01 Hyundai Santa Fe jerks then is hard to accelerate

Thank you very much for the fast response! I'll get started as soon as possible looking into the areas you mentioned. I'll definitely let you know what comes of it. Thanks again.

-Todd

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Thank you very much for the fast response! I'll get started as soon as possible looking into the areas you mentioned. I'll definitely let you know what comes of it. Thanks again.

-Todd

GA!

Stu

First off let me say that bringing it to your car's manafacturer's service dealership should have been your first step. Second check this website out http://www.obd-codes.com/trouble_codes/ it will list the OBD code your looking for. I have 10 years experience in the automotive field so I'll tell you a little " trick of the trade " . Whenever there is a " CHECK " engine light on, always repair the mechanical system of the vehicle before pursuing the " CHECK " engine light, always .... no exceptions. Secondly... P0420 is a code that relates to your catalyst system. Let me tell you another funny thing ... I have seen hundreds of these complaints & fixed them myself. Your car, vehicle, lawn mower or stereo if need be, will carry a five year emissions warranty by Federal Law, so you can go to Hyundai & may be still eligible for warranty. Thirdly... as a mechanic I would inspect the exhaust system for signs of cracks in the manifold area anywheres before the catalytic converter or a poor running engine e.g.: leaking or faulty fuel injector, ignition system, vacuum leak.. etc. . Your other code ( P0715 Input/Turbine Speed Sensor Circuit Malfunction ) is a symptom of the mechanical fault most likely. You see, the engine when confused or in state of limp mode while driving will default & select a lower gear temporarily putting the car in neutral which removes drive from the transmission which allows the engine to over rev ( RPM's to go high but no power to the wheels ) . Fourthly... after visiting the Hyundai dealership & sharing your new found knowledge with them, please let me know how it went. Not all bad people work at dealerships. Your welcome :)

General Dwight David Eisenhower

"Unless each day can be looked back upon by an individual as one in which he has had some fun, some joy, some real satisfaction, that day is a loss."

I had a similar action from some GM automatics when I was travelling a lot and got somehere above 75,000 Miles on a car. The first time it happened I noticed the burned smell and pulled the pan and drained the transmission. That gets 2-3 quarts of fluid and made an immediate diffierence in the shifting and general operation. A week later I went through the same scenario and also brazed a 1/2-20 Nut at a low point on the pan cover and drilled through it to make draining a lot easier. A hex bolt with a fiber washer sealed the hole similar to an engine oil pan setup and I was back in business.

After that I religously did the same on all new cars at 15-20,000 miles and changed the 2-3 quarts of transmission oil every 5-10,000 miles with several vehicles going to 125,00 plus miles with no transmission problems.

At least it is an inexpensive thing to try.

To me i would look at the springs and pressure plate on your clutch first or the jerk behind the wheel could be the problem.

Try this web site .

http://autorepair.about.com/cs/troubleshooting/l/bl_obd_7.htm

http://autorepair.about.com/library/a/1i/bl246i.htm

Okay, so I've finally had the time to go to the Hyundai dealership and have this all figured out. $85 later and they tell me it's exactly what the OBD code said... the Input/Turbine speed sensor that is causing the vehicle to jerk and go into fail-safe mode. So, they were going to charge me $270, not including tax, to fix this. My local shop is going to charge $110. So, my choice is clear. However, as I suspected, the transmission fluid is "seriously recommended" to be flushed... for another $180. The problem lies in the fact that this comes from the service counter while the mechanic who worked on my Hyundai told me that he would be "scared" to flush that fluid because of the shape it is in. He said it may release things keeping it running. I checked the fluid myself and it is a deep brown color but I'm unsure if it is "burned". It smells like a crayon but thats not a smell I would describe as burned at all. Who knows though, I have no idea about cars. Is this something I should do or let it ride? Thanks again everyone.

Todd,

I know you're having trouble; auto trans jerks then is hard to accelerate, but I also had trouble, Tuesday, of a different type.

