Considering how many vehicles are serviced each day I find it amazing the incident rate is so low.
DIY'ers screw stuff up as well.
DIY'ers screw stuff up as well.
Worse service mistake ever!
- Thread starter Corvette Owner
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I accidentally loosened the ATF plug on my father's Saturn once while going for an oil change. My father was in the garage with me nagging me about something so I was a little distracted but at least realized what I did.
So he got a ATF fluid change and an oil change.
So he got a ATF fluid change and an oil change.
Every time I think of service mistakes I recall a story I was told sometime back when I was taking auto classes.
Someone at a service station was pulling the motor from a vehicle up on a lift. I don't have the full details but I was told that the engine fell from some certain height and promptly splashed oil *EVERYWHERE*.
As for my "service mistake story" I had a car come in once. I was at a lube shop. I was "down in the pit". As I'm nearsighted and wear safety glasses (and was one of the few to wear a bump cap all the time, thank goodness for that many times) I couldn't see with precise detail but I could detect something was really wrong. Turns out that the Honda Accord in question (mid-90's model) was pumping out on the left side of the block, right where the main seal is, and lots of it. "Can I get an oil change?" asked the lady. Service writer said no. Parked it nearby and got a tow truck to haul that thing off.
Someone at a service station was pulling the motor from a vehicle up on a lift. I don't have the full details but I was told that the engine fell from some certain height and promptly splashed oil *EVERYWHERE*.
As for my "service mistake story" I had a car come in once. I was at a lube shop. I was "down in the pit". As I'm nearsighted and wear safety glasses (and was one of the few to wear a bump cap all the time, thank goodness for that many times) I couldn't see with precise detail but I could detect something was really wrong. Turns out that the Honda Accord in question (mid-90's model) was pumping out on the left side of the block, right where the main seal is, and lots of it. "Can I get an oil change?" asked the lady. Service writer said no. Parked it nearby and got a tow truck to haul that thing off.
Originally Posted By: 01_celica_gt
Seriously? LOL!
Yea there is a YOu tube video where a lady with a Honda Civic went to Walmart for a OIL change and they forgot to put oil in it.... She worked accross the street thank god and she dropped the car off and picked up at her lunch break... when she got in car and started she said it was making noise and she drove back.
They kept the car for 20 minutes and put oil in it.. but the damage was done.
Watch the video
xxx.youtube.com/watch?v=DjHwfv0NKKk
change the xxx to www.
not sure if links allowed
This is terrible and Walmart would not fix it b/c they are many loop holes in the law about fast oil change and tire shops or something
like since the service in minor they do not have to get licensed by the state
watch the video..
look at the pistons and rings when she had the top of engine removed
Seriously? LOL!
Yea there is a YOu tube video where a lady with a Honda Civic went to Walmart for a OIL change and they forgot to put oil in it.... She worked accross the street thank god and she dropped the car off and picked up at her lunch break... when she got in car and started she said it was making noise and she drove back.
They kept the car for 20 minutes and put oil in it.. but the damage was done.
Watch the video
xxx.youtube.com/watch?v=DjHwfv0NKKk
change the xxx to www.
not sure if links allowed
This is terrible and Walmart would not fix it b/c they are many loop holes in the law about fast oil change and tire shops or something
like since the service in minor they do not have to get licensed by the state
watch the video..
look at the pistons and rings when she had the top of engine removed
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: dishdude
When the S-series Saturn first came out and had the spin on transmission filter, it wasn't uncommon for the quick lube place to remove the wrong filter.
Too bad spin on transmission filters never caught on.
The design failure was that they hid the real oil filter somewhere deep down a wishing well!
When the S-series Saturn first came out and had the spin on transmission filter, it wasn't uncommon for the quick lube place to remove the wrong filter.
Too bad spin on transmission filters never caught on.
The design failure was that they hid the real oil filter somewhere deep down a wishing well!
Originally Posted By: dishdude
When the S-series Saturn first came out and had the spin on transmission filter, it wasn't uncommon for the quick lube place to remove the wrong filter.
Too bad spin on transmission filters never caught on.
I know, why do they make you have to drop the pan on some cars to change the filter on on HONDAS put the filter inside the tranny so you have to remove the tranny.
I mean they might aw well not even put a trans filter on.. Or made one with a bypass..
My Dad Honda Tranny filter was clogged up when his blew.....
If more companies would put a screw on tranny filter and make sure its say ATF ONLY....
