Transmission flush service for 30K miles????

I went to my dealer today cuz my engine light came on. I have a 2002
Hyundai Accent with 35K on it. So the guy came out from his desk with a
small device and plugged underneath the steer. I asked him what he was
doing and he said he is trying to understand if the engine light came
on because I did not do the 30K tune up (he asked me that before) or is
it something else.
Anyway the device said something that he said it can be anything.
So my car is the repair shop and I am waiting in the room, all of a
sudden I saw this big poster on the wall with charges and how to keep
the 100K warranty etc etc

There it said, we need to get a transmission flush service every 30K
miles and if we don't and something happens to trasnmission before 100K
they will not fix it.

So I went to the guy and asked him how much they are charging for a
quart of Haundai brand transmission fluid. He said it is 8 bucks a
quart and that I need 9 quarts to flush it thoroughly. (72 bucks) He
said they are charging 140 bucks and if I go somewhere else they have
to call Hyundai Dealer to purchase Haundai Brand Transmission fluid
anyway. Because Hyundai requires their brand to be used.

And I paid 140 bucks. He also said spark plugs are not platinum in
Accents they are regular.

Was this guy lying?

 

I don't think the flush is required every 30K miles, but check the
owner's manual and service log to be sure. He's correct that Hyundai
automatics use a type of fluid that's not standard ATF, but it's
available from other sources. It's important that anyone that services
your transmission is aware of the fluid requirements, as using standard
ATF will result in damage.

As for the plugs, you can replace them with platinum if you want, but
there's nothing wrong with standard plugs. The only thing platinum gains
you is longer plug life. Copper core plugs are actually superior in
ignition performance, within their lifespan and are much less expensive.

BTW, it's not unusual for the computer to give somewhat ambiguous
readings. The check engine light mainly indicates emissions issues and
can come on for reasons as harmless as a loose gas cap.

 

is

Did he say that with a straight face? Who is this dealer?

Do not let a dealer dictate how often the ATF should be changed.
READ THE OWNER'S MANUAL.

8 bucks?? It costs them $2.82/qt., not including discount(10 or 15% off
for bulk orders).

No, you don't have to flush it thoroughly. The ATF has a good quantity
of detergent additives, but you don't use it to clean out the tranny of
old fluids!

So did you get a copy of the repair order?

 

The poster on the wall says "every 30K, the transmission fluid has to
be flushed"

Then I looked at my warranty papers and there it says (I,R) I=inspect
R= replace accross the line from transmission word

The guy said "Hyundai Accent Transmission has to be flushed only and
only with Haundai Brand cuz there is no other brand that has similar
transmission fluid in the market. And he said even I go somewhere else
to get this flushing done, they have to call the dealer (him) to buy
the fluid, cuz there is no one else sells this brand name. If I wanted
to buy it, they charge $7.99/qt so I figured no need for the hassle and
get it done there.

Now, is he lying?

Anyway my car runs much smoother now and I have no worries if something
happens to the engine.

 

Yes, he's lying. Either that or he's just ignorant of the fact that the
fluid is available from other sources. Either way, he's wrong. Check
with transmission specialist like AAMCO. If you've got a good one in
your area, they'll know about Hyundai's fluid requirement and will give
you the straight scoop.

It has nothing to do with the engine. The fluid is in the transmission only.

 

Hyundai's fluid is SPIII. I know this is available at Hyundai and Kia
dealers and I believe there was another poster here who said it was
available through Mitsubishi. Either way, you're looking at a big price
because it's a proprietary fluid. I've heard stories about places using
other types of fluid and putting in an additive. No, no, no, don't do
that. Proper fluid only. Ever.

Where I work, we have fluid coming out of the wall that the distributor
says meets an incredibly long list of specs. My question is how can it
meet the viscosity requirements of a huge list of fluids? It doesn't
state it meets the SPIII requirement, so my parts department is happy to
give me the Hyundai fluid. Since I don't believe what it's claimed to be,
I don't even use it for p/s fluid in Hyundai (Dexron). They don't like it
much, but have been willing to appease me.

Your manual does not require the transmission to be flushed, ever. You
should replace the fluid and filter every 30k miles (depending on your
driving). I'm largely convinced that the flushing is a better service
since it replaces a significantly larger portion of the fluid in the
trans, but it isn't necessary. For $140, though, it's about the same
price as fluid and filter.

The reason he hooked up the scan tool to check first is that he wanted to
see if the code was for a misfire. Since your plugs should have been
replaced at 30k, this would give him an excellent opportunity to sell you
a 30k service or spark plugs. What did they do to fix the lamp?

 

I just went through this myself. Ther first dealer I went to charge me
around $400 for the 30 k check up, then I went to a local dealer and they
cahred me around $110, but they said the car did not need need
transmission fluid nor spark plugs. I did later get the sprak plugs
changed, I also went back around 40 k to have the transmission fluid
changed again, but once again the dealer refused to do it "because it was
not needed till 100k" I left frusturatded, but I was on my way to work and
I did not have the time to "fight" with the dealership. I plan on taking
my car to yet another dealer for my 60K FYI I was told that you HAVE to
have the 60k done BEFORE you actually hit 60k on your car, or they may not
cover any damanges, so i plan on getting mine done around 57k.

 

Not true. I had a transmission problem at 64K miles on an Excel. They
asked if I had the 60K service and I told them that I did it myself
(which I did). They asked if I'd changed the timing belt, which I
hadn't, but I did it after the fact and that satisfied them. They
covered the tranny problem, even though it was 4K miles out of warranty.

Doing the service earlier certainly won't hurt, but you're not going to
void your warranty if you do it a bit late. The service DOES NOT have to
be done by a Hyundai dealer, either. If you do it yourself or have a
local mechanic do it, just keep the receipts and you're covered.

In talking with Hyundai Customer Service, I was told that the main
reason that they ask about the services is to give them a feel for
whether the car is being maintained properly or if it's being neglected.
If you take care of the car, they will bend over backwards to help you.
If they think you're abusing it, they won't cut you any slack.

 

I changed my fluid myself (like all the work I do) at 30K. The Hyundai
is the best trasmission to chnage as it didn't have a filter (2002
XG350L) and it had a drain plug (no need to drop the pan). Took less
time than an oil change and it cost me 9 quarts of "real" SPIII fluid
at $4.95 a quart (many dealers will discount if you 1. Ask and 2.
Purchased it there).

..

 

You can use Mobil +3 ATF, cost less, and been using it in my accent for over
a year, and my Tranmission runs just fine.

 

If its so great, please post the VIN of your Accent so it can be noted
in your dealer service records...

As for "working" - I've seen an automatic transmission "work" on nothing
but water in the pan and torque converter (yes, an actual experiment).

Now to put this in perspective - ATF+3 has as much place in your
transmission as water. Why aren't you running straight water? Brake
fluid? Gear lube? Astroglide? All of them will pour nicely in the
fill hole...

Quit suggesting people damage their vehicles and/or void their
warranties, you cheap dumbass.

JS

 

id rather spend a few extra bucks on the proper stuff if i had a automatic