Hyundai Sonata Maintenance and Repair

thegeneralwill

I am experiencing an odd sensation while shifting which is not really a slip at all as others have indicated. It's more or less only between gears 1-2, and it just a sort of odd hesitation, as though if it were manual the clutch were held out too long. The car starts moving, then the shift begins, the car thinks about it for a good, solid, noticeable moment, then shifts smoothly into second. At no point does the car really spike in RPM, nor does it shift hard, or slip out of gear. Rather it just seems like it has to think between 1 and 2. If I really step on it and accellerate fast, there is no problem -- silky smooth transitions all around. But at normal starts, it gives me the odd hesitation. Do others experience this? What could it be? Is it harmful? I am taking it for other service this weekend and will ask there as well (but I'm sure they'll say it's normal).

ray_h71

Hyundai recently issued a TSB about the F4-A42-2 "New Generation" automatic transaxle's shift quality that -may- address your problem. >Check your AT fluid level.< This needs to be done with the transmission fluid at normal operating temperature (~10 miles of operation) and with the car parked level. Select each gear range briefly and then return the selector in "Park", not "Neutral" (Hyundai was very pointed about this distinction for some unspecified reason involving accuracy.) and leave the engine idling. The fluid level should be at the -top- of the acceptable range on the dipstick, but NOT exceeding that level. If you need to top up, use ONLY Mitsubishi Diamond SP-III, Hyundai SP-III, or Kia SP-III ATF. To my knowledge those are the only Mitsubishi licensed SP-III fluids available in North America, and, unfortunately, only available through those respective makes' dealership parts departments. Any off-the-shelf "one-size-fits-all" ATFs claiming to be compatible with "SP-III", ain't! For what it's worth, Hyundai's (and Kia's by extension) SP-III fluid for U.S. consumption is made here in the U.S. (purportedly by ChevronTexaco), but the licensing provisions for the SP-III specification prevent the blender from marketing an identical fluid under its own name through normal retail channels. So close, but so far...

ray_h71

You didn't indicate, but I presume you have a downward sloping driveway to the street. I'm in the same boat with my 2003 V-6. Gravity will attempt to have its own way - even when the car's idling and the trannie's in "Drive". If you're still concerned that your transmission has a mechanical fault, deliver your Sonata to any Hyundai Dealer's service department for inspection. Your powertrain is covered for 10 yrs./100,000 miles.

chazyii

Hi there,
I live in the city of Pgh.Pa. Cold now...wasn't when I bought my Sonata. My question is...when they make a car in the summer do they put in freezeless washer fluid because my resevior is full but nothing comes out. worked fine in the warm weather.

ray_h71

Have you checked the windshield washer fluid level lately? Also check the COLOR. If it's clear, it's WATER and may have frozen. If you can't see any liquid, you're probably OUT of fluid. Should be blue or green depending on brand.

By the way, have any of you reading this post ever had a persistant tailgater? Whenever that happens to me, I get an uncontrollable urge to wash my windshield. For some inexplicable reason, these pests invariably back off a car length or two (or roar around me waving their middle finger in an appreciative salutation...). In either case I've never understood why...

cmsummary

Thank you ray_h71 for your response, yes my driveway has an incline and that is the reason that I noticed this problem (or not). Next time I'll take the car for service, I'll mention it to the service rep.

sebas1

Hello all, Can someone tell me why is that the shift gear button is getting stuck. When this happens obviously you can drive the car because you can shift gears. This is the 1st time happening and the Sonata 2004 has only 894 miles.
can someone shed some light. thanks.

ray_h71

The Sonata's "Manumatic" transmission allows dual-mode operation: "fully automatic" and "sport" modes. If the gear selector lever is pulled straight back to the "D" designation, the transmission will shift automatically according to vehicle speed and engine load just like any other automatic transmission. However, if the lever is subsequently "bumped", "L" fashion, into the supplemental "sport mode" gate to the right, it shifts according to manual driver input. In this gate, the gear range remains constant until the lever is briefly "bumped" forward towards the "+" symbol to force an upshift. Conversely, a tug backwards towards the "-" symbol forces a downshift. Sounds like you've been inadvertently driving around in "sport mode". If your dash indicator lists the numerical gear range (1-4), you're in "sport mode". Regular automatic mode will show "D" in the dash indicator if you're in "Drive". You may wish to consult section "2" in your owner's manual for further information about your transmission's operation.

bugsybunnyus

2002 Hyundai Sonata:
In the first year of ownership, small round dents were noticed in the rear doors that were totally unexplainable. Other car doors should not have been responsible as the car is never parked in locations where it can be damaged. It appears the metal is very soft. In the last few months vertical creases have appeared in the front doors and we know nothing could have caused these because the car has been stored in the garage and not driven. One of the creases in the front doors has a crease on the opposite side door in an identical location. It appears to be an imperfection or some mounting inside of the doors that is pulling on the metal.
We are planning on taking a picture of the damage and taking it into the dealer repair center although they have told us they have never heard of this problem.
Has anyone else seen this happen on their Sonata and if so, what was the result?

