The Hyundai Sonata six - speed automatic transmission in my signature comes with no dip stick and a 100K mile rating on the synthetic ATF ... *This is fine if you don't plan to hold onto the vehicle for more than the 100K Hyundai warranty - however if you plan on keeping the vehicle more than 100K miles then I believe you would want to do a drain & fill every 30K miles or so ? ... While the Hyundai transmission does not have a dip stick you can add fluid via a small opening in the engine compartment - then via a over flow bleed nut / bubble level can bring the ATF up to the proper level after a ATF is drained . I also believe if you do a "drain & fill" at regular intervals (no transmission filter on this Hyundai) you could get well over 200K miles on the original transmission ... If you never do a drain & fill on the ATF of this vehicle you may not be going much more than 100K miles before you develop transmission issues ... Your thoughts on "sealed" automatic transmissions ?
100K Mile Sealed Fluid AT'?
- Thread starter ChrisD46
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With a full syn atf that doesn't see severe service 50k intervals should be sufficient. Esp on a reliable trans.
I would do a drain and fill every 30-50k
Most transmissions aren't actually sealed. Many vehicles have a break off seal and you buy a calibrated dipstick which you use along with a scan tool for temperature to get the correct fill. I'm not sure I like the idea of a transmission without any filter.
I would change it as per the severe duty / towing schedule and use a 100% synthetic ATF. I drove my Santa Fe 535,000km on the original transmission doing this and it had no serviceable filter. I just did a spill/fill every 50,000 on that one.
On my Highlander I just changed out the Toyota WS fluid which is a sealed for life transmission. I exchanged all the fluid with a high quality synthetic and intend to do spill/fill's on this one as well to keep the fluid fresh and the internal screen that isn't serviceable, clean.
The key is to change the fluid just as it starts to darken from the fresh cherry red it normally is. Not once it has darkened considerably or turned black.
On my Highlander I just changed out the Toyota WS fluid which is a sealed for life transmission. I exchanged all the fluid with a high quality synthetic and intend to do spill/fill's on this one as well to keep the fluid fresh and the internal screen that isn't serviceable, clean.
The key is to change the fluid just as it starts to darken from the fresh cherry red it normally is. Not once it has darkened considerably or turned black.
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Originally Posted by StevieC
I would change it as per the severe duty / towing schedule and use a 100% synthetic ATF. I drove my Santa Fe 535,000km on the original transmission doing this and it had no serviceable filter. I just did a spill/fill every 50,000 on that one.
On my Highlander I just changed out the Toyota WS fluid which is a sealed for life transmission. I exchanged all the fluid with a high quality synthetic and intend to do spill/fill's on this one as well to keep the fluid fresh and the internal screen that isn't serviceable, clean.
The key is to change the fluid just as it starts to darken from the fresh cherry red it normally is. Not once it has darkened considerably or turned black.
I've changed exchanged 2 quarts on my Rav4. Total. 605100 km and still going strong. Exchanging the fluid probably won't hurt but I'm not convinced it has any benefit. The Rav4 transmission only slips a little. Maybe changing it out would have prevented this. Maybe not. I don't plan to touch the ATF in m Camry. We'll see what happens.
I would change it as per the severe duty / towing schedule and use a 100% synthetic ATF. I drove my Santa Fe 535,000km on the original transmission doing this and it had no serviceable filter. I just did a spill/fill every 50,000 on that one.
On my Highlander I just changed out the Toyota WS fluid which is a sealed for life transmission. I exchanged all the fluid with a high quality synthetic and intend to do spill/fill's on this one as well to keep the fluid fresh and the internal screen that isn't serviceable, clean.
The key is to change the fluid just as it starts to darken from the fresh cherry red it normally is. Not once it has darkened considerably or turned black.
I've changed exchanged 2 quarts on my Rav4. Total. 605100 km and still going strong. Exchanging the fluid probably won't hurt but I'm not convinced it has any benefit. The Rav4 transmission only slips a little. Maybe changing it out would have prevented this. Maybe not. I don't plan to touch the ATF in m Camry. We'll see what happens.
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It is a weird setup, sort of like a manual trans change.
Drain plug on the side and fill plug.
I found a trans shop that will drain it and refill for $59.99.
I will let them mess with it.
It needs to be hot and level, and it has a check plug to check for proper fill.
Mine just turned 65k, just had the first coolant change, will have the ATF done in a a few weeks.
Drain plug on the side and fill plug.
I found a trans shop that will drain it and refill for $59.99.
I will let them mess with it.
It needs to be hot and level, and it has a check plug to check for proper fill.
Mine just turned 65k, just had the first coolant change, will have the ATF done in a a few weeks.
Excess clutch material and wear/tear metals from the gears are abrasives. This isn't a good thing floating around. Even though you might get away with it like some of the folks mentioned it could cause problems down the road. With transmissions being $4-6-8K why not replace the fluid and not take a chance? Silly if you ask me to save a buck.
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Nick1994
$100 site donor 2024
84k on mine with original fluid. Have been meaning to figure out a drain and refill but haven't gotten around to it.
"It needs to be hot and level " ... Could : "cold and level " work too ?
Originally Posted by JustinH
It is a weird setup, sort of like a manual trans change.
Drain plug on the side and fill plug.
I found a trans shop that will drain it and refill for $59.99.
I will let them mess with it.
It needs to be hot and level, and it has a check plug to check for proper fill.
