Jerky automatic transmission shifting

[5tinger]

The downshifts are different feeling in this car. I've found that the gears do grab firmly if you just feather the brakes. In fact, I've found the car slows quite well without even using the brakes, and it has amazing stopping power when I want it.

The issue for most of us was a very hard upshift with a cold engine.

Agree on the downshift. I don't understand what all the fuss is about? The downshift are strong but smooth. Not only do they assist the braking, but by downshifting the car will be in a lower gear ready for acceleration.

 

[badfrogg]

Hey guys. I just got a used GT with 10k miles. I feel the clunky shift at very low speed and very slight throttle input. you know, like driving in back neighborhood where kids play at like 10-15 mph. All I want to know is if that is ok? dose anyone have failures or is this a bad sign? If is it just a quark of the car then I can live with that. Don't want to spin my wheels at the dealer if it is not a serious issue.

Sorry. the whole thread is TL;DR.

Thanks.

 

[SpaceGhost]

Hey guys. I just got a used GT with 10k miles. I feel the clunky shift at very low speed and very slight throttle input. you know, like driving in back neighborhood where kids play at like 10-15 mph. All I want to know is if that is ok? dose anyone have failures or is this a bad sign? If is it just a quark of the car then I can live with that. Don't want to spin my wheels at the dealer if it is not a serious issue.

Sorry. the whole thread is TL;DR.

Thanks.

I've got 30K miles my car does this too. It's especially bad if I put it in sport mode. Anyway I am not worried the transmission is warrantied for 100K miles, but still given the price of the car new this is not acceptable. BTW pray you don't have the pulsing brake issue. That's the most common problem

 

[badfrogg]

Pfft... I have the squeak. I just sent my GT in because it complete comes out of gear and then slams back in sometimes. They had it for a week and said it's fine. I can't imagine taking it in for a little squeak.
But... think about it. A failed waste gate will either lead to under boost if it is stuck open or over boost if it is stuck close. I would think either would show up on CEL readout though. I could live with the squeak if they would just fix the transmission.

 

[rocket23]

took me awhile ....but I peg the throttle while paddle shifting just to get a jerky feeling,lol

 

[badfrogg]

Oh yeah. I got the herky jerky shifting all the time. I came here thinking it was the squeaky TB and maybe it was sticking and that was causing the jerky. But after reading this thread I think it is the waste gate that makes the squeak and that has nothing to do with my jerky shifting.
BUT... the transmission going into neutral on its own is a whole new experience.

 

[rocket23]

Oh yeah. I got the herky jerky shifting all the time. I came here thinking it was the squeaky TB and maybe it was sticking and that was causing the jerky. But after reading this thread I think it is the waste gate that makes the squeak and that has nothing to do with my jerky shifting.
BUT... the transmission going into neutral on its own is a whole new experience.

another reason to like the ''base'' model shifter......that has more shift and less diagnostics.

 

[badfrogg]

So I just want to document all that I have observed about this jacked up transmission and my theories as to what the cause is.
1. The Herky Jerky:
So this is what I call the upshifts. I think a lot of people have this but I think we all have the wrong idea about what causes it. I have also thought that it was during gear changes but it is not. It is the torque converter locking and unlocking, OR, maybe the throttle is cutting out for a split second. I have be able to reproduce the jerk in all the lower gears 1st through 4th. and I believe that it is probably happening in all gears but the higher the gear the less you feel it. I can put the car into a gear in manual mode let off the engine load and then apply and engine load, the converter will start to grab as I accelerate then it lets go and then grabs again hard. Bam, the Herky Jerky! The shift between gears seems fine though and as long as I keep pressure on the gas it continues to shift upwards just fine. But when I let the load off the engine it resets for another Herky Jerky.
2. The downshift car sickness:
When you slow from speed the transmission downshifts through the gears, It unsettles the car as you do it. I have been practicing modulating the brake pedal but it takes some skill to get it right. I think this is just how the thing is programmed and I think it is dumb. Yeah, just my opinion and you might like it but I think it is uncomfortable.
3. The not going into gear then slamming into gear:
This is straight up brokenness. I was at an intersection today when it happened again. I was on a decline and trying to get through the intersection. I saw my chance (Highway 301 in Florida BTW) to go and I let off the brake and on the gas. the car just rolls out into the middle of the road and the engine is just revving. No acceleration and the traffic is speeding towards me. A second latter the trans slams into gear and I escape. This is my testimony so when I'm killed my wife can sue kia.

