2003 Sonata 2-3 up shift problem

Have a 2003 Sonata with 3,225 miles on odometer. The problem I'm been having
and the dealer and factory say is normal is the following. When I starting
down the road after the vehicle has set for a couple of hours or overnight,
it fails to perform a normal 2-3 up shift. I drive 2.9 miles to and from
work twice a day and for the first mile it stays in second gear at 25 mph
and the engine is rpm is 3,000. After about one mile down the road and the
vehicle has warmed up does the 2-3-shift point become normal at 2,000 rpm.
Hyundai stated me this is normal do to high line pressure when first
started. I had a 2004 loaner for a week and that Sonata shifted perfectly.
Any suggestions?
Thank you,
Bob

 

Hyundai just last week issued a bulletin for reprogramming the TCM on
2002-2003 2.7L V6 Sonatas. It addresses:
--Reducing 2-3 shift flare during the first acceleration after a cold
start.
--Improving 1-2 and 2-3 shift quality
--Speeding adaptive learning
--Improving delayed shift feeling.
This will likely address your issue. Call your dealer and mention that
you found about TSB 04-40-006 for these issues and would like to know if
they think it will help your issue.

I figure that when your car was last in for service the dealer did not yet
have this TSB, hence since the vehicle was driving like all other 2003
Sonatas, they indicated it was normal. I suspect they'll be happy to
perform this reprogramming now that it is available to them.

 

http://www.hmaservice.com/recent/7/04-40-0071/04-40-007.pdf

 

Hi Hyundaitech,
This is exactly the problem I'm been having and it sure looks like the TCM
software upgrade will fix the problem. I called my dealer, Gartner Hyundai
in Aurora, IL and they once again blew me off. The service advisor said
neither Gartner service or the Hyundai representative had not able to
confirm the delayed 2-3 up shift problem. With Gartner Hyundai attitude, I
called Pugi Hyundai in Downer Grove, IL and they were very responsive and I
have an appointment for next Thursday for the upgrade. Thanks again for the
quick reply. I will let you know how it the shift pattern performs after
having the vehicle serviced.
Bob

 

Do you know if the upgrade applies also on Sonata 2.7 year 2001 (made in
2001) sold in Italy?

Zotto

 

"Robert John" has two first names:

Dang. I've had good luck with Gartner hyundai, it's where I bought my 01
elantra. I've only taken the car to them once though, for a rainwater leak
onto the passenger side floor. They fixed it quickly and gave me a loaner
car. No other problems in 60k miles though, knock on wood...

Good to have the warning about my local dealer though.

Ben

 

I have this exact same problem in my 03 Elantra.
But sometimes it acts like it slips between 2nd and 3rd.
Dealer also blew me off because they couldn't recreate it.

Idea's?

 

Gartner has been very responsive to my pass problems and had always provided
a loaner. The service advisor being negative about resolving the up-shift
problem after I presented TSB information surprised me. I'm sure it was
because I have asked for this problem to be fixed for many months. I feel
getting only 15 to a maximum of 16 mpg is caused by the transaxle staying is
2nd for so long contributed to the low mileage. When I checked my phone
messages this morning I had a message from Gartner stating they would
perform the software as a customer satisfaction issue but they felt it would
not solve my 2-3 up-shift problem because of the 25 mph speed limit in town.
We will have to wait and see what happens.
Bob

 

Perhaps you should make Pugi Hyundai your regular service center. Gartner
doesn't seem to care very much. I know if someone brought their car in
and could enumerate the conditions their car was displaying and they were
the same as those in a TSB for reprogramming, then I'd do it whether I
duplicated them or not. It's obvious you weren't making them up off the
bulletin since you have been complaining about the issue prior to the
bulletin's issue.

 

I find no similar info for 2001 Sonatas, but my info applies only to US
models.

 

I find no similar info on 03 Elantra. There is a TSB which indicates that
the dealer should go through a relearn procedure if they can duplicate the
condition. You may have an internal transmission issue, but the dealer
will need to duplicate the condition to make an accurate diagnosis.

 

TKS
Zotto

 

I guess transmission problem is a general common problem in all Hyundai
models. I have Accent GL, 2001 with 38,000 and get sane problem in spite of
my regular service at Hyndai service station. I have given up hope, and
people are telling me this is "normal". So I do believe that transmission
problem is a "normal" thing for all Hyumdai models. You have to live
with it, just like you live with bad roads.

