transmission fluid change

How often do i need to have my transmission fluid changed on my 2002
accent? I got it done around 40k and now I am at 75k... do I really need
to do this? or was the dealership ripping me off? I have had all other
maintaince (60k did NOT include the transmission flush)

 

IMO, the only reason to do it is if the warranty says it needs to be done.
How does the fluid look? If it is dark, smells burnt, then yes, it should be
changed and you should try to find the reason it is in bad condition. It
does not have to be done by the dealer, in any case. Save the receipts.

Personally, I don't change fluid at all. The one car I did change the fluid
is the only car that ever had transmission problems. Others still
functioned normally and the fluid was clean at 150,000+ miles. Engine oil
is contaminated from the exhaust gasses, blowby and such, but the
transmission is a relatively closed environment that can stay clean for
years and many miles.

 

Who would know if the dealer "ripped you off"? What did they charge you?
What reason did they give you for offering to change it? Did you agree to
have them change it? Have you read your owner's manual?

 

The maintenance interval for replacement is 105,000 miles. Inspection is
required at 30,000 miles, and replacement is only needed at that time if
warranted by the fluid condition. Wherever you have the servicing done,
be absolutely certain that only SPIII fluid is used.

 

I agree with you that the environment inside an automatic is MUCH nicer
than that inside the engine, but automatic transmissions still have many
wear parts, in particular the clutch packs. These wear particles have
to go somewhere and that somewhere is the oil and filter. I've always
changed my fluid and filter at about 50,000 mile intervals and I've
never yet had an automatic transmission fail, including a Chrysler
minivan that had 178,000 miles on it. And these minivans (1996
Plymouth) supposedly had an especially trouble-prone transmission. I
personally think much of the trouble was driver abuse combined with
improper (wrong fluid type) or nonexistent maintenance.

Matt

 

My gf has a 2002 Hyundai Elantra, that imho is nothing but a piece of crap..
at 63k the motor went in it, she went to hyundai dealer and they told her
that the motor wasnt covered under the 100k warranty cause its a wearable
item.. $800 later for a used motor and install, recieved a card in the mail
from hyundai dealer saying that they thought it was time for the 105k
transmission filter change and fluid change.. me being mechanically inclined
and having access to a garage i bought the filter and the sp3 fluid and
proceeded back to the garage to do the drain/fill the filter they gave me
was of the spin on type, couldnt figure out where the filter went, this was
on a friday, monday morning went back to the dealer they asked for the vin i
gave it, they said oh this car doesnt have the spin on filter, they sent a
mechanic out to verify, they told me it has an internal filter that the only
way to change would be to split the case and it doesnt need to be changed
because it is a 'disposable' transmission.. i figured if she has a
disposable transmission than it doesnt need the fluid changed if there isnt
a filter to change. .they gave me a quote of around $3800 for the disposable
transmission.. wtf is up with that? ?

 

I never heard of such a thing. Did you pursue it with Hyundai or another
dealer? Wear items are things like brakes, wiper blades. light bulbs.
Timing belt is a wear item and should be changed at 60k miles. If that is
the situation and the belt was not changed, they are correct.

 

That's the problem with posts like the OP's Edwin. Grossly oversimplified
statements like "the motor is a wear item" mean nothing. But then again,
the tactic of grossly misrepresenting something is common among those who
wish to piss in their own pants about things and blame those around them for
having noticed the wet spot.

 

I find your story quite interesting. My local Hyundai dealer states a
filter change at 100k miles with a fluid flush every 30k miles. We
live in Arizona (dusty conditions) and all my vehicles are serviced
the same way (oil-3k, tranny flush 30k, K&N filters, etc.)

As far as the engine, they should've pro-rated it, as long as she was
the original owner. The clutch was going on my 02 Sonata and the pro-
rated (wearable item) price was $600. Hyundai had a $3500 owner
loyalty rebate, traded it in on a 06 LX. My dealer stands behind my
cars. Even had a dentless paint removal guy remove a dent (paint shop
wanted $600, their body guy- $100) and they said no charge, removed
only 99% of the ding.

Steve

 

I find your story interesting as well. I don't see the logic of
changing the fluid and not the filter and I definitely don't see the
logic of using K&N filters in dusty conditions!

Matt

 

Dentless Paint Removal... Errrr.. I mean Paintless Dent Removal is the way
to go. I had a Town and Country that had a garbage can get blown into it
during a windstorm. I got two quotes of over $650 from body shops before I
traded it. I called the local PDR guy, and he did a great job. $200. 2nd
row, pix #3 and 4 - light blue T&C.
http://www.colorswilmington.com/photogallery.html He did the work in an
hour in the parking lot where I work. The dealer I traded to has you sign
off whether the vehicle has ever had paintwork - another way of asking if
it's been in an accident. Of course, being no paint was used, I could
honestly say no... Of course, a trash can, or a shopping cart putting a
divot in a door - no matter how bad - doesn't even begin to create the same
kind of issues any collision would.

 

Sorry for the delay in responding to you Edwin. At the time I was driving a
tow truck, on my shift I got a phone call from my gf she was broke down at
the firestation parking lot, I went over and popped the hood she said it
just quit, figured it was anything but the motor being gone. Everything
looked fine under the hood, spun over very fast.. Hooked onto it with the
tow truck towed it directly to the Hyundai dealer.. they tore the valve
cover off and on inspection the key that holds the timing chain gear onto
the read cam shaft had sheared off which had caused only the front cam the
one attached to timing belt to spin and not the rear very fast.. but they
wouldnt cover this.. the next closest hyundai dealer is 100mi away. my boss
wasnt gonna go for a free tow there

The thing is, Steve, if your using a K&N filter thats great for you, this
hyundai does not have a filter that can be 'user' changed. they told me the
case has to be split to change the filter that is in this car .. its a 2002
Hyundai Elantra 2.0 3spd with OD automatic. that is then when they said its
a disposable tranny

 

Certainly sounds like a part that should be covered. I never heard of
declaring an engine a 'wear part' , especially a key. like that. Timing
belt, air and oil filters, spark plugs, are wear parts.