Transmission fluid in Hyundais

I noticed in the manual for my '06 Sonata that the transmission is only
supposed to be fed some sort of proprietary SP III fluid. I was at the
dealer today for a headlight issue. While wandering around, I noticed that
they had boxes - kind of like those wine boxes - of transmission fluid. The
box said "BG Universal Synthetic ATF" part number 3123. I asked, and was
told that that fluid is what is used by them in the new Hyundai
transmissions. That said, I guess the requirement for the $8.00 a quart
specially blessed fluid is non-existent. After all, what would be so
different about one brand of synthetic fluid, and another?

 

Hint:
Look at your local AutoParts store for: ATF-3, or ATF-3plus, it's available
at normal prices.
It's also used in Misutbishi and Crysler trams.

DO NOT use Mercrom-III or Dextron-III, not compatible at all.

 

so are you saying the in hyundia's you can use chrysler fluid atf+3 which is
the same as the older chryslers fluid 7136 and the atf+4 which is used in
the
2000+ chryslers In hyundia's products which call for sp111 fluid
----- Original Message -----
From: "Victor A. Garcia" <>
Newsgroups: alt.autos.hyundai
Sent: Saturday, December 31, 2005 12:28 AM
Subject: Re: Transmission fluid in Hyundais

 

DO NOT use anything but SP ! You can void your warranty. Hyundai
transmissions are very sensitive to the wrong fluid. Check out
http://www.elantraclub.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=2216 It should
help with understanding why you need to use SP3. Also, ATF+3 is not the
same thing.

Cheese Toast

 

New car, why take a chance on the warranty? Also from experience,
there is a difference between tranny fluids.

Stick with OEM stuff to keep the warranty good. It's like oil and
filters. There IS a difference.

Good luck.

 

You don't have to use OEM fluids or parts to maintain your warranty.
That is the law (I can't remember off-hand the name of the act that made
this law). However, you do have to use fluids and parts that meet the
specifications of the car maker. As long as you use oils, antifreeze,
etc., that meets the specs, then they can't deny you warranty coverage.


Matt

 

Mine doesn't need any yet. I'm just looking forward to the point where I
will be changing it - part of it anyway. The point to me bringing this up is
the fact that the dealer - a Hyundai dealer - I bought the car from DOES NOT
use the SP III fluid when they do a transmission service. They use BG
universal synthetic fluid. I suppose if the tranny burns up under warranty,
they'll just point to the records saying that they did a fluid change at X
miles. No accountability as to what they changed it with.

As to the fluid turning brown quickly, I suspect it's partly due to the lack
of a filter, and the normal wear particles having nowhere to go except to
get suspended in the fluid. Actually, the transmission has a "filter", but
it's really just a very fine mesh screen. I do plan on adding an external
filter http://www.magnefine.com/ It can't hurt. Here's one that someone cut
open after 28,000 miles
http://www.v6performance.net/forums/showthread.php?t=60257

It also is not a requirement to flush the transmission.... From the manual:
REPLACEMENT
If you have a fluid changer, use this changer to replace the fluid. If you
do not, replace it using the following procedure.
1.. Disconnect the hose which connects the transmission and the oil cooler
which is within the radiator only in 2.4L engine(3.3L-the oil cooler is
separated).
2.. Start the engine and let the fluid drain out.
Running conditions : "N" range with engine idling.


CAUTION
The engine should be stopped within one minute after it is started. If the
fluid has all drained out before then, the engine should be stopped at that
point........

 

To Diarmud387 - Car manufacturers do not make tranny fluids or motor oils.
Nor do they manufacturer filters. Stick with the standards they specify and
you'll be all right. At the level of the standards, tranny fluid is tranny
fluid, motor oil is motor oil, etc. Sure there are different grades above
the standards and they are not a bad option for those who want an extra
measure of security, but there is no such thing as Ford Tranny Fluid, or GM
Tranny Fluid, or Hyundai Tranny Fluid. What they sell in their private
label containers for inflated prices is the same stuff you can buy in the
aftermarket. Just be sure to know the specification of the fluid. It's
illegal for the auto manufacturer to hold your warranty hostage to using
their private label fluids. They can only hold you to the specified
standard.

