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04-25-2021, 03:27 PM | #1 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 416122
Join Date: Mar 2015
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Accidentally drained the CVT fluid instead of the engine oil during an oil change
Well, I hate to admit when I make a mistake but I drank too much and attempted to do my first oil change on the wife's 2015 Subaru Impreza 2.0 hatchback CVT automatic. We ran out of the 2 year free maintenance and receive oil change coupons to our local Subaru dealer that makes it easier on her to take whenever she needs an oil change as my hectic schedule usually has we away on weekends working for Uncle Sam. I'm home on leave for a month and decided to change the oil on her Impreza (first time for me on this car) and I accidentally drained the gear oil from the automatic transmission. When I realized it was the wrong plug it was too late - the oil on the dipstick was black and the oil draining was amber/sweet smelling.
It wasn't until I removed some plastic did I see the black oil drain plug and drained that one. Luckily this is in our garage, and no damage was done (except my pride and intelligence) and simply needs to be re-filled. Since this is Sunday, all dealerships are closed. I plan to go to the local Subaru dealer Monday and pick up 2-3 quarts as I do not know how much drained out and there is no dipstick for the transmission. I don't even see where I can refill it from the top of the engine. Per the owner's manual, it's 75W-90 and I can buy any gear oil at a local auto part store, but i prefer to stick with OEM fluid when it comes to transmissions. Can anyone please point out how I can refill the transmission? How many quarts it takes on a simple drain/refill? If it's anything like the Miata we had years ago, You have to fill the trans by removing a fill plug on the side of the transmission until the gear oil weeps out from the fill hole. Is that the same on this? Again, it's a 2015 Subaru Impreza Hatchback 2.0 automatic with CVT. Thank you all, and I know... I know.. how could I "NOT SEE" the transmission plug, i'm an idiot, so on and so forth. To be honest, just too much on my mind, lots of issues at work, lost some colleagues/fellow service members to suicide recently. No excuse, I know, but just part of being human I guess. Anyways, I hope someone can point me on the right direction on how many quarts I should purchase from the dealership, and more importantly how to refill the transmission to the correct level. And yes, I'll be more diligent next time. V/R, MilitaryDave
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04-25-2021, 06:17 PM | #2 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 416122
Join Date: Mar 2015
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Ok, looks like yes - the fuild is filed on the driver's side next to an electrical connector with a hex-head fill plug. Looks like CVTF-II fluid?
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04-25-2021, 07:25 PM | #3 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 323759
Join Date: Jun 2012
Chapter/Region:
International
Location: Canberra Australia
Vehicle:2010 legacy GT Black |
Seems like this is a common occurrence:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=H5xbnpTYk0s |
04-26-2021, 01:10 AM | #4 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 507873
Join Date: Oct 2019
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I think 6 quarts usually covers it. IIRC when I did it I used 5 + a little bit of the 6th.
https://www.amazon.com/Valvoline-Con.../dp/B00DJ4FGIK https://www.amazon.com/Castrol-06811.../dp/B00T96Q956 2 trusted brands and you certainly don't have to justify mistakes to us, it happens. Hope things get better for you soon. |
04-26-2021, 10:52 AM | #5 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 416122
Join Date: Mar 2015
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Thank you. Glad to know i'm not the only one lol. The video was helpful as I now have torque specs and know where/what to do.
Thanks! |
04-26-2021, 01:38 PM | #6 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 416122
Join Date: Mar 2015
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04-26-2021, 02:02 PM | #7 | |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 437663
Join Date: Jan 2016
Chapter/Region:
TXIC
Location: Kilgore
Vehicle:2016 Wrx Wr blue |
Quote:
I did the same thing on my then girlfriends now wife’s corolla. The extra dumb part it is I couldn’t figure out why the oil was at the very top of the dipstick. It’s an automatic and I figured it out when the car wouldn’t move in gear. Was in a bad headspace at that time. You’re definitely not the only one to do it. |
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04-30-2021, 03:20 AM | #8 | |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 459287
Join Date: Dec 2016
Chapter/Region:
VIC
Location: Vancouver BC Canada
Vehicle:1998 JDM Impreza STi V4 GF8 White |
Quote:
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04-30-2021, 08:12 PM | #9 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 505426
Join Date: Aug 2019
Vehicle:2016 Impreza 2.0 CVT |
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04-30-2021, 08:33 PM | #10 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 459287
Join Date: Dec 2016
Chapter/Region:
VIC
Location: Vancouver BC Canada
Vehicle:1998 JDM Impreza STi V4 GF8 White |
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05-01-2021, 01:48 PM | #11 | |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 283429
Join Date: May 2011
Chapter/Region:
South East
Location: Down yonder.
Vehicle:2016 Fuji Sunfire 03 Silver |
Quote:
A Subaru transmission has the gearbox and front differential in the same case. Automatic and CVT front differential uses gear oil and is separated from the gearbox which uses either ATF (automatic) or CVT fluid (CVT transmission) This is why folks get in trouble - there is a drain in the transmission pan for the gearbox, then in front of that is the drain for the front differential. These are behind the front crossmember. The engine oil pan drain is in front of the crossmember, some times hidden by a rock shield or plastic underpanel depending on model. Folks see that drain plug in front of the transmission pan and assume that is the engine oil drain. You would be amazed by how many Subaru transmissions quicky oil change places buy each year for burning up a front differential by draining the front diff and then overfilling the engine oil. |
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05-01-2021, 07:16 PM | #12 | |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 459287
Join Date: Dec 2016
Chapter/Region:
VIC
Location: Vancouver BC Canada
Vehicle:1998 JDM Impreza STi V4 GF8 White |
Quote:
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05-04-2021, 06:45 PM | #13 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 416122
Join Date: Mar 2015
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Yes - I apologize, the front "diff" uses gear oil. I went to the local Subaru dealership and purchased 4 quarts of the OEM Subaru CVT II transmission fluid (blue). I did not drain nor touch the front diff... just the CVT itself, and refilled with CVT II fluid.
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07-08-2021, 04:14 PM | #14 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 416122
Join Date: Mar 2015
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I ended up taking my Impreza to the local subaru dealer as it was making a noise when the car was cold and you'd put it in reverse. They kept the car for about 5 days (gave a loaner, luckily!) and ended up topping off the CVT fluid and ensuring there are no leaks. This was covered under the 100k Subaru CVT warranty.
So, all set now. Never going to make that mistake again lol! |
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