How to check transmission oil level?
At home job of having my transmission oil changed has been left unfinished. How do I check to see if the current level is sufficient for use?
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A little more information would be useful, Katie, such as the year, submodel and engine of your Forester. That would let us pinpoint which of the two transmissions that were in use that you have.
Anyway, in either case as you've found there isn't a dipstick for your CVT (Constant Velocity Transmission). Basically, you jack up or crawl under the car and remove a plug. If fluid drips out, it's got enough, and if it doesn't you fill it until it does. Of course, that's overly simplified as there's a whole procedure that has to be followed, including the proper temperature of the fluid, being on a level surface and shifting through all the gears. I randomly picked a 2015 model, so you may need to select the right year and follow the links to the exact procedure for your car, but for that year there are two choices.
To get to the same place for your car, pick the appropriate year and model; Limited, Premium, Touring, etc. Click on Repair and Diagnosis, then Transmission followed by Automatic Transmission. You may have to do some homework to figure out which exact transmission yours is, but then you'll hit the CVTF link, and finally the Adjustment link to get to the level check procedure.
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@katiehauff 2012 -2013 are non-CVT models where you need to check the ATF differently. It is important that you let us know the exact year for your Forester.
by oldturkey03