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2000 Accent Overdrive Problem

48K views 19 replies 15 participants last post by  Blacketik 
#1 ·
Alright, well I have recently purchased a 2000 Hyundai Accent, 1.5l SOHC, automatic. 117k miles. The problem is, it won't shift into overdrive. It appears that the overdrive button works, as the dashboard light turns on and off, but pressing the button has no effect on the transmission, as it still doesn't go into 4th gear. It's 3rd gear all the way down the freeway, which really limits me to cruising at like 60 mph. Any ideas what this could be? The fluid seems alright, and there's enough I believe.
 
#2 ·
Well the O/D button does this.

If it's on as in no light on the dash on,

You will be in third gear unless u depress the gas hard in order to pass or get out of danger it will drop 1 gear and shift to O/D.

If you turn OD off, where light on dash is on

it will shift through all your gears normally.
 
#4 ·
Dear vanfullofmidgets,

You must be getting a Check Engine Light on your dashboard. I say this because the troubleshooting chart for your Accent's transmission lists a long list of codes and the cause. Per the flow diagram, it is almost impossible for your Overdrive to not work properly and not give you an CEL code.

That code would really help the Forum out to diagnose your problem. Can you go to Autozone and get your CEL code read for free?

Byron
 
#6 ·
Yeah I was just misinformed by HYUNDAI. which is what usually happens.

Hyundai told me OD off meant the OverDrive feature (not gear) is off.

as in stepping down hard to drop a gear and go up one to pass a car won't happen.


But it really is that if OD off is lit up you only use 3 gears.


Hyundai trannys are aweful. They will go before the engine does, which doesnt say much.
 
#7 ·
I hate this thing, honestly. I realize this is a Hyundai forum, but this car is apparently junk. 117 thousand miles, and the transmission is already losing gears? I wanted to be suprised, but apparently I won't be. My Volkswagen, which was 11 years older, had an automatic transmission that worked (and still does) after 575 thousand miles. And it had only 3 gears too, but at least it was DESIGNED to have 3 gears.

Too bad.

edit: I guess it's almost impossible for it to not work and not have a CEL, but i took it to Autozone anyways, even without the CEL on (which works, because it comes on with the rest of the lights when the car is turned on) and no codes.
 
#8 ·
Originally posted by vanfullofmidgets@Dec 20 2007, 08:22 PM
I hate this thing, honestly. I realize this is a Hyundai forum, but this car is apparently junk. 117 thousand miles, and the transmission is already losing gears? I wanted to be suprised, but apparently I won't be. My Volkswagen, which was 11 years older, had an automatic transmission that worked (and still does) after 575 thousand miles. And it had only 3 gears too, but at least it was DESIGNED to have 3 gears.

Too bad.

edit: I guess it's almost impossible for it to not work and not have a CEL, but i took it to Autozone anyways, even without the CEL on (which works, because it comes on with the rest of the lights when the car is turned on) and no codes.
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Yes, Hyundai's are awful. That's all it comes down to. When I first came here I thought there was something I was missing.

Then I see everyone just has problems. Many forums have good stuff, like hey look at this this is coool! but here its why does this do this? Or in your case NOT SHIFT GEARS!

I have an 89 celica that just OWNS.... and an 02 Accent that sux

:{

i feel your pain
 
#9 ·
Try replacing the transmission sensor/cable it is $35. I have to do this every 10Kmiles since the 100K mark. Everyone says it is the transmission but it is just the sensor/cable. It is a good car, just learn how to work on cars and you can make them last forever. Also get a ODC reader from Harbor Freight or Pep Boys when on sale and get familar with the www.hmaservice.com online manual.
 
#10 ·
It is possible and common for the od light to work but the module never recieves the signal. the problem is in the OD switch that is in the shifter. There are 3 wires that come out of the switch and run to a conector on the side of the shift assy. If you pull slightly on the red/orange wire it will pull loose. the wire breaks inside the insulation. follow the wires to the conector and jump the red/orange to the red/blue. drive it and see if your od works. if so rplace the switch. Good luck
 
#11 ·
My 02 did that for one day, on the way to work and back (70 miles total). The next day it was fine, so I guess that dosnt help you out... but I guessed it was something electrical cause the inside of my car got soaked in a bad rainstorm with the windows down all night.

Ever since (the rain) it does funny things once in a while.
The backlit radio screen is always on,
the dash turn indicator lights dont flash very brightly sometimes,
spedo/pod lights flicker ocasionally,
headlights flicker ocasionally,
It had 2" on the floorboards, I bailed the H2O out and drove home that night.

But also when the tranny did that it was the day after a friend borrowed the car so I figured he did a brakestand or something dumb and messed something up. But all was fine the next day.

Mine has about 65,000 miles
Yes these cars are fragile and junk lol.
 
#12 ·
Tech1 was right> I just fixed the same problem on my 1997 accent. I took apart the covers to the shifter to get at the wires comming from the overdrive switch and there was a broken wire. After splicing the wire the overdrive worked again. I was having the same problem as you with the light on the dash working but no overdrive.Thanks again to tech1 for his advice.
 
