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Oil change/fiascos
Hi,
I recently(last month) got an oil change. The
technician only refilled the crankcase with 5 qts. of oil. My car is supposed to take 6.3 qts.
with filter. I have been driving like this for a
month. I basically commute back and forth to work
40 minute round trip. Does anyone think that any damage was done to my car? Has the potential longevity of the automobile been compromised?
Thanks
David
I recently(last month) got an oil change. The
technician only refilled the crankcase with 5 qts. of oil. My car is supposed to take 6.3 qts.
with filter. I have been driving like this for a
month. I basically commute back and forth to work
40 minute round trip. Does anyone think that any damage was done to my car? Has the potential longevity of the automobile been compromised?
Thanks
David
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Comments
That recently paid off when I found that the technician put the wrong weight and brand of oil in my new car. After changing to my brand and weight, I checked it again and found that he'd left the oil cap off!
Double-checking folks is a good habit to get into - could save you LOTS of money, and as long as humans are doing work on cars, there's room for error.
I learned a long time ago that checking over my car, in the 15 seconds it takes, gives me peace of mind and a feeling that I don't have to worry if the guy did it right.
People make mistakes - if I catch it, I don't have to worry. It's the dummy who thinks his mechanic is like God who'll end up with a blown motor a mile down the road.
The responsibility, though, for care of my car is ultimately mine.
I always check the oil level after a change, even if Mario Andretti did it for me. Anybody can make this mistake because some cars are very tricky to get a good reading. The stick looks fine even after a 30 second idle and shut down, but it's not fine the next morning.
Commmon problem. The owner is also responsible for checking the oil level periodically. If you don't ever check it, you are really asking for trouble. Leaks, damaged oil pans, loose filters---they can all contribute to an unpleasant surprise over time.
However, as noted, we have no choice in today's world where the dollar and in and out service rule
so we are forced to check every repair and oil change. Well, I do those myself now.
Besides, service managers and mechanics are evaluated based on "comebacks". A comeback repair is the surest way to put heat on people in the dealership. By not allowing the comeback repair, you are removing good leverage for your complaint and for the improvement of the shop I think.
Last of all, if I may note and emphasize this....bringing the car back with an obvious "botch", like coolant all over everything, is an EXCELLENT way to determine if you want to do any further business with that shop. If they jump on it and correct it, you know you are dealing with people who want to improve and who want your business. If they try to deny it, or intimidate you, or ignore you, you have a PERFECT reason to never go there again, because you have been given the TRUTH of the matter. They are no good.
I currently have a 91 Jeep Cherokee in my shop because the wrong oil filter was installed by a local service station. The truck went to one shop to be diagnosed after the filter dumped all the oil all over the engine compartment, then the service station got it back and pulled the engine and then refused to make good on the engine.
The people who own the vehicle called their insurance company, who called me and asked that I retrieve the engine and vehicle and do an autopsy on the engine. I haven't gotten that far yet, but from the insurance investigator, it seems the original shop stated that there was no oil or oil pressure.
This is a case where everything went wrong.
First thing, contact the place that did the work.
Be sure to have all documentation of the work.
Then if they refuse to pay for the problem, seek help from an outside source. In some cases, if you have full coverage and a good insurance agent, they will provide the help you need.
The place I have been going the last five or six years seems to have their act well and truly together: no mistakes I could find in all that time, either by inspecting the vehicles myself, or from related problems down the line. I did have a guilty moment once, though: the service writer came strolling by as I was checking the work! He could see right away what i was doing, and asked like it was perfectly routine if there was any problem. I said "nope", and he said "great!" and gave me a big smile and kept on walking!
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
If you did a good job, wouldn't you want to SHOW that to the customer?
TB
Anyway, I drove out, hit the freeway ramp and the gas pedal jammed to the floor. This can be freaky in a diesel as they shut off by vacuum interrupting fuel flow (there is no ignition system).
Anyway, I limped back to the shop and they discovered that the mechanic has forced a heater hose over the cannister to clear the lid, and unfortunately had wedged it into the throttle linkage.
Well when my friend heard about he went totally ballistic, and he fired the guy right then and there (loudly and in front of everyone) and told him to pack up his roller. I felt really bad, and eventually, after an hour cool-off, he relented. The guy still works there but boy oh boy does he ever check his work!
Can you imagine the liabilities of this situation?
Talk about a freak thing though...
Another common disaster is on Saabs. On some models, the oil pan plug and transmission plug are a) right next to each other, and b) similar in size and shape.
Yep, you guessed it. All the transmission oil is drained, and the engine gets 10 quarts of oil and then the car leaves the shop with an empty transmission and a puking engine.
I ALWAYS have to check my Benz after an oil change because it takes 7 quarts. Some Porsches take 12 (dry sump system).
You have paid to have the work done and done right. Everyboby makes mistakes and if they don't then they have made another by not knowing they do. If a person is competant then they should have no problem with a once over gaze under the hood. Like nippononly's moment. I say so what.
Really, it is your property and the one who has to deal with the future monatary consequences and you are the one that will be driving it in traffic.
