2004 Hyundai Santa Fe Owner's Manual - Page 208

6 DO-IT-YOURSELF 14 MAINTENANCE CHECKING THE TRANSAXLE FLUID (AUTOMATIC) Park the car on level ground with the engine off. G110A01E-AAT ! WARNING: It is always better to check the transaxle oil level when the engine is cool or cold. If the engine is hot, you should exercise great caution to avoid burning yourself on hot engine or exhaust parts. G100B02A-AAT To Check the Manual Transaxle Fluid Level 1. Using a wrench of the correct size, loosen the oil filler plug by turning it counterclockwise and remove it with your fingers. 2. Use your finger or suitable tool to feel inside the hole. The oil level should be at its bottom edge. If it is not, check for leaks before adding oil. To refill the transaxle or bring the oil level up,add oil slowly until it reaches the proper level. Do not overfill. 3. Replace the plug and washer, screw it in with your fingers and then tighten securely with the wrench. Transaxle fluid in the automatic transaxle should be checked at those intervals specified in the vehicle maintenance schedule in Section 5. NOTE: Automatic transaxle fluid is basically red color. As driving distance increases, the fluid color turns darkish red gradually. It is a normal condition and you should not judge the need to replace based upon the changing color. You must replace the automatic transaxle fluid in accordance with intervals specified in the vehicle maintenance schedule in section 5. SSA6100B