Should I be worried about this leak?

Hi,

 

I've recently noticed some fluid where the blue arrows are pointing in the picture. Although no drops form or are found on the floor or my garage, I don't know how long this seeping has been going on. It doesn't look like trans fluid. It looks more like oil but it's such a minor amount it's hard to tell.

 

Does anyone know what the leak is? Thanks in advance for any help!

 

(2007 Subaru Legacy 2.5i 61000 miles w/powertrain warranty)

I can't even see it to be honest..... is it water? What does it feel like when you touch it?

 

Also, did you have any transmission work done in the past that needed the trans pan off?

From the looks of the adjacent area, it is probably minor antifreeze seepage.

wait wait...where is the leak at??

Who ever did the work on your transmission may have not buttoned things up properly. Did you replace the transmission or the previous owner if you're not the 1st owner?

If your under warranty take it in and get it documented.

I bought the car from a Subaru dealership as a "certified" used car, and was never told that the transmission was replaced. But after looking at the metal plate on the trans, I found out it was reconditioned and 2 years newer than the car. The front of the transmission pan seal also is also slightly "wet" but doesn't form drops. It also had a leaking steering gear when purchased but they fixed that. Oh, and the alternator is three years newer than the car. All of this i was never told about and it wasn't in the carfax!

 

Would tightening the bolts fix the problem or take it to the dealer?

 

Thanks again for all the advice!

It's a JATCO trans, take it in and get it looked at. They probably wont do anything for seepage but if you go past warranty and it becomes a problem you have a paper trail.

Don't mean to sound stupid but is a JATCO trans the 4EAT? The metal plate on the trans says Subaru Re-manufactured Parts.

I had a little leak start like that. Unfortunately I did not do/think anything about it. Ended up being the rear main seal. Don't quote me as I do not know the extent or your leak. Just saying thats what happened to mine.

The fluid is clean like fresh oil if it were red i would say it was ATF but a rear seal could be the cause

It doesn't appear to be trans fluid. I still have a year on my powertrain warranty so since it's not forming drops I'll wait until it gets worse before I take it in. So if drops don't form and there's only a small amount of seepage the dealer won't fix it? A rear main seal leak should be covered under the powertrain warranty, right?

Just dab it with a white paper towel, then you can be 100% sure what fluid it is. Check the steering rack and steering input shaft for leaks as well. If it's oil, it's a slow leak, but needs to be documented so you can get a free main seal repair down the road.

After watching the minor "wet spots" above the trans pan for a while (noted by the arrows in my photo), I noticed that it dries after the car sits, and as mentioned never forms drops or runs. The seal is moist and of course that doesn't evaporate because it is trans fluid.

 

Could the wet parts above the trans pan be water condensation? I have to jack up the car to reach it with a paper towel but will do that soon. Thanks in advance!

Maybe the a/c drain is leaking onto the transmission? Check it out!

Thought I'd post what was causing this seepage in case anyone else has the same problem.

 

Took the car to a Subaru dealer just before my extended warranty expired and it turns out it was the rear seal on the front differential. What looked like water was actually the clear gear oil, and after the car would sit for a while it would be drawn back into the front differential. The mechanic didn't even notice the seepage until I went to the garage and pointed it out to him. The front seal on the differential was also leaking, as well as the head gaskets. Quite a lot of leaks for a car with only 65,000 miles. Luckily, it was all covered by the extended powertrain warranty, which was definitely worth the extra cost.

Thought I'd post what was causing this seepage in case anyone else has the same problem.

 

Took the car to a Subaru dealer just before my extended warranty expired and it turns out it was the rear seal on the front differential. What looked like water was actually the clear gear oil, and after the car would sit for a while it would be drawn back into the front differential. The mechanic didn't even notice the seepage until I went to the garage and pointed it out to him. The front seal on the differential was also leaking, as well as the head gaskets. Quite a lot of leaks for a car with only 65,000 miles. Luckily, it was all covered by the extended powertrain warranty, which was definitely worth the extra cost.

:eek::eek:

As soon as I read the title I knew what my answer was going to be. You should be worried about any type of leak. Not trying to sound rude but nothing should be leaking out of an engine ever.