Q: Rough shifting when I hit Third gear
My 2010 Hyundai Elantra recently started having difficulty shifting into third gear. It shifts pretty smoothly from first to second, then clunks hard into third before making a somewhat rough shift into fourth. I am disappointed that a car with only 80,000 miles on it might need a new transmission. How do I prevent this problem from happening again?
A transmission does a lot of work propelling the car forward. Things that need to be checked are the fluid level and condition, which can be checked via the transmission dipstick. The fluid should be reddish color and read full with the engine running at idle in park, with transmission warm (20 minute drive). If the fluid is black and smells burnt, there could be slipping issue. I believe that if you are the original owner, your power-train(engine and transmission), are covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. The dealer will probably ask if you have had the transmission serviced. If your transmission has been serviced, the only acceptable fluid (the only fluid which doesn’t void warranty) will be the auto transmission fluid from Hyundai. If it has been serviced at an independent shop, you should have a receipt indicating type of fluid. If the fluid does not directly meet Hyundai specifications, the warranty on the transmission might be voided. If the transmission has the original fluid, or a Hyundai transmission service, your vehicle might fall under Technical Services Bulletin (TSB) 13-AT-005-1 for a transmission repair. To have an independent inspection of the transmission fluid, you can contact a certified mechanic from YourMechanic.
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