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Transmission fluid type

4K views 5 replies 5 participants last post by  ldorch 
#1 ·
Hello,

I have a 2012, Outback 3.6R (6-cylinder) which I took in for service December 2019 (at 74,000 miles) and the technicians recommended a transmission fluid flush. Since purchasing the car at 44,000 miles, this is the only transmission fluid flush I've had done (can't speak for before that). The shop I took it to used a "Multi-vehicle synthetic ATF HP fluid". I've been experiencing a rumbling noise and sensation afterwards that was looked at in the summer but not fixed. Now (Dec 2020, at 86,000 miles) I've taken the vehicle to a Subaru dealership and they seem to have fixed the rumbling by replacing the drive shaft u-joint but they indicated there is still a bit of noise coming from the transmission that they attribute to "turbine speed erratic condition". I believe I heard it once on the drive home from the dealership and it sounded like a shuttering noise that I could slightly feel as well. The dealership is saying this could be due to incorrect fluid used by the shop a year ago and state my vehicle requires "HP fluid for non-cvt transmissions mated to 6cylinder engines). The owner's manual says to use Subaru ATF or Idemitsu ATF HP.

I'm wondering if a multi-vehicle ATF HP fluid is suitable for my model of vehicle or do I need to strictly use one of the two fluid types mentioned in the owner's manual? Alternatively, does this indicate deeper issues inside the transmission?

Any help would be much appreciated, I'm getting mixed answers from many shops.

Thank you
 
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#3 ·
Hello,

I have a 2012, Outback 3.6R (6-cylinder) which I took in for service December 2019 (at 74,000 miles) and the technicians recommended a transmission fluid flush. Since purchasing the car at 44,000 miles, this is the only transmission fluid flush I've had done (can't speak for before that). The shop I took it to used a "Multi-vehicle synthetic ATF HP fluid". I've been experiencing a rumbling noise and sensation afterwards that was looked at in the summer but not fixed. Now (Dec 2020, at 86,000 miles) I've taken the vehicle to a Subaru dealership and they seem to have fixed the rumbling by replacing the drive shaft u-joint but they indicated there is still a bit of noise coming from the transmission that they attribute to "turbine speed erratic condition". I believe I heard it once on the drive home from the dealership and it sounded like a shuttering noise that I could slightly feel as well. The dealership is saying this could be due to incorrect fluid used by the shop a year ago and state my vehicle requires "HP fluid for non-cvt transmissions mated to 6cylinder engines). The owner's manual says to use Subaru ATF or Idemitsu ATF HP.

I'm wondering if a multi-vehicle ATF HP fluid is suitable for my model of vehicle or do I need to strictly use one of the two fluid types mentioned in the owner's manual? Alternatively, does this indicate deeper issues inside the transmission?

Any help would be much appreciated, I'm getting mixed answers from many shops.

Thank you
I have flushed with Valvoline Maxxlife in my 2010 3.6R when I first got it and it seemed to run fine for the 1 year it was in there. I did have the dreaded torque converter shudder however. I cannot say if that was caused by the Maxxlife ATF or not because i flushed the trans right when I purchased it used at 157k km. Based on other's experience with the TC shudder it likely had nothing to do with the Maxxlife fluid.

I then flushed with Amsoil Signature ATF and about 3-4 months after that my TC shudder completely went away. It has now been over a year or so and the TC shudder has never come back. I typically would recommend just going with Subaru ATF but it isn't cheap and at that price I would have a hard time not recommending the Amsoil ATF based on my personal experience.
 
#4 ·
I did a full fluid swap using idemitsu hp maybe a year or two ago. A drain/fill with valvoline maxxlife recently and today a drain/drop pan/change filter/fill with idemitsu hp. I can say the 5eat is very sensitive to fluids (condition or otherwise). I would do at least a drain/fill if not also replace the filter. This will help give you and idea if fluid change(s) will improve your drivability.
 
#5 ·
I would stick with the OEM subaru transmission fluid and I will recommend not doing the fluid flush. I would just recommend fluid drain, change filter and put new fluid bad in. Flushing a transmission usually breaks the transmission, because gears will always chip metal shavings. Flushing the transmissions will move those metal shavings to spots of the transmission that would damage the transmission.
 
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