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2001 Accent auto-transmission noise/vibration

4K views 10 replies 4 participants last post by  zero_gravity 
#1 ·
I have a 2001 Accent with a auto-transmission. The engine is a 1.6 and the car has about 100,000 miles on it. I had it since about 5 years with about 48,000 miles.

While driving cross country a couple years the car developed a whining noise at about 25 mph. As speed is increased, the whining became louder. I have driven it like this ever since, moderately, never pushing it. Starting a couple months ago, the noise has become louder at 40 to 45 mph and there is considerable vibration.

I know the tranny in this car is known for many different problems. I'm just wonder what the thoughts are of others more familiar with this transmission as to what could be the issues ( a certain bearing going bad between gears?, maybe not a tranny issues ...just random ideas on my part ).

Thanks for any info.

BTW, I have never had an error code develop for this transmission
 
#3 ·
No, it's not the wheel bearing. The noise and vibration is coming directly out of the center of the car ( while in the driver seat, driving along) where the shifter/transmission would be. As an alternative to the transmission,

I was thinking maybe the inboard end of the CV joint.

Are you aware of any full parts schematic break down for this style transmission?
 
#4 ·
Given that this is an Accent slushbox, the first thing I would be looking at is the 4th gear bearing ring steadily chewing itself to pieces. This is a known fault with these and damage can be happening without losing 4th/OD. The longer you drive it when its making unusual noises the higher the bill you will pay because the more damage it will do.
Get the car to a Garage asap and have the transmission fluid changed. Also ask them to check the magnets built into the transmission sump plate/filters. I will bet that you/they'll find small metal fragments in there. If you do then its a transmission rebuild.
Listen to the transmission when it shifts, you should get 3 shifts before its in top because its a 4 speed, its possible that the 4th ratio gear bearing (which looks remarkably like something you'd find on a pushbike deraillier gearset, and is amazingly flimsy for having 100hp running through it) has chewed itself to oblivion but that the dash warning light is faulty, or possibly even disconnected. In the dark days of prehistory it wasnt unknown for cars with negative oil pressure to be filled with a mixture of new oil and sawdust on the basis it would maintain oil pressure just long enough for the seller to get his money and have it away on his blakeys before the engine blew up/chewed its bearings/seized solid (with a lovely smell of wood smoke to keep you company).
It would also be worth asking the garage to pull the error codes from the ECU.
Whining in gear is usually a transmission issue, wheel bearings are usually a droning noise which will get worse when you load that bearing, ie if your rear left bearing is going the way of the dodo it will load up and make more of a racket when you turn right.
Another possible option is the final drive/differential is on its last legs, maybe it has lost its lubrication (they're sealed units but given this is Hyundai, sealed for a given value of sealed) which would cause a whiny diff because as well as providing lubrication the oil/transmission fluid acts as a vibrational damper stopping harmonics between the gears (which we would hear as a high whine).
 
#5 ·
Thanks for the info. If this does finally go, the car is going to the bone yard. I only picked this car up years ago after a women ran a stop sign and totaled my Corolla. I never liked this car from the day I had it. It always felt as if something was going to seriously wrong with eventually. Just a cheap feel to the way it was made and the way it drove.

I have a code reader and I have never had an error codes at all for the transmission.

I may end up dropping the pan myself and checking for metal. The only thing that stopped me was, I really don't want to put any money into this car.
 
#6 ·
Maybe consider selling it if it's in good shape. Your mileage is still low.

These cars are surprisingly reliable for what they are, but I'll be the first to say that they are crap. Reliable crap once you get past a couple of trouble spots, but still crap. Kind of like a gold plated turd.
 
#7 ·
Replacing a transmission that costs more than the car itself isn't a trouble spot. It's a death sentence.

Not to mention working on this car is a royal pain in the neck. The engineering is horrible and the quality of the parts is just as bad. So many nuts, bolts, fittings ect. either rust away beyond use or become so brittle they shatter when trying to open, release ect.

Cheap, cheap crap! Korean junk.
 
#9 ·
It only has 100,000 on it? What kind of shape is the rest of the car?

I've seen some of these go 250,000.

BTW, next time you get a Corolla, have a good poke around. Plenty of Chinese parts that are just as bad or worse than Korean parts. Half my Scion came from China. The inside of the transmission looks unfinished, not like the trannies that were in Toyotas before.

Everybody's cheapening up.
 
#10 ·
Wasting your time? Screw you and screw off! If you haven't noticed this is a FORUM meant to further DISCUSSION of a issues GOOD and BAD for this make and model. Too bad you take well deserved, constructive criticism to heart over a POORLY engineered piece of junk name brand!

Easy to work on? Try replacing the starter or opening up the dash console for stereo installation! ****, try turning a simple bolt on one of the dough nut clamps! That's right, you will waste almost a half an hour to hopefully loosen it up, if not it will completely break, due to the corrosion ( and half the metal of said part having already fallen/flaked off!

Now the cheap, sliver thin intake manifold gasket has developed a leak and I will have to replace that ( another known issue for this Korean piece of junk)!

What do I consider easy? How about the endless amount of cars I have worked on for the past 35 years! How about my Chevy pick up, Chevy van, Chevy Nova? How about my Toyota's..pick up, Corolla? How about the Mitsubishi Eclipse I changed 2 engines ( bone yard engines to save him money he didn't have at the time) and 1 transmission for a friend ( terrible engineering in that pig but EASY to work on)! ... just to name a few and i didn't even get into the heavy trucks and tractors I have worked on that were of much higher quality and EASIER to work on than this Korean piece of junk!
 
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