WARNING: If you changed your transmission fluid, please read

[mav1178]

Originally Posted by MrBodyMassage

My clutch started slipping 1,000 miles ago. I baby my car, have never tracked it, and only have an intake and exhaust on it. I have driven manuals for a decade, and my technique is fine. I replaced the transmission fluid with Pentosin about 10,000 miles ago. When I took it into the dealer for the clutch slipping, they tore it down to reveal transmission fluid on the pressure plate and clutch. The input shaft seal was leaking fluid. The fluid was a different color than stock, so Subaru cried foul. The service manager went to bat for me and said that the stock fluid had just changed color over time. Subaru was concerned that non-stock transmission fluid will leak past seals, trying to pin the blame on that. Service manager could not tell if the seal was to blame or the fluid was actually too thin.

I'm sorry.

This just reeks of a bad service manager.

"Service manager could not tell if seal was to blame or the fluid was actually too thin."???????????????????????

Really?
If you used an oil within the specs that the FSM or owner's manual called for, there would be zero issue and the seal would be to blame.

Subaru may have complained about the non-OEM fluid, but that's an irrelevant issue and shows a gap in communication between the dealer and the regional service rep. Any properly trained monkey (or laser shark) can provide the proper info.

But back to what I wrote above: What this service manager is smoking, I want to know.

-alex

[Jmonty]

The Pentison fluid is a lighter weight than OEM spec.

[mav1178]

Originally Posted by Jmonty

The Pentison fluid is a lighter weight than OEM spec.

Doesn't matter if it's lighter than OEM or not. Is it out of the weight range as specified in the Owner's Manual?

If so, then OP got lucky and others will be wise to not repeat the same.
If not, then it's a communication issue between the dealer and the regional rep... and the dealer service manager is still on crack for making an assumption that a lighter (but within spec) oil is a contributing cause.

-alex

[Jmonty]

Originally Posted by mav1178

Doesn't matter if it's lighter than OEM or not. Is it out of the weight range as specified in the Owner's Manual?

If so, then OP got lucky and others will be wise to not repeat the same.
If not, then it's a communication issue between the dealer and the regional rep... and the dealer service manager is still on crack for making an assumption that a lighter (but within spec) oil is a contributing cause.

-alex

It is lighter than the specified weight listed in the owners manual. There are lots of people running the lighter weight Pentison in the colder climates without any issues

[mav1178]

Originally Posted by Jmonty

It is lighter than the specified weight listed in the owners manual. There are lots of people running the lighter weight Pentison in the colder climates without any issues

Then Subaru has every right to complain as an initial pushback. If one is using 3rd party fluid that is out of recommended spec range, and the part develops a problem... yeah, that's a warranty red flag.

I know it works perfectly fine. I know there's no issues with this for vast majority of people. But it just puts the consumer in a bad bargaining position to start, you know?

I am not taking Subaru's side on this, but I can see why the first response would be to deny the claim. I would too if all I saw was "lighter than stock fluid used" and a seal was leaking, and nothing else was presented.

A lot of these issues are a matter of your word vs their word. A lot of times, there's relevant information being ommitted in the middle. I wouldn't blame Subaru corporate off the bat without knowing details... maybe a bad writeup by the actual tech? Who knows.

-alex

[ML]

What is spec weight if you don't mind me asking

[Abenaki]

Originally Posted by N1rve

If subaru mandates that only OEM subaru fluid could be used, it has to be provided if there is no equivalent. There's a law for that, I forgot which one.

I believe you are thinking of the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnuson–Moss_Warranty_Act

[mav1178]

Originally Posted by ML

What is spec weight if you don't mind me asking

See below.

Basically if you want to use something out of this range, you can... but you better have a service writer who knows how to communicate these issues with corporate. Otherwise it invites a long list of things to easily write your car off on from a warranty perspective.

-alex

[ML]

and what oil did OP specifically put in the transmission?

[mav1178]

Originally Posted by ML

and what oil did OP specifically put in the transmission?

Seems like GL-4 75W-80, which isn't that much off the 75W-90 weight. I like how I'm doing research to defend OP now...

In any case, I still think the dealer could have communicated the non-OEM transmission fill better to Subaru corporate. To assume a seal would leak because of a different fill fluid (that isn't even that much thinner than stock) is borderline irresponsible as a service technician or manager.

-alex

[n0thing]

Originally Posted by mav1178

See below.

Basically if you want to use something out of this range, you can... but you better have a service writer who knows how to communicate these issues with corporate. Otherwise it invites a long list of things to easily write your car off on from a warranty perspective.

-alex

So if we used a GL5 75w90 oil that led to corroded synchronizers, it's going to be covered?

[mav1178]

Originally Posted by n0thing

So if we used a GL5 75w90 oil that led to corroded synchronizers, it's going to be covered?

As long as it's an oil that meets the recommended specs in the manual, I don't see why not.

.. but seriously, corroded synchros from proper oil? Yeah... not happening unless someone royally screwed up.

-alex

[mfbmike]

Alex ftw. Thanks for your posts in this thread.

[mav1178]

Originally Posted by mfbmike

Alex ftw. Thanks for your posts in this thread.

Thanks... I only care about this because I have friends that are service writers, and they write up the work based on what the techs come back as in terms of what they see, and it is ultimately up to the service writer to communicate these issues to corporate. There are professionals, and there are those that just do a job.

Everything is about relationship and what you don't see on the back end is how these are handled. If it's a borderline case (i.e. aftermarket fluid), it should be noted that 1) the end user used an oil within the spec as called for in the owners manual, 2) yes it's a non-OE fill (but this has zero relevance to the warranty issue), and 3) that the oil seal leaking in the front is not caused by the oil used in the transmission.

Frankly if the oil weights and spec was provided as part of a writeup to Subaru to claim warranty, none of the "Subaru needed convincing to warranty the service" part would be needed. I don't see why anyone here would want to blame Subaru corporate for heavy-handed warranty tactics against enthusiasts as long as we're all open and honest.

-alex