Local garage underfilled my tranny...dmage ?

[mikemc]

To make a long story short, I was trying to do a good thing for our Cavalier by having the pan dropped and a new filter installed with some fresh fluid. I let a local garage with good word of mouth handle the job instead of the dealer (my first mistake). I drove the car home (25 miles highway) and the next day I got paranoid and decided to have the dealer check the fluid level, as this car has no dip sick. I watched him leave the car running in park, remove the check plug and he added 3 quarts before fluid came out, indicaing full. I am obviously upset with the garage that did the work and have not confronted him yet. The car did not shift hard or slip as I can tell during the 25-30 miles it was low on fluid and the fluid did not have a burned smell. Any potential damage?

 

[ebaker]

If it didn't slip it should be fine.

 

[1040 WreckerMan]

Since it wasn't driven much it will be fine unless the transmission had a problem that was developing and the under fill finally made it fail. Under filling isn't an issue as long as there is still enough fluid in the pan for the pump to pickup. Again, with the short drive and mostly constant throttle (not a lot of accel/deccel) it should be fine.

 

[mikemc]

Thanks guys.

 

[oddball]

I definitely would get a receipt of the situation from the dealer and go back to the shop for a partial/complete refund. It may also not be a problem with the local shop, but just the technician being lazy/ignorant/having a bad day/whatever. The shop will, however, never know if you don't go back and complain with some proof to back you up.

 

[mikemc]

I contacted the owner, who I know as an aquaintance ( he shops in the grocery store I manage). He's a good guy, seemed to take it seriously and told me to let him know if I suspect tranny damage, and I documented this. I have the receipt from both his garage and the dealer who had to add fluid. So far the tranny seems ok, so far so good. It just makes me sick that I bought this car new, have babied it and done all the maintenence on time myself and now this from some bonehead that works for him.