sambojoho

Ray:

I think you got it backwards on checking the ATF in park. Actually, Hyundai recommends checking the ATF level with the vehicle in "Neutral" NOT in "Park." This is per TSB 03-40-019.

ray_h71

RIGHT YOU ARE! Good catch, sambojoho. (Coulda swore that TSB showed up as "Park", not "Neutral" at Hyundai WebTech...)

chazyii

Thank you for your quick response to my frozen W/W fluid...it was frozen but how did water get into the fluid? On some of our warm days I replaced the old stuff with new W/W fluid..works fine now.
     Now to the new problem. After fill up at gas station...aprox 20min later I noticed a strong odor (almost like burnt coffee} no smoke just odor. Stopped at my sisters for an hour in which it disipated. Continued on to my destination...got there with no odor but noticed gas trickling in rain water from my car. Stayed there for 2 hrs. Came out from visit and gas stopped trickling. Faint odor(burnt coffee) emanating from wheelwell on gas tank side. Rain washed all traces of gas away. Do you think I might of lost a seal at some point? When I got home there was no indication of a leak.

ray_h71

Two points: Don't top your fuel tank up to the filler neck brim. And, when you replace your gas cap, make -sure- you tighten it to the point that its ratchet clicks a few times. That's the -only- way you can be sure it's properly tightened. All kinds of goofy things happen with these non-evaporative loss fuel systems if they're over-filled and/or the cap isn't properly tightened.

As to the "burnt coffe" odor, it was probably raw gasoline that had puked up through the filler neck. Areas still allowing MTBE as the oxygenator to retard smog emissions "enjoy" a particularly oboxious odor from gasoline. MTBE was just banned 4 days ago after a year long delay in California, and many other states still using MTBE either have plans to do so or are at least considering it. Nasty stuff. MTBE, VERY soluable in water, affects the odor and taste of drinking water pumped from wells when run-off leeches into the water table, triggers severe asthma attacks in susceptible people, and the EPA has published studies linking MTBA with cancer. MTBE's replacement oxygenator is ethanol (grain alcohol).

chazyii

Car did the same thing on the way to work this morning. Always on a grade either up or down. I panicked and drove straight to dealer. Got there and had rep come and smell odor. Sat waiting for 3hrs and they came up with nothing. "Went over it with fine toothed comb", he said. Diagnostic check...nothing, no indication of leak,and no broken seals or gasket. They sent me on my merry way. Hence, heeding your sound advice I will never round off to the dollar at gas station again. Always did that before with other cars. This is my first brand new car in 25 years. I have a 2003 Sonata GLS with 2700 miles on it. Thank you Ray for your input.

747pilot

Had a problem with my power antennae. We had a cold snap and my car had sat for a few days while I took my 4wd vehicle to work. After getting into it and starting it the radio came on and the power antennae started to rise as usual. It got about 12 inches high and then started making this nasty banging and clicking sound. I quickly turned off the radio and after a few seconds it retracted.

I figure it was probably frozen so I thought I would try it in the parking garage at work. It is much warmer in there. This time it went all the way up but it was making the same awful sound as it did that morning.

I will try again when the temperature warms up above freezing but I believe it got broke from the cold weather. Hopefully this is a warrantee item. It should be.

tasha_00

I am a owner of a 2000 sonata gls it has 79,000+ miles, the other the day I went to get gas and I put my window down told attendant what I wanted went to close window it went up then stopped 1/2 inch before the window frame and made a click sound so I opened it again and closed it and this time the window stopped 3in before window frame and would not go up or down, there is no power to the window and I was told that it needed a regualator I took the car to the dealership and they gave me an estimate of $345 is this right considering the part is $75 and labor is $85per hr, does it take almost 3 hrs to repair and to make matters worse I also brought a smart choice warranty that is no good to me

I also had the problem with the door locks that would lock by themselves the last straw with that is when my baby got locked in the car and I had to call a locksmith to break into my car on a NY summer day the nxt day I took the car back to the dealership and made them keep the car until they found the problem they called three days later and said they could'nt find a problem but I never had the problem again and there was no charge........hmmmmmmmmm

ray_h71

The good news is that the Hyundai power window regulators up to 2002 were known to have a problem and Hyundai redesigned them to be more reliable. The bad news is that you can expect the other three on your car to poop eventually, too. If you can buy the regulator for $80.00, do it. Any auto-glass shop could install this part and by calling around I'll bet you can have it done for considerably less than $265.00. (The job is somewhat labor intensive, though - nearly everything having to do with the window has to come out of the door in order to access and remove the regulator assembly.)