You're probably right, for the very reasons I stated above to the previous
poster. Look at your Hyundai warranty - does it specifically state that you
must use Hyundai Transmission Fluid, or does it specify a standard? To be
honest I have not looked at mine, but it would really surprise me if they
tried to force their private label on consumers.

Here's my twist on what you describe above...

I service the tranny - drain it, install new filter, clean the pan to remove
filings, etc., replace the filter and close it up. Then to get the ATF out
of the torque converter and the intercooler, I remove the connection at the
intercooler and start the car. I let the tranny pump out fluid into a
bucket, and with a very scientific "best guess" rate of pour, I add fluid as
it pumps the remainder of the old fluid out. You can tell when you've
cycled all of the old fluid out by watching what pumps out. When you start
to see the nice, bright, new color pumping out, you've done it all. Put the
line back on the intercooler, double check your ATF level and call it a job
well done. You're typically within the one quart range, certainly within
two with this procedure. I suppose you could well argue that one quart of
used ATF won't really contaminate the new stuff, but it's a practice I
picked up years ago and it's stuck with me over time.

BTW - good link to those pics of the filter cut apart. The owner of that
car has some serious problems though, and that filter is not going to help
him much. That's one hell of a lot of metal filing for such a short driving
distance. He's got bigger problems than a filter.

 

first off i purchased the extended warranty to have a bumper to bumper
warranty.
in order to be sure there would be no dealer/factory warranty issues
during the 10/100,000 warranty i pay them their pound of flesh, buy the
factory recommended oil and filter from them and self install to save
money.
my 2001 accent has had its share of misery but when they accused me
of not following their pricey scheduled maintenance(engine tappets went
bad @40k miles) i shoved my dealer purchased receipts
under their noses to prove them wrong.
my only exception to dealer bought is i use "mobil one" synthetic
engine oil.
they even tried to tell me thats no good for hyundai engines.

 

But, there's NO aftermarket SP-III fluid. Just like there's no aftermarket
Chrysler ATF +4 fluid.
[Fireproof suite mode ON] Amsoil's web site says: "AMSOIL ATF is recommended
for transmission, hydraulic and other applications requiring any of the
following specifications:"
a.. Chrysler ATF+ through ATF+4®
a.. Mitsubishi/Hyundai Diamond SP II & III
+ many others....
This should not be confused to mean "Meets SP-III specifications"

Royal Purple's site says "no RP equivalent" for Hyundai and Chrysler.

BG's site says "BG Universal Synthetic ATF is the superior choice to use in
all passenger and commercial automatic transmissions." This is the magic
stuff that the dealer uses in Hyundai ATM's

[Fireproof suite mode OFF]



Good luck.

It looks like they are forcing the use of theirs only..... Not a word about
compatible. Who'd like to try a Magnuson Moss claim?

From TSB 03-40-019:

USE OF NON-APPROVED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUIDS:

Only Hyundai SPIII is approved for use in Hyundai vehicles beginning with
the 1996 model year. Use of aftermarket additives or other types of ATF,
such as Chrysler/Mopar ATF+3, Dexron and Mercon, are not approved for use in
Hyundai vehicles and may affect driveability or damage the transaxle. Damage
caused by a non-specified fluid is not covered by your new vehicle limited
warranty.

Hey, It's in the manual as THE procedure. Unfortunately, there's no "install
new filter, clean the pan to remove filings, etc., replace the filter and
close it up" because there's no way to get at the filter as it's under the
valve body. Much dissasembly required. In fact, dealers can't even open up
the transmission according to Hyundai! Also, the "pan" is vertical.

 

ATF +3 was what the dealer used to change my wife Elantra 2002 tram, my
Santa Fe 2003 also called for SPIII, so I toped both with ATF-3+, so far so
good, if the dealer used it for the whole tram, why I cannot used it for
refilling ???
Both cars call for SPIII.