 

[SpaceGhost]

Oh yeah. I got the herky jerky shifting all the time. I came here thinking it was the squeaky TB and maybe it was sticking and that was causing the jerky. But after reading this thread I think it is the waste gate that makes the squeak and that has nothing to do with my jerky shifting.
BUT... the transmission going into neutral on its own is a whole new experience.

One of my Stingers had the herky jerky shifting. Problem solved. Although truth be told I still have a herky jerky shift once i a while but now I blame myself

 

[badfrogg]

Miata is always the answer.

 

[rocket23]

those things are fun.

 

[SpaceGhost]

those things are fun.

Definitely the most fun car I've ever driven and I can still drive a Stinger



My wife's car is the background. I guess it's because the 2018 I had was first year, but compared to the 2019 still in the garage the 2018 had shuddering brakes, herky jerky shifts at low speed and in sport mode, creaked when the body flexed pulling out of the driveway and the stereo didn't sound as good. With the stereo I thought maybe Kia boosted the amp between the years. It sounded more powerful by a lot.

It's weird now driving the Kia it feels so dam heavy. It would be nice if Kia shaved some weight off the Stinger and added a manual option. If they are trying to compete with BMW last time I checked they still offer stick shifts in their high end performance cars. At the very least it should be a dual clutch auto

The best part is in a race between the Miata and the Kia Stinger (the one in the garage) I'd win. How you may ask? Oh that red car has a speed limiter and mine doesn't so eventually after probably a good long while I'd win

 

[SpaceGhost]

Miata is always the answer.

No matter the question

 

[cncBilly]

Definitely the most fun car I've ever driven and I can still drive a Stinger

View attachment 64045

My wife's car is the background. I guess it's because the 2018 I had was first year, but compared to the 2019 still in the garage the 2018 had shuddering brakes, herky jerky shifts at low speed and in sport mode, creaked when the body flexed pulling out of the driveway and the stereo didn't sound as good. With the stereo I thought maybe Kia boosted the amp between the years. It sounded more powerful by a lot.

It's weird now driving the Kia it feels so dam heavy. It would be nice if Kia shaved some weight off the Stinger and added a manual option. If they are trying to compete with BMW last time I checked they still offer stick shifts in their high end performance cars. At the very least it should be a dual clutch auto

The best part is in a race between the Miata and the Kia Stinger (the one in the garage) I'd win. How you may ask? Oh that red car has a speed limiter and mine doesn't so eventually after probably a good long while I'd win

Sis just bought the Fiat version also in grey. They sure are tinny little cars very nice though.

 

[SpaceGhost]

Sis just bought the Fiat version also in grey. They sure are tinny little cars very nice though.

Why? For the style or the badge?

It's really the same car but you get a fiat weaker turbo engine. I did a quick search if she didn't get the abarth version then the difference is 5.7 0-60 vs 6.9 0-60. Even the abarth is 0-60 in 6.3. The Mazda engine has more power and revs to 7,500 vs 6,250 for the fiat. I'd much rather have a normally aspirated high revving engine. The throttle is super sharp which makes it easy to blip the engine quick for downshifts.

Of course we are talking manual if she got an auto then we are talking really slow probably have trouble beating a school bus

This car will be my daily but with covid my job went to 100% at home. I just go in for meetings once or twice a month. What you didn't see in any of the photos is the third car a 2010 Ford Escape. My kids use that car but they are in school and the car is here all day. Last winter my Stinger never saw a flake of snow just kept it in the garage and drove the Escape.

 

[cncBilly]

Why? For the style or the badge?

It's really the same car but you get a fiat weaker turbo engine. I did a quick search if she didn't get the abarth version then the difference is 5.7 0-60 vs 6.9 0-60. Even the abarth is 0-60 in 6.3. The Mazda engine has more power and revs to 7,500 vs 6,250 for the fiat. I'd much rather have a normally aspirated high revving engine. The throttle is super sharp which makes it easy to blip the engine quick for downshifts.