I don't know whether this is related to your phantom door locking, but on two occasions the doors on my 2003 Sonata unexpectedly locked up, too. I believe I traced the problem to the way my keys and alarm fob were oriented in my trouser pocket. I -think- one of the keys was pressing against the "Lock" button and when I moved a certain way, there was enough additional pressure to activate it. (Maybe something similar could happen in a handbag, too?) I've been careful to orient the keys to the opposite side of the alarm fob in my pocket and haven't had a recurrence. But, I'm still waiting for the other shoe to drop...

I bought an extended auto warranty once in my life. It was my first and last time. There are so many fine point gotchas that they rarely justify their cost. (If I were you, though, I'd carefully read the exclusions fine print of your extended warranty to make certain you're not being snowed. There've been cases where unscrupulous dealers lie that a given repair isn't covered, charge the car owner, and then double-dip against the warranty provider, too!) I'd be willing to bet that what you paid for your extended warranty would've covered most if not all the replacement cost of parts and labor for all four window regulators.

sheba6

I just purchased a 2004 sonata at Xmas time 2003. I have a question concerning the push button air flow controls. It seems one button is always in the on position (that is lighted). Even in recirculation mode an air flow light will be on, even though it is re-circulating inside air. I guess my question is, is there ever a time when an air flow light is off, it seems not to be. As soon as you turn the car on an air flow light will be on, you can change the flow direction but shouldn't you be able to turn these buttons off completely, and shouldn't they go off in re-circulation mode. Would appreciate any responses, its driving me nuts.

scotts758

This is some of the problems I have experienced after 35,000 on my 2003 Sonata GLS.
The windshield wipers have come loose a couple of times which that either don't work or crash into one another and get bent up. This happened to me yesterday again..
Another problem is when I am driving down the highway, all the sudden the car will jerk like it has came out of overdrive.. It only does this for a second.. But it is doing it more often.. Anyone else having that experience? Transmission shifts weird at times too. I used to own an Impala LS.. I will probably buy another one of those after I'm done with this car. Although, I spent less than 18,000 out the door so I can't complain too much. Also, somehow mice built a nest in the blower and Hyundia would not cover it under the warranty which I thought was cheap on there part.. That cost me 90 dollars..

scotts758

Shelba6,

I have a 2003 Sonata and the air flow controls drive me nuts too.. I talked to service about. That is the way there are and there is nothing you can do about it. I guess we live with it.

Good Luck,

Scott

ray_h71

scott758, Hyundai wouldn't cover the mice problem because mice aren't considered a factory defect.

sheba6, my former '96 Accord had fresh/recirculation buttons for its HVAC system, too. Hyundai seems to copy Honda on a lot of details. They probably figure since Hondas are so popular worldwide, if they mimic Honda on the details, it won't hurt their sales. One thing that annoys me about my Sonata's implimentation of these buttons is that the happy-merry Hyundai product planners insisted on programming them to revert to fresh air mode anytime the engine is shut off. On the Honda Accord I had, whichever button was active prior to engine shutdown maintained its status upon restart. I like to drive with the HVAC operating in recirculation mode since it minimizes my exposure to other cars and trucks' exhaust fumes. (Even in the recirculation mode, ALL cars intentionally bring in some fresh air, so passing out from lack of oxygen isn't really a factor.) I'm constantly having to remember to hit the danged button to shift back to recirculation mode whenever I restart the engine. Not a deal buster, mind you, but it's annoying that some ding-dong product planner 10,000 miles away presumes to control even a minimally significant aspect of my preferences. I just wish I could return the favor...

jrjung

We have a 2002 Sonata that we got used with 29,000 miles in mint condition. However, the chrome on the inside door handles is separating from its base and creating a dangerous razor sharp edge.

My wife cut her finger simply by opening the passenger side door; at first I didn;t believe her but when I ran my finger gently along the driver side inner door handle, I could feel the sharpness and almost cut my finger too.

Has anyone else had similar problems?

airbrush

Scott758,

you wrote:
"Another problem is when I am driving down the highway, all the sudden the car will jerk like it has came out of overdrive.. It only does this for a second.. But it is doing it more often.. Anyone else having that experience?"

I have a 2003 Sonata V6 with 22000 km on it and it has been jerking on the highway like you described. This has happened about 4 times now. The dealer says there is nothing they can do about it if they can't reproduce it. If other people are having the same problems I would think Hyundai would fix it and put a tech note out instead of ignoring it. Please let me know if you resolve the issue.