Mine just turned 65k, just had the first coolant change, will have the ATF done in a a few weeks.
Originally Posted by JustinH
It is a weird setup, sort of like a manual trans change.
Drain plug on the side and fill plug.
I found a trans shop that will drain it and refill for $59.99.
I will let them mess with it.
It needs to be hot and level, and it has a check plug to check for proper fill.
Mine just turned 65k, just had the first coolant change, will have the ATF done in a a few weeks.
The picture shows what factory fill Mercon LV looks like at 12,000 miles. This is a 150,000 mile ATF according to Ford
.
Whimsey
Whimsey
I did full ATF exchanges (not a forceful flush) on my Forte at 50k km and Sportage at 30k km to replace all old ATF containing abrasive material in it. There was some in it.
Now will be doing D/F every 50k km on Forte and 30k km on Sportage. I used MaxLife in both, works great. Forte is up for D/F this weekend, Sportage has 15k km to go yet.
MaxLife can be found in Canadian stores now, I bought two 5L jugs at Walmart:
https://www.kia-forums.com/do-yourself/330408-heads-up-maxlife-atf.html
Cheers,
db9
Now will be doing D/F every 50k km on Forte and 30k km on Sportage. I used MaxLife in both, works great. Forte is up for D/F this weekend, Sportage has 15k km to go yet.
MaxLife can be found in Canadian stores now, I bought two 5L jugs at Walmart:
https://www.kia-forums.com/do-yourself/330408-heads-up-maxlife-atf.html
Cheers,
db9
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Originally Posted by Whimsey
The picture shows what factory fill Mercon LV looks like at 12,000 miles. This is a 150,000 mile ATF according to Ford
.
Whimsey
Mercon LV, even when almost new, turns dark very quickly. This has nothing to do with debris load or oxidation. Ford advises that it is considered normal for it to darken early. It is a fully synthetic fluid and cannot be compared to earlier semi-syn or non-synthetic fluids, in terms of durability. On the F150 forums, there are really no reports of early trans failure for the 6R80E and many of the people on these boards tow quite a bit.
SPECIAL SERVICE MESSAGES
21138 AUTO TRANS - MERCON LV FLUID COLOR
SOME 2008-2010 VEHICLES, EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FACTORY FILLED WITH MERCON LV FLUID (PART # XT-10-
QLV), MAY EXHIBIT DARK COLORED TRANS FLUID THAT MAY LOOK BURNT IN APPEARANCE. THIS IS A NORMAL
CHARACTERISTIC OF THIS FLUID AND WILL NOT AFFECT TRANSMISSION FUNCTION OR DURABILITY. THE MERCON LV FLUID IS A
DEEP RED COLOR, COMPARED TO CONVENTIONAL MERCON V BRIGHT RED FLUID, AND THE COLOR NATURALLY DARKENS AT
RELATIVELY LOW MILEAGE. IN SOME CASES, THE FLUID MAY APPEAR TO HAVE A GREEN TINT DUE TO DYE USED TO CHECK FOR
LEAKS AT THE ASSEMBLY PLANT. TRANS FLUID COLOR SHOULD NOT BE USED AS SOLE INDICATOR FOR TRANSMISSION REPAIRS.
REFER TO THE CORRECT VEHICLE AND MODEL YEAR WORKSHOP MANUAL AND/OR MAINTENANCE GUIDE FOR DIAGNOSTICS,
REPAIRS, AND/OR SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE.
EFFECTIVE DATE: 12/08/2009
The picture shows what factory fill Mercon LV looks like at 12,000 miles. This is a 150,000 mile ATF according to Ford
Whimsey
Mercon LV, even when almost new, turns dark very quickly. This has nothing to do with debris load or oxidation. Ford advises that it is considered normal for it to darken early. It is a fully synthetic fluid and cannot be compared to earlier semi-syn or non-synthetic fluids, in terms of durability. On the F150 forums, there are really no reports of early trans failure for the 6R80E and many of the people on these boards tow quite a bit.
SPECIAL SERVICE MESSAGES
21138 AUTO TRANS - MERCON LV FLUID COLOR
SOME 2008-2010 VEHICLES, EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FACTORY FILLED WITH MERCON LV FLUID (PART # XT-10-
QLV), MAY EXHIBIT DARK COLORED TRANS FLUID THAT MAY LOOK BURNT IN APPEARANCE. THIS IS A NORMAL
CHARACTERISTIC OF THIS FLUID AND WILL NOT AFFECT TRANSMISSION FUNCTION OR DURABILITY. THE MERCON LV FLUID IS A
DEEP RED COLOR, COMPARED TO CONVENTIONAL MERCON V BRIGHT RED FLUID, AND THE COLOR NATURALLY DARKENS AT
RELATIVELY LOW MILEAGE. IN SOME CASES, THE FLUID MAY APPEAR TO HAVE A GREEN TINT DUE TO DYE USED TO CHECK FOR
LEAKS AT THE ASSEMBLY PLANT. TRANS FLUID COLOR SHOULD NOT BE USED AS SOLE INDICATOR FOR TRANSMISSION REPAIRS.
REFER TO THE CORRECT VEHICLE AND MODEL YEAR WORKSHOP MANUAL AND/OR MAINTENANCE GUIDE FOR DIAGNOSTICS,
REPAIRS, AND/OR SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE.
EFFECTIVE DATE: 12/08/2009
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