It would make a tranny last longer
but isnt true most cars are really only built to last 5 to 7 years... ???
Like that is when a car will drive like new..... NEW MILES..... sorta.
When the S-series Saturn first came out and had the spin on transmission filter, it wasn't uncommon for the quick lube place to remove the wrong filter.
Too bad spin on transmission filters never caught on.
I know, why do they make you have to drop the pan on some cars to change the filter on on HONDAS put the filter inside the tranny so you have to remove the tranny.
I mean they might aw well not even put a trans filter on.. Or made one with a bypass..
My Dad Honda Tranny filter was clogged up when his blew.....
If more companies would put a screw on tranny filter and make sure its say ATF ONLY....
It would make a tranny last longer
but isnt true most cars are really only built to last 5 to 7 years... ???
Like that is when a car will drive like new..... NEW MILES..... sorta.
It's actually scary how often this happens.
A lot of quick lubes have a very self-derogatory view of their work. "It's just an oil change, any idiot can do this." Yes, any idiot can remove a plug, put a plug in, and fill a fluid. Idiots cannot be trusted to remove the right plug, put the plug back in without damaging it, and fill the correct fluid to the correct level though. A lot of idiots cannot differentiate between a transmission or an engine, and you are lucky if they happen to notice the color of the fluid is wrong.
I worked at a quick lube and at a shop that apparently had aspirations of being a quick lube. Saw it happen at both places. Heard stories about other stores in the chains.
I personally saw one where an idiot drained the trans on a 4Runner (HOW CAN YOU NOT TELL?), then the guy up top added to the engine and started it. The guy up top pulls the dipstick, and it is several inches past the full mark. I go downstairs and ask to see which plug was removed...guy points right to the trans..."that's the engine, right?"...me: "oh [censored]." Engine was drained, trans was refilled with incorrect fluid (Dex/Merc), customer was never notified of what happened, per the upstanding management.
Another time with a Saturn I hear a different guy down below say "why dis [censored] comin' out red?" Again, I go downstairs to look, again, "oh [censored]." He took the filter off with the claw pliers too. Dented and scraped it all to [censored]. Again, per the upstanding management, the filter was screwed back on and checked for leaks, transmission was topped off.
At a different store across town, I heard a story about someone draining the trans and overfilling the engine on a Subaru, and the car left out of the shop that way. It didn't make it far. $7K in damage or something like that.
I'm never going to work at a place like this again if I can avoid it. Their attitude towards what they do is very poor. The "any idiot can do this" attitude gets them into these situations.
I am not saying every place that primarily does oil changes is like this. Some hire good people and do a good job, but from the customer's perspective it can be hard to tell. It only takes one idiot and one manager who likes to sweep things under the rug to tear your car up.
A lot of quick lubes have a very self-derogatory view of their work. "It's just an oil change, any idiot can do this." Yes, any idiot can remove a plug, put a plug in, and fill a fluid. Idiots cannot be trusted to remove the right plug, put the plug back in without damaging it, and fill the correct fluid to the correct level though. A lot of idiots cannot differentiate between a transmission or an engine, and you are lucky if they happen to notice the color of the fluid is wrong.
I worked at a quick lube and at a shop that apparently had aspirations of being a quick lube. Saw it happen at both places. Heard stories about other stores in the chains.
I personally saw one where an idiot drained the trans on a 4Runner (HOW CAN YOU NOT TELL?), then the guy up top added to the engine and started it. The guy up top pulls the dipstick, and it is several inches past the full mark. I go downstairs and ask to see which plug was removed...guy points right to the trans..."that's the engine, right?"...me: "oh [censored]." Engine was drained, trans was refilled with incorrect fluid (Dex/Merc), customer was never notified of what happened, per the upstanding management.
Another time with a Saturn I hear a different guy down below say "why dis [censored] comin' out red?" Again, I go downstairs to look, again, "oh [censored]." He took the filter off with the claw pliers too. Dented and scraped it all to [censored]. Again, per the upstanding management, the filter was screwed back on and checked for leaks, transmission was topped off.
At a different store across town, I heard a story about someone draining the trans and overfilling the engine on a Subaru, and the car left out of the shop that way. It didn't make it far. $7K in damage or something like that.
I'm never going to work at a place like this again if I can avoid it. Their attitude towards what they do is very poor. The "any idiot can do this" attitude gets them into these situations.