Dave

ray_h71

airbrush & scott758, do you recall whether you were ascending a grade when this happened? It might merely be the torque convertor "unlocking" momentarily to maintain speed under increased load. Just a thought. Also might wanna check your ATF level. If it needs topping up, use ONLY an approved SP-III spec fluid (Hyundai, Kia, or Mitsubishi Diamond).

airbrush

ray_h71

Flat highway, and the original factory ATF, at proper level.

scotts758

Hi Ray,
I have lived in semi-rural areas for about 20 years and I have never had mice get into the blower on any of my cars in the past. Also, I drive about 50K a year so it is not like my car sits for days on end. So, in my opinion, Hyundia should not had charged me for what I consider "a design defect". Btw, you are absolutely correct about the Hyundia following Honda in the A/C department as my Girl Friends 2001 Civic does the same thing.

Airbrush, My car does this Jerky thing just like yours.. Flat on the highway. ATF at proper level. I will let you know if I get it resolved.. It seems to be happening more often too. Thanks for your response.

chollie

A lady in Toronto purchased a 2003 Jaguar X Type and that Canadian mouse caused $4900 damage as well as an additional $1500 in car rental expenses to the owner. Jaguar insists it is not a design flaw.....please view
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/L- ayout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1074772867328&call_- pageid=968867497088&col=969048871196

gbyrd

RE: "Another problem is when I am driving down the highway, all the sudden the car will jerk like it has came out of overdrive.. It only does this for a second.. But it is doing it more often.. Anyone else having that experience?" I had this experience with a 95 Saturn. Turns out that the gasket around the cam was leaking fine droplets that were falling on the spark plugs and causing them to occasionally misfire. I am considering the Sonata as my next car, ran across your message & thought I'd share...

rdnyh

I've had the same jerkiness also. I have a 2003 Sonata with 40000+ miles. It does seem to do it more often now too. About 8 times. It feels like the engine is misfiring for a second. Let me know if anyone gets any sort of answer from Hyundai.

Also, just something I've been curious about, are the +/- on the shifter supposed to be back lit like the P,R,N,D..? Mine aren't.

rdnyh

jrjung,

If you have less than 36000 miles they will replace your door handles under the bumper to bumper warrantee. My pass. door handle was peeling and the dealer replaced both the pass. and driver door handles and said they have had quite a few cars with the same problem.

ray_h71

rdnyh, do you have the 4-cyl. or the 6-cyl. engine? At 40,000 miles, though it's technically premature, your spark plugs, cables, and/or ignition coils may be acting up. It would be especially noticeable with the 4-banger during acceleration or pulling a grade.

There's another, less ominous cause for apparent "missing". However it involves the automatic transmission (and is normal). Hyundai has a TSB out about this. What happens, particualrly in colder weather, is that at steady highway speeds over flat terrain, the transmission may cool sufficiently that the temperature drop triggers a release of the torque convertor lockup*. When this happens, there'll be a modest surge in engine RPMs (~200-300 RPM) and a slight, but noticeable lurch in momentum. Since the fluid is now churning through the torque convertor, it'll heat back up to normal operating temperature and torque convertor lockup will re-occur, again with a noticeable lurch but, now, a drop in the engine RPMs. The same thing can also happen in hilly terrain as the torque convertor will disengage when pulling hard or on flat terrain when you accelerate to pass slower traffic.

*For reasons known only to the Hyundai's automatic transmission gnomes, torque convertor lockup only occurs once the ATF is warmed to normal operating temperature. There's a thermostatic sensor mounted in the transmission that monitors fluid temperature and feeds the info to the shift control computer. (may be related to avoiding transition "shock" since ATF is at its most viscous state ("thickest") when cold)

ray_h71

"Also, just something I've been curious about, are the +/- on the shifter supposed to be back lit like the P,R,N,D..? Mine aren't."

Yep, the +/- sportshift designators ARE supposed to be lit just like the regular automatic shift designators are when the headlights or parking lights are on.

vik_sonata

Never paid attention to it. But my +/- aren't lit either.

edlo

I own a 2001 Sonata GLS V6 with 28000 miles and have come across this now annoying problem of repeated "Check Engine" light resulting in replacement of a O2 sensor. in the three years I thinks its been seven times with two recall replacements as well as a MAF sensor replacement. I haven't been to this sight in quite some time since I didn't think it was a problem till now. Do we have any updates as to the reason. I can't say if its been the same sensor or one of four at a time that are failing. One dealer always seem to be out of them and I have to return on a later date to have it replaced.

brotherhpj

I've got a 2003 Sonata V6 Automatic with 10430 miles. The car has run perfect until the last 2 weeks. Now the car runs down the road like all four tires are low on air. As soon as I let off the gas there is a noticable drag on the car. At first I checked the tires...all were fine...brakes were not hanging...etc. Checked the ATF and it was a silver-gray color and 2/3 quart low. Filled to HOT level and the problem still exists. So now I bring it to the dealer who tells me the silver-gray color of the ATF is normal factory colored ATF to check for leaks! They had me drive a demo 2003 and the car went down the road fine...no drag feeling. The head tech drove it and said he could feel the problem but had no solution at this time...must contact factory tech in Calif. I asked if we could flush and change the ATF but was told no and he said it would be OK to keep running the car until he got and answer. The drag feeling is almost certainly fron the trans and is getting worse by the day.