Of course we are talking manual if she got an auto then we are talking really slow probably have trouble beating a school bus

This car will be my daily but with covid my job went to 100% at home. I just go in for meetings once or twice a month. What you didn't see in any of the photos is the third car a 2010 Ford Escape. My kids use that car but they are in school and the car is here all day. Last winter my Stinger never saw a flake of snow just kept it in the garage and drove the Escape.

Why? Was not for me to ask. But my belief is she saw one, fell in love and had to have. Both the Mazda and Fiat were very hard to come by when she “had to have one” and I guess the Fiat was the one that came up and out of province at that. Also she is 64 and has no idea of or interest in performance. All and all she loves it and thats all that matters. I have yet to drive it and likely will never have the chance without her in it and that would simply be no fun whatsoever.

 

[SpaceGhost]

Why? Was not for me to ask. But my belief is she saw one, fell in love and had to have. Both the Mazda and Fiat were very hard to come by when she “had to have one” and I guess the Fiat was the one that came up and out of province at that. Also she is 64 and has no idea of or interest in performance. All and all she loves it and thats all that matters. I have yet to drive it and likely will never have the chance without her in it and that would simply be no fun whatsoever.

You could just go test drive. I test drove three and the sales person never came with me. Which is different than my experience buying a Kia where I test drove 4 of them and the sales person always came with me. They also wouldn't let me drive the car far. The Miata I bought I drove around for 20 minutes up in New Hampshire by myself.

 

[rocket23]

Definitely the most fun car I've ever driven and I can still drive a Stinger

View attachment 64045

My wife's car is the background. I guess it's because the 2018 I had was first year, but compared to the 2019 still in the garage the 2018 had shuddering brakes, herky jerky shifts at low speed and in sport mode, creaked when the body flexed pulling out of the driveway and the stereo didn't sound as good. With the stereo I thought maybe Kia boosted the amp between the years. It sounded more powerful by a lot.

It's weird now driving the Kia it feels so dam heavy. It would be nice if Kia shaved some weight off the Stinger and added a manual option. If they are trying to compete with BMW last time I checked they still offer stick shifts in their high end performance cars. At the very least it should be a dual clutch auto

The best part is in a race between the Miata and the Kia Stinger (the one in the garage) I'd win. How you may ask? Oh that red car has a speed limiter and mine doesn't so eventually after probably a good long while I'd win

me thinks Kia will stop making the stinger in 2022

 

[cncBilly]

You could just go test drive. I test drove three and the sales person never came with me. Which is different than my experience buying a Kia where I test drove 4 of them and the sales person always came with me. They also wouldn't let me drive the car far. The Miata I bought I drove around for 20 minutes up in New Hampshire by myself.

Honestly my interest level in driving it is low, very low. Call it Stinger love. Interesting on your test drives, I was able to take a Stinger for a 24 hour test drive. But I was sold the moment I saw one, sitting in it and driving it sealed the deal.

 

[Marc Collins]

Definitely the most fun car I've ever driven and I can still drive a Stinger

View attachment 64045

My wife's car is the background. I guess it's because the 2018 I had was first year, but compared to the 2019 still in the garage the 2018 had shuddering brakes, herky jerky shifts at low speed and in sport mode, creaked when the body flexed pulling out of the driveway and the stereo didn't sound as good. With the stereo I thought maybe Kia boosted the amp between the years. It sounded more powerful by a lot.

It's weird now driving the Kia it feels so dam heavy. It would be nice if Kia shaved some weight off the Stinger and added a manual option. If they are trying to compete with BMW last time I checked they still offer stick shifts in their high end performance cars. At the very least it should be a dual clutch auto

The best part is in a race between the Miata and the Kia Stinger (the one in the garage) I'd win. How you may ask? Oh that red car has a speed limiter and mine doesn't so eventually after probably a good long while I'd win

Speed limiter on the staggered wheel set-up Stinger is 276 km/h (170+ mph). Good luck with the race if you are in a Miata. The only Stingers with the lower limit are ones equipped with the shitty grade all-season tires (there are all-seasons that can handle the higher speeds). Even with this more restrictive limiter, a Miata stands zero chance.

Just so you know, I think Miata's are great--one of the best and most fun toss-able cars available. But speed (acceleration or top speed) is not what they are about.