Like the time i pulled into traffic after an oil change only to have a big ole clunking, banging, thrashing noise followed by a filter wrench skating out from under the car into the other lane and thinking what the ....
In my old line of work, hooking up half million dollar medical equipment, i welcomed and requested a second opinion. Hey it is easier to fix a wiring problem before you turn it on.
Someone once left a shop rag on top of my engine. If course, it caught on fire. no damage done but I made sure the shop got to see the remains of it.
Once it is off there lot you are on your own, I find it much easier to avoid a problem in the first place. My oil wrench story: went back and buddy says in must have been on the road and i hit it and it bounced around under the car and flew back out. I said that all i wanted to do was to return his professional grade oil wrench but since it wasn't his then its mine now and threw in the trunk and drove off. The stunned look and homer simpson eyes he gave me was priceless. Never went back.
I don't see the problem in checking out what you have and what you paid for. If you go to a barber, do you think buddy gonna get peeved if you look in the mirror before you walk. If someone paints your house, is it bad taste to look at it before he packs up.
I go to a tire shop that tells you with a big sign on the door to check your hubcaps for proper installation before you go. They're not insecure about someone checking their work and it covers their butt by putting the onus on you if you come back with a missing hubcap. If you're standing in front of a bay window and see buddy jackhammer starting your lug nuts with an air ratchet or beating the crap out of them without a torque stick, are you gonna say something. Why are people so afraid of hurting these poor fragile auto mechanics feelings. If they do a decent job then they have nothing to worry about.
The thing is, most people, especially the ones that troll these boards, care about their wheels and are gonna look at it, not just to check it over but also to see the new shiny bits. So big deal if you look at it in their lot or in your own driveway.
TB
To top things off, they never tightened/installed the plastic clips for the bottom engine cover and the thing fell off while doing 60 on the way home. Talk about scaring the bejeebers out of you with that racket. Went back and the dealer made good on a new shield. Stuff happens.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
What are these folks thinking?
Speaking of not thinking...
http://cartalk.cars.com/Radio/Show/Audio/200336/RA/s03.ram
TB
At least I'd make a big enough stink to have them do the leg work.
But rather, how would he like to drive down there missing a few...
TB
TB
Could that guy have been for real?
When I get home, I'll e-mail you a synopsis.
Or you could install RealPlayer...
TB
"Assuming that you do have an oil sludging problem (and no engine seizure), how do you repair the problem? Can you flush the system without using additives with a normal oil change (such as those discussed on bobistheoilguy, etc)?"
If your problem is advanced enough to get an intermittent oil light that's coming on more frequently, I don't think the alleged cleaning provided by a synthetic oil change is going to cut it.
There are guys on other forums that swear by the Auto Rx treatment as a cure for the sludge problem. They've said that the stuff cured their oil light issues and restored the engine to a spotless condition internally. You can find them on some other forums (Edmunds frowns on posting links to other forums - so I can't lead you there). Google B5 & Passat.
I had an elderly gentleman who brought his vehicle to me every month. It didn't matter how it ran or if there was no problem. He brought the vehicle in every month to be checked over and all the fluids topped off or whatever needed changed.
But any time that I replaced anything ot worked on anything, when he came to pick up the car, he would pop the hood, look over everything and then walked around the whole car.
Did he think I did something wrong? No.
Did he think that I was dishonest? No.
He once asked if it bothered me that he checked over his car and I told him that if it were mine, I would do the same thing.
If your mechanic is bothered by you looking over the work, then you should find another mechanic.
I encourage folks to check out the repairs they have had done. When I do work, I usually tried and show them the repairs or had someone go over what was replaced/repaired with them.
Some of these guys would probably get their feathers ruffled just a bit if someone checked their work in front of them.
That's why I suggested doing this a bit more discretly.
I cannot imagine any mechanic in their right mind getting upset about someone checking their work.
I do understand what you mean about the prima donnas. I have worked with some and had some work for me.
I don't care how good a mechanic anyone is, they are still human and make mistakes. Personally, I would rather that if it did happen, the customer was right there and not in the middle of the interstate. As much as a person can try, no on is perfect and when you have a ton of things to accomplish in a day, mistakes can happen.
This is what happens when oil starvation strikes.
He did a lowly oil change and forgot to put oil back in the engine. The elderly couple failed to see, smell or hear the sounds of impending doom.
Finally, they could ignore the knocking no longer and headed back to the shop.
It was a Buick Electra (what else?) with 15,000 miles on it. The engine was toast.
The shop's insurance paid, the mechanic at fault did the comeback work. The next day, he packed his tools and left in shame. Too bad.
This CAN happen to the best!
but it doesn't work quite that way with the alemite-type fillers.
if I had to work in an iffy-lube or something to keep ends together, I'd put my cap on the engine until I oiled it.
Open the hood....looks okay. Check dipstick...nothing on it. Hmmmm...
Peek under the car....see rod punched through the oil pan.
Did you hear anything ma'am? Nope. Smell anything? Nope.
It just ran funny.