i had my oil changed on the 28th and ive been noticing a burning smell and it's been really hard to get my car into 3rd gear. I looked in the engine bay and noticed that my transmission fluid dipstick was missing and that the fluid was everywhere. Since the company that changed my oil checked the fluid last...they're paying for my dipstick and fluid.
My question is this: could the 3+ hours i drove that day without knowing the dipstick was missing do any serious damage?
It shouldn't be too big of a problem that the dipstick is missing.... But the fluid everywhere doesn't sound too good. You're probably low on fluid and that's causing the problem getting it into 3rd.
I agree that the morons that changed your fluid are at fault.
Rob
Sold 2/2/05
If you were from Canada I'd ask you if you had your oil change done at Canadian Tire... sounds like something they'd do.
As was said...it shouldn't hurt at all...I had an old ford ranger in which I broke the front trans seal and lost all but 2.5 quarts of fluid (takes about 2.5-3 gal full). I drove it for 20 miles to get home and it slipped all the way up every hill. I changed the seal and put in some new fluid and it drove just as good as before...as good as a 17 year old beater could drive.
I wouldn't worry too much...
BUT I would get them to sign something stating that they did forget the stick. Something to try and hold them accountable if something does go wrong.
my dipstick flew off one night on the freeway i got into town downshifted at light heard a nasty grind next thing you know my 3rd gear syncro was out and i had to get a new tranny just for the dumb dipstick
Brandon Schmidt wrote:my dipstick flew off one night on the freeway i got into town downshifted at light heard a nasty grind next thing you know my 3rd gear syncro was out and i had to get a new tranny just for the dumb dipstick
WTF here?
Your dipstick flew off you say, then you later say you downshifted. Okay downshifting so you have a manual, but manuals dont have dipsticks.
A missing dipstick wont cause any damage.
- 2004 Cavalier - 124k, owned since new
manuals do have dipsticks. dip@!#$
isuzu tranny has a dipstick.. I was on the freeway on the side of the road th things that keep u awake or whatever i imagine all the vibration knocked it out
anyway the dipstick is the fill hole. It was raining here. I emptied my tranny it was filed with like some muddy water looking stuff. So yes under the right conditions it may or may not harm it.