'02 Elantra auto trannie sticks in 1st gear

This problem just started in my 02 Elantra auto trannie and has happened
only twice over the past two days.

Started motor (hot weather AZ desert) and backed out of driveway.
pulled lever into "D". started up road and trans would not shift out of
1st gear. (was NOT in 2nd "failsafe") Did not taker it over 3000 RPM.
Braked and tried it a second time - same thing. Pulled lever back
through 3,2 and 1, then back to 2 at which point trans up shifted to 2nd
gear and was fine all day.

This morning started motor and went through same startup and backed out
same as yesterday - all went well. Cruised up the road a mile to get my
mail. Placed in 'N' on side of road while opening some mail. Started
back home in "D" and would not upshift to second. Braked and tried
again in "D" - same thing. Tried a third time and trans shifted OK.

36,000 miles on OD - 2002 Elantra GLS
Complete trannie flush at Hyundai dealer at 30,000 miles and refill with
SP III. Old fluid was in good shape. Mostly highway miles at 75mph.

I do have extended warranty and bought the car with 15K on the OD

The only recent noticeable problem of any kind is an occasional slight
misfire or roughness at first startup in morning. No codes have been
set and I assume I have a spark plug or wire that is borderline.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thank you

Paul

 

If you haven't checked for engine/trans codes since the trans issue
started, you may wish to do that now.

Don't worry about exceeding 3k rpm (as long as you don't do it for a very
long period of time). Many times, the car doesn't recognize there's
trouble until after that point. You may be able to accelerate along and
as you near the red line, the car may eventually drop into third
(failsafe) and illuminate the check engine lamp with a trouble code. I'd
suspect an input or output speed sensor.

And best of all, you're still within the warranty period -- 5 years/60k
miles.

 

Thanks for the good information, hyundaitech. Am I to understand that a
code can be set without a dash indicator light going on??

I will try to force a code next time. BTW: thanks for the correction on
"failsafe - 3rd gear".

Paul

 

That's correct. You may have already stored a code in the Trans computer.
The trans computer doesn't necessarily request a check engine lamp each
time it sees a problem.

Even your engine computer is that way. Because of the OBD-II protocol, it
doesn't set a check engine lamp for most conditions until those conditions
occur on two consecutive drive cycles. As long as the test doesn't run
and pass, however, the code remains in memory as a pending code.

 

Hyundaitech, why wouldn't this be covered under the 10yr/100,00mile
warranty?
bill

 

Hyundai (and nearly every manufacturer) does not view sensors as a
powertrain component. Thus they are not covered by the 10/100 warranty.