Safety Warning
DIY auto repair can cause serious injury, fire, or vehicle damage. These guides are for informational purposes only. Always follow OEM torque specs, wear PPE, and consult a certified mechanic if you are unsure. You are solely responsible for your safety.
Continuously Variable Transmission: CVTF: Replacement
- Directly after the vehicle has been running or the engine has been long idle running, the CVTF is hot. Be careful not to burn yourself.
- Be careful not to spill the CVTF on exhaust pipe to prevent it from emitting smoke or causing fires.
- If CVTF adheres, wipe it off completely. Always use specified CVTF or equivalent. Using other fluid than specified or equivalent will cause malfunction.
- Lift up the vehicle, and remove the CVTF drain plug.
- Check the CVTF condition. Refer to , CONDITION CHECK , CVTF.
- Install the CVTF drain plug and gasket.NOTE:
- Use a new gasket.
Tightening torque:
20 N.m (2.0 kgf-m, 14.8 ft-lb)
- Remove the filler plug.
- Fill in the specified fluid or equivalent through the filler plug.
CVT fluid:
Refer to , HYDRAULIC CONTROL AND LUBRICATION , SPECIFICATION, General Description.
Capacity:
Fill with the same amount of CVTF as drained.
- Temporarily tighten the filler plug.
- Idle the engine to raise CVTF temperature to 35 - 45°C (95 - 113°F) on Subaru Select Monitor.
- Operate the select lever in P ==> R ==> N ==> D and D ==> N ==> R ==> P to circulate CVTF with the engine idling.CAUTION: Pay special attention to the following operations as the engine is at idle.
- Place the select lever in "P" range. Then lift up the vehicle with the engine at idle to adjust the CVTF level and check for leakage. Refer to , ADJUSTMENT , CVTF.
- Replace with a new gasket, and attach the filler plug.
Tightening torque:
50 N.m (5.1 kgf-m, 36.9 ft-lb)
Use the Manual With the Right Hardware
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When to See a Mechanic
Stop DIY work and contact a certified mechanic immediately if any of the following apply:
- • You smell fuel, burning insulation, or see smoke.
- • Brakes feel soft, pull hard to one side, or make grinding noises.
- • The engine overheats, stalls repeatedly, or misfires under load.
- • You are missing required tools, torque specs, or safe lifting equipment.
- • You are not confident in the next step or safety outcome.
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