I am not saying every place that primarily does oil changes is like this. Some hire good people and do a good job, but from the customer's perspective it can be hard to tell. It only takes one idiot and one manager who likes to sweep things under the rug to tear your car up.
Originally Posted By: gfh77665
Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
Amazing. Straight six running on a tiny bit of splash.
Yep. They are tougher than we want to give them credit for. And we stress over viscosities and extended intervals, LOL.
I for one, ALWAYS gave those 4.0s credit for being one of the most indestructible lumps on the planet!
Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
Amazing. Straight six running on a tiny bit of splash.
Yep. They are tougher than we want to give them credit for. And we stress over viscosities and extended intervals, LOL.
I for one, ALWAYS gave those 4.0s credit for being one of the most indestructible lumps on the planet!
This just reinforces why I never go to repair shops, and do all repairs and maintenance myself.
That was common on the 'ol Saturn S-Series since the AT filter was right out in the open but the oil filter was up towards the firewall. Saturn made their AT filters bright red and had TRANSMISSION printed across them all around the can but the cheap aftermarket ones still look like any old oil filter.
Originally Posted By: 01rangerxl
It's actually scary how often this happens.
A lot of quick lubes have a very self-derogatory view of their work. "It's just an oil change, any idiot can do this." Yes, any idiot can remove a plug, put a plug in, and fill a fluid. Idiots cannot be trusted to remove the right plug, put the plug back in without damaging it, and fill the correct fluid to the correct level though. A lot of idiots cannot differentiate between a transmission or an engine, and you are lucky if they happen to notice the color of the fluid is wrong.
I worked at a quick lube and at a shop that apparently had aspirations of being a quick lube. Saw it happen at both places. Heard stories about other stores in the chains.
I personally saw one where an idiot drained the trans on a 4Runner (HOW CAN YOU NOT TELL?), then the guy up top added to the engine and started it. The guy up top pulls the dipstick, and it is several inches past the full mark. I go downstairs and ask to see which plug was removed...guy points right to the trans..."that's the engine, right?"...me: "oh [censored]." Engine was drained, trans was refilled with incorrect fluid (Dex/Merc), customer was never notified of what happened, per the upstanding management.
Actually, D-M probably WAS the right fluid (or at least, an acceptable one) for the trans. IIRC, the 4-Runner from the 80's until a few years ago used the Aisin-Warner AW-4 trans (as used in Cherokees). Those do, in fact, use Dexron.
It's actually scary how often this happens.
A lot of quick lubes have a very self-derogatory view of their work. "It's just an oil change, any idiot can do this." Yes, any idiot can remove a plug, put a plug in, and fill a fluid. Idiots cannot be trusted to remove the right plug, put the plug back in without damaging it, and fill the correct fluid to the correct level though. A lot of idiots cannot differentiate between a transmission or an engine, and you are lucky if they happen to notice the color of the fluid is wrong.
I worked at a quick lube and at a shop that apparently had aspirations of being a quick lube. Saw it happen at both places. Heard stories about other stores in the chains.
I personally saw one where an idiot drained the trans on a 4Runner (HOW CAN YOU NOT TELL?), then the guy up top added to the engine and started it. The guy up top pulls the dipstick, and it is several inches past the full mark. I go downstairs and ask to see which plug was removed...guy points right to the trans..."that's the engine, right?"...me: "oh [censored]." Engine was drained, trans was refilled with incorrect fluid (Dex/Merc), customer was never notified of what happened, per the upstanding management.
Actually, D-M probably WAS the right fluid (or at least, an acceptable one) for the trans. IIRC, the 4-Runner from the 80's until a few years ago used the Aisin-Warner AW-4 trans (as used in Cherokees). Those do, in fact, use Dexron.
Originally Posted By: 01rangerxl
It's actually scary how often this happens.
A lot of quick lubes have a very self-derogatory view of their work. "It's just an oil change, any idiot can do this." Yes, any idiot can remove a plug, put a plug in, and fill a fluid. Idiots cannot be trusted to remove the right plug, put the plug back in without damaging it, and fill the correct fluid to the correct level though. A lot of idiots cannot differentiate between a transmission or an engine, and you are lucky if they happen to notice the color of the fluid is wrong.
I worked at a quick lube and at a shop that apparently had aspirations of being a quick lube. Saw it happen at both places. Heard stories about other stores in the chains.
