Ok, I took my 00 forester (auto) to midas to get an oil change a couple of months ago.

 

I don't normally drive the car, but I did this weekend and smelled burning oil when I came to a stop. I've also been noticing some oil on the garage floor. So I wipe some of the oil and notice its red. I looked under the car tonight and it appears the fluid is leaking from what i think is the transmission filter (located approximately beneath the driver's seat). when I looked closer at the filter, I noticed it was slightly crushed- like it was unscrewed (or screwed) with a big wrench or something. I'll post a pic as soon as my camera charges up.

 

Could this have been a possible scenario: the mechanic unscrews the filter, notices a red fluid pouring out, and says "aw $!$&@, wrong filter" and screws it back in. but because he mangles it off, the filter is now comprimised in some way in function and/or fit.

 

so A) does this scenario make sense? or am I just trying to find someone to blame and I should look deeper?

 

so in someway, if this is true, perhaps this is my fault for trying to save a few bucks. But even so, is there anything I can do?? I suppose I could go to my Subaru dealer and have them replace the filter (which would involve a transmission flush i suppose).

in the wide shot, you can see the oil running everywhere.

in the close up you can kinda make out the dented area. the red spot you see is a drop of fluid about to drip.

Ok, I took my 00 forester (auto) to midas to get an oil change a couple of months ago.

 

I don't normally drive the car, but I did this weekend and smelled burning oil when I came to a stop. I've also been noticing some oil on the garage floor. So I wipe some of the oil and notice its red. I looked under the car tonight and it appears the fluid is leaking from what i think is the transmission filter (located approximately beneath the driver's seat). when I looked closer at the filter, I noticed it was slightly crushed- like it was unscrewed (or screwed) with a big wrench or something. I'll post a pic as soon as my camera charges up.

 

Could this have been a possible scenario: the mechanic unscrews the filter, notices a red fluid pouring out, and says "aw $!$&@, wrong filter" and screws it back in. but because he mangles it off, the filter is now comprimised in some way in function and/or fit.

 

so A) does this scenario make sense? or am I just trying to find someone to blame and I should look deeper?

 

so in someway, if this is true, perhaps this is my fault for trying to save a few bucks. But even so, is there anything I can do?? I suppose I could go to my Subaru dealer and have them replace the filter (which would involve a transmission flush i suppose).

This is the exact reason I would never let a quicky lube place touch any of my vehicles. The probably thought the tranny filter was the oil started taking it off, then said opps and put it back one.

You will have very little ground to fight them on if they did this or not.

It is a he/said she said situtuation.

My frieind took hit car in for lube, they took off his tranny drain plug when chainging his oil for some reason.

He got about 10 miles away before his tranny blew up.

He took them to court, they addmited wrong doing, but since his vehicle had 120,000 miles, the court only gave him $300 dollars for what a tranny with 120,000 miles was worth.

someone definitely tried to remove that filter with a wrench, just a matter of who. there really is no way to determine if it was the last oil change guy, or the one before him though.

 

i'd check your trans fluid level before turning the car on again.

 

this would not cause you to need a trans fluid flush, just replace the filter.

This exact scenario happened to the parents of a guy at work. The shop started to remove the tranny filter but after discovering it was ATF pouring out didn't tighten it properly. The owners discovered the problem when the tranny failed some miles down the road after leaving the shop. I don't know the details, but I think the shop that screwed up paid to have the tranny replaced.

Another reason not to use Jiffy Lube.

 

~Howard

Ok, I took my 00 forester (auto) to midas to get an oil change a couple of months ago.

 

I don't normally drive the car, but I did this weekend and smelled burning oil when I came to a stop. I've also been noticing some oil on the garage floor. So I wipe some of the oil and notice its red. I looked under the car tonight and it appears the fluid is leaking from what i think is the transmission filter (located approximately beneath the driver's seat). when I looked closer at the filter, I noticed it was slightly crushed- like it was unscrewed (or screwed) with a big wrench or something. I'll post a pic as soon as my camera charges up.

 

Could this have been a possible scenario: the mechanic unscrews the filter, notices a red fluid pouring out, and says "aw $!$&@, wrong filter" and screws it back in. but because he mangles it off, the filter is now comprimised in some way in function and/or fit.

 

so A) does this scenario make sense? or am I just trying to find someone to blame and I should look deeper?

