First off, if you are short on patience I don't recommend you tackle this job. The filling part thru the vent port will drive you mad.
I changed the trans fluid in my '11 Sedona today, fairly straightforward job. You need a 24mm socket or 15/16" socket for the drain and level check plugs. A wrench works better for the level check plug if you don't want to take off the lower cover like me. You also need a drain pan that can hold at least 6 quarts or more. You also need a 22mm or 7/8" socket for the vent fill port bolt.
Van must be level for this job.
Put the drain pan under the trans drain plug. Remove the 24mm drain plug on the bottom of the trans, it's got a thin head.
![117168]( "117168")
Drain the trans. You won't get all the fluid out, only about 5 quarts (exactly 5 quarts in my case). I waited 15 min. for it to drain. I used Valvoline MaxLife synthetic fluid. BTW, it stinks something awful too.
Clean the drain plug off (it's magnetic) and put it back in and tighten, I used 30 ft lbs on mine with a torque wrench. DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN. Steel plug threads, aluminum case. The case threads will tear out if you overdo it. Replace the gasket if it looks messed up. My plug was pretty clean and had very little material on it for 188K miles.
Remove the level check plug on the pan, it's a 24mm also. Leave it out for now.
![117169]( "117169")
Up top you'll need to remove the 22mm (7/8") bolt on top of the pan where the vent hose is. To get to it you'll need to remove the bracket that covers it, the bolt is a 10mm. I also wound up disconnecting the battery and moving the positive cable out of the way for better access. Now, the 22mm bolt is right up against the gear selection switch, I could not get a socket directly on it, and I was not willing to gamble on removing a 10 yr old electrical component and hoping it didn't crack or break. So, I used a socket at an angle on the bolt and was able to break it loose. Remove the bolt and set it aside. It has a copper gasket on it that I replaced.
![117167]( "117167")
You'll now need to use a very narrow funnel to fill the trans from the top thru the vent port. This is the not so fun part. Put the drain pan back under the van also if you pulled it out, you are gonna get spillage.
Begin SLOWLY filling the trans with the fresh fluid. If you try and fill the funnel you WILL GET FLUID PUKING OUT THE VENT HOSE unless you clamp it off. The hole that the fluid has to take into the trans is only about as wide as a pencil. You cannot rush this part. After about two and a half or three quarts are put in fluid will start running out of the fill check plug hole in a steady stream/drip. Put the plug back in at this point to finish filling the trans. DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN. You will have to go very, very, very slowly now as the fluid going in and air coming out are using the same path, which means air is gonna burp thru the funnel and fluid. NOTE: Fluid will spit out the level check hole if you try and fill too fast also. Go slow...
After getting all the fluid in put the vent port bolt back in and tighten LIGHTLY. Don't go all gorilla on this bolt or you will jack up the pan.
Start your van and check reverse and drive. They should work.
You're done at this point unless you want to warm up the trans and then pull the level check plug to check fluid level. I did not. Five quarts came out, five quarts went in, good enough for my ride.
Another alternate method is to fill thru the level check hole with the van front end elevated but that's a whole 'nuther pain in the a$$...
I don't know what KIA engineer designed this drain/fill setup but they should be flogged for doing it this way.
I changed the trans fluid in my '11 Sedona today, fairly straightforward job. You need a 24mm socket or 15/16" socket for the drain and level check plugs. A wrench works better for the level check plug if you don't want to take off the lower cover like me. You also need a drain pan that can hold at least 6 quarts or more. You also need a 22mm or 7/8" socket for the vent fill port bolt.
Van must be level for this job.
Put the drain pan under the trans drain plug. Remove the 24mm drain plug on the bottom of the trans, it's got a thin head.
Drain the trans. You won't get all the fluid out, only about 5 quarts (exactly 5 quarts in my case). I waited 15 min. for it to drain. I used Valvoline MaxLife synthetic fluid. BTW, it stinks something awful too.
Clean the drain plug off (it's magnetic) and put it back in and tighten, I used 30 ft lbs on mine with a torque wrench. DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN. Steel plug threads, aluminum case. The case threads will tear out if you overdo it. Replace the gasket if it looks messed up. My plug was pretty clean and had very little material on it for 188K miles.
Remove the level check plug on the pan, it's a 24mm also. Leave it out for now.
Up top you'll need to remove the 22mm (7/8") bolt on top of the pan where the vent hose is. To get to it you'll need to remove the bracket that covers it, the bolt is a 10mm. I also wound up disconnecting the battery and moving the positive cable out of the way for better access. Now, the 22mm bolt is right up against the gear selection switch, I could not get a socket directly on it, and I was not willing to gamble on removing a 10 yr old electrical component and hoping it didn't crack or break. So, I used a socket at an angle on the bolt and was able to break it loose. Remove the bolt and set it aside. It has a copper gasket on it that I replaced.
You'll now need to use a very narrow funnel to fill the trans from the top thru the vent port. This is the not so fun part. Put the drain pan back under the van also if you pulled it out, you are gonna get spillage.
Begin SLOWLY filling the trans with the fresh fluid. If you try and fill the funnel you WILL GET FLUID PUKING OUT THE VENT HOSE unless you clamp it off. The hole that the fluid has to take into the trans is only about as wide as a pencil. You cannot rush this part. After about two and a half or three quarts are put in fluid will start running out of the fill check plug hole in a steady stream/drip. Put the plug back in at this point to finish filling the trans. DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN. You will have to go very, very, very slowly now as the fluid going in and air coming out are using the same path, which means air is gonna burp thru the funnel and fluid. NOTE: Fluid will spit out the level check hole if you try and fill too fast also. Go slow...
After getting all the fluid in put the vent port bolt back in and tighten LIGHTLY. Don't go all gorilla on this bolt or you will jack up the pan.
Start your van and check reverse and drive. They should work.
You're done at this point unless you want to warm up the trans and then pull the level check plug to check fluid level. I did not. Five quarts came out, five quarts went in, good enough for my ride.
Another alternate method is to fill thru the level check hole with the van front end elevated but that's a whole 'nuther pain in the a$$...
I don't know what KIA engineer designed this drain/fill setup but they should be flogged for doing it this way.