I'm finding it hard to accelerate the jerk to repair my auto.

Classic story of being 'snowed' by an unscrupulous repair shop.

Cheers,

Stu.

You have to do something, the transmission will not live long in the current condition.

Do you have a service manual for this vehicle? If not, you need to get one.Should be under $20. With the prices that you have been quoted for the sensor replacement, it must be in a fairly accessible spot. That means that it is mounted on the outside of the transmission, or that it is located inside the removable transmission oil pan. If the transmission fluid change would be an additional $180, my guess is that the sensor is on the outside.

Transmission fluid is bright red when new. If it is not that color, only two things will change the color. 1) Overheating the transmission fluid causing it to have some of the chemicals in it to break down. Usually it will have a burnt smell to it. This is not very common. 2) The clutches inside the transmission have slipped some, and the removed clutch material has turned the fluid darker. This is more common, and probably your case.

Can you remove the transmission pan on the bottom and change the fluid yourself? This will save you $100. This is really an easy job on most vehicles.

As far as the statement "it may release things keeping it running" In 40 years of automotive repairs, that happened to me once, and it was probably my fault. On a high mileage (150,000miles) F350 Ford, I removed the transmission pan and went to lunch. The fluid was allowed to drain for about three hours. The fluid in the clutch pistons emptied, as well as the fluid pump. When I finally restarted the truck, it would not suck the fluid into the pump. After sitting this way overnight, The next day I overfilled the transmission including a quart of STP type of viscosity booster. The raised fluid level reached the pump and it started to pump. Once the pressure was back the clutch pistons became pressurized, and the trans worked again. After it was warmed up, the overfill was removed. As a caution, we used a chemical designed to swell seals. The truck continued to work for another 30 to 40,000 miles before the transmission finally died.

If your transmission looses it's prime, it is because it is already worn, and living on borrowed time. My suggestion would be to position the Santa Fe where you can drain the fluid. Llet it cool overnight. In the morning when it is cold drain and remove the pan replace the transmission filter or screen, and replace and fill with out delay. Get the parts before you drain the pan. With your mileage and concerns, I would add a viscosity booster to the fluid. Lucas is the only one I can think of , but the major auto parts are loaded with these products.

You are going to get posts telling you that there are x number of quarts of fluid in the torque converter that are still dirty. When you change the fluid again in three to four months, you will again remove 2/3 of the fluid and improve the fluid in the transmission. After the first fluid change, you will have a clean filter or screen to clean that old fluid. Good luck and let us know.

PS. If you can find the speed sensor, you should be able to change that as well. Usually only a bolt or snap ring holding it in.

Good post, Bob.

GA.

Stu

awesome guys, thanks for the help thus far. my thoughts on the fluid change were pretty on with what you have suggested. i thought that i should at least not change all the fluid out at once so as to allow the transmission to adjust to the new fluid. then over time i could change out the other two-thirds. i will go ahead with the change then. i take it the mechanic at the dealership was wrong or at least wasn't sure then. i'll stay away from a full flush then. thanks again.

I wonder how many more years the old myth 'changing the transmission oil will cause an old transmission to fail' is going to hang around.

Modern automatic transmissions are VERY precise machines. If the oil is not regularly changed, it will begin to oxidize and start leaving varnish and sludge around inside. Some now use specially formulated oils to provide particular characteristics. Some ARE much longer lived than conventional fluids, but 'lifetime' means life of the warranty (and not ownership).

Most of the 'horror stories' are dealing with failing transmission that were abused and oil was not changed regularly. The oxidized oil will cause seals to harden, shrink, and crack. These damaged seals sometimes WILL re-swell with new fluid, but will crack or split when swelling, leading to 'sudden failure'. People who take their limping along transmissions into a 'transmission place' know they already have problems and are hoping for magic or miracles. (Strokes and minor heart attacks are frequent 'side effects' of stenting and by-pass surgery too).

Hi i have a 01 Santa Fe with the same problem i am planning on changing the fluid by was wondering if i could do it all at once not alittle at a time?