicle is continuously optimized.

WARNING

To reduce the risk of serious injury or death:

• ALWAYS check the surrounding areas near your vehicle for people, especially children, before shifting a vehicle into D (Drive) or R (Reverse).
• Before leaving the driver’s seat, always make sure the shift button is in the P (Park) position, then set the parking brake, and place the ignition switch in the LOCK/OFF position. Unexpected and sudden vehicle movement can occur if these precautions are not followed.
• Do not use aggressive engine braking (shifting from a higher gear to a lower gear) on slippery roads. This could cause the tires to slip and may result in an accident.

NOTICE

• Always come to a complete stop before shifting into D (Drive) or R (Reverse).
• Do not put the shift button in N (Neutral) while driving.

WARNING

Due to transmission failure, you may not continue to drive and the position indicator and the position indicator (D, P) on the instrument cluster will blink. Contact an authorized HYUNDAI dealer and have the system checked.

DCT warning messages

This warning message is displayed when vehicle is driven slowly on a grade and the vehicle detects that the brake pedal is not applied.

Steep grade! Press brake pedal

Driving up hills or on steep grades:

• To hold the vehicle on an incline use the foot brake or the parking brake.
• When in stop-and-go traffic on an incline, allow a gap to form ahead of you before moving the vehicle forward. Then hold the vehicle on the incline with the foot brake.
• If the vehicle is held or creeping forward on an incline by applying the accelerator pedal, the clutch and transmission may overheat which can result in damage. At this time, a warning message will appear on the LCD display.
• If the LCD warning is active, the foot brake must be applied.
• Ignoring the warnings can lead to damage to the transmission.

Transmission high temperature

• Under certain conditions, such as repeated stop-and-go launches on steep grades, sudden take off or acceleration, or other harsh driving conditions, the transmission clutch temperatures will increase excessively.
• When the clutch temperatures are too high, the “Transmission temp. is high! Stop safely” warning message will appear on the LCD display, a chime will sound, and the transmission shifting may not be smooth.
• If this occurs, pull over to a safe location, stop the vehicle with the engine running, apply the brakes and shift the vehicle to P (Park), and allow the transmission to cool.
• If you ignore this warning, the driving condition may become worse. You may experience abrupt shifts, frequent shifts, or jerkiness.
• When the message “Trans cooled. Resume driving.” appears you can continue to drive your vehicle.
• When possible, drive the vehicle smoothly.

Transmission overheated

• If the vehicle continues to be driven and the clutch temperatures reach the maximum temperature limit, the “Transmission Hot! Park with engine on” warning will be displayed. When this occurs the clutch is disabled until the clutch cools to normal temperatures.
• The warning will display a time to wait for the transmission to cool.
• If this occurs, pull over to a safe location, stop the vehicle with the engine running, apply the brakes and shift the vehicle to P (Park), and allow the transmission to cool.
• When the message “Trans cooled. Resume driving.” appears you can continue to drive your vehicle.
• When possible, drive the vehicle smoothly.

If any of the warning messages in the LCD display continue to blink, for your safety, contact an authorized HYUNDAI dealer and have the system checked.

Transmission ranges

The indicator in the instrument cluster displays the shift button position when the ignition switch is in the ON position.

P (Park)

Always come to a complete stop before shifting into P (Park).

To shift from P (Park), you must depress firmly on the brake pedal and make sure your foot is off the accelerator pedal.

The shift button must be in P (Park) before turning the engine off.

WARNING

• Shifting into P (Park) while the vehicle is in motion may cause you to lose control of the vehicle.
• After the vehicle has stopped, always make sure the shift button is in P (Park), apply the parking brake, and turn the engine off.
• When parking on an incline, place the shift button in P (Park) and apply the parking brake to prevent the vehicle from rolling downhill.
• For safety, always engage the parking brake with the shift button in the P (Park) position except for the case of emergency parking.

R (Reverse)

Use this position to drive the vehicle backward.

NOTICE

Always come to a complete stop before shifting into or out of R (Reverse); you may damage the transmission if you shift into R (Reverse) while the vehicle is in motion.

When the vehicle is stopped in R (Reverse) position, if you open the driver’s door with the seat belt unfastened, the gear is shifted to P (Park) position automatically.

However if the vehicle is moving in R(Reverse) position, if the driver's door is opened with the seat belt unfastened, the gear may not be shifted into P (Park) position automatically to protect the dual clutch transmission.

