I purchased a used 2005 Imprezza RS 75000 for my daughter to take
to college over a year ago. Car is nice and drives fine. I was changing the oil
a month ago and noticed a drop of oil on bottom of filter. More troubling was
some type of fluid further back located on some type frame? metal bar. This bar
is located dead center of car between the oil pan and just before where the two
exhaust pipes join. Not sure of its function or what it is called. The bolts on
this metal bar as well as bar had a film of fluid that looks green (coolant?) ( windshield wiperfluid?).
The drivers side axial also had this fluid on it as well as two small diameter
pipes (tubes) that run parallel to axial. I had my local garage take a look and
they reported a very minimal almost undetectable gasket leak. I had them
replace coolant for the upcoming winter and have noticed a greater amount of of
this unknown fluid on axial/pipes/metal bar. I check oil/coolant/transmission
fluids every weekend and have noticed no loss of such fluids. I am at a loss to
know what is leaking or from where.

 

Welcome to Subaru ownership. Seems to just come with the territory that they all leak a little oil as they get into higher miles. Check to be sure the oil filter is well seated and doesn't have stacked gaskets. (Where the old gasket sticks when the filter is removed, so you end up with two of them on there.) But if it's a very minor leak, just keep driving and periodically check oil levels. It's just behaving like a subaru. My wife and I have Subarus at 277,00 and 333,000 miles and they both eat about a quart of oil in between changes.

 

Green fluid means coolant generally. I would try and hunt down the source for it. check after the car has been run for a while.

 

If you're having trouble, a picture is worth a thousand words.

Edited November 24, 201312 yr by AdventureSubaru

 ITS YOUR HEADGASKETS!!!!! Do them before you have an overheating issue and get stranded somewhere. Check for bubbles in your overflow or remove your radiator cap and start the car cold if you have a head gasket leak you will get a small geyser from your radiator.