 

so in someway, if this is true, perhaps this is my fault for trying to save a few bucks. But even so, is there anything I can do?? I suppose I could go to my Subaru dealer and have them replace the filter (which would involve a transmission flush i suppose).

Here's a portion of my previous reply to TACODE in response to the transmission concern on his '99 Forester; maybe the part number for the trans filter will help you??

 

"The filter (part # 38325AA302) looks like a little engine oil filter but it's painted black with white lettering--as I recall, some of the lettering says "A/T only". The filter unscrews from the transmission case, just as an engine oil filter unscrews from the engine block. I used a large pair of Channel-locks to break the filter free (because it's too small in diameter for my oil filter wrench). The filter is expensive--I paid about 25.00. Please consider my earlier suggestion about purchasing this only at a Subaru dealer because it's no ordinary filter and I suspect there's some confusion about it in the "aftermarket"....."

 

Mark

 

"The filter (part # 38325AA302) looks like a little engine oil filter but it's painted black with white lettering--as I recall, some of the lettering says "A/T only". The filter unscrews from the transmission case, just as an engine oil filter unscrews from the engine block. I used a large pair of Channel-locks to break the filter free (because it's too small in diameter for my oil filter wrench). The filter is expensive--I paid about 25.00. Please consider my earlier suggestion about purchasing this only at a Subaru dealer because it's no ordinary filter and I suspect there's some confusion about it in the "aftermarket"....."

 

Mark

Hey thanks for this info!

 

Originally I was all set to go into Midas today and raise H3LL, but after a night of sleep and reading some posts, I think I'll just move on.

 

Here comes the dumb questions:

If I get a new filter from subaru and want to install it myself, I'm assuming I'll have to drain the transmission first?? If I drain the fluid, do I have to magically fill it through that tiny awkwardly located tranny dipstick? also if the filter is too small for an oil wrench, how do you tighten it? by hand?

 

thanks,

Brian

Hey thanks for this info!

 

Originally I was all set to go into Midas today and raise H3LL, but after a night of sleep and reading some posts, I think I'll just move on.

 

Here comes the dumb questions:

If I get a new filter from subaru and want to install it myself, I'm assuming I'll have to drain the transmission first?? If I drain the fluid, do I have to magically fill it through that tiny awkwardly located tranny dipstick? also if the filter is too small for an oil wrench, how do you tighten it? by hand?

 

thanks,

Brian

 

You don't necessarily have to drain it first, but it may make less of a mess if you do. Yes, the transmission is filled through the dipstick tube. Yes, all screw on filters should be hand tightened.

Hey thanks for this info!

 

Originally I was all set to go into Midas today and raise H3LL, but after a night of sleep and reading some posts, I think I'll just move on.

 

Here comes the dumb questions:

If I get a new filter from subaru and want to install it myself, I'm assuming I'll have to drain the transmission first?? If I drain the fluid, do I have to magically fill it through that tiny awkwardly located tranny dipstick? also if the filter is too small for an oil wrench, how do you tighten it? by hand?

 

thanks,

Brian

Just as 99obw indicated, you don't have to drain the transmission to change the filter. But you should be aware that draining the transmission fluid is really very easy---there's a drain plug on the trans pan that's very easy to access, and it uses the same replacement "crush washer" as the engine oil drain plug when you're reinstalling it. When I changed the trans fluid on my car, I drained it into the same oil drain pan that I use to change the engine oil, and my local gas station allowed me to dispose of the used ATF just as they allow me to dispose of used engine oil. If you decide to change your ATF, purchase 5 qts of ATF and use an appropriate funnel to refill the fluid back thru the dipstick tube. I found a long, narrow "specialty funnel" at my local WalMart, and it makes the re-filling quite easy....

Oh, and yes, you tighten the replacement filter firmly by hand.

You don't mention the mileage on your Forester, but you might want to consider just having the dealer do a transmission service. Yes, it's a littly 'pricey' (or 'spendy', depending on what vernacular you use), but the auto tranny is a known weak link in Subaru's, and should be given all the care it needs.

same thing happaned to me on my 2000 outback , but i was not sure which quick lube place did it, i called a local subaru dealer and they sent me a new tranny filter , and took it to a quick lube and watched them do the job and flushed out the tranny , both filters look the same underneith the car