N (Neutral)

The wheels and transmission are not engaged.

Use N (Neutral) if you need to restart a stalled engine, or if it is necessary to stop with the engine ON. Shift into P (Park) if you need to leave your vehicle for any reason.

Always depress the brake pedal when you are shifting from N (Neutral) to another gear.

WARNING

Do not shift into gear unless your foot is firmly on the brake pedal. Shifting into gear when the engine is running at high speed can cause the vehicle to move very rapidly. You could lose control of the vehicle and hit people or objects.

To stay in N (Neutral) when vehicle is OFF (button type)

If you want to stay in N (Neutral) after the engine is OFF (in the ACC state), do the following.

1. Turn off Auto Hold and release Electronic Parking Brake when the engine is running.

2. Push the N(Neutral) button by depressing the brake pedal. If the message (“Press and hold the OK button on the steering wheel to stay in Neutral ”) appears on the cluster LCD display, press and hold the OK button on the steering wheel for more than 1 second.

3. When the message ‘Vehicle will stay in (N). Change gear to cancel’ (or ‘N will stay engaged when the vehicle is Off’) will appear on the cluster LCD display, press the Engine Start/Stop button while depressing the brake pedal. However, if you open the driver's door, the gear will automatically shift to P (Park) and the Engine Start/ Stop button will change to the OFF position.

NOTICE

With the gear in N (Neutral) the Engine Start/Stop button will be in the ACC position. Note that the doors cannot be locked in the ACC position or the battery may discharge if left in the ACC position for a long period.

D (Drive)

This is the normal driving position. The transmission will automatically shift through a 8-gear sequence, providing the best fuel economy and power.

To start the vehicle forward, push the D (Drive) button by depressing the brake pedal with the engine ON. Then depress the accelerator pedal smoothly. For extra power when passing another vehicle or driving uphill, depress the accelerator fully. The transmission will automatically downshift to the next lower gear (or gears, as appropriate). When the vehicle is stopped in D (Drive) position, if you open the driver’s door with the seat belt unfastened, the gear is shifted to P (Park) position automatically.

However when the vehicle moves in D (Drive) position, if you open the driver’s door with the seat belt unfastened, the gear may be not shifted to P (Park) position automatically for protecting the dual clutch transmission.

The DRIVE MODE switch, located on the shift button console, allows the driver to switch from NORMAL/ COMFORT mode to SPORT or ECO mode. (if equipped)

For more details, refer to “Drive Mode Integrated Control System” later in this chapter.

Shift-lock system

For your safety, the automatic transmission has a shift-lock system which prevents shifting the transmission from P (Park) or N (Neutral) to R (Reverse) or D (Drive) unless the brake pedal is depressed.

To shift the transmission from P (Park) into R (Reverse):

1. Depress and hold the brake pedal.

2. Start the engine or place the ignition switch in the ON position.

3. Depress the brake pedal and push the R (Reverse) button.

When the battery is discharged:

The shift buttons will not function when the battery is discharged.

In emergencies, do the following to move the shift button to N (Neutral) on a level ground.

1. Connect the battery cables from another vehicle or from a another battery to the jump-starting terminals inside the engine compartment. For more details, refer to “Jump Starting” in chapter 8.

2. Release the parking brake with the ignition switch in the ON position.

3. Shift the gear to the N(Neutral) position refer to the “Stay in Neutral when vehicle is Off” in this chapter.

Parking

Always come to a complete stop and continue to depress the brake pedal. Press the P (Park) button, apply the parking brake, and place the ignition switch in the LOCK/OFF position. Take the Key with you when exiting the vehicle.

WARNING

When you stay in the vehicle with the engine running, be careful not to depress the accelerator pedal for a long period of time. The engine or exhaust system may overheat and start a fire.

The exhaust gas and the exhaust system are very hot. Keep away from the exhaust system components.

Do not stop or park over flammable materials, such as dry grass, paper or leaves. They may ignite and cause a fire.

LCD display message (button type)

Shifting conditions not met. Reduce speed, then shift

The warning message appears on the LCD display, when engine RPM is too high, or when driving speed is too fast to shift the gear.

We recommend you decrease the engine speed or slow down before shifting the gear.

Press brake pedal to change gear

The warning message appears on the LCD display, when the brake pedal is not depressed while shifting the gear.

