Transmission fluid type

Hey,

I recently got my transmission fluid changed on my 2001 Elantra, since
it's right at 105k miles. However, when he changed it, I noticed that
the bottles said Dexron-III/Mercon something. This didn't sound quite
right, but I wasn't sure. So, when I got home, I checked the manual,
which said only SP-II M.

Alarmed, I quickly took it over to the Hyundai dealership, hoping they
could flush it out and set things right. But the mechanic (the last
one on Saturday afternoon) said they use Dexron-III themselves.

Are they on crack? Or is it OK to use the Dexron?

Thank you!

 

Are you a troll or an idiot ?
Oh I forgot, a troll is an idiot.

Double Tap

 

Why the heck are you calling me a troll? I am seriously concerned.

I don't know whether to trust the dealership -- it's a joint Subaru/
Hyundai dealership, and the guy was young and might have been a Subaru
guy anyway.

So I was hoping it someone with some actual technical knowledge of the
fluids would know the difference, know whether the one can be
substituted for the other, and if not, what the consequences will be
and what can be done.

 

This has been discussed here in the past and the consensus is to use the
right fluid. There is some sort of "generic" but I'd not trust it and you
don't want to cause a warranty problem later.

 

Edwin,

Of course he is a troll. To quote him

"Why the heck are you calling me a troll? I am seriously concerned.

I don't know whether to trust the dealership -- it's a joint Subaru/
Hyundai dealership, and the guy was young and might have been a Subaru
guy anyway."

What kind of idiot (or troll) goes to a dealer and get the answer that they
use the same component in the cars they service a then says quote "I am
seriously concerned."

As my best friend Vinny, who was born and raised in Brooklyn NY would
say to cut the freaking Bull Shit and get outa my face.

Although I am reluctant to post this because it goes against my number one
newsgroup posting rule of not feeding the trolls, I decided to post just to
remind all of us that we can still be distracted by these jerks.

 

If you are "seriously concerned," you should be.

I have heard of dealerships, oil change places, etc. using other fluid than
SPII (now SPIII). Part of the problem there is that Mitsubishi has failed
miserably in terms of "marketing" this fluid. There continues to be
absolutely no place you can get this fluid except at the appropriate
dealerships (which I'm sure is quite fine with them).

The groups that have used other fluids have fallen into three groups. One
group has used what some call Chrysler or "Mopar" fluid, which used to be
ATF+3, but is now ATF+4. My own dealership uses this, and contrary to the
feelings of some on this board, the relatively new ATF+4 does seem to be
compatible, and has worked out without any reported trouble in these
transmissions. If you need or wish to use a different fluid (since SPIII
from the dealer is ridiculously expensive), this is the way to go.

But I get the impression that few of the people that use alternative fluid
go this way. Most of them use Dexron-based fluid. Of those types, there
are two groups. One group tries to use these "multi-vehicle" ATF's, which
lists just about every transmission out there. But the Mitsubishi / Hyundai
transmission is always noticeably missing from the list. And for better or
worse, these are still Dexron-based fluids.

If I were being asked about these fluids, I might be talked into one of
these "multi-vehicle fluids" (with great reluctance) ONLY if it were a full
synthetic fluid. Otherwise, you just have Dexron fluid with a couple of
extra additives. And I believe that Dexron fluid (along with the old type
'F') is fluid you want to keep out of this transmission.

By the way, the final group are people who just plain stick Dexron fluid in
everything, since it is the cheapest and most readily available. I would
hope that your dealer isn't that foolish. Ordinary, non-synthetic Dexron is
a dictionary definition of what you do not want to use in these
transmissions.

Hope this helps.

 

Thank you, Tom and Edwin! The little transmission shop I went to
almost certainly falls into the last category -- three immigrants in a
bay in a shared complex offering the cheapest prices possible. I don't
recall seeing Synthetic on the packaging, and I didn't recognize the
brand. I guess I'm gonna have to march in there and have them flush it
out with SP-III, on their dime.

I can't imagine why the guy at the dealership would say something when
everyone else in the world says the opposite -- since he didn't know
automatically [no pun intended] and went over to check what fluid they
had makes me doubt that he has the expertise I had been hoping to find
there -- he may have just found the Subaru fluid and assumed it was
for the Hyundais too.

 

Of course this guy is a troll. Now he claims the transmission shop he picked
to work on his precious little car is and I quote "three immigrants in a
bay in a shared complex offering the cheapest prices possible."

As I said before he is a troll or just an idiot. On second thought not an
idiot but a giant shmuck that is also a troll.
I also promise not to feed this troll anymore.
Double Tap

 

Absolutely. As far as I'm concerned, the guy at the dealer was indeed on
crack. Use SPIII only. As Tom said, I suspect that ATF+4 is nearly the
same thing, but when you consider the price of ATF+4, there's not much
savings to be had there.

If they won't reflush with SPIII, find someplace that will and have it
done immediately. Dexron is not good for your transmission.

 

Someone comes on here and asks a legitimate question, and you call him a
troll three times in the same thread. You should take a good look in the
mirror, sir.

 

Hyundaitech,
If you read his post he takes his precious car to and I quote
"The little transmission shop I went to almost certainly falls into the last
category -- three immigrants in a bay in a shared complex offering
the cheapest prices possible."
Then brings his precious car to a Hyundai dealer, asks a question,
receives an answer to his question he does not like, and asks if the tech
was on crack.

The person is a troll, and well meaning, straight forward,
helpful people like you, Edwin, and Tom are just not cynical
enough to pick up on his crap because possibly you don't
have to deal with low life scum on an often enough basis
to have your antenna attuned to his kind of BS.

Please read the stated facts of his posts, his syntax, implied meaning, and
I
think you might change your opinion.

I still say he is a troll.

Double Tap

 

Wow I've never been accused of such a thing! Usually the other way around.
I'll have to go back and read the original post to see if I did not get my
cynical hormones flowing in time.

 

I think that's the first time I've ever been accused of not being cynical
enough.