I personally saw one where an idiot drained the trans on a 4Runner (HOW CAN YOU NOT TELL?), then the guy up top added to the engine and started it. The guy up top pulls the dipstick, and it is several inches past the full mark. I go downstairs and ask to see which plug was removed...guy points right to the trans..."that's the engine, right?"...me: "oh [censored]." Engine was drained, trans was refilled with incorrect fluid (Dex/Merc), customer was never notified of what happened, per the upstanding management.
Another time with a Saturn I hear a different guy down below say "why dis [censored] comin' out red?" Again, I go downstairs to look, again, "oh [censored]." He took the filter off with the claw pliers too. Dented and scraped it all to [censored]. Again, per the upstanding management, the filter was screwed back on and checked for leaks, transmission was topped off.
At a different store across town, I heard a story about someone draining the trans and overfilling the engine on a Subaru, and the car left out of the shop that way. It didn't make it far. $7K in damage or something like that.
I'm never going to work at a place like this again if I can avoid it. Their attitude towards what they do is very poor. The "any idiot can do this" attitude gets them into these situations.
I am not saying every place that primarily does oil changes is like this. Some hire good people and do a good job, but from the customer's perspective it can be hard to tell. It only takes one idiot and one manager who likes to sweep things under the rug to tear your car up.
My biggest complaint with quick change shops is they are unable to properly put a drain plug back in. For some reason they think it has to be torqued to 5 million foot pounds.
As a result most of them around 100k are stripped like on my uncles old F150 and they refuse to do anything about it.
It's actually scary how often this happens.
A lot of quick lubes have a very self-derogatory view of their work. "It's just an oil change, any idiot can do this." Yes, any idiot can remove a plug, put a plug in, and fill a fluid. Idiots cannot be trusted to remove the right plug, put the plug back in without damaging it, and fill the correct fluid to the correct level though. A lot of idiots cannot differentiate between a transmission or an engine, and you are lucky if they happen to notice the color of the fluid is wrong.
I worked at a quick lube and at a shop that apparently had aspirations of being a quick lube. Saw it happen at both places. Heard stories about other stores in the chains.
I personally saw one where an idiot drained the trans on a 4Runner (HOW CAN YOU NOT TELL?), then the guy up top added to the engine and started it. The guy up top pulls the dipstick, and it is several inches past the full mark. I go downstairs and ask to see which plug was removed...guy points right to the trans..."that's the engine, right?"...me: "oh [censored]." Engine was drained, trans was refilled with incorrect fluid (Dex/Merc), customer was never notified of what happened, per the upstanding management.
Another time with a Saturn I hear a different guy down below say "why dis [censored] comin' out red?" Again, I go downstairs to look, again, "oh [censored]." He took the filter off with the claw pliers too. Dented and scraped it all to [censored]. Again, per the upstanding management, the filter was screwed back on and checked for leaks, transmission was topped off.
At a different store across town, I heard a story about someone draining the trans and overfilling the engine on a Subaru, and the car left out of the shop that way. It didn't make it far. $7K in damage or something like that.
I'm never going to work at a place like this again if I can avoid it. Their attitude towards what they do is very poor. The "any idiot can do this" attitude gets them into these situations.
I am not saying every place that primarily does oil changes is like this. Some hire good people and do a good job, but from the customer's perspective it can be hard to tell. It only takes one idiot and one manager who likes to sweep things under the rug to tear your car up.
My biggest complaint with quick change shops is they are unable to properly put a drain plug back in. For some reason they think it has to be torqued to 5 million foot pounds.
As a result most of them around 100k are stripped like on my uncles old F150 and they refuse to do anything about it.
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Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Actually, D-M probably WAS the right fluid (or at least, an acceptable one) for the trans. IIRC, the 4-Runner from the 80's until a few years ago used the Aisin-Warner AW-4 trans (as used in Cherokees). Those do, in fact, use Dexron.
It probably was an acceptable fluid to use, but T-IV is what was likely drained out, and putting T-IV back in would have been the honest thing to do. The rule at this place though was admit to nothing and get out of screw ups the cheapest way possible.
Actually, D-M probably WAS the right fluid (or at least, an acceptable one) for the trans. IIRC, the 4-Runner from the 80's until a few years ago used the Aisin-Warner AW-4 trans (as used in Cherokees). Those do, in fact, use Dexron.
