bdonnnn

Hey I just purchased a 2001 tiburon (automatic). I've been having nothing but problems with it so far.. I already got a transmission seal fixed and still have to get another transmission leak fixed. I filled my tank a few days ago when I first bought it and I only have a quarter tank left and I only went 160 miles, someone told me it might be because of my air filter so I got that changed but I don't think that would make my gas mileage that awful. There is no gas leak either. When I go over 60 mph the steering wheel vibrates pretty bad and sometimes when I'm driving my transmission won't shift at all, but when I turn my car off and back on the transmission will shift perfectly. Also is it normal that my car heats up really fast?

majik

Welcome to the forums. We have a lot of Tiburon owners, and several former owners.



We'll help you through this process



First... Explain "really fast" in terms of minutes (seconds?) and if you're driving or letting it sit to warm up? Is it overheating at all? Is there plenty of clean antifreeze in the Coolant resevoir, or is it milky/oily/colorful?



Second... 1/4 tank after 160 miles doesn't tell us much. Fill it up, drive it til it's almost empty, fill it up again, then calculate the miles pe r gallon (total miles on the trip divided by gallons pumped). It's possible you've only used 6-8 gallons over those 160 miles (calculating 20-26mpg)



Third... Steering wheel shaking could be a few things. Easiest to inspect is wear on the tires, it might just need an alignment. It could also need new wheel bearings, or just balancing. Make sure all lug nuts are tight - does it have aftermarket wheels?



Fourh... Transmission problems: Unfortuantely the automatic on the Tiburon is known for going bad. BUT, in my personal experience, when it goes bad, it's dead. It doesn't matter if you turn the car off or not. Check the A/T Fluid level, maybe it would just be a good idea to get the fluid changed. Do a DRAIN AND FILL, not a flush, and use ONLY what the dealer recommends (I think it's SP-III fluid). If you do not use the Hyundai specified A/T Fluid, it may ruin your transmission. They're very picky about fluid - this is one of those things you need to suck up and pay the dealer. It's doubtful anywhere local will even have SP-III A/T Fluid. I was told dozens of times that quick-lube oil change places could flush my A/T fluid, and I would ask them to check just to see if they had the right fluid. Nope, theynever did.



Fourth con't... Wait, you have transmission leaks (plural?!)? Who's fixing them, and what fluid are they using to replenish? What's causing the leaks? Be careful how much you're spending. It may be CHEAPER to grab a new(used) transmission from a junk yard.



How many miles are on the car?

Did you get any maintenance information when you bought it (timing belt replaced @ xxk miles, A/T serviced, etc.)?



I encourage you to post some pictures in our Garage (top left, click Hyundai Race Track). Maybe we can identify something through your pictures that may help.

bdonnnn

Hey thanks for the reply.. I honestly dont know anything about cars.



I was driving for maybe like 3 or 4 minutes and it was heated to the normal part, it didnt over heat.



I did fill up the tank from E and then drove 160 miles and i only had a quarter tank left.



I have no idea what tires it has..



The transmission leak i got fixed was the axle seal, there is still another leak though! the bushing or the bearing?? im not sure but something inside of the trans is worn out and it needs to be fixed.. is this something i should go to the hyundai dealership for? The car only has 91,000 miles (the reason i bought the thing) How much do new/used transmissions cost?



What kind of pictures did you want?



by the way, is the anti leak/stop rough shifting trans oil okay to use on the tiburon? just to slow down the leakage and possibly help the rough shifting.



thanks,

Brandon

majik

Post a picture of the outside of the car, a profile/side shot.

Post a picture of the engine bay.



Did you buy it from a dealership or private seller?



I searched Car-Part.com and there is a 1999 Tiburon transmission for sale from a junk yard for $450. It comes with a 120-day warranty, which should be enough to notice any damage that might be there. I would ask how many miles it has on it.



Call a few local transmission shops in your area and ask how much it would cost to replace the transmission if you brought in the replacement. Tell them it's a 2001 Hyundai Tiburon, Front wheel drive 4 cylinder. I don't know where to begin giving you quotes on installation - maybe $500? If you go through the dealership, they may charge $2,300 for a new transmission installed. It's worth calling and asking, it takes 5 minutes to call and there's no obligation.



CTS Auto Parts, Inc. USA-MI(Taylor) 1-734-282-1700



1999

Transmission

Hyundai Tiburon



Stock # 996724

Price: $449

Descr: 120DAY WARRANTY. RD-DI TESTED DROVE IN





by the way... my first Automatic transmission died at 62,000 miles. The second died 63,000 miles later (covered under warranty). At that point, I swapped it to a manual. I highly doubt the warranty was transferred to you, but it had a 10yr 100,000 mile warranty on the transmission. Maybe you could get a dealer to replace it for you? if you don't ask, the answer's always no, but I doubt they'll do it.



Was the seller the original owner of the vehicle? Maybe they could work to get it fixed under warranty.

bdonnnn

would it maybe be easier to get it rebuilt? or maybe my override might not work? are you pretty sure it needs to be replaced? because i just bought this car 4 days ago and i need it for work and stuff and im super mad that its already breaking down on me. But i also just put this anti-leak and slip stuff in it and took it for a spin, it drove perfectly and shifted nicely. i am confused??

majik

I don't know if it needs to be replaced. Several things could contribute to your symptoms. Don't run out and replace the transmission, I'm just pointing out one possibility.



If it's running fine, then let it be. It's possible that it was low on fluid, since you said it was leaking.



Who did the work, and did they add any ATF since it was low?



From what I remember, Lucas A/T stuff was supposed to be safe. I can't be certain

bdonnnn

hmmm i dont think the fluid was low, but yeah the mechanic did fill it, i just added more to it since it was leaking, hopefully this will hold it because i cant afford to make any major fixes right now. I forgot what brand of the anti leak stuff was, but the guy at auto-zone said it was fine. what would you recommend?

Tibbi

What he's is describing is the exact issue I have been dealing with. You drive the car at speed then it just randomly kicks into 3rd and is stuck there until you restart. That (iirc) is a bad end bearing, which is caused by using the incorrect fluid and/or spirited driving. My #1 recomendation is to swap to a manual, but it seems that might be a bit out of question. To be totally honest getting the trans serviced will be about twice as much as paying someone to drop a new one in BUT unlike the shadetree option with a rebuild you get a warranty and piece of mind. Just so long as your mechanic uses the Hyundai fluid. In my experience with the autos its the only oil that will work.

bdonnnn

How much would it cost to swap to a manual? so what should i do? should i be concerned/ is my car gonna breakdown soon?

Tibbi

I have been driving my tib like this (and I really should admit I'v been this negligent but) for almost a year. I don't do much highway speed travel so if you kick off the o/d and use it like a push button 4th it will get you where you need to go but it is REALLY bad for the transmission. Not sure how much the swap would cost or if a pro would even touch it honestly. I don't recall how much the parts are all together but with a decent clutch you might be able to get away under $1000 if you find a friend with the know how and time.



Here's the DIY that most consider the definitive answer:

https://www.hyundaiaftermarket.org/f..._1#entry233554