Sudip

 

Once upon a time, Hyundai had numerous transmission problems and failures.
This is not so anymore. I've gone from replacing about one transmission
every couple weeks in the nineties to one every month or two.

At issue here is whether there is an actual transmission problem or
whether the transmission is doing something as designed that the driver
dislikes. Being short on details as to the exact specifics to the later
cases presented here, I'm left unable to provide any opinion on whether
the vehicle is or is not behaving normally. If you've had the vehicle to
the dealer and they've been able to duplicate the condition and still
think it's normal, it probably is (short of new reprograms such as the one
referenced above to address the issue). If you've received the "normal"
response and are not satisfied, take your car to another dealer for a
second opinion. Do not tell them about your visits elsewhere; let them
reach their own conclusion. Also, do not confuse "unable to duplicate"
with "normal." "Unable to duplicate" simply means that the repair
facility was unable to make the condition happen and was unable to find
any problem which might cause it to happen. It does not indicate that
there is no problem, just that it wasn't present when they inspected the
vehicle, and that they cannot recommend any repair for this reason.

 

Thought I'd throw in a comment here also---

I have a 2004 Sonata GLS which has performed flawlessly since
delivery---except for the "peculiarity" that you have experienced.

My Sonata has the delayed 2-3 upshift occurrence also; it's only from cold
starts and disappears after the first 1/2 to 1 mile of driving, or at the
point of the first 2-3 upshift, whichever comes first. It then behaves
normally. As a side note, my car was delivered to me from the dealer 1/2 to
3/4 of a quart low on transmission fluid----after adding the proper Hyundai
SP-III fluid to the tranny, the occurrence seemed to become better (by that,
I mean that RPM's did not get as high and the "flare" not as severe before
the upshift occurred).

My personal feelings are that this is normal for Hyundai automatics, as I
traded a 2002 Elantra GLS for this car, and the Elantra had the same
anomaly. However, the referenced TSB's in this thread do not seem to apply
to '04 models (correct me if wrong).

 

I took my Hyundai Accent GL 2001 to Oil Doctor for oil change. They said I
need a service because I was having a transmission problem as I stated in my
earlier mail. I have 38,000 miles and I bought in Dec, 03. So I stil have
60,000 miles warranty. What happened was, I gave permission to do service
and they put following transmission fluid:

Dextron Markon 3 compatile with lopa, they used three ounce of additive T3
to one quart of dextron markon 3. They said this is specified by the
manufacturer.

I still had problem with transmission and then I took the car to the
dealer and they said Oil Doctor has put wrong fluid and they charged me
aorund 400 for various reasons to clean and refill and so on.

Now Oil Doctor is saying they used Hyndai specified fluid. My question
is: is the above mentioned fluid Hyundai specified fluid? Or is it
something else? Both Oil Doctor and the dealer are standing firmly on
their own and they are saying they are right. So, I am totlly confused.

Sudip

 

Dextron III is NOT Hyundai SP3 fluid. For best results (for ANY car)
Never use anythingthing but what is listed in your owners manual. That
WILL avoid all these pointing fingers. I suggest you find another
dealer that does not know the "truth" (even though you most likely
have done no damage to the transmission).

 

My 2002 Elantra also. From new. They have accepted this as normal operation.
Come on. Everyone knows a car shouldn't shift like that. Its Hyundai up to
their tricks again. These problems will haunt them in the future. I don't
know why they don't just fix it. There must be an engineer out there capable
of making a decent transmission for them. Excuses and accepting it are gone
by, its just another crappy working Hyundai. Time will reveal this.

 

My '04 Sonata GLS has shifted like this from day 1, but my local
dealer(Wright Hyundai) says there is nothing wrong. I will be VERY
surprised if my engine makes it past 40,000 miles or so (currently
about 8,000) because of the high rpms it produces in 2nd gear


On level ground, it's not to bad, but if I start up a hill and I'm in
1st or 2nd, I can reach speeds of 60mph with the tach over 5 and it
won't shift out of 2nd. 99% of the time I will have to manually shift
into 3rd

This is not normal operation, I don't care what some 'tech' from
Hyundai says. I've been driving for well over 30 years, and never had
tranny problems like this.

I'll just keep complaining, keep good records and get a new engine and
tranny in a year or so when these go. Bad thing is, I'm stuck with
this lemon till I pay it off in another 5 years. Live and learn I
guess

 

Last Thursday I was able to get my car in to have the transaxle software
update as suggested by the online hyundaitech. It appears this reprogramming
has fixed the delayed 2-3 up shift problem. Call your dealer and have it
done.
Bob