I have an 01 Suzuki Grand Vitara 4x4 with a 2.5L engine. I noticed the other morning that there was a small (between the size of a quarter and half dollar) spot of oil under where I park. After crawling under, I see that it is the upper oil pan that is leaking. I read a service manual that says that to reseal it, the front differential and steering rack need to be removed to gain the proper access.
I am not really wanting to do that, so how problematic is it to drive with the oil leak? There's not any loss showing on the dipstick, but I get the small spot after my day at work as well as overnight.
Thanks
The safety will depend on how much oil is leaking. You said there's no loss showing on the dipstick, but you need to do routine check for any considerable loss and top it up when needed. If it doesn't get worse, then you could probably live with it if you don't want to deal with the repair time and cost.
Just keep your eyes on it. As long as you have proper oil level in your car, you will be fine.
All the engine needs is for the oil level to be above the minimum mark on the stick. It doesn't care about your pan. But your friends/family might when you park in front of their house.
