So I was doing my first oil change ever on my 2009 impreza today. I drained the "oil", put on a new filter, put in more oil, then checked the dipstick. I was suprised to see that the dipstick said my oil was way above normal full capacity. I only put four quarts in too. So i checked a couple more times throughout the night, same thing! I eventually take it for a drive, when I immediately notice the car took about 3 or 4 full seconds to get into gear. Then when i actually put my foot on the pedal, the revolutions go up but the car is only moving marginally as fast as it should. So i continue driving for about 200 meters, when i realize okay. Something is definitely wrong. I drive it back home and immediately park it. Then of course, i check my other fluids and see that my transmission fluid is totally empty and that I must have drained that. So stupid of me, but honestly, the transmission fluid was both of the same viscosity and colour as regular oil. As well as that, the tranny drain looks exactly like the oil drain and isnt labeled at all. Im Going to get some fluid tomorrow morning. My main question is, did I totally destroy my transmission by driving it 400 meters with no fluid? it wasnt acting ABSOLUTELY horribly, but it was definitely jerking and the revolutions were going all over the place. Is my car dead?

Only one way to find out.

Trans fluid can look very dark when it's drained. If it really was as black as old motor oil there's a good chance it is burnt or has excessive clutch material in the fluid. The trans may already have been damaged before you drained the fluid.

Refill the trans and drive it. If it drives fine drain it and refill again to get more of that old dirty fluid out.

you can only get about 40-50% of the trans fluid out. Doesn't seem like you drove very far....fill it and drive the car.

 

ATF is the only fluid level you check while idling, move the shifter thru each gear when you approach full, check several times and sneak-up on the full level very slowly, there's only 1/3 pint or something tiny like that between low and full - NOT 1 quart like engine oil.

 

you might check the front differential fluid too. a previous owner may have underfilled it. Or maybe it also needs servicing?

you can only get about 40-50% of the trans fluid out. Doesn't seem like you drove very far....fill it and drive the car.

 

ATF is the only fluid level you check while idling, move the shifter thru each gear when you approach full, check several times and sneak-up on the full level very slowly, there's only 1/3 pint or something tiny like that between low and full - NOT 1 quart like engine oil.

 

you might check the front differential fluid too. a previous owner may have underfilled it. Or maybe it also needs servicing?

okay  i will. Yes, you're giving me hope! thank you all for the comments

okay  i will. Yes, you're giving me hope! thank you all for the comments

 

 

look at how bad my tranny fluid was, ew

ew

I had a tech at the shop make that mistake on nearly the same car and the car actually left. He dropped the trans fluid and changed the trans filter ( same thread ironically ).. They came back because the oil was never changed. It was definitely slipping when it came in, but once it was filled back up with the proper filter, it was ok and drove fine.. We still have an open ins claim on that car just in case though

look at how bad my tranny fluid was, ew

 

 

many people do 3 drain/fill/drive-a-little procedures to DIY a fluid change. Because the torque converter holds a little over half the fluid that won't just won't drain out, 3 drain and fills gets you about 85% or so new fluid.

 

Some folks who experience 'delayed engagement' or other trans problems might throw a bottle of Trans-X in on the last fill.

 

there are other trickier ways to do fluid changes.

 

 

one of these helps me with trans and front diff fluid changes;

 

 

has the car been driving OK?

bump?