 

So - it's just a drain process like the motor oil? Sheeze! Easy, but not
horribly reassuring. What are the histories of these trannies? Are they
holding up for a couple hundred thousand miles?

 

maybye the newer models are different but everyone i know of with a auto
hyundai it recommends the hyun/diamondspec fluid.
if it was me and i had a automatic id go for the hyun oil.
saving 35.00 over a few years vs 1000's for transmission repair seems
futile..

 

How do you fit a tram in your car? Where do you affix the cables?


Matt

 

I have read all the posts about the transmission fluid.

I talked to a regional representative who works with the tranny people at
both Hyundai and Kia. He told me the following:

*There has not been one reported failure of a transmission due to fluid for
anyone who has used ATF+3 (Chrysler-Mitsubishi-Hyundai specified) as a
replacement for SP-III. It can be considered to be a very good substitute,
especially since (he admits) the distribution for SPIII has not gone like
they had hoped. Type F and the various Dexron's are NOT a good substitute.

*That universal synthetic used by the dealership's is an excellent fluid,
but expensive and hard-to-get for the regular consumer; same with the new
ATF+4, though they expect that to change in auto parts stores and more,
given 18-24 months.

*The 5-speed transmission mated to various Hyundai-Kia vehicles (like the
XG-350, the Sedona minivan and the new V-6 Sonata) has been a very good
transmission, and the new 4-speeds being placed into the cars as they are
being re-designed (both the smaller ones in cars like the Accent and the
bigger ones in cars like in the 4-cylinder Sonata) have been tested to show
that they may end up being some of the finest in the industry.

Hope this helps.

Thomas Wenndt

 

I believe it's already been established that because of the proprietary
nature of many new transmission fluids that the manufacturer can require
you to use one of those fluids and not be in violation of Magnuson-Moss.

I also believe you should demand your dealer use ONLY Hyundai SPIII in
your vehicle.

These so-called good-for-everything fluids are very dubious in my opinion.
Different fluid specifications require different friction and viscosity
properties.

I work at a dealer which has both Dodge and Hyundai and have yet to be
able to confirm whether ATF+4 is equivalent to SPIII, although I think
there's a reasonable possibility this may be so. There were some problems
here because we used good-for-everything fluid in some Chrysler
transmissions. They later developed some problems, I believe mostly with
the torque converter clutch system.

 

i used a so call equivalent in my 2001 elantra VE and now my automatic
transmission is acting up...
brought it into the dealer for a flush and inspection and was told that the
damage is done, start to save for a transmission
The tranny slips until it get warmed up and it is very hard to shift into
drive when its cold.

so spend the extra 30$ and but Hyundai fluid. this will end up costing me
2000$ for a rebuilt tranny installed.

 

Well ... err ... first, you fit the missing 's' into tram, like this: '
trans ' ; or better call it a ' tranny ' ...
I must be getting old and forgetful, OK, replaced the 'must be' by: "I'm".

 

Actually, mine is a brand new Sonata, so it will be a while before I need
any. I brought it up because I was at the dealer to have them adjust the
headlights, and do a tire balance 'cause it was shaking since mile 0. After
the tech. said she didn't feel the shaking, I decided to watch her do the
balance. It was off by 1.25 on one of the tires. While I was back there, I
watched them feed a pretty new Hyundai the BG fits-all stuff. I was rather
surprised that a dealer would violate the manufacturer recommendations on
cars that were under warranty. I have no intention of doing so on my
Hyundai, or my Chrysler (+4).

Hyundaitech: any issues with adding an in line filter being that the one in
the transmission cannot be changed (by any reasonable means, that is)?
Thanks.

 

I don't think I'd add an in-line filter while in the warranty period.
There may be claims that it restricts proper fluid flow or that particles
came out of the filter or some other claim.

Both those things are realistic possibilities, so I'd be sure about what I
bought even outside the warranty period. I'd want to make especially
certain I purchased something with flawless specs and reputation.