I was in the process of changing my oil, for the first time, (1300 miles),when I spotted engine oil dropson the bottom two bolts of the bellhousing. I looked everything over and the oil wasn't coming from anywhere else. There is a small bellhousinginspection cover plateheld by two bolts, on the bottom of housing, that I removed. I stuck my finger on the inside of inspection hole and oil was present. Sounds like a rear main seal to me. I'llguess our engines use a full circular seal and not an old low-tech two piece seal. I'm wondering if anybody elsehas seen this oil leak?I will say that I was amazed how dirty thefactory fill oil was at only 1300 miles. I refilled withValvoline 5w20 conventionalwith a wixoil filter. Looks like it's time for another dealership visit. I hope I didn't buy a lemon?

Problems so far:
1. Clunking front wheel bearings
2. noisy drivers side mirror. (fixed that one easy)
3.Small Dents on hood (not sure whose to blame for that?)
4. Bluetooth Module Fried
5 Possible Rear Main oil leak?

 

Well the bearings are well known issue. Very simple fix.
The noisy mirror was plain stupidity on mits part.
You cant blame dents on mits, maybe the transport truck or being at the dealer.
The last 2 are a real kick in the ***** though. I hope mits is taking care of you with all your problems. Good luck with oil leak. I check for oil leaks everyday and seen nothing. I also check my drive way and take a peak underneath to make sure nothing is leaking. It is a new car and some things will expand and contract being used for the first time.

 

Should be under warrenty

 

Oh it will be. Bumper to bumper warrenties are awesome. I extended mine for 10 years 100,000 miles.

 

I wouldnt worry too much about it, it could be an oil leak, or it could be something else...
Just like everyone above has stated, i would take a ride out to mitsu, and have them look at it.

 

oil vapor inside the bellhousing is not a leak. Its probably just remnants of assembly lubricants.


Its a leak when it hits the floor. Clean if off and it will probably never return.

 

Manybrews, thats what i was going to say, and I agree with you,
but, seems like round here, there is somone having some new, previously unidentified problem every day, and nothing anyone ever says helps except when they are told
"take it to the dealer"

But I still agree with you, and think thats exactly what it is,
not to mention, it could be that water splashed up in the bell-housing, and watered down some of the surface grease thats just a normall part of all transmission, and it ran down, towards the coverplate drain hole. could be like you said, assembly lube, It could be that the torque convertere leaked some fluid during assembly, or it could be any number of other things,

good point tho...

 

The mechanics at the dealer will know if he doesnt feel good with his diagnosis. Assembly lube isnt going to be as watery as engine oil. Like manybrews said if it drips its a leak and you can be possitive that way.

 

Well, I respectfully disagree that it's assembly lube that has run down the back of the block into the bellhousing. Over the years, I have built many motors and know how to id a leak. It was definetely engine oil, not trans fluid or watercausing anything to drain out.I know that all seals havea controlled"leak" ,more of a sweat if you will,or no lubrication of the seal itself takes place, but dripscoming off the lowerbellhousing and onto theground are a problem. If the leak persists, I'll put some developer dye in the crankcase and use a black light to pinpoint the leak before I take it to the dealer. Not saying the dealers don't have some talented techs, but I always like to try to help the situation by pointing them in the general vicinity of the problem so they don't come up with any excuses. At least we have a great warranty for any issues that come up in the first 5 to 10 years of ownership. That was afterall, the whole reasonwe boughta new car.

 

If I had a leak that bad, I'd be ready to kill someone.