Anyone hear of this before? Solution? Advice?

ray_h71

Your dealer's service yahoo may have told you the truth. Hyundai's using a darker, semi-metallic friction material on their transaxles' brake band facings and clutch pack facings that will discolor the fluid. I was informed by a Hyundai service tech on another forum that by 25,000 to 30,000 miles, the fluid in these transaxles can be pretty dark. As long as the fluid doesn't smell burnt, the appearance of the fluid isn't an issue. (Not like the days when anything other than cherry-red was cause for alarm.) Since a factory rep will be in the equation, leave the factory fluid in. Drive the car normally, and if the transaxle takes a dump before the factory rep drives your car, REJOICE! - you'll be getting a replacement transaxle. (Remember, the powertrain is HYUNDAI's problem for the first 100,000 miles or ten years.) Has your dealer checked the adjustment of the rear brake calipers and the parking brake? He might also check the runout (warpage) of the front and rear brake discs, too.

brotherhpj

My gas mileage has taken a dump due to this drag and is very annoying to drive my beautiful new car. True if the trans tanks they have to replace it but a replacement can be a headache too. As there is no burnt brake smell I doubt it's the brakes. It really seems to come from the trans. It's strange that the 2003 demo I drove never had the ATF changed and was cherry red but my 2003 had the gray-silver color.

Is there another web site I can check for this problem.

momjd43

The "jerky" - type problems I've been reading about here are similar to what I've been experiencing. I have a 2003 Hyundai with 8,000 miles on it and the transmission is not smooth any more. I've had the transmission go out completely in previous cars, so I know what transmission problems "feel" like. THere is just not as smooth transitions between gears any more.

I'm due for a "check-up" at the dealership, and I'll keep you posted.

ray_h71

You may indeed be having mechanical problems, momjd43. However, ALL ATs, regardless of make, are extra smooth when new. The internal band and clutch facings (conceptually similar to brake pad and shoe facings) haven't seated themselves to their metal counterparts yet, so there's excess slippage that results in buttery-smooth shifts. It can take several thousand miles (longer for conservative drivers who avoid quick starts and frequent up and down shifts) for the normal run-in to occur. When you bring your shift quality issue to the attention of your dealer's service department, they'll connect a portable "Hi-Scan" diagnostic tool to the transmission control module (TCM) to check for fault codes. (DON'T disconnect your car's battery before you get the car into the dealer - doing so will wipe any stored codes from volatile system memory!) If there a problem verified by the diagnostic scanner, it'll be dealt with. Sometimes a simple adjustment is all that's necessary, but some of these trannies DO tank. When that happens, Hyundai's policy for deep problems is a complete tranny changeout. In the meantime, check or have checked, the fluid level when at normal operating temperature in "Neutral" (NOT "Park" - don't ask me why; I don't know - but Hyundai's got a technical service bulletin (TSB) entry out about this specific issue.). In certain cases high or low fluid level can be responsible for EITHER slippage OR jerky shifts.

kemosabe

OK, It's time to change my trans fluid in my 2001 Sonata, and I went to the dealer and purchsed 4 quarts of OEM Hyundai Spec-3 ATF (at $5.65/quart- OUCH!!!) and a new trans drain plug GASKET, which strangely enough was told by the dealer that it is the same gasket as the OIL drain plug gasket. Hope they are right.
 
Anyway, I remember reading discussion of a 'LubeGuard' trans fluid additive that may be helpful in eliminating the 2-3 shift flare that I have been unable, in multiple attempts, to have the dealer fix.
 
My question to the board members here, WHICH Lubeguard product do I need to add to the New OEM Hyundai fluid, Lubeguard RED or BLACK or GREEN or SILVER? Also, do I need the Protectant or the Supplement? If anyone has the part#, that would also be helpful to me.
 
I have given up on Hyundai ever fixing the 2-3 shift flare, and would try just about anything to rid myself of this problem. (I'd bite off the head of a live snake, if I know that would work!)
 
