Seeking advice regarding hard clunk from transmission

[Faheem_23]

Understood. Did the car shift fine when you first got it?

Yes it did. The only problem was the slight bump i faced during the first start in the morning which i now suspect was due to a low fluid level.

 

[SparkYellow]

Yes it did. The only problem was the slight bump i faced during the first start in the morning which i now suspect was due to a low fluid level.

Got it. So the shifting pattern reset and fluid topping off both helped.

Did you get to see the dent on the pan when it was discovered? If not, would you be willing to check it out yourself? A good look at the pan will help you decide to freak out or chill.

 

[Lazy2.5]

I would get that pan replaced as soon as possible. No amount of fluid leakage is acceptable.

Agree that if the dent was deep enough to actually damage the internals, you would know, because a simply shift adapt reset would not help physical damage.

 

[SparkYellow]

If the dent was deep enough to hit the internal components, it probably would have resulted in more than a slow leak. The pan is a very thick and solid piece of metal. The other interpretation is that a slight dent along the pan edge caused a slow leak, and that slow leak over a long period of time led to dangerously low fluid level, hence the concern over damage to internal components (like solenoids and stuff as mentioned above). Did the mechanic indicate how much fluid was added and what type? There may be clues on the invoice.

Either way, if the dent wasn't shown to me at the time, I'd want to put the front wheels on ramps, remove the belly cover, and take a good look at the pan. I'd also want to get an OBDii device and app to regularly scan for codes. I started recently to scan on each drive and found occasional codes that went away on their own or stayed away after being cleared. They didn't trigger the CEL. There are problems lurking below the surface.

If the diagnosis was from a trusted mechanic, then they would be in a better position to advise whether it is safe to continue driving until the replacement pan arrives.