Oil change - NO Transmission fluid

Grinder12000

Went to a Take 5 oil change with a Crosstrek with 58,000 miles - ZERO issues EVER (except the radio), not one drip from anything on garage floor.

Drove off after the oil change and car acted REALLY odd, like it was missing a gear or something. Went back immediately. They went with me around the block, checked the oil. Oil fine but one guy said it might be the differential. Drove 10 miles to the Subaru shop.

I basically had no transmission fluid - down 4 quarts. Take 5 said NOT US WE never went near the transmission plug (which is in the back?)

UMM - where did it go? Does it evaporite? Never leaked. All of a sudden AFTER an oil change?

Opinions? Comments welcome. I'm not a car expert (anymore) but it REALLY seems fishy. Cost $400

thecardoc3

I spliced together two different service photos, the larger showing the transmission drain plug and the smaller where the engine oil drain plug is in relationship to that. The front of the car would be at the bottom of the photo. The engine oil drain plug is normally accessed through an opening in the splash shield below the engine. Is your splash shield missing below the engine?

Usually when a technician would accidently remove the wrong drain plug, they normally drain the differential plug which is visible making a left angle between the blue callout for the transmission drain and the red engine oil drain.

Did the Subaru dealer technician notate whether the transmission drain plug showed any marks suggesting that it had been removed and tightened?

Grinder12000

Good question - they did not mention THAT specifically but they seemed sure the fluid SHOULD have been there and odd how it was almost exactly 4 quarts. They questioned how a perfectly running car with zero issues would sound as it did RIGHT after an oil change.

The oil change people kept say the plug is on opposites of the car - one front and one back in a Crosstrek.