2023 Sportage Hybrid -shift/transmission lag

5046 Views 40 Replies 16 Participants Last post by Koreanadian, 3 mo ago

Protectrearth

Discussion Starter · 11 mo ago

Hey everyone!

Received my 2023 Sportage Hybrid SX-Prestige on June 19. Had to put an order in about a month earlier so didn’t take too long to arrive. Also got it at MSRP which was nice. Swapped my 2019 Honda Insight for it.
Anyway, just seeing if anyone else has had the issue of an almost lag, or pause of the shifting/transmission when pulling away from a stop?
It happens randomly and usually only like once a drive, usually in the beginning.
Scenario:
I leave my house in electric, the engine kicks on at some point…I have a stop sign not far from where I park so I’ll come to it, slow down…and if I don’t come to a complete stop and try to press the gas then after breaking…it feel like it doesn’t know what to do….the electric motor nor the gas engine engages for like a second or two before it is like…OH YEAH I’m supposed to be going! And it almost lurches a bit to make up the delay since…by this point…I’m pressing harder on the gas to actually move!

again, it only happens at those moments of almost stopping but not really but I’m concerned it will do it while trying to merge on a highway or something. Seems very dangerous.

I have an appointment this week to have the emissions done and to fix a squeak with a handle so I’m going to inquire and have them drive it. Could be a software update or something.
Just coming from my Honda and it’s CVT, the electric motor would always engage to get the car going and it never did anything like that. But maybe I’m just not used to driving a car with gears anymore…hah.
Anyway, thanks for any insight anyone!

Besides that, car is awesome. Looks cool. So much tech. Comfortable. Etc etc.

Thanks!

21 - 40 of 41 Posts

Baloo

· #21 · 4 mo ago

RedGeminiPA said:
I can't imagine it can be durned off. Regen is the ONLY way for a hybrid to recharge the battery pack.

I thought I read that this Kia can recharge from the running engine. I've also read that this lag sounds disruptive or unsafe; how bad is it?

RedGeminiPA

· #22 · 4 mo ago

Baloo said:
I thought I read that this Kia can recharge from the running engine. I've also read that this lag sounds disruptive or unsafe; how bad is it?

You are correct. I corrected the comment. If you eliminate regen, that means the engine is the only source for charging. Doing that would make the HEV a real gas hog, as the engine now has all of the heavy lifting for recharging the battery pack.

The lag can be pretty stunning when it happens, especially if you really need to get moving to avoid an accident. Stomp the pedal, but it has to think about what to do for a couple seconds before it responds.

Baloo

· #23 · 4 mo ago

RedGeminiPA said:
The lag can be pretty stunning when it happens, especially if you really need to get moving to avoid an accident. Stomp the pedal, but it has to think about what to do for a couple seconds before it responds.

I have a PHEV coming in this month so I don't have any experience with this yet and I understand that turning off regen on the PHEV isn't as big of deal as pure HEV. I'm thinking when the PHEV is running HEV how big of deal this would be. I'm worried about yields, roundabouts, etc.

I read that you can adjust the regen braking by the steering wheel paddles. Does changing it affect the lag?

This is from the EV6 manual... is it true for the Sportage?
"Pull the left side ( ) of the paddle shifter to increase regenerative braking and deceleration. Pull the right side ( ) of the paddle shifter to decrease regenerative braking and deceleration."

https://www.kia.com/content/dam/kia2/in/en/content/ev6-manual/topics/chapter6_4_1.html

Micah008

· #24 · 4 mo ago

The paddle shifter in the Sportage is tied to the Automatic transmission to change gears. Here is the section from the manual:

See less See more

Micah008

· #25 · 4 mo ago

Baloo said:
I'm thinking when the PHEV is running HEV how big of deal this would be. I'm worried about yields, roundabouts, etc.

In my experience, this only happens when the vehicle is almost at a stop. In most cases it isn't an issue if you are going through the yield or roundabout at 10-20 mph (a more typical speed) anyway... it only happens when you actually need to yield to another vehicle and slow down to less than ~3 mph and then accelerate again without a complete stop. It will also happen to anyone at a stop sign that doesn't actually come to a complete stop.

BK2

· #26 · 4 mo ago

Protectrearth said:
Hey everyone!

Received my 2023 Sportage Hybrid SX-Prestige on June 19. Had to put an order in about a month earlier so didn’t take too long to arrive. Also got it at MSRP which was nice. Swapped my 2019 Honda Insight for it.
Anyway, just seeing if anyone else has had the issue of an almost lag, or pause of the shifting/transmission when pulling away from a stop?
It happens randomly and usually only like once a drive, usually in the beginning.
Scenario:
I leave my house in electric, the engine kicks on at some point…I have a stop sign not far from where I park so I’ll come to it, slow down…and if I don’t come to a complete stop and try to press the gas then after breaking…it feel like it doesn’t know what to do….the electric motor nor the gas engine engages for like a second or two before it is like…OH YEAH I’m supposed to be going! And it almost lurches a bit to make up the delay since…by this point…I’m pressing harder on the gas to actually move!

again, it only happens at those moments of almost stopping but not really but I’m concerned it will do it while trying to merge on a highway or something. Seems very dangerous.

I have an appointment this week to have the emissions done and to fix a squeak with a handle so I’m going to inquire and have them drive it. Could be a software update or something.
Just coming from my Honda and it’s CVT, the electric motor would always engage to get the car going and it never did anything like that. But maybe I’m just not used to driving a car with gears anymore…hah.
Anyway, thanks for any insight anyone!

Besides that, car is awesome. Looks cool. So much tech. Comfortable. Etc etc.

Thanks!

