I'm trying to find out some info for my mother regarding a problem she recently started having with her auto 2001 Elantra.

She calls me up today saying that her car won't go any faster than 5mph and she also said that the transmission slams into second gear real hard.

I asked her to check the tranny fluid to make sure it's got enough and that the color is normal.

She's in Utah and I'm in GA, so i really can't help her that much. I need some help from forums on possible explanations as to why this is happening.

thanks

 

Sounds like a transmission that got neglected and abused. Tell her to have the fluid changed.

 

i know my mother takes good care of the car. i flushed her tranny fluid back in 2005 when i worked at Jiffy Lube. but yeah, the first thing i thought of was the fluid,

 

"Good care" is a relative term. What fluid did you use back at Jiffy lube? Universal? How many miles ago was that?

Not going into gear or slamming into second sounds like low fluid or sticking valve bodies, either way some sort of mechanic fluid problem.

 

Sorry but I have to agree with jsinton. Jiffy-Goof isn't what I'd consider taking good care of a car. What fluid did you use? Was it Hyundai's specific fluid (SP-III)? If it wasn't, you just ruined her trans and that would explain why you are having problems now.

 

I had my transmission flushed 6 months ago on my 2003 Elantra. I did it in a local transmission shop since my dealer didn't want to flush the whole transmission. I believe the shop replaced the fluid with Dextron III . Should I flush it and replace it with SPF-III? Will Dextron III ruin my transmission?

Thanks!

 

Kiss your trans goodbye. They just killed it.

Today!

Probably already did.

 

OK, so I payed a little visit to my Transmission shop to figure out what they had flushed my transmission with. He has use a Multi-Vehicle ATF. The fluid is manufactured by Coastal. The manufacturer clearly says that the fluid is suitable for Mitsubishi Diamond\Hyundai\Kia SP-II, SP-III. It guaranties theses application for performance and wear. The guys at the shop told me if they had put Dextron in the trans would'nt had last a week! I'd doubt that it's approved by Hyundai but since the car isn't under waranty anymore I'll trust my trans guys. The flush was done 20k ago. I'll probably go back to SP-III once I put 60k with this fluid. Untill then I hope the guys are right and that this multi-vehicle ATF does the job.

 

I hope it was SP-III. Crossing fingers.