What are the symptoms of a rear main seal leak?
Depending on the severity of the leak the first thing you may notice is the oil level going down. The next thing that happens is spotting, where you will find oil spots, located on the driveway or garage. While looking under the vehicle around the area where the engine and transmission connect, you will find oil dripping, or an oil residue with dirt caked on this part of the vehicle, most noticeably under the oil pan and the front of the transmission. In some transmissions, it will actually be the oil leaking out of the front of the transmission. In some manual transmission vehicles, you may also notice some slipping of the clutch, which can occur with a leaking rear main seal.
