Transmission fluid change

You can head over to

and sign up for a freelogin. You will be able to access Hyundai's web based service manualsfor free. Also, sometimes after you sign up, you have to click theresend password to get one. And for more help check out the forums atwww.elantraclub.com Very Important!! Use only Hyundai's SPIII transmission fluid or you could ruin your transmission! No Joke

Cheese Toast

My trannie died after a wrong fluid issue....

The drain plug is in about the center of the bottom of the case. You'll need a 24mm wrench or socket.

Thanks for all the information guys , much appreciated

Dem ..

Is this true about using other than Hyundai transmission fluid ? I just had mine changed by an independent and now I'm worried. Should I go have Hyundai do it ?

Very true. You don't say what year, so there's a variable. Ask them what they used, and ask to see the container. If your car's dipstick says SP III, and the container doesn't say either Hyundai SP III, Kia SK III, or Diamond (Mitsubishi) SP III, then IT IS THE WRONG STUFF!. If it says it meets Chrysler 7176 (ATF +3) it's still not the right stuff, but from what several have said, it's pretty close, and might work OK. If it says Dexron, and they have made it into a "compatible fluid" with a magic additive, it is causing damage every time you drive the car. Some even say there's an issue where it's existance in the transmission is continuously causing damage - running or not.

If it's not SP III, and the car says SP III on the transmission dipstick, it needs to be removed (Flushed YESTERDAY if it's "converted" Dexron). If the dipstick (manual) says SP II, and they used 7176 (ATF +3), then you're OK.

Thanks Bob...I will check it out. It's a 2003 Santa Fe. 2.7 liter V6

Yup, like mine, it requires SPF III, please check what they put on it, if it's Dextron, or Mercron .... get it out ASAP.

As I said in another post, a Kia regional tech rep says you should do okay on ATF+3 fluid, and acknowledged that the distribution system to get out the SP-III fluid has not gone as well as hoped.

Hopefully that will change, as the new fluid labeled ATF+4 comes to market. Once you see it, THAT will be the compatible fluid, and it should be much more common within 18-24 months.

But yes, type 'F', Mercon or Dexron is NOT considered compatible fluid by any means.

Tom Wenndt

OK Here is what I have learned about my automatic transmission.

There is nothing on the dipstick saying anything about the type of fluid to use. My owners manual says that I can use either one of the following:

Genuine Hyundai ATF or Diamond ATF SP-III or SK ATF SP-III.

The stuff used by the independent who changed my transmission oil used:

Quaker State Muti-Vehicle ATF.

Is this close enough to the Genuine Hyundai ATF or do I have a problem ?

Thanks for the help.

Good question. It seems to be a magic, fits all fluid. It

says alot about Dexron compatibility, but nothing about "Meets SP-III specs" It does say "Suitable in all Hyundai's", but if the Tranny goes belly up, and it it would otherwise be covered by warranty, and they (Hyundai) knows that's what's in there, you might have a problem. Maybe it does everything SP-III is supposed to. Try calling Quaker State, and ask where to send a letter to requesting a signed statement from an authorized officer of the company something to the effect of "QSMVATF meets the requirements of Hyundai SP-III. If a failure of your tranny occurs, and Hyundai says it's 'cause the wrong fluid was used, QS will pay for the repairs, and directly seek reimbursment from Hyundai, blah, blah, blah." The sell sheet above says they think it works in that transmission, and maybe it will work OK, but the fight will be yours if something goes wrong. It is not what Hyundai has listed.

Thanks Bob.

I don't know for sure, but I'd say you have a problem. Many of the new transmissions are very sensitive to having the proper fluid as many, Chryslers I know for sure, do such tricks as intentionally slipping the lock-up clutch in the TC. For this slipping to work properly, the oil must have a very specific amount of slipperiness. The incorrect fluid won't have this and will cause problems, maybe not immediately, but over time. The clutch may begin to shudder, the transmission may begin to shift abruptly or shudder during shifts, etc.

When the maker specifies a particular fluid type, you are well advised to follow that recommendation, especially during the warranty period.

Matt

It's possible you could have a problem or you might have none. But when you are talking about a $2000 risk it's really up to you. I bought my car used and the dealer had just done a flush with Penzoil multi-something or another. I found out about strictly using SPIII a few months later, so I contacted the dealer and griped about it and they told me Penzoil will guarantee it's fluid. So i'm stuck going to that same dealer to have my flushes done, just in case there is a problem. So far it's been nearly a year and i've had no problems but better safe than sorry.

I had my 2002 Sonata back to the dealer 5 times for hesitation at start and in 3rd and fouth gear. They change parts and they said they changed the transmission. The car still hesitated and bucked. This car had

29000 miles on it and I had it in every 3mo for service. Needless to say the car is gone and I am the proud owner of a Liberty 4 by 4. Never will I buy and Hyundai Product. The service manager assured me they drove 40 miles with no problem. I pulled out of the lot same thing. Why do they always lie. Keep you Hyundai s mine is gone.

Did you try a different dealership? Did you contact the Hyundai zone office, or whatever Hyundai calls their equivalent of the US brands zone office system?

I had a Jeep Comanche that was a pretty good vehicle, but I know others with Jeep horror stories. They don't rate high on most reliability indexes. And my Comanche had several things that the dealer could never fix. Things such as the pressure sensor on the power steering system that increased the throttle when you were making a sharp turn. This was supposed to offset the extra power being drawn by the pump, however, the calibration was way off. It added way too much throttle enough that the rear end would spin out if you made a sharp turn on ice or snow. It was very annoying and hazardous if you weren't expecting it. Of course, this was not adjustable. I "fixed" it simply by disconnecting it.

Matt