ive got a 89 dakota ive let set for almost 3 years

I have an '80 Volare that has leaked from a shift lever seal since the day the car was new. It still leaks to this day but I have never had to add any fluid and it's still full.

A little seepage is normal and nothing to get too excited about. If it's going to start leaking worse, that isn't going to be due to driving it so go ahead and try it. Also, after three years you can assume some fluid drained out of the torque converter, (if you have an automatic), so the level in the pan would have gone way up, possibly high enough to reach a seal where the fluid doesn't normally reach. That can overload a seal that normally just has to keep vapors in and dirt out.

thanks a ton. i topped it off yesturday and drove it about 15 miles, parked on level ground and checked it this morning when i was having coffee. no leaks yet, hope what you said was all it was. thanks for replying to my post. Dean.