MajorCommonTransmission

Hyundai Elantra: 7-speed dual-clutch (7DCT) judder at low speed - clutch pack and software (Elantra SR)

7-speed dual-clutch (7DCT) judder at low speed - clutch pack and software (Elantra SR) is a common transmission fault on the Hyundai Elantra on the 2016–2020 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $1,800 to $4,200 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 30 documented faults on the Hyundai Elantra.

Vehicle: Hyundai Elantra
Engine: 1.6L
Years: 2016–2020
Fuel: petrol
Gearbox: dct
System: Transmission

This page covers the Hyundai Elantra as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Hyundai Elantra faults30 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

No photograph available

We do not hold a verified photograph of the Clutch yet. We would rather show none than show a picture of a different part.

What goes wrong

Elantra SR autos use Hyundai's dry 7-speed dual-clutch, and low-speed judder is documented at factory level: Hyundai TSB 21-AT-013H (superseding 20-AT-021H) covers 2017-2018 Elantra Sport 1.6T and Veloster 1.6T for 'abnormal vibration at low speeds', with a judder measurement test, a revised F850-material clutch pack and a TCU software update as the fix. Cars shudder like a learner slipping the clutch when creeping from rest, worst in stop-start traffic and on hills. A car that has already had the updated clutch and software fitted under warranty is the one you want; an unfixed juddering car is a four-figure clutch job now that most are outside warranty.

What you would notice

Shudder or vibration pulling away from a stop, especially uphill
Jerky creep in slow traffic
Hesitation then a lurch when accelerating from walking pace
Rattly or clunky low-speed gear changes when hot

How to check it

Where to look. 7-speed dual-clutch transmission on the front of the engine; behaviour felt through the whole car at walking pace

On the test drive, creep repeatedly from a standstill in slow traffic and pull away on a hill - judder through the floor at walking pace is the exact symptom. Do this after the car is fully warm, because the shudder is often worse hot. Ask whether the dual-clutch pack or transmission software has ever been replaced or updated under warranty, and look for a clutch or TCU line in the service history. If a workshop inspection is possible: a Hyundai workshop can run the factory DCT judder measurement and confirm whether the revised clutch part and latest TCU software are fitted.

Parts involved: Clutch.

What it costs to put right

$1,800 to $4,200 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

“Has the dual-clutch pack ever been replaced, and was the transmission software updated?”
“Does it shudder pulling away when hot?”
“Was any transmission warranty work done by a Hyundai dealer?”

Now check the Hyundai Elantra you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in the sources below. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them.

Hyundai TSB 21-AT-013H - Dual Clutch Transmission clutch replacement and TCU software update (NHTSA doc MC-10201468)
r/Hyundai thread '2020 Hyundai Elantra Sport Jerks/Stutters?'
ASR Gearbox Repairs - 7-Speed DCT (Hyundai/Kia) failure overview

Hyundai Elantra buyer questions

Is 7-speed dual-clutch (7dct) judder at low speed - clutch pack and software (elantra sr) serious on a Hyundai Elantra?

We rate it major and common on the Hyundai Elantra. Elantra SR autos use Hyundai's dry 7-speed dual-clutch, and low-speed judder is documented at factory level: Hyundai TSB 21-AT-013H (superseding 20-AT-021H) covers 2017-2018 Elantra Sport 1.6T and Veloster 1.6T for 'abnormal vibration at low speeds', with a judder measurement test, a revised F850-material clutch pack and a TCU software update as the fix. Cars shudder like a learner slipping the clutch when creeping from rest, worst in stop-start traffic and on hills. A car that has already had the updated clutch and software fitted under warranty is the one you want; an unfixed juddering car is a four-figure clutch job now that most are outside warranty.

How much does it cost to fix on a Hyundai Elantra?

$1,800 to $4,200 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which Hyundai Elantra years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2016–2020 Hyundai Elantra. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.