#13 ·
Tech1 was right> I just fixed the same problem on my 1997 accent. I took apart the covers to the shifter to get at the wires comming from the overdrive switch and there was a broken wire. After splicing the wire the overdrive worked again. I was having the same problem as you with the light on the dash working but no overdrive.Thanks again to tech1 for his advice.


I was having the same problem only the light on the dash did not work. The car would not shift into overdrive. Two of the 3 wires from the overdrive switch were broken. The wires were tightly bundled and zip tied and it broke at the fold inside the cover. I reconnected the broken wires and overdrive works and the light on the dash also works now. Easy fix...just remove center console to get to the wires.
 
#16 ·
Thanks!

Thanks to the people in this post who didn't give up trying to fix what turns out to be A VERY SIMPLE ISSUE. Just fixed my friends car. Hyundai's aren't all crap either. Even a Bentley, if not taken care of, will leave you stranded. I personally like Hyundai and think they are going places. More places than Mazda & Chevrolet for example. Peace!
 
#17 ·
I have a Hyundai with this exact problem. Step one check the pulse generators if the check out. I'm a GM tech but I turn over totals on the side. I dropped the fluid and pan before anything and found fiber and a piece of a steel in mine. But Hyundai recommends checking you sensors first. Honestly these cars are **** and fall apart after 100k. I'm about to tear into mine and do a complete overhaul BC I can do it for about 500 vs a 2300 certifit trans.
 
#18 ·
hyundai auto transmissions of that era are terrible. the manuals are supposedly very reliable, but i proved that one wrong! still manual failing is fairly unusual...but the clutch bearings suck.

funny thing is the engines in these cars are pretty much bullet proof. they're good cars once you know the trouble spots and are willing to accept that.
 
#19 · (Edited)
If you hammer any car it will without exception start having expensive problems. I would call a car that needed 5 new engines in 30,000 miles a crap car - except for one fact. The reason it was eating engines was because it had a rotary engine and (uneducated) people were revving them to the point of destruction (15k+) and then whining like a Renault wheel bearing when the poor thing detonated like a clinically depressed hand grenade.. if you are curious the car is the NSU RO80 - and some people have done 300k+ on the original engines for one simple reason - they were careful and mechanically sympathetic.

Heres a simple guide of DONTS.

1. On a cold start DONT rev the poor things nuts off - it has an automatic choke which works perfectly - turn the key and it will start. If it doesnt pump the accelerator three times and try the engine again. This is ESPECIALLY important for engines with hydraulic lifters or the abomination that is FIAT/Chrysler MultiAir. Ditto anything with a turbo.

2. Oddly enough this car, bar possibly the MVI, is not a formula 1 car - its torque band is not in the heady heights of 5/6000rpm - its between 2800-4000. Dont over-rev any engine, you will end up causing problems, not to mention bad fuel consumption.

3. Tyre pressures, DONT forget to check them - they have an effect on performance, and likely on peoples right boot. Low tyre pressures = strain on the entire drivetrain, not to mention the effect on safety.

4. Auto. DONT try and use the park position on the shift as an emergency brake - parts of your transmission will soon be found stuffed down rabbit holes and hanging from trees (or alternatively rattling around in the filters, slowly disintegrating).

5. Auto: With this transmission its probably best to use OD OFF in town driving, only letting the OD out of its cage on fast roads/freeway - that way you help a fragile component and stop the possibility of the engine bogging down in the wrong gear (which again adds to wear)- it might affect MPG a little.

6. MANUAL: DONT ride the clutch pedal. It is not, repeat NOT, a footrest. If you dont cook the clutch, you'll damage the clutch cable (my brother is famous for this) and you can bet the one time you'll break a clutch cable is on someone elses car (thanks again bro..)

7. Manual - If at first it doesnt go into gear DONT use brute force. Manual Accents are notorious for a rough shift between 1/2 - a trick is to slip the shifter across the neutral gate between first and second - especially when cold. Double declutching also helps.

8. DONT be rough with them. Any tool or mechanical/electronic device will last longer if it is looked after and cared for properly. It may sound strange but I am convinced these things have a personality - at the very least they react to your moods and actions. Neglect them and you can guarantee they'll wait until just before the doctors appointment or wedding you are late for not to start (note: if its *your* wedding, probably time to look for exorcists on craigslist..).

Last and not least - there is an old saying, a bad workman blames his tools. If you've done 300,000 miles in 3 years, replaced the oil with the bargain basement stuff on the routine of "when I can be bothered", not had the vehicle serviced regularly, not kept an eye on things like oil/coolant and pressures etc and you end up with a money pit - then to be blunt its your own lookout.
If on the other hand you've barely hit 50,000 miles in 8 years & maintainence has reached a level of zen perfection and its a money pit, then you've something to be upset about.

Finally, to be completely fair to the Accent and cars like them - they are not built to be motorway/freeway vehicles exclusively. They are designed as town cars with a mixture of driving. My old Renault Safrane positively loved motorway driving, it was its raison d'etre - the trouble was while it would do 35mpg+ on the motorway it'd barely manage 22mpg in town (stock) & 25mpg with a warm air intake.

The moral of the story - learn mechanical sympathy and your wallet will forever thank you.
 
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