Thanks in advance for all answers.

ray_h71

Not sure you really wanna go the Lubegard route while you're under warranty, kemosabe. For one thing, Hyundai stated in the strongest language that you'll void your powertrain warranty if they find evidence of use of supplemental ATF products or an unauthorized ATF (meaning anything other than Hyundai, Kia, or Mitsubishi SPC-III - the only sources for the stuff). Secondly, Lubegard is a synthetic additive to fortify and stabilize the "universal" Dexron-III fluids. Lubegard "red" (bottle color) is for GM and Ford products that specify straight Dexron-III or regular "Mercon". Lubegard "black" is the same as "red" but with the addition of a friction modifier package to ease shifts for cars specifiying a higher level of those compounds - Nissans, Toyotas, Hondas, HYUNDAIs, etc. that nominally require the companies' own proprietary fluids. (I had very good luck smoothing a harsh shifting Honda Accord with Lubegard "black" added to Dexron-III after a complete multiple changeout of the OEM Honda fluid. Honda boxes until 2003 were known harsh shifters - even with the Honda fluid.) But, and this is very important, Lubegard "black" is to be used ONLY with Dexron-III to bring it into compliance with the manufacturers' proprietary fluids, NOT added to the proprietary fluids. Lubegard "green" is to be used with Dexron-III to mimic the newest Ford spec fluid, "Mercon V" (not backward compatible with the former Dexron-III compatible regular Mercon). If YOU put a friction modifier enhanced supplement into your Hyundai already filled with SPC-III ATF, you can expect MORE, not less shift flare - and not on just the 2-3 upshift either. It won't happen immediately, but as the extra friction modifiers saturate the clutch and band facings, you'll end up with some serious slippage. If you're not getting a "juddering" vibration when shifts or torque-converter lockup occurs, you DON'T need more friction modifiers in your ATF. A brief word about SPC-III. It's a semi-synthetic fluid in its own right and already very strong in the friction modifier package. THAT's why it's so #%&@ pricey. (Could be worse, though - Chrysler ATF+4 is another proprieatary, semi-synthetic, high friction modifier, fluid for late model MoPar automatic trannies and it goes for over $8.00/qt.) Oh, Lubegard "platinum" (silver) is allegedly a single additive does EVERYTHING with ANY AT fluid. Believe THAT if you want to. I don't.

Now, how long have you had the 2-3 flare? If you check the Technical Service Bulletins at Hyundai WebTech (http://www.hmaservice.com/webtech/default.asp), there are entries about the problem you described. Have you brought the 2-3 shift flare issue to the attention of your dealer's service department? (PLEASE forget telling the sales staff. They're clueless and couldn't care less, anyway.) Have they checked your car for transmission diagnostic fault codes? Even driven the car? If not, for goodness sake try another dealer! Something's wrong - these transmissions don't do that when everything's operating right and adjusted correctly. They're characteristically velvety-smooth shifters except maybe the first couple of 2-3 shifts may be abrupt when very cold.

Finally, these "New Generation" Hyundai automatics are among the latest adaptive learning "fuzzy-logic" trannies - they tailor themselves to your driving style.* They can be retaught if necessary by disconnecting the ground cable from the battery for about ten minutes to clear the Transmission Control Module's memory. But don't do this until a dealer checks for fault codes. (Those would be wiped, too.)

*Perhaps problematic when multiple drivers are involved - especially if the alternate driver has a lead foot...

kemosabe

Ray_H, Thanks for the detailed answer on the Lubeguard additive. Perhaps I will just try the basic fluid change using the OEM spec-3 fluid I purchased from the dealer. Not sure if the 2001 originally came with the Spec-3, but perhaps it will help. I hope it doesn't make it worse than it is, if the Spec-3 fluid is a higher friction modified item than the original juice that came in the factory fill.

 Actually had the problem early on and tried 3 different dealer service depts before I found one that would even 'try' to do something with it. Seems they can't find any codes at fault, but every time they reset something, it works fine for about the next 100-150 miles and then goes back to the same 2-3 shift slippage pattern. I really LOVE the car but it is a inconvenience to continue to leave it at the dealer over and over again. They must be getting tired of it also, because the 3rd dealer also mentioned that since I have over 30,000 on the orig fluid, that since they cant find any fault codes that the next time I bring it in for this problem, and no fault codes are found, that I 'could' be charged for their diagnostic time! So much for Americas Best Warranty.

I am the ONLY driver and am NOT a leadfoot. Over my lifetime, I have driven in excess of over 600,000 miles overall, and have never had to have a auto trans 'adapt' to my driving.

The trans fluid has about 37,000 on it and I figured that since it has the drainplug, it didn't look too hard of a job to do. I know it is a large size socket, but I do have one of that size, so I figured I would give it a try. I will try disconnecting the battery for awhile to 'reset' the computer and see if that improves the situation.

The wifes Ford has a slight "juddering" vibration, that you speak of, so perhaps I will try some of the Lubeguard Red 'snake oil' and see if that does anything for her cars problem.

