2015 to 2019 Subaru Outback TR690 CVT fluid drain and fill
Tools
- 3/8 inch drive ratchet with 17mm socket for the drain plug
- 19mm socket for the fill plug
- Torque wrench that covers 20 to 45 ft lbs
- Floor jack and jack stands, all four corners
- Non contact infrared thermometer or a scan tool that reads CVT fluid temp
- Fluid transfer pump or a long neck funnel with a 3 foot hose
- Drain pan rated for at least 8 quarts
- Nitrile gloves, shop rags
- Small pick or magnet for retrieving the crush washers
Parts
- Subaru High Torque CVTF — Subaru SOA748V0200 5 gallon or SOA635049 quart (this is the orange fluid for the TR690 with the 3.6R H-6 engine, not CVTF-II)
- Drain plug crush washer — Subaru 803916010
- Fill plug crush washer — Subaru 803916100
- Overflow plug crush washer — Subaru 803916100 (same as fill)
Steps
01Warm the transmission to operating temp before draining
Drive the car for 15 to 20 minutes until the CVT is fully warm. Then park on level ground. A cold CVT drain gives a false fluid level because the volume in the pan changes significantly between cold and hot.
02Verify TR690 versus TR580
The TR690 is only in the 3.6R six cylinder Outback for this year range. The TR580 is the 2.5L four cylinder box and uses green CVTF-II, not orange High Torque fluid. Confirm which engine you have from the door jamb before you buy fluid. Wrong fluid in either CVT will damage the belt and pulleys.
03Lift and level the car on four jack stands
The overflow check procedure only works if the car is level side to side and front to back. Lift all four corners onto jack stands at the factory lift points. Check with a bubble level across the frame.
04Remove the 19mm fill plug first
The fill plug is on the driver side of the transmission case, above the pan level. If the fill plug will not come out, stop before you open the drain. You must be able to refill or the car does not leave your driveway.
05Position the drain pan under the transmission drain plug
The drain plug is a 17mm bolt on the bottom of the pan. Position the drain pan under it, tilted slightly toward the passenger side to catch the initial stream.
06Crack and remove the drain plug
Loosen the drain plug with the 17mm socket, then finger it out. Push inward as the last threads clear so the fluid does not sheet down your arm. Expect about 5.5 quarts to come out on a hot drain.
07Let it drain fully, then swap the crush washer
Wait until the stream stops entirely, at least 10 minutes. Wipe the drain plug clean, remove the old crush washer with a pick, install the new 803916010 washer, and thread the plug back in by hand.
08Torque the drain plug
Torque the TR690 drain plug to 33 ft lbs (44 Nm). Verify against your service manual. Do not over torque this. The pan is aluminum and the drain boss will crack.
09Fill through the fill port with new orange High Torque CVTF
Use a fluid transfer pump or a long funnel with hose to feed new fluid into the driver side fill port. Add the same volume you drained, roughly 5.5 quarts, then stop. Do not overfill.
10Reinstall the fill plug hand tight and start the engine
Thread the fill plug in hand tight with a new crush washer. Start the engine and let it idle in park. The CVT fluid temp will start climbing as the pump circulates fluid through the cooler loop.
11Cycle through the gears to spread fluid
With foot on brake, move the selector through P, R, N, D, and back to P, pausing 3 seconds in each position. This ensures fluid reaches every valve body circuit and clutch pack.
12Monitor CVT fluid temp for the overflow check
Continue idling. Watch the CVT fluid temp on your scan tool or use the IR thermometer on the pan. The overflow check window on the TR690 is between 95 and 113 degrees Fahrenheit (35 to 45 C). The overflow check is temperature specific. If you do it outside this window, the level reading will be wrong.
13Loosen the overflow plug and check fluid drip
The overflow plug is the smaller plug inside the fill port cavity, or on some cases a separate small plug on the pan. With the temp in window and engine idling, loosen the overflow plug. A small stream of fluid should trickle out for a few seconds, then slow to a drip, then stop.
14Snug the overflow plug and top up if it did not weep
If nothing came out of the overflow plug, the transmission is low. Add fluid through the fill port a half quart at a time until the overflow plug drips at the correct temp. Torque the overflow plug to 33 ft lbs (44 Nm) with a fresh crush washer. Verify against your service manual.
15Shut off, torque the fill plug, and clean up
Shut off the engine, torque the fill plug to 33 ft lbs (44 Nm), wipe the case down, and lower the car. Verify against your service manual. Check for leaks after a short drive.
Notes
Reference guide. A general procedure compiled by Wrenchpit, not a first-hand write-up from one owner's vehicle. Torque figures, capacities and part numbers vary by model year, engine and trim — check them against your service manual and the labels on your old parts before you rely on them.
Applies to roughly 2015-2019 model years. Filed under 2017 because a guide carries a single model year.
Do a TR690 fluid change every 30,000 to 40,000 miles regardless of what Subaru's severe schedule prints. Subaru's official position is that the TR690 fluid is fill for life in normal service and 60,000 miles in severe. In real world driving, the fluid loses its friction modifier package after 40,000 miles and the belt to pulley contact starts to slip microscopically, which is what wears the pulleys. A drain and fill every 30,000 keeps the fluid fresh enough that the belt wear stays at the design rate.
Cost runs 60 to 90 dollars for the fluid, crush washers, and time. A dealer service is 300 to 500 dollars for the same drain and fill. If you are unsure of the correct fluid or the overflow procedure temperature window, pay the dealer and watch. It is genuinely one of the most sensitive CVT services on the market.
Do not substitute non Subaru fluid on the TR690. The Idemitsu or Amsoil universal CVT fluids are not qualified for the TR690 friction requirements. Even a single service on the wrong fluid can cause chain slap and code storage. Buy the orange Subaru High Torque CVTF from a dealer parts counter or a Subaru specific supplier only.
The overflow check temperature window is narrower than most other CVTs on the market. Most Nissan and Honda CVTs give you 15 to 20 degrees of window. Subaru gives you about 10 degrees on the TR690. Have your scan tool or IR thermometer ready before you crack the overflow plug or you will chase the temp window in and out of range and end up with the wrong level.
Some early 2015 Outbacks had a factory transmission cooler weep from a corroded thermostat housing that looks identical to a CVT pan drip. If you find fresh red or brown fluid on the driveway after this service, check whether the drip is coming from the pan bolts or from the cooler line union at the radiator. The cooler line fittings back off on some early builds and need to be re snugged.
Check your part numbers against the labels on the old crush washers and the fluid bottle before you order. Subaru changed the crush washer size at least once during this generation, and mixing sizes will cause a weep at the drain plug. The old washer diameter is the fastest verification.
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