Sometimes it just takes some break in miles to get everthing to smooth out. We as drivers also have to get use to how much pressure to put to the peddle . I have the 2.5 Tucson ( same engine and transmission) and after 4000 miles it smoothed out. Hang in there!

RedGeminiPA

· #27 · 4 mo ago

BK2 said:
Sometimes it just takes some break in miles to get everthing to smooth out. We as drivers also have to get use to how much pressure to put to the peddle . I have the 2.5 Tucson ( same engine and transmission) and after 4000 miles it smoothed out. Hang in there!

NO. The hybrid and PHEV have completely different engines and transmissions - 1.6T and 6-speed auto. Mine is at 8,700 miles and still does it just the same as the first time I noticed it.

Reactions: 2

Zantout

· #28 · 3 mo ago

Protectrearth said:
Hey everyone!

Received my 2023 Sportage Hybrid SX-Prestige on June 19. Had to put an order in about a month earlier so didn’t take too long to arrive. Also got it at MSRP which was nice. Swapped my 2019 Honda Insight for it.
Anyway, just seeing if anyone else has had the issue of an almost lag, or pause of the shifting/transmission when pulling away from a stop?
It happens randomly and usually only like once a drive, usually in the beginning.
Scenario:
I leave my house in electric, the engine kicks on at some point…I have a stop sign not far from where I park so I’ll come to it, slow down…and if I don’t come to a complete stop and try to press the gas then after breaking…it feel like it doesn’t know what to do….the electric motor nor the gas engine engages for like a second or two before it is like…OH YEAH I’m supposed to be going! And it almost lurches a bit to make up the delay since…by this point…I’m pressing harder on the gas to actually move!

again, it only happens at those moments of almost stopping but not really but I’m concerned it will do it while trying to merge on a highway or something. Seems very dangerous.

I have an appointment this week to have the emissions done and to fix a squeak with a handle so I’m going to inquire and have them drive it. Could be a software update or something.
Just coming from my Honda and it’s CVT, the electric motor would always engage to get the car going and it never did anything like that. But maybe I’m just not used to driving a car with gears anymore…hah.
Anyway, thanks for any insight anyone!

Besides that, car is awesome. Looks cool. So much tech. Comfortable. Etc etc.

Thanks!

I have the same issue with my hev ex 2023, not sure what to do about it.

Sparklander

· #29 · 3 mo ago

Zantout said:
I have the same issue with my hev ex 2023, not sure what to do about it.

Come to a full stop at stop signs.

We have never had an issue with our hybrid.

RedGeminiPA

· #30 · 3 mo ago

Sparklander said:
Come to a full stop at stop signs. We have never had an issue with our hybrid.

It's not always about stop signs. There are many yields that could spark this issue. That's where I encounter it most times.

Sparklander

· #31 · 3 mo ago (Edited)

RedGeminiPA said:
It's not always about stop signs. There are many yields that could spark this issue. That's where I encounter it most times.

That was a joke.

We do have issues when pulling into our garage. If we stop a little short of where the vehicle needs to be to clear the garage door and try to move forward a little bit more, the car will not move even when pushing the accelerator. I am fearful of pushing too hard on the accelerator and smashing into the workbench the front of the vehicle. It will eventually move, but at a rate that I am not comfortable with - more of a lurching forward.

Koreanadian

· #32 · 3 mo ago

Is it a transmission issue or auto hold?

Sparklander

· #33 · 3 mo ago (Edited)

Koreanadian said:
Is it a transmission issue or auto hold?

UPDATE: You were correct, @Koreanadian. I showed my wife the auto hold feature about 3 days ago in the drive through line. I did not know it would stay "on" until I pushed the button again. It rolled into the garage today after we stopped so smoothly and effortlessly.

Koreanadian

· #34 · 3 mo ago

That's so weird ... on the ICE, I had an issue with using Auto Hold because it would prevent the vehicle from moving after stopping at a light or something. Never understood the feature on it anyway since it's not a manual transmission and will rarely stop at a steep incline where it would slide backwards

89sandman

· #35 · 3 mo ago

Haven't noticed it on my Phev, does it do it in all modes? We only use economy.

RedGeminiPA

· #36 · 3 mo ago

This issue isn't Auto Hold. I tried that once, and never turned it on again. I had it happen to me yesterday, again. This time, I was nearly stopped at a yield, and hit the throttle. As nothing happened, I floored it. It took about 3 seconds for it to decide to go. This thing is worse than any CVT I've owned, and worse than my prior '21 Niro with a dual clutch.

Reactions: 1

89sandman

· #37 · 3 mo ago

The throttle is fly by wire not a actual cable. So far I see no Phev owners on this thread stating the problem so seems to be a hev only issue. I know for other fly by wire vehicles they have tuners that adjust pedal input,

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How To Eliminate Throttle Lag [Best Fix] - Instrument Sales & Service, Inc

The easiest way to remove lag is by installing a device on your gas pedal called a throttle response controller. Throttle Response Controllers are blue tooth controlled, inexpensive, and make a big difference in immediate gas pedal response. But … how do you know which one? Our engineering team...

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spacebud

· #38 · 3 mo ago

Koreanadian said:
That's so weird ... on the ICE, I had an issue with using Auto Hold because it would prevent the vehicle from moving after stopping at a light or something. Never understood the feature on it anyway since it's not a manual transmission and will rarely stop at a steep incline where it would slide backwards

I think its purpose is more for stop-and-go driving, like having to stop at lights every other block. Allows you to take your foot off the brake and rest your leg. Not much use for it here though, where we have only one stoplight in the whole town.

psfl

· #39 · 3 mo ago

It is also great when going thru drive thru.

89sandman

· #40 · 3 mo ago

My Hrv had stop hold and as soon as I got used to I wish every car had it!

21 - 40 of 41 Posts