Thanks again.

ray_h71

Unfortunately Hyundai's zone reps won't OK a tear-down or exchange unless the tranny's throwing diagnostic fault codes. ("catch-22") As to the ATF issue, your car may have been originally filled with SP II fluid at the factory. However, last year Hyundai went on record with a Technical Service Bulletin that SP III is the -only- fluid officially authorized for field service in any Hyundai AT starting with model year 1996 and later. I believe you're wise to go ahead with the fluid drain and refill. While Hyundai currently recommends fluid refills at 100,000 miles in normal service, and 30,000 miles under "severe" usage, I've always adhered to the "severe" schedule. Check your owner's manual. I believe you'll find that a complete refill takes a little over 8 quarts. Draining the box through the drain plug will remove less than half that - which means when you're finished, over half the volume will still be old fluid. A better idea, though more expensive, <groan> would be to do THREE drains and refills. You'll have changed most of the old fluid out at that point. If you decide to do this, start and drive your car about 5 miles to fully warm and thorougly mix the fluid between each drain/refill cycle. Use the OLD sealing washer each time. (These things rarely really need to be replaced with a brand new one anyway. I've never had one leak on me. But having a brand new one on hand is a good idea. A corolary to Murphy's Law - if you don't have a new sealing washer on hand, the old one'll leak like a sieve...) A 15/16" or 24mm 1/2" drive socket will fit the drain plug. If you need to purchase one, Pep Boys has what I found to be the best price on a six-point socket under the "Performance Tool" brand (Taiwan import, but appears well made): $3.69. Expect the plug to be tight (perhaps because of thread lock compound applied during manufacture?) so buy or borrow a 1/2" drive breaker bar - and you still may need to slide a 2' length of pipe over the handle for more leverage. The plug is screwed into the aluminum case and faces straight down. If I remember right, it's located more toward the passenger side and surrounded by a cast-in circular ridge. When you replace the plug, take heed that you're torquing it into aluminum. Stripping the threads will be a vocabulary expanding experience. Newer Sonatas do not have a replaceable AT filter. Yours might. If yours does, it'll be externally mounted as a spin-on filter mounted topside and sticking straight up. Look for it on the case near where the transmission control lever cable attaches to the transmission control lever. If yours does have this filter, now's the time to replace it. Save yourself some time and get the Hyundai filter. Fram lists one, but I've yet to see it stocked. While there might be some shift quality improvement, don't necessarily expect it. It may take several hundred miles for the good stuff in the new fluid to fully permeate the clutch and band facings. If the old fluid drains dark, don't panic. Hyundai went to semi-metallic clutch and band facings several years ago and normal wear results in harmless fluid darkening. As long as the fluid doesn't smell burnt, you're OK.

As to your wife's Ford, check the owner's manual. This may be one of the Fords that -require- "Mercon V". If so, it may be time for a drain and refill. Now for the good news: Ford is alone among current mandatory proprietary fluid fills that has licensed the "Mercon V" formula to any and all blenders who request it. You can actually purchase Pennzoil, Quaker State, Castrol, etc. authorized "Mercon V" ATF at auto parts stores and departments. Shoot, I've even seen Wal*Mart's own house brand (SuperTech) "Mercon V" fluid for less than $2.50/qt. SP III is a Mitsubishi license. Hyundai/Kia hold a sub-license from Mitsubishi and their respective SP III fluids are blended and bottled in the U.S. by Chevron. However, Chevron is contractually prohibited from distributing the stuff outside Hyundai or Kia dealer channels. My local Kia dealer prices SP III about 79 cents/qt less than my Hyundai dealer, by the way.

kemosabe

Thanks again, Ray_H. You seem to have a wealth of knowledge on this subject. I am aware of the 30K/100K service interval for trans fluid, and I feel I fall somewhere inbetween that range, hence this is why I am doing this now.

I do have the proper socket and 1/2 inch breaker bars. I have seen no visible filter cartridge outside of the usual oil filter, but of course I was looking underneath and not on TOP, so thanks for the heads-up on this.

One issue that concerns me is the gasket. I did ask the dealer for the gasket for the trans plug and they said it is the same one as the oil drainplug. The head of the plug for the trans is soooooo much larger than the oil drainplug. Might this be so it is NOT mistaken by the lube-jockeys as being the oil drain, and the threaded diameter is in fact the same as the oil drainplug??? (Hence uses the same gasket.)

Also, would the TRANS drainplug loosen in the same direction (counterclockwise) as the OIL drainplug, or is this a reverse thread?

