Dual Clutch Transmission operation
The individual speeds are selected automatically when the shift lever is in the D (Drive) position.
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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.
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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.
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The dual clutch transmission incorporates a dry-type dual clutch mechanism, which allows for better acceleration performance and increased fuel efficiency whilst 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.
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The dry-type clutch transfers torque more directly and provides a direct-drive feeling which may feel different from a conventional automatic transmission. This may be more noticeable when launching the vehicle from a stop-and go vehicle speeds.
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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.
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When accelerating from a stop an incline, press the accelerator smoothly and gradually to avoid any shudder feeling or jerkiness.
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When travelling 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.
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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.
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When you turn the engine on and off, you may hear clicking sounds as the system goes through a self-test. This a normal sound for the dual clutch transmission.
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During the first 1,500 km (1000 miles), 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.
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Always come to a complete stop before shifting into D (Drive) or R (Reverse).
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Do not put the shift lever in N (Neutral) whilst driving.
Due to transmission failure, the vehicle may not move and the position indicator (D, R) will blink on the cluster. In this case, have the system checked by a professional workshop. Kia recommends to visit an authorised Kia dealer/service partner.