Transmission Control Unit (TCU) Update

[Marc Collins]

There is a known update to the shift logic that KIA has mentioned--anyone have any info about when it might come out?

The initial purpose was to add a proper manual mode to the transmission while in Sport--i.e., it won't revert to "D" when you come to a stop and it won't automatically up-shift when you approach the rev limiter. The programming the car came with is similar to what you would get in a minivan or econo-car. So, the question is while applying the manual mode that should have been in the car from the outset, did they change anything else? Any changes could vary by drive mode and whether you have drive-by-wire versus the traditional shift lever. And they could have adjusted the slightly clunky up-shifts while the transmission and engine are still in warm-up mode. Most people report it only happens when the car isn't yet warmed-up.

Based on long experience with TCU updates in other sporty cars, it will be equally possible that they will screw-up a bunch of things that were better left alone. We need some knowledgeable people to dig into this before it is too late.

 

[Jonathan Lasich]

Marc,

Any chance you might have a TSB reference # for the TCU update?

According to my UVO app, I'm due for service in 27 days. I was going to do a Nav/Firmware update at that time and would do this TCU update as well.

 

[Marc Collins]

Marc,

Any chance you might have a TSB reference # for the TCU update?

According to my UVO app, I'm due for service in 27 days. I was going to do a Nav/Firmware update at that time and would do this TCU update as well.

Sorry, I just edited my post. The one others were referring to turns out to be this:

Issue Number SA341 - Fast Static Gear Shift Logic Improvement (2.0 and 3.3GT)

If you have the traditional cable-driven shifter (with the lever that you move to go into manual mode), you'll want to get it. But it isn't the one I was referring to above

 

[Kamauxx]

I had the recall done a couple of months ago. Didn't know what is was or notice any difference.

I rarely drive in sport mode and never in manual mode though.

 

[Marc Collins]

I had the recall done a couple of months ago. Didn't know what is was or notice any difference.

I rarely drive in sport mode and never in manual mode though.

As expected, the one done should do nothing noticeable. It's the one not yet out that should make a difference!!

 

[Kazz]

W

As expected, the one done should do nothing noticeable. It's the one not yet out that should make a difference!!

What differences are you expecting in the next update?

 

[Marc Collins]

W

What differences are you expecting in the next update?

In the first message of this thread.

 

[Socalstinga]

On other sports sedans I've had in the past, the TCU updates have usually made things worse or totally neutered sport mode. But if it's confined to what was stated in the first post, I might consider. I actually would've preferred a more aggressive sport mode like the one in my G37...Stinger sport mode, unfortunately, is more tame than I would like on a TT 365 hp car.

 

[Marc Collins]

On other sports sedans I've had in the past, the TCU updates have usually made things worse or totally neutered sport mode. But if it's confined to what was stated in the first post, I might consider. I actually would've preferred a more aggressive sport mode like the one in my G37...Stinger sport mode, unfortunately, is more tame than I would like on a TT 365 hp car.

Agreed on the screw-up potential. Also, the perfect place for a more aggressive sport mode for the transmission OPTION would be under Custom. Regardless, they said they would address the lack of true manual mode. They already put that programming on last year's European Car of the Year candidates. And the 2019's have it if rumours are true. The hassle will be to get it backward mapped to 2018's because KIA will undoubtedly have some lame excuse why it is not possible.

 

[Doel]

On other sports sedans I've had in the past, the TCU updates have usually made things worse or totally neutered sport mode. But if it's confined to what was stated in the first post, I might consider. I actually would've preferred a more aggressive sport mode like the one in my G37...Stinger sport mode, unfortunately, is more tame than I would like on a TT 365 hp car.

More aggressive how? It downshifts real quick, is already pretty twitchy with just a little throttle input. Do you want it to stay in a lower gear when cruising?

 

[Socalstinga]

More aggressive how? It downshifts real quick, is already pretty twitchy with just a little throttle input. Do you want it to stay in a lower gear when cruising?

When not using the manual mode, it would've been nice to have a bit more of rev matching on the automatic downshift and hold that gear a bit longer. But I guess in those cases i would probably just need to use the manual mode. I was accustomed to that in my cayenne and G37, wasn't using the manual mode on those - just shift to sport and let the tranny's brain work on it's own.

