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1999 Elantra Automatic Transmission Problem - No Movement - What to Check?


Idaho_Mechanic1984
04-15-2009, 10:48 AM
I am awaiting the title to this car before I start investing in it.

Is there anything I can check on without taking it apart to see what the source of the problem is?

Starts up and Engine sounds good. Put it in gear and I hear it make that small noise like it is shifted into gear but hit the gas and it won't budge an inch in reverse or forward gears. Towed it to my house fine in neutral from where it was at with the engine running and in the last 100 meters to my house it made a small stream of tranny fluid and then a little puddle where we stopped it at before bringing it into the driveway.

So did it commit suicide somewhere inside it from probably never having a filter and fluid change done on it before?

I have a snap-on 2500 scanner and it had history codes for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th gear shift problems....

Anyone else dealt with this?

My first thing usually is to do a filter and fluid service on tranny problems but I don't understand why it started leaking fluid after 3-4 blocks of being towed with the engine running?

I have a some tranny's available locally for 400-600 bucks but I don't want to spent that if I can fix it with a fluid and filter and/or transmission ECU.

Thanks for any insight and help in advance!!!

Dale in Idaho

geovair66
04-21-2009, 10:29 AM
hey there, I had the same issues, had to tear into it and found the kickdown drum(shell) spline teeth worn off. thats probably what youre going to be dealing with. mine had 2nd gear, harsh shift from 2nd to 3rd and had no reverse. let me know what you come up with and good luck!!

lowsonoma1999
04-21-2009, 11:39 AM
What codes were in it? If they are coming back as incorrect ratios, the tranny is definately trash.

geovair66
04-21-2009, 12:06 PM
0732.0734.1701 and one other i cant remember. i have some hyundai p/ns if you decide to rebuild

lowsonoma1999
04-21-2009, 12:37 PM
0732.0734.1701 and one other i cant remember. i have some hyundai p/ns if you decide to rebuild

P0732 = 2nd gear incorrect ratio
P0734 = 4th gear incorrect ratio
not finding the 1701 after a quick look. Doesn't matter though, with the other 2 codes, you need a tranny.

geovair66
04-21-2009, 01:28 PM
you dont need a tranny if you have any mechanical ability at all!! take it apart and change what needs to be changed and do a good job of cleaning it out. changing the kickdown drum and most outer bearing fixed mine.

Idaho_Mechanic1984
04-21-2009, 04:48 PM
you dont need a tranny if you have any mechanical ability at all!! take it apart and change what needs to be changed and do a good job of cleaning it out. changing the kickdown drum and most outer bearing fixed mine.


Hey GeoVair66 - Do you have to remove the transmission or is it something done by dropping the pan? How long did it take you? It fixed all of your problems and shifts fine now?

Any more details at all would be much appreciated!!! I've always heard it is too difficult to mess with transmission because they have so many pieces and require specialized tools to be done correctly without messing something up or making it unreliable...?

Thanks Again!

Dale in Idaho

lowsonoma1999
04-22-2009, 12:43 AM
Hyundai transmissions are quite difficult. So much so, Hyundai won't let us tear into one. As deep as we are allowed to go is to change out the solenoids, but that is it. I have had several transmission shops screw up a rebuild, and just buy a rebuilt from me. A reman trans from Hyundai is fairly in expensive. They all list at $1600, and I usually sell them for $1k - $1200, depending how good the customer is. You could probably pick up a used one from a junkyard for a few hundred bucks, just make sure you put the correct fluid in it, or you'll be doing it all over again.

geovair66
05-11-2009, 09:05 AM
Sorry for the long pause, I forgot about the issue! Anyway, you have to be the judge if you want to tear into it or not! I'll tackle anything. I did and found the problem and it's driven fine since. It took about 2-3 hrs to pull the tranny while supporting the engine. about 2 hrs to pull the trans apart and onother 2 to reassemble, and about three to install. These are approx time and remember i did it out of my garage, the pros could do it in much less time. Do'nt let someone talk you into letting them do something you might be able to do yourself. I remember someone saying the Hyundai trannys are too difficult to work on(THAT"S BULL***T), they are based on the same principal and do the same job as any other auto trans, so take a chance dude!! good luck !! Go to HMASERVICE.COM for help, you'll need to sign up but it's free!!

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