# 2016 Kia Optima Transmission Fluid Change **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [April 17, 2019, 3:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2016-kia-optima-transmission-fluid-change/138665 "2019-04-17T15:30:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![oilman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/91b2a8/32.png) [@oilman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oilman)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2019, 3:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2016-kia-optima-transmission-fluid-change/138665/1 "2019-04-17T15:30:16Z")
Just changed the trans fluid on my wife’s optima. Getting the bottom skirt off was a pain in the neck. Drained the fluid (easy to open the nut) and it dropped 3.5 quarts. I then added fluid through the top vent port and it took an hour as it had to burp the air when the fluid went in. Was a pain and was so slow. Used Valvoline Max Life fluid. Her car had just short of 21k. Will go till the fall and redo a drop/change. No leaks. No issues through the vent top. The fluid coming out was light red and looked a little “used”. The new fluid going in was bright red and nice of course. Hardest part is getting the skirt off and then adding fluid/putting the skirt back on. Wish she bought a camry but they are “boring”. ---
**Author:** ![87\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/8/f14d63/32.png) [@87\_Ranger](https://community.cartalk.com/u/87_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2019, 7:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2016-kia-optima-transmission-fluid-change/138665/2 "2019-04-17T19:23:14Z")
Sounds like this is the same as my wife’s 2002 Sonata, just a simple drain and fill and no filter to change. I changed the fluid every 40,000 miles and sold the car to Carmax with 160,000 miles on it and never had a problem with the transmission at all To play it safe i got the official Hyundai fluid from the dealer.because i could’nt find an aftermarket fluid that met the Hyundai specs. Are you sure the max life fluid meets the Kia specs? I had the same problem with trapped air, but when i raised the funnel a 1/4 of an inch the air was able to escape and pouring was quick and easy. ---
**Author:** ![oilman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/91b2a8/32.png) [@oilman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oilman)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2019, 1:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2016-kia-optima-transmission-fluid-change/138665/3 "2019-04-18T13:34:55Z")
yeah, the vavloline meets or beats the Toyota, honda, kia, Hyundai, and a few others. on the back side of the gallon bottle. as for raising the funnel, it was hard for me to pour and hold the funnel like that but I think it burped better that way like you said. When a video I have for another Kia car I found online, he pours the stuff in like it’s a drink in a glass. Was wondering if one can open the overflow cap and let air out there. If fluid leaks out there when you pour, then you can’t do that. Wish I had a small periostaltic (sp) pump to let it pump in over an hour. Next time I might try holding the funnel and see if it works on my car. was a pain going over an hour. And if I filled the funnel too high, it overflowed the vent pipe and sat at the top of it but didn’t drain out as I stopped pouring. ---
**Author:** ![oilman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/91b2a8/32.png) [@oilman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oilman)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2019, 1:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2016-kia-optima-transmission-fluid-change/138665/4 "2019-04-18T13:37:55Z")
as for the filter, I think the black housing where the vent is atop of, a trans filter is contained in there but not totally sure. Also, didn’t look to see how easy that would be to take off and put a new filter in. On my 1994 Camrys, I changed the trans filter a few times (take off pan and put new filter in) and they were always clean. My rav 4 that has 48K hasn’t had the filter changed yet but I changed the fluid about 6-7 times (drain and refill). ---
**Author:** ![JoeMario](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3bc359/32.png) [@JoeMario](https://community.cartalk.com/u/JoeMario)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2019, 5:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2016-kia-optima-transmission-fluid-change/138665/5 "2019-04-18T17:28:56Z")
> [@oilman](#): > > the vavloline meets or beats the Toyota, honda, kia, Hyundai, and a few others. This goes against everything I’ve learned. Can you help me understand how you’ve arrived at this conclusion? Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![galant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/77aa72/32.png) [@galant](https://community.cartalk.com/u/galant)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2019, 4:08am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2016-kia-optima-transmission-fluid-change/138665/6 "2019-04-19T04:08:24Z")
I have done this quite a few times on our 2013 Sonata, same engine and transmission. The skirt is a pain but now I have a lot of practice. There is a side port for the level check, comes off with a 3/8 inch wrench. It is plastic. I am wondering if you didn’t take that off and hence had the slow filling issue. Also, you have to get the temp close to 120-140 F and then check the level through the side port. There is a youtube video of a guy doing this on his Sonata, watch it. I use a temp gun, but I believe when your fan kicks in, your temp is right. ---
**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2019, 4:27am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2016-kia-optima-transmission-fluid-change/138665/7 "2019-04-19T04:27:34Z")
For my boat to change lower end fluid I have a pump that screws onto a jug, of course they changed the jugs so I have to pour the new oil into an old jug to pump. The process basically fills from the bottom and screws into the bottom drain screw hole. Just a thought you might find one or adapt a fitting and fill it from the drain hole. ---
**Author:** ![oilman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/91b2a8/32.png) [@oilman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oilman)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2021, 6:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2016-kia-optima-transmission-fluid-change/138665/8 "2021-12-08T18:07:36Z")
it’s on the bottle and tested in labs. I’m a scientist and understand the tests and results they get. Aftermarket fluids have to meet or beat to support the magnoson (sp) moss act. ---
**Author:** ![JoeMario](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3bc359/32.png) [@JoeMario](https://community.cartalk.com/u/JoeMario)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2021, 6:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2016-kia-optima-transmission-fluid-change/138665/9 "2021-12-08T18:30:06Z")
> [@oilman](#): > > it’s on the bottle and tested in labs. I’m a scientist and understand the tests and results they get. Aftermarket fluids have to meet or beat to support the magnoson (sp) moss act. Hi oilman: Thanks for your update. I’m not sure my reply was clear. When you stated: > yeah, the vavloline meets or beats the Toyota, honda, kia, Hyundai, and a few others. I interpreted it as your saying that Valvoline transmission fluid was equal or better than the manufacturer’s specific transmission fluids. Is that what you meant? ---
**Author:** ![circuitsmith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/circuitsmith/32/40376_2.png) [@circuitsmith](https://community.cartalk.com/u/circuitsmith)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2021, 3:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2016-kia-optima-transmission-fluid-change/138665/10 "2021-12-09T15:19:27Z")
There’s a video and discussion here: > **[Drane Your Valvoline MaxLife ATF before You damage your...](https://www.hyundai-forums.com/threads/drane-your-valvoline-maxlife-atf-before-you-damage-your-transmission.684271/)** > > Hey guy's i was thinking about doing a ATF drane & fill on daughters elantra using Valvoline Max Life ATF that everyone on the forum like's useing so much... until i seen this professore from weber state point out some really misleading things...