We recommend you to depress the brake pedal and then shift the gear.

Shift to P after stopping

The warning message appears on the LCD display, when the gear is shifted to P (Park) while the vehicle is moving.

Stop the vehicle before shifting to P (Park).

PARK engaged

The warning message appears on the LCD display, when the gear is shifted to P (Park) while the vehicle is moving.

Stop the vehicle before shifting to P (Park).

Press and hold the OK button on the steering wheel to stay in Neutral

The warning message appears on the LCD display, when pushing the N(Neutral) button. If you want to stay N(Neutral) after turning off the engine, press and hold the “OK” button on the steering wheel more than 1 second.

Vehicle will stay in (N). Change gear to cancel

The warning message appears on the LCD display, when pushing the “OK” button on the steering wheel after the message (“Press and hold OK button to stay in Neutral when vehicle is Off”) appears on the cluster LCD display. The gear stays in N(Neutral) position after turning off the engine.

NEUTRAL engaged

The message appears on the LCD display, when the N (Neutral) position is engaged.

Gear already selected

The message appears on the LCD display, when pushing the current shift button again.

Shift button held down

The warning message appears on the LCD display, when the shift button is pressed continuously or the shift button does not properly operate. Clean the surroundings of gear shift button.

If this message appears again, have the vehicle inspected by an authorized HYUNDAI dealer.

Shifter system malfunction! Service immediately

The warning message appears on the LCD display, when the transmission or the shift button does not properly operate in the P (Park) position.

In this case, have the vehicle inspected immediately by an authorized HYUNDAI dealer.

Check shift controls

The warning message appears on the LCD display, when there is a malfunction with transmission shift button.

In this case, have the vehicle inspected immediately by an authorized HYUNDAI dealer.

Paddle shifter (Manual shifter mode)

The paddle shifter is available when the shift button is in the D (Drive) position or the manual shift mode.

With the shift button in the D position

The paddle shifter will operate when the vehicle speed is more than 6 mph.

Pull the [+] or [-] paddle shifter once to shift up or down one gear and the system changes from automatic mode to manual shift mode.

In the manual shift mode, pull the [+] or [-] paddle shifter once to shift up or down one gear.

To change back to automatic shift mode from manual shift mode, do one of the followings:

Pull the [+] paddle shifter for more than one second Press the D button.

The manual shift mode also changes back to automatic shift mode in one of following situations

- When the accelerator pedal is gently depressed for more than 6 seconds while driving
- When the vehicle stops

Information

If the [+] and [-] paddle shifters are pulled at the same time, gear shift may not occur.

Good driving practices

• Never move the shift button from P (Park) or N (Neutral) to any other position with the accelerator pedal depressed.
• Never move the shift button into P (Park) when the vehicle is in motion. Be sure the vehicle is completely stopped before you attempt to shift into R (Reverse) or D (Drive).
• Do not move the shift button to N (Neutral) when driving. Doing so may result in an accident because of a loss of engine braking and the transmission could be damaged.
• Do not drive with your foot resting on the brake pedal. Even light, but consistent pedal pressure can result in the brakes overheating, brake wear and possibly even brake failure.
• Always apply the parking brake when leaving the vehicle. Do not depend on placing the transmission in P (Park) to keep the vehicle from moving.
• Exercise extreme caution when driving on a slippery surface. Be especially careful when braking, accelerating or shifting gears. On a slippery surface, an abrupt change in vehicle speed can cause the drive wheels to lose traction and may cause loss of vehicle control resulting in an accident.
• Optimum vehicle performance and economy is obtained by smoothly depressing and releasing the accelerator.

WARNING

To reduce the risk of SERIOUS INJURY or DEATH:

• ALWAYS wear your seatbelt. In a collision, an unbelted occupant is significantly more likely to be seriously injured or killed than a properly belted occupant.
• Avoid high speeds when cornering or turning.
• Do not make quick steering wheel movements, such as sharp lane changes or fast, sharp turns.
• The risk of rollover is greatly increased if you lose control of your vehicle at highway speeds.
• Loss of control often occurs if two or more wheels drop off the roadway and the driver over steers to reenter the roadway.
• In the event your vehicle leaves the roadway, do not steer sharply. Instead, slow down before pulling back into the travel lanes.
• HYUNDAI recommends you follow all posted speed limits.