Need some Protege5 maintenance help - trans fluid
 

Hello,

My wife has a 2003 Protege5 (auto tranny). It has about 70K miles on it and it's high time for some maintenance.

I topped off the radiator coolant for now, but eventually we'll need to flush/fill.

Regarding the transmission fluid, I'd like to add some transmission treatment because there seems to be some hard shifting. The location of the trans fluid, however, is kind of low and is just a narrow tube. My funnel won't fit into it because it's a slightly bigger diameter. This is strange. So how to I pour in the trans treatment fluid?

Also, how hard is it to replace the spark plugs on these cars?

Thx for all the help! :)

spark plugs are easy on this motor. all that you need is a short extension and spark plug socket.

most of the modern trannys that i have worked on need a specific funnel to get the fluid in. some have a separate fill. personally, i have never worked on an automatic p5, so i can't 100% account for them.

I installed Bosch Platinum Plus spark plugs in the P5 this morning, and the car is shaking after starting. Plus, the check engine light came on. :(

Turborx you gaped the spark plugs wrong thats your problem they have to be dead on even a mm off can cause that the shaking is because one of your spark plugs are not fireing and your pistons are rotating unevenly. just make sure you gap them dead on when gaping them go to the recommended width and pull straight out don't weave back and forward to get it out thats how it gets gaped wrong. and for your transmition i would recommend getting it flushed i know its not the best thing to do but in cases like yours you might just have to.
oh and also when you are putting the wires onto the spark plugs push down until you feel a pop some people say you hear a pop but i have never heard it and when tightening your plugs make sure there snug don't over tighten or it will cause damage
don't worry about the check engine light all its going to say when you read it is random mis fire meaning a cylinder is not working which is the spark plug problem that i mentioned above