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.
Differential Side Retainer Oil Seal: Replacement
2016 Subaru Legacy 2.5iSECTION Replacement
WARNING: This page is about a different variant/trim than selected.
CAUTION:
- Immediately after the vehicle has been running or after idling for a long time, the differential gear oil will be hot. Be careful not to burn yourself.
- Be careful not to spill the differential gear oil on exhaust pipe to prevent it from emitting smoke or fire. If differential gear oil is spilled on the exhaust pipe, wipe it off completely.
- Lift up the vehicle, and remove the front wheels.
- After pulling off the cotter pin and removing the castle nut, use a puller to remove the tie-rod end.
- Lift up the vehicle.
- Remove the front under cover. < Ref. to REMOVAL , Front Under Cover. >
- Remove the front exhaust pipe. < Ref. to REMOVAL , Front Exhaust Pipe. >
- Drain differential gear oil. < Ref. to REPLACEMENT , Differential Gear Oil. >
- Tighten the differential gear oil drain plug.NOTE: Use a new gasket.
Tightening torque:
70 N.m (7.1 kgf-m, 51.6 ft-lb)
- Remove the stabilizer link. < Ref. to REMOVAL , Front Stabilizer. >
- Disconnect the lower arm ball joint and housing.
- Pull out the front drive shaft from transmission using a crowbar.
- Holding the joint of front drive shaft from transmission side, pull out the drive shaft from transmission with care not to stretch the boot.
- Remove the differential side retainer oil seal using driver wrapped with vinyl tape etc.
- Using the ST, install the differential side retainer oil seal by lightly tapping with a hammer.
ST 18675AA000 DIFFERENTIAL SIDE OIL SEAL INSTALLER
NOTE:- Apply differential gear oil to the lip surface, so that the oil seal lip is not deformed.
- Apply differential gear oil to the press-fitting surface of oil seal and the differential side retainer.
- Oil seal has an identification mark (R, L). When installing oil seals, do not confuse the left and right.
RENDER: 1.0x
NO RELATED
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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.