 

[Fl stingergt]

Has I said in other post sa 341 was done on my car last week and guess what it killed sport mode.shifts have lost all aggression In sport mode. Kia is trying to figure out how to put back to factory settings.

 

[Marc Collins]

Has I said in other post sa 341 was done on my car last week and guess what it killed sport mode.shifts have lost all aggression In sport mode. Kia is trying to figure out how to put back to factory settings.

Others have reported the same "calming" of sport mode shifts. In the meantime, can you confirm whether it changes any of the manual mode functionality, such as ensuring it NEVER reverts to D in manual mode and that it won't upshift automatically in manual, either. For the last one, have to check with and without traction control on (i.e., the old one would upshift automatically even in "manual" mode except when you had the TC OFF as is required for launch control mode).

The original sport mode shifting is a bit excitable--in many cases revving higher than needed even for sporty driving. If they improved the behaviours in both normal and sport while ensuring that sport is still highly responsive (as opposed to just holding gears artificially long), it could be an overall winner. If you really want to hold gears longer than is actually necessary for the conditions, that's what manual mode is for.

 

[MerlintheMad]

"If it ain't broke, don't mess with it!"

"Let sleeping dogs lie."

"Nothing in life has any business being perfect."

People are always looking for more, when what we have is good enough. Only when you lose what you have do you wish you had been satisfied the way things were. I hope you get back what you had.

Sport mode is plenty for me as-is. I've read through this thread twice now and still don't understand what the beef is. When I go to Sport, I nearly always move the "T" shifter into manual gate. So I don't experience any inadequacy in how the trans shifts, since I do it all. And, it never shifts into "D" when in manual gate.

 

[Marc Collins]

"If it ain't broke, don't mess with it!"

"Let sleeping dogs lie."

"Nothing in life has any business being perfect."

People are always looking for more, when what we have is good enough. Only when you lose what you have do you wish you had been satisfied the way things were. I hope you get back what you had.

Sport mode is plenty for me as-is. I've read through this thread twice now and still don't understand what the beef is. When I go to Sport, I nearly always move the "T" shifter into manual gate. So I don't experience any inadequacy in how the trans shifts, since I do it all.

No need to reply to every thread and message if the info is not of interest to you...

 

[MerlintheMad]

No need to reply to every thread and message if the info is not of interest to you...

WTH! What about the rest of my post? I am interested, very interested. The upshift saved my ass and my engine back in July when I red lined doing Launch Control for the first time. So you're damned right I am interested in any future "upgrade" that they might be doing to my car by some recall. And, I think that "dumbing down" Sport mode is no answer; neither do I think that removing the red line fail safe is a smart move.

 

[max2382]

Let's see how this evolve. Thanks for the thread.

 

[Marc Collins]

WTH! What about the rest of my post? I am interested, very interested. The upshift saved my ass and my engine back in July when I red lined doing Launch Control for the first time. So you're damned right I am interested in any future "upgrade" that they might be doing to my car by some recall. And, I think that "dumbing down" Sport mode is no answer; neither do I think that removing the red line fail safe is a smart move.

Don't put your car in manual mode if you don't want to shift yourself.

 

[max2382]

Also, I would like to expose my problem to you guys. The car feels different than before. It has 2500 miles on, so not serviced yet or anything else.
In the freeway, driving at a constant speed of 60-65 mph in smart mode (so ECO) the car is in high gear and revs at around 1200rpm. A month ago, if I accelerated in this condition, it revs up or drops the gear but generally speaking it accelerates. Now what happens is that the car does not shift to a lower gear (unless push the throttle deeper) and instead instantly revving up, it first goes from 1200rpm to 1000rpm and then quite slowly revs up. All together it feels there is no immediate power as there was a month ago. I don't know what it is. Any ideas?Thanks

 

[MerlintheMad]

Don't put your car in manual mode if you don't want to shift yourself.

I forgot! I was using LC for the first time and forgot that I had to do the shifting. It was a brain fart of the first order. I'm glad for the safety feature that popped out of manual and shifted up at red line. My subsequent LC efforts went much better: I tried both automatic and manual gate. Finally I tried Auto Hold and just mashed the accelerator and shifted up myself. Manual gate is a lot of fun.