Factory Fill CVT, 34k, 2018 Outback 3.6

S

SLOsolstice

Joined
Jun 7, 2018
Messages
13
Location
CA, US
Hi everyone,

My wife really wanted an Outback so I found a used one that had a long factory warranty on the CVT. I know there are a few schools of thought on changing transmission fluid, but I figured I would error on changes every 50k. Unfortunately, we hate the dealership so much that since the car was already there I figured I'd have it changed so I wouldn't have to go back at 50k. Clearly a lot of wear in materials. Let me know your thoughts.
 

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I don't think the tranny is a CVT, Subaru, as far as I know, did not use it in the 3.6, but only on the 4 cyl.
That's a plus IMO. Excellent idea to exchange it every 50K
 
I am surprised Subaru would change the CVT fluid. They usually want to leave it in for the duration.
They wouldn't change out Impreza fluid with Subaru's good will extended warranty.
 
Pelican said:
I don't think the tranny is a CVT, Subaru, as far as I know, did not use it in the 3.6, but only on the 4 cyl.
That's a plus IMO. Excellent idea to exchange it every 50K
Click to expand...

I can't answer for the 2018 year but my 2017 3.6 is a CVT as well.
 
ARCOgraphite said:
I am surprised Subaru would change the CVT fluid. They usually want to leave it in for the duration.
They wouldn't change out Impreza fluid with Subaru's good will extended warranty.
Click to expand...

The Subaru CVT's are so specific to fluids and many shops have used the incorrect fluid over some years that I found Subaru to avoid ANY type of preventative maintenance on their CVT's. I found out the dealer I use (not a fan!!) had a few tech's caused enough damage to CVT's via incorrect fluid and incorrect procedure to ensure the fluid was at the correct level; they only "allow" 2 of their 12 or so techs to do work on CVT's.

If that is indeed true, if you ponder it for a few that really says a lot.
 
OP thanks for the post. I did a simple drain/fill at 75k and I will most likely do a full fluid exchange around 100k, UOA planned and I will certainly post.
 
I don't think we have any way of knowing if that's a lot of wear materials for this particular CVT at this mileage. The main thing is refreshing the fluid IMO. Especially if you plan on keeping the car long term, you did good.

Do you know what the dealer did? Was it just a simple drain/fill? What did it cost?

When I owned my 2016 Forester, I contemplated a CVT drain/fill a few times but wound up trading it before I worked up the ambition.
 
I can't speak for OP but the dealer I used in Westchester NY charged $225 IIRC for drain fill and $350-375 for complete fluid exchange.
 
Hey guys,
Same thing here, it's my wife's car and they would ridicule her every time she asked. But I kept pressing for the change. "No one has every bought the fluid from us, it's in barrels." "The fluid is lifetime". We went there so many times and had them replace parts on the window before we fixed it with a battery off/window reset that they just let us pay them for one.

Before I purchased the car, I called the parts department and asked how CVT transmissions come through their counter. It was enough for me to make sure I got one with the extended 10 year warranty. https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2018/MC-10150931-9999.pdf

Original quote was $250 for a drain and fill, but it was actually $350. Not sure if she got the fluid quoted the first time or what, but we already knew the dealership was bad because they service my other car. It's on the Central Coast of California.
 
Dang, I really wanted to see how much debris there was so I could compare it to my Nissan when I do it's first drain/fill but, for some reason it won't open on my computer.
 
SLOsolstice said:
Hey guys,
Same thing here, it's my wife's car and they would ridicule her every time she asked. But I kept pressing for the change. "No one has every bought the fluid from us, it's in barrels." "The fluid is lifetime". We went there so many times and had them replace parts on the window before we fixed it with a battery off/window reset that they just let us pay them for one.

Before I purchased the car, I called the parts department and asked how CVT transmissions come through their counter. It was enough for me to make sure I got one with the extended 10 year warranty. https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2018/MC-10150931-9999.pdf

Original quote was $250 for a drain and fill, but it was actually $350. Not sure if she got the fluid quoted the first time or what, but we already knew the dealership was bad because they service my other car. It's on the Central Coast of California.
Click to expand...

I went through the same thing. After the umteenth time telling me it is "lifetime" fluid I opened my phone and showed the service writer a definition of "definition" and told him I'll be more than happy to disappear if you can show me a legitimate definition of "lifelong." Needless to say, he could not.

****, thousands of miles away the same "we only sell 50 gal drums" position. I found it to be true! I know because there is a really good Iny shop in Cortlandt and the owner has all the right equipment and knowledge base to work on the CVT in my 17. Problem was the dealer would only sell him a 50 gal drum. He wouldn't use that drum in a year so just not worth the cost to him.

I had a CVT in a Maxima and the one in the 17 Subaru is1,000,000 x's smoother and more responsive. For whatever reason Subaru seems paranoid about these units being worked on; even by their own Subaru trained Tech's.
 
ARCOgraphite said:
Here is a thread possibly worth a read:

SubaruOutback.org
Click to expand...

I used to follow that board and others back when I owned my Subarus. Subaru or Jatco CVT, I've never seen a failure reported from using aftermarket suitable for use CVT fluids. Wrong fluid type being used or trying to bring a dead/dying CVT back to life w/ new fluid and it didn't work? Yes. Those threads are out there.

One of the reasons I went with our 2019 Nissan Pathfinder was the ease at which you can do a CVT dain/fill on it. Easier than an engine oil change. No ramps or jacks needed. Subarus are a PITA w/out being on a lift.
 
JTK said:
I used to follow that board and others back when I owned my Subarus. Subaru or Jatco CVT, I've never seen a failure reported from using aftermarket suitable for use CVT fluids. Wrong fluid type being used or trying to bring a dead/dying CVT back to life w/ new fluid and it didn't work? Yes. Those threads are out there.

One of the reasons I went with our 2019 Nissan Pathfinder was the ease at which you can do a CVT dain/fill on it. Easier than an engine oil change. No ramps or jacks needed. Subarus are a PITA w/out being on a lift.
Click to expand...
Yes! my old Rogue Select still had the dipstick and it had a drain plug. easy to do a ambient temp drain/ fill.
Just do it cold early morning .with the bottle out there near the car. Put back in the qty that came out. Voila!
and for Nissan pusher-belt the fluid is cheap enough and everywhere aftermarket - the Nissan fluid is not special compared to
Valvoline or Castrol for 1/3rd the cost.
I will say I have never seen a dipstick level change so much from cold to hot.
In the late fall my Rogue JATCO would read off the bottom of the stick when COLD, and then an inch ABOVE the FULL HOT mark when I got to work after a 21 mile commute with 12 stoplights. Only at some "in between" temp was the level correct - from the factory fill !
NO wonder there were trans operation issues caused by under or over fill; Heavy Foaming is a big problem with overfill.
 
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