Walmart drained transmission fluid during oil change

If you have the fluid changed, you might have the old fluid looked at for wear materials like excess metal bits, etc. I don’t know if you can get to the filter easily on these or not but maybe that can come out too and be cut open and analyzed for wear materials.

per Mr Subarus contact with suby headquarters subaru usa dont want you to service the CVT before 100 thou + any issues they want the tranny intact, prolly to learn as CVT’s are still evolving as very early ones had severe issues!! many chains hire young inexperienced labor for cheep, buyer beware!!!

I typically change the oil in my vehicles. My grandson wanted to help and managed to round off the corners of the drain plug head. Unable to get it loose, I bought a new plug and took it to Walmart for an oil change and asked them to install the new plug. They told me that they don’t remove drain plugs anymore but instead use suction to vacuum out the old oil. I left - partly because I needed the plug removed and partly because it seems to me this method of an oil change likely leaves significant dirty oil in the bottom of the pan. I understand other places have adopted this, too. It is likely because drain plugs have been left out, over-tightened, etc. I’ve also noticed a little strip of thread-sealer applied to the drain plug after oil changes. I suppost that is evidence it was replaced and tightened.

I am not questioning this detail of the OP’s story. That was my experience at one WM. I’ll about believe nearly anything based on experiences at Walmart auto centers. This sounds like they pulled the drain plug from the transmission and then filled the crankcase. :grimacing:

This is an extremely common practice, even at new car dealerships

You’re overthinking it, imo

The primary reason is because it’s MUCH quicker to suck out the engine oil from above, versus spending valuable minutes racking the car

I wouldn’t even do this to my small engines and tip them upside down. Just thinking, how would you access the oil pan to suck the oil out? I’ll just keep doing it myself. One guy even recommends taking an extra quart of new oil on a change to flush out anything in the pan. Gotta confess I’ve only done this with my snow blower.

I may start changing my own oil again using the vacuum technique. Too much of a pain to put it up on ramps or jack stands. I’m not concerned about leaving a half quart of old oil in it, it’s the new oil’s additives that really matter.

Of course, I’ll have to see how hard it is to get to the filter.

Never had a car that required ramps or Jack stands to reach the oil plug. Sometimes just slightly elevating the front is all that is needed. Just did one yesterday.

Through the dipstick tube.This is how it’s been done for a long time by owners of boats with inboard motors.

1 Like

I’m guessing many shops these days refuse to remove drain plugs b/c of past problems they’ve had to deal with, e.g. car owners claim the drain plug wasn’t re-installed properly.

As far as the rounded drain plug problem: It might be possible to file flat spots at 180 degrees on the rounded drain plug, enough for an adjustable wrench grab hold. Once drain plug replaced, good opportunity to show grandson how to use a torque wrench. Drain plugs usually don’t require a lot of torque. I use about 20 ft-lb for my truck’s drain plug. Check the specs for your car. And use a new washer under the plug each oil change. Buy a dozen washers from the dealership on your next visit. Less chance of rounding corners w/ratchet & socket.

If you don’t have a torque wrench, good opportunity to show grandson how to get the torque appx correct. Take a bathroom scale out there, tell him to press on it hard enough to register 20 pounds (or torque spec for you car). Then holding the wrench one foot from the plug, use that same tightening force.

2 Likes

Pipe wrench.

5 Likes

#1 - Consult a lawyer. DO NOT DELAY! There are lawyers with experience in this matter; let them deal with it. If you contact Walmart, they will just laugh. A lawyer they must take seriously and your complaint will go straight to the legal department instead of a customer service rep on the other side of the planet.

This is going to be a costly cheap oil change…

Parents had a super deal for an oil change from the dealer…long story short…WAY overfilled the case and dumped oil all over the back side of the engine…handed it back to me “ready to go”…huge puddle under car after sitting overnight. Tried to blame leaky gaskets…lol…no. Put it on a lift and you could see all the fresh/clean oil everywhere. Made them do another change and powerwash it from underneath; problem solved.

Not my post @STZ

Hit reply at the bottom of the thread and not the one to the right to actually reply to the poster…

The one at the right replies to the commenter and there are times to do that. This wasn’t one of those… :wink:

How much fluidrained? Is there much fluid remaining in the transmission which did not naturally drain out?
When I did my own transmission fluid change, I drained what would, refilled the amount which drained, drove the car for a day, drained again an refilled androve again. Repeated this three times.

1 Like

Our mechanic said it was 4.2 quarts low. How much does a 2019 Subaru legacy take in transmission fluid? That would indicate how low it was when we drove it. Mechanic recommended we change fluid again at next oil change. Do you feel better to do it sooner?

The owners manual probably indicates the total quarts of transmission fluid.
The amount remaining may have beenough to prevent damage from occurring.

As your mechanic recommended, I would just change thext oil change.

Thanks for the update.

Where do you come up with this crap? Even 1qt. low can destroy a transmission. Please refrain from giving any automotive advise in the future, or at least preface all your statements with “I don’t know anything about anything that has an engine”.

6 Likes

This was MUCH more than just driving it a little low on fluid, the car was ‘shuddering’. Could easily have had damage inflicted.

2 Likes

Instead of taking the time to use your annoying spelling use it to actually post real facts . Oh , wait - you don’t have any do you .

6 Likes

@drflowers23 Follow your mechanics advice . R. Gift is not a mechanic .

4 Likes