As far as the wifes Ford, there is no drainplug in the Fords trans pan, so I would not even attempt to do that job as it would be too messy to drop the pan. Her car already has a small trans leak, so there would be room to add the Lubeguard without trying to drain anything off.

ray_h71

Don't worry, the tranny drain plug is normal clockwise rotation to tighten and counter-clockwise to loosen. Trust the parts jockey about the gasket - he also pulls parts for the dealership's techs who drain and refill these beasts in the service department, too. Generally (though not always) reverse thread fasteners are used when a counter-rotating part might tend to loosen its fastener in operation.

Pans without drain plugs can be dealt with by loosening all the fasters but NOT removing them. Loosen the one on the lowest corner (depending on your work area's slope, if any) to within 2 or three threads of removal, and the others progressively less. A couple of moderate whacks with a soft hammer at several points on the pan will break the seal and allow the pan to drop at an angle only as far as the attaching bolts will allow. Keep a hand on the underside and only allow it to ease down to avoid spillage. Of course you also want to have a drain pan under the low corner of the pan, but it should drain without undue mess. What little remains in the pan afterword won't present much of a problem when you fully remove the bolts and drop the pan away completely. If you want to replace the filter, now's the time. Ford has more variations than Hunts has beans. Your best bet is to write down the car's VIN number and buy the proper filter from the dealer that's right for your wife's car. Some look nearly identical, but won't seal or operate correctly. If the pan was originally sealed with a semi-liquid room temperature vulcanizing compound, clean all traces of the original sealant off the pan flange and the tranny pan mating surface. If a cork or rubbery gasket was used, make certain all remnants are cleaned off both surfaces. Make sure the pan is squeaky-clean inside, too. There will probably be several magnets stuck to the pan's interior, too. Clean 'em and replace 'em, but don't lose 'em. Use a non-hardening sealant like "Permatex 2A" to apply a bead around the circumfrance of the pan OR a NEW factory replacement gasket, BUT NOT BOTH! to reinstall the pan. Don't overtorque the bolts - they're going into aluminum. Unless the owner's manual specifically states the use of "Mercon V" ATF, verify through a Ford dealer what the proper ATF is for your wife's car - the official recommendation may have changed since the car was built.

Whatever "wealth of knowledge" I have, I learned from my dad while I was growing up. No formal training, but I read a lot, too.

jchagtdi

I used to own a 2002 Elantra with automatic tranny that would stutter and rev wildly between first and second gear. After 4 trips back to the dealer and hearing them say "there are no error codes, so your transmission is fine", I got rid of the car after 7 months of ownership.

For this reason I cannot purchase another Hyundai with an automatic. I understand that the standard transmission on the V6 Sonata is a 5 speed manual. Does anyone own a Sonata with this combination, or has anyone driven a V6 Sonata with the 5 speed?

Assuming that the 5 speed works well with the V6, I think it may be a real challenge trying to find a dealer with a 5 speed V6 Sonata.

ray_h71

Hyundai's not importing manual tranny equipped Sonata V-6s into the U.S. and hasn't for three years. Dunno about Canada.

rdsc

NO 5-speeds up here either, just the same 4-speed auto with manual override that you guys get. My 2004 shifts as smooth as silk at -40 degrees up to +80. The only thing I have noticed that is odd is shifting 1-2 in the "sport" mode the action is slow and the revs climb kind of like an early automatic with loose bands. It doesn't do it in automatic mode. 11,000 kms and the car is faultless.

pakoffee

Here is the deal. I have a 2001 Sonata GLS with the V6. The blower on the A/C unit works fine but even when the temperature control is cranked down (it is a knob) to the lowest temp, the air is at best not warm. Last year at this time, the A/C was so cold, you felt like wearing jeans on a 100 degree day. When you rotate the temp knob to the high side, it springs back from the heat only area to the end of the mix zone. I already took it in and was told that the compressor was fine (55 degrees & invoice says that the care operates within the specifications for this unit). I think the temp knob maybe part of the issue but I want to make sure before I take it in again. What could be affecting the airflow temp at the dash but be OK right at the compressor? Any ideas?

doobie4

Hi! Luckily I don't have mysterious dents on the body of the car but I did notice (2002 V6) that sometimes after driving the car I would notice a smell like something was burning. I checked the oil, which I change every 3,000 mi and it wasn't that. Nor the trans. fluid. But I did notice that on my "chrome" grille - which is really plastic! -- it was puckering. I've kept my eye on it and it seems to be getting bigger. No peeling, just puckering like rippling. I'm assuming if I take it to the dealer it would be covered under warrantee but it's not much of an issue to me. We will probably be getting rid of the car soon. We just sold our RV and my 6'4 husband says he does not want to go on long drives/vacations scrunched in my car. Will be looking at the Honda Pilot. Also was having a problem with the locks that I previously mentioned. I noticed others had similar problems. The way it finally got fixed -- I took the transmitter off my keychain and now open the doors manually. No problems!! (but less convienience )