Transmission Reservoir Leak

[trishco2008]

I have a 05 Pontiac Vibe... mechanic just told me I have a transmission reservoir leak... is this possible? if so, what do I need to do? should I get a second opinion? Don't know what they're going to charge me to replace it... I'm worried...

[SeattleJeremy]

To my knowledge there is not a reservoir to hold transmission fluid.

Yes, it's always possible for fluids to leak.
When the mechanic told you about this issue did they show you the problem? Did you get a quote?
If something is actually leaking, then the second opinion is likely to be the same as the first. However, the quote to fix it might be different. Find out what's actually wrong, and call around.

Does your car have an automatic or manual transmission?

On the manual transmission there is a slave cylinder that holds hydraulic fluid used to actuate the clutch. In this case all the actual transmission fluid is inside the transmission it self.
On the automatic transmission there might be an Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF) cooler (not standard on all cars).

Regardless of my questions above, yes, you should get it fixed. Leaking fluid leads to real repairs.

BTW: Welcome to GenVibe! I hope we can help fix the issue you're having.

[thebarber]

could be a leaky axle seal, regardless of the transmission...

[trishco2008]

Thanks for your input. It's an automatic transmission. They did not show me, and they have not called me back with a quote. Unfortunately I know nothing about cars, other than the required maintenance issues, so I get a little nervous when it involves anything that I'm unfamiliar with. They told me the fluid was lower than recommended but it was not a good idea to mix new and old fluid. They also suggested I needed a transmission flush... doesn't that happen anyway if they replace the so called reservoir? I wish I had a mechanic I can trust... I take my car to Midas and so far they've done a pretty good job with maintenance (oil changes, alignments, etc).

[trishco2008]

I think I'm definitely taking it for a second opinion... I called Midas back and it looks like I was not told correctly what the problem is...
it's the "power steering reservoir" that's leaking....so I'm taking it to a mechanic suggested by AAA to see what they say...

[trb]

Now that sounds a bit better, and probably cheaper. But the only thing a PS reservoir and transmission have in common is in some vehicles they use the same type of fluid in both systems. I haven't looked, but do our cars have a separate reservoir for the PS fluid, or is it part of the PS pump? Hopefully they won't have to replace the whole pump.

One bad thing about many of those oil change type of places is they try to sell you additional services because it means more profit for them. It is possible you could use a transmission flush, but if you have a lot of miles on it, a simple fluid change would probably be better. Both of our Vibes have about 55,000 miles, and I plan to change the trans fluid on them around 60,000 miles, but probably not flush it.

Good luck on it and hope you find a good shop to work on it. Sometimes asking friends or co-workers will help you find a good place that they use.

[SeattleJeremy]

That makes a lot more sense.
The Power Steering pump reservoir leaking isn't a common problem, but it should be easy to fix.

There are two ways to change the automatic transmission fluid.
1. Drain and Fill: Some of the transmission fluid is drained out by gravity+time. Then refilled, until full.
2. Flush: The transmission is hooked up to a machine, and ATF is pushed through the transmission's lines and all the fluid is exchanged. This procedure is not recommend if the fluid is dark, because part of that is clutch material, which once floating in the fluid, is required to keep the clutches happy.

http://www.ehow.com/facts_6141255_trans ... hange.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[trishco2008]

Thanks for the input. My car has 55,000 miles on it and I've never had the the power steering fluid flushed... so do you think I should do it? or just replace the reservoir and add fluid? I'm retired but will see if any of my friends have a trusted mechanic. Thanks

[SeattleJeremy]

There is no need to flush the power steering fluid, just replace the faulty part and refill.

For everything else just follow the owners manual.
http://www.pontiac.com/content/dam/pont ... manual.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[CharlesinGA]

Resv is plastic and located up high on the right side, easily accessible. Could be cracked or could be a hose is leaking. Either should be a fairly easy fix.

Charles