Accent 99 Automatic Transaxle Problems

[ajonagoity]

Hi People. I really need your help! First, I give you my car information:

3-door 99´Hyundai Accent with Automatic Transmission

VIN Number: KMHVD14N8XU469938
Engine Number: G4EXY558963

I live in Argentina (southern South America) but I brought the car from the US in 2000 as I had a handicapped brother (we had tax exemptions).

It has only run for 32,000 miles, I´ve made the auto transaxle fluid change for the original one and it´s level is currently ok.

The thing is that last week the automatic tranny started to fail. It fails to pass the gears smoothly. For example when it gets to the appropriate speed to change from 1st to 2nd it seems to slip and hast to make several (2 or 3) attempts to get to 2nd gear, also sometimes while it is attempting you seem to be in neutral as the engine accelerates without one feeling it on the car speed. Obviously when it can lastly get to 2nd gear you feel a non-smooth transition. The same happens with all the gear changes.

Of course I´ve been reading the forum searching for something similar to my problem but I am really not sure. I´ve read something on "slipping" but I don´t know if what happens to my car is what you call slipping. Also I´ve read about a "Lucas Transmission Fix" but don´t know if this may be suitable for my problem.

I have taken my car to Hyundai here in Argentina and what they have told me is that the problem is inside the transaxle and that they charge USD 600 only for the labor of opening and looking for the problem. They say average automatic transaxle repairs cost around 1700 USD and a new automatic transaxle is about 6500 USD. The car working correctly is priced 5000 USD here in our market, so obviously buying a new transaxle is not convenient.

One more question: is it possible to make an automatic to manual swap or has it got problems with the ECU or something? Here in Argentina manual transmissions are much more common and it is possible that i can get a better price for one.

I greatly apreciate any help you can give me.

Regards

Agustin

[brndnbess]

Sounds like you have a weak pump inside the tranny. And bout doin the auto to manual swap, it can be done but will require ALOT of work and pretty good money.

[95_Accent_GSI]

^^^NOT REALLY!

the auto to manual swap can be done very cheap......

find a wrecked X3 manual at a junker....bring it to a transmission shop....if a shop has another car as a template with all parts needed, it can be done for around $500- $800.

X3 auto's are prone to bad tranny problems...i know first hand

[ajonagoity]

Hi people!

Thanks for your help. I am not considering a manual swap as a first choice because it sounds me like it may bring problems, but nevertheless thanks for the comment.

brndnbess, thanks for your comment but why would you think the problem is a weak pump? do you mean oil is not reaching the whole system so shifting is not normal? have 99 accents got particular problems with transaxle pumps, do you know?
I´ll greatly appreciate if you could give me some more details on why do you think the pump may be the problem.

Any other advice someone can give me?

Lots of Thanks!

Agustin

[brndnbess]

Yes, I don't think oil is efficently circulating through your transmission
Some of the main problems I have noticed with these transmissions is
1) (with manuals)clanking/grinding noise when shifting or hard to shift. Usually caused by the clutch release bearing going bad or the tranny fluid needs to be changed to mt-90 fluid.

2) (autos) Rough shifting or not shifting at all.
Hyundai built a ****Y auto tranny. They did a terrible job. The tranny usually needs to be replaced/rebuilt. And sometimes the pump inside the tranny will not allow tranny fluid to flow correctly (mentioned above), causing the tranny to not want to shift.

And as far as the auto to manual sway, 500 to 800 dollars to do it is too much for, I concider that expensive. Specially since these cars arn't that expensive it would be easier to just buy a manual.

[Erikgsi]

You have to be very very careful which fluid you used when you serviced your tranny. You have to use the atf for a chrysler vehicle if you used something else there is your problem. try and get the fluid from the dealer and make sure your fluid level is correct. if you did use the right fluid double check the level it is crucial

[Erikgsi]

about the comment hyundai built a poor auto tranny... hyundai didnt build them at all they were sourced from chrysler

[attist178]

Originally Posted by Erikgsi

about the comment hyundai built a poor auto tranny... hyundai didnt build them at all they were sourced from chrysler

You sure? If they did, '99 would've been the last year...and it would've been a stupid move...Chrysler has always made horrible transmissions (well, maybe not now that they're partnered with Mercedes-Benz, but still...).

Either way, Hyundai has always had crappy automatics in their cars. I hate my autotragic...*death*.

[ajonagoity]

hey brndnbess.. lots of thanks for your reply! I´ll consider what you are telling me for the moment I receive the final diagnosis. It sounds very reasonable.

erikgsi & attist178: Thanks for your comments too. I did not know that hyundai had built poor auto trannys.. if I did, I may have replaced the car before in order to avoid these problems. Concerning the fluid and it´s level: I did the fluid replacement in a Hyundai authorized dealer (so I believe they have put the correct fluid) and i´ve double checked the fluid level and it is ok.

Would any of you think that Lucas Automatic Transmission fix may be a solution? Or is it for a completely different purpose?

Thanks again!

Agustin

[95_Accent_GSI]

^^there are alot of people that hate the lucus tranny fix....but i stand by it....it saved my accent auto tranny, along with my ford ranger.

do a full tranny flush, tranny filter, and add the lucus fix when adding the oil....you will see a huge improvement.

when you check the levels, are you following the proper directions?....
P > R > N > D > 2 > 1 and then back up....