Anyone who is curious, I talked to a technician at Valvoline, he told me that Mercon5 is perfectly compatible with all Diamond atf which is used in Hyundais and Mitsubishis including Diamond atf Special M-11, they have tested and used it extensively in their fleet vehicles requiring Diamond atf. Just thought someone would like to know.

The only fluid for transmissions in Hyundai vehicles is the sp3 fluid. Any other fluid will void warranty and cause internal damage. This topic has been discussed alot on these forums.

How about Amzoil synthetic ATF:

http://www.amsoil.com/storefront/atf.aspx
In case URL not allowed (due to newbie) please go to www dot amsoil dot com slash storefront slash atf dot aspx

In the USA, it is illegal to force you to use the car manufacturer's fuild. Just look up Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act (here's an example):
http://www.knfilters.com/warrantyletter.htm



AMSOIL ATF is recommended for transmission, hydraulic and other applications requiring any of the following specifications:

* Mitsubishi/Hyundai Diamond SP II & III

SERVICE LIFE
AMSOIL Synthetic Automatic Transmission Fluid is recommended for use up to 50,000 miles under severe service* and up to 100,000 miles under normal service* or according to the vehicle manufacturer recommended intervals, whichever is longer. AMSOIL recommends thoroughly draining the transmission and flushing with new AMSOIL ATF to achieve a minimum 90% purity of new transmission fluid. Drain intervals may be extended further with oil analysis.

* As defined by the vehicle or transmission manufacturer.

This post has been edited by RobNC: May 16 2008, 02:13 PM

the only fluid that is safe for hyundai auto boxes is SP111 or mitsubishi diamond. this topic has come up so many times in the past.....the bottom line is if some of you guys want to believe that other fluids are compatable then go ahead and use them....it's your vehicle and your money if the gearbox fails, the only guy l feel sorry for is the poor guy that buys the vehicle second hand and is faced with a problem that a previous owner has created

Thanks for the reply. I challenge anyone to show proof that Amzoil synthetic ATF caused premature failure of the AT. Actually, the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act states that if the manufacturer suspects failure, it is their job to prove it (not just say "you didn't use our fluid").

As we all know, Hyundai doesn't make any fluids whatsoever, or oil filters, or oil, brake fluid, etc. If a manufacturer lists a specification for a fluid, and another manufacturer meets or exceeds that specification, then you should be fine.

However, I do agree with what all other posts have said about this in the past (which I haven't read) - that Dexron III and other fluids (with inferior specifications to SPIII) will probably give credibility to premature AT wear and failure.

(BTW I don't work for Amzoil - but luckily for me a guy at work gets it for me real cheap - and it's cheaper than the dealer, which I understand uses a synthetic blend).

:beer:

as l said it's your choice, your vehicle and your money....if you're convinced that another brand is just as good then use it (but l would'nt!)

BTW, there's a TSB for my vehicle regarding this, just look it up under hmaservice.com (have to login and have the Adobe SVG plugin). Go to 2005 Hyundai Tucson, then Service information, TSBs, AT - Automatica Transaxle, then see 06-40-016. It states:


------------------------------------------------------------
NOTE: Use only Hyundai SPIII ATF, Diamond SPIII ATF or other brands meeting
the SPIII specification approved by Hyundai Motor Company.

NOTE: SPIII has a red color when new; however, the ATF may change color to a
dark red or brown after 10,000 to 25,000 miles in service. This change is
normal for this type of ATF and does not indicate an internal transaxle
condition.

MAINTENANCE INTERVAL:
Refer to the maintenance schedule in the owner’s manuals for maintenance
requirements:
SEVERE DRIVING CONDITIONS:
• Repeated short distance driving
• Extensive idling or low speed operation
• More than 50% driving in heavy city traffic during hot weather above 90°F (32°C)
• Driving in very cold weather below 0°F (-18°C)
• Towing a trailer
• Driving in mountainous areas
SERVICE CHANGE ATF COMMENT
NORMAL 105,000 miles/84 months
SEVERE 30,000 miles/30 months See definition below
------------------------------------------------------------

This post has been edited by RobNC: May 17 2008, 06:32 PM

Chrysler ATF 4+ is a good quality auto oil and it goes in the Hyundai boxes

That's exactly what Montego said!
You can use ANY ATF that meets or exceed sp3 specs.

I HAVE JUST CHECK THE SERVICE MANUAL -!!!!THE SPF III FLUID IS USED ONLY FOR STEERING!!!!- ----DIAMOND ATF MERCON II etc used for ATs!!!!---