It probably was an acceptable fluid to use, but T-IV is what was likely drained out, and putting T-IV back in would have been the honest thing to do. The rule at this place though was admit to nothing and get out of screw ups the cheapest way possible.
Originally Posted By: hattaresguy
My biggest complaint with quick change shops is they are unable to properly put a drain plug back in. For some reason they think it has to be torqued to 5 million foot pounds.
As a result most of them around 100k are stripped like on my uncles old F150 and they refuse to do anything about it.
I remember one day the manager proudly proclaimed that corporate had decided that drain plugs were wear items, and this magically absolved them of all responsibility in destroying them! He was almost giddy about it since messed up plugs were so common there. I laughed at this and told him that the factory drain plug in my truck was over a decade old and worked fine. His response, "well, it probably needs to be replaced!" I just shook my head and said "I don't think so."
My biggest complaint with quick change shops is they are unable to properly put a drain plug back in. For some reason they think it has to be torqued to 5 million foot pounds.
As a result most of them around 100k are stripped like on my uncles old F150 and they refuse to do anything about it.
I remember one day the manager proudly proclaimed that corporate had decided that drain plugs were wear items, and this magically absolved them of all responsibility in destroying them! He was almost giddy about it since messed up plugs were so common there. I laughed at this and told him that the factory drain plug in my truck was over a decade old and worked fine. His response, "well, it probably needs to be replaced!" I just shook my head and said "I don't think so."
Originally Posted By: Corvette Owner
I read that someone took their car in for an oil change, and the place unknowingly drained their automatic transmission oil instead. Then they added oil to already full oil pan (without checking oil level afterwards).
The person didn't get far, both transmission burned up and engine broke!
True story.
I call B/S, a automatic trans won't move the vehicle without fluid in the pan...
I read that someone took their car in for an oil change, and the place unknowingly drained their automatic transmission oil instead. Then they added oil to already full oil pan (without checking oil level afterwards).
The person didn't get far, both transmission burned up and engine broke!
True story.
I call B/S, a automatic trans won't move the vehicle without fluid in the pan...
Originally Posted By: TFB1
Originally Posted By: Corvette Owner
I read that someone took their car in for an oil change, and the place unknowingly drained their automatic transmission oil instead. Then they added oil to already full oil pan (without checking oil level afterwards).
The person didn't get far, both transmission burned up and engine broke!
True story.
I call B/S, a automatic trans won't move the vehicle without fluid in the pan...
I think there would be enough in the torque convertor to get it moving out of the parking lot.
Originally Posted By: Corvette Owner
I read that someone took their car in for an oil change, and the place unknowingly drained their automatic transmission oil instead. Then they added oil to already full oil pan (without checking oil level afterwards).
The person didn't get far, both transmission burned up and engine broke!
True story.
I call B/S, a automatic trans won't move the vehicle without fluid in the pan...
I think there would be enough in the torque convertor to get it moving out of the parking lot.
Originally Posted By: TFB1
Originally Posted By: Corvette Owner
I read that someone took their car in for an oil change, and the place unknowingly drained their automatic transmission oil instead. Then they added oil to already full oil pan (without checking oil level afterwards).
The person didn't get far, both transmission burned up and engine broke!
True story.
I call B/S, a automatic trans won't move the vehicle without fluid in the pan...
Sure they can.
The cross pin in my Hyundai slipped out and ripped the case apart, spilling all the atf. When my friend and I were pushing and winching it on the trailer, bits and pieces fell into the wrong places and locked the tires up. Frustrated, I jumped in the car and dropped in gear and revved it up. It broke the parts free enough that we could continue winching. When we went to unload the car, I did the same thing. It moved well enough to go the few feet from the trailer to it's parking spot.
Originally Posted By: Corvette Owner
I read that someone took their car in for an oil change, and the place unknowingly drained their automatic transmission oil instead. Then they added oil to already full oil pan (without checking oil level afterwards).
The person didn't get far, both transmission burned up and engine broke!
True story.
I call B/S, a automatic trans won't move the vehicle without fluid in the pan...
Sure they can.
The cross pin in my Hyundai slipped out and ripped the case apart, spilling all the atf. When my friend and I were pushing and winching it on the trailer, bits and pieces fell into the wrong places and locked the tires up. Frustrated, I jumped in the car and dropped in gear and revved it up. It broke the parts free enough that we could continue winching. When we went to unload the car, I did the same thing. It moved well enough to go the few feet from the trailer to it's parking spot.
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