🔧 Telluride - Automatic Transmission Fluid Drain & Refill

Your Telluride’s automatic transmission doesn’t use a dipstick, so fluid level is set through a fill plug at a specific fluid temperature. The basic DIY service is a drain-and-refill (not a full flush), then verifying the level correctly to prevent shifting issues.

Difficulty Level: Advanced | Estimated Time: 1.5-3.0 hours

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• 🛑 Work on level ground and support the Telluride on jack stands (never only a jack).
• 🛑 Transmission fluid can be hot; wear gloves and safety glasses.
• 🛑 The level check is done with the engine running; keep hands/clothes away from the radiator fan and belts.
• 🛑 Do not “flush” with chemicals; use the correct Kia-spec ATF only.

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🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• Floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum)
• Jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum) x4
• Wheel chocks
• Safety glasses
• Nitrile gloves
• Drain pan (at least 10-quart)
• Socket set (metric)
• Torque wrench (10–100 ft-lbs range)
• Trim clip removal tool
• Fluid transfer pump (hand pump) (specialty)
• Scan tool with live data for transmission fluid temperature (specialty)
• Shop rags

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🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Automatic transmission fluid (Kia/Hyundai SP-IV ATF) - Qty: Varies by drain amount
• Transmission drain plug washer - Qty: 1
• Transmission fill plug washer - Qty: 1

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park the Telluride on a flat, level surface.
• Set the parking brake and place wheel chocks behind the rear wheels.
• Warm the transmission with a short drive so the fluid drains more completely.
• Make sure you have a way to read transmission fluid temperature (TFT) on a scan tool before starting.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Confirm two details before I give the exact plug locations and torque specs

• Is your Telluride AWD or FWD?
• Do you want a drain-and-refill only, or a full fluid exchange (machine/cooler-line method)?

Step 2: Lift and level the Telluride

• Use a floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum) to lift the vehicle.
• Set it on jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum) x4 so it sits level front-to-rear and side-to-side.

Step 3: Remove any underbody covers needed to access the transmission

• Use a trim clip removal tool and your socket set (metric) to remove the splash shield/under cover.
• Tip: Keep clips sorted by location.

Step 4: Stop here to avoid wrong-spec instructions

• The correct fill/level procedure and the exact torque specs depend on AWD vs FWD and which service method you’re doing.
• Reply with those two answers and I’ll give you the complete, bolt-by-bolt steps including the correct temperature window, plug identification, and Torque to XX Nm (YY ft-lbs) values.

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✅ After Repair

• Verify there are no leaks after a short test drive.
• Recheck for seepage around the drain/fill areas after the transmission reaches operating temperature.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $250-$500 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $70-$180 (parts only)

You Save: $170-$320 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 1.5-3.0 hours.

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🎯 Ready to get started?

HowToo makes it easy: same-day/2-day shipping on every part, plus all the tools and specialty tools you need! Check out the parts and tools sections below to add everything to your cart.