Hyundai IX35 Pricing and Specs

This is an increasingly common question as car makers take the decision to delete the conventional transmission dipstick from their cars. It’s probably down to the fact that modern transmissions claim to be sealed for life (many mechanics disagree with this) but the move probably also has something to do with preventing owner tinkering as well as the cost saving in not including a dipstick.

But for car owners like yourself who like to keep an eye on what’s happening under the bonnet, the way to check the transmission fluid all takes place underneath the car. Once you have access to the car’s nether regions, you’ll find an inspection plug on the transmission. If you remove this plug, you should find the level of the transmission just touching the lip of the plug-hole. If any drains out, the transmission is too full. If the level is too low (below the lip) you can add flid through this inspection hole.

The catch is that sometimes (follow the instructions in the owner’s manual for the detailed method) you need to have the car running and the transmission at normal operating temperature. Obviously, there are safety implications involved here, especially if you don’t have access to a workshop with a hoist.

With all that said, some Hyundais are, in fact, fitted with a conventional dipstick, making this check much easier. Again, your owner’s manual should reveal all.

My information suggests the crank-angle sensor for this engine is located on the rear of the cylinder block (near where the engine joins the transmission) near the oil filter housing. It’s usually hidden by a small heat shield and requires that and a 10mm bolt to be removed to remove the sensor.

Access to the wiring harness is usually from above, but the sensor itself is most easily removed from underneath the car after removing any relevant plastic shielding.

What you need to do is work backwards and check every connection and wiring plug that is anywhere near where you were working. A single unplugged (or even loose) sensor, connection or fitting can absolutely sideline a modern, electronically controlled engine.

You may also find you’ve damaged a sensor in the process of cleaning it (they’re pretty sensitive things) so a scan of the car may reveal that.

Also, was the cleaning process initiated by an existing problem that made you think the sensors needed cleaning? Cleaning an already dud sensor rarely brings it back to life.