Reminder: Always check oil level after non-DIY OC

[jhMalibu]

Was over at a friend's yesterday. His wife was just leaving for work and he mentioned that she was complaining that her car (06 or 07 civic) sounded different after oil change at a Honda dealership two days before.

I popped the hood and checked the dipstick. It's my first time checking a Honda so I had to double check the owner's manual to be sure but the oil was 1) dark and 2) up to the orange ball thing on the plastic dipstick. Way, way above the hatch marks.

I showed them how fresh oil should be in color because I had changed my oil couple weeks ago.

Pretty clear that someone forgot to drain the oil and just added more. Also sort of suspicious as their car's warranty expires in April..

It boggles my mind that mistakes like that happen. Either someone didn't care or got distracted. I told my friend to go there and raise holy heck.

 

[CourierDriver]

better then leaving the drain plug loose and the engine would lockup , but still it was bad, I too think they got distracted, but mercy , another oil change horror story...

 

[Pablo]

Originally Posted By: jhMalibu
up to the orange ball thing on the plastic dipstick


I hate when that happens.

 

[jhMalibu]

Originally Posted By: Pablo
Originally Posted By: jhMalibu
up to the orange ball thing on the plastic dipstick


I hate when that happens.

Sorry, don't know the technical term

 

[Cutehumor]

It's up to the car dealers to stimulate the economy by blowing up engines/trans through their iffy lube service.

 

[BovineScapegoat]

Same thing happened to a car I brought to Canadian Tire for an oil change. Didn't drain the oil. I caught it in the parking lot though. One kid started the service. Another finished it.

 

[Bluestream]

It doesn't surprise my at all. Local Ford dealer sabotaged my truck a few years ago. I have done all my own work ever since..

 

[punisher]

Originally Posted By: jhMalibu


It boggles my mind that mistakes like that happen. Either someone didn't care or got distracted. I told my friend to go there and raise holy heck.



Happened to me (the "got distracted" part). I had in a 4X4 Navigator for the usual #4 miss, got the plug and coilpack swapped, and as I was wrapping it up the service writer tells me to change the oil. Then another waiter comes in for a SES light and I got to working on two/three cars at once. Swapped out the oil filter, but forgot to drain the oil. I took the Navigator out for a test drive to confirm I got the miss fixed and noticed it idles rough. Then it hit me, overfilled crankcase. Drained 11 quarts of oil, and filled with fresh.

Accidents happen all the time, hopefully they get caught.

 

[defektes]

How do people make mistakes on something as simple as an oil change. And they are "technicians!"

 

[stranger706]

A couple years ago my Mazda service dep. forgot to put new oil back in after they had drained it.

They drove it from the service bay around to the front of the dealership with the oil light on, got out and smiled like everything is jolly, with my car sitting there clanking away with no oil in it.

That was a fun day. Thats why I do my own oil changes now.

Whats funny is I've never had a single problem with quick lube places, but the one place I thought I could trust the most was the one that got me.

 

[defektes]

Originally Posted By: stranger706
A couple years ago my Mazda service dep. forgot to put new oil back in after they had drained it.

They drove it from the service bay around to the front of the dealership with the oil light on, got out and smiled like everything is jolly, with my car sitting there clanking away with no oil in it.

That was a fun day. Thats why I do my own oil changes now.

Whats funny is I've never had a single problem with quick lube places, but the one place I thought I could trust the most was the one that got me.


See I had the opposite experience. I have always changed my own oil since I had my first car. I drive alot for work, I had about 400 miles left on my 5k oci on my sierra and work wanted me in new mexico. I said fine, when I got to new mexico I stopped at a quickie lube, they stripped my drain plug, insisted that I do a rear end service ( had fresh syn power in it ) insisted I replace the trans fluid that it was bad ( had fresh Synchromesh in it.) TO topp it all off they put the wrong grade oil in my truck after I specifically told them to use 5 or 10-30, they used some 20-50.

Since that point I have taken it to GM dealers when I cant do the changes myself, NEVER one issue. I just save the coupons they mail me and it turns out only 10 dollars more, they use AcDelco filters and the correct grade.

 

[cjhepburn]

Originally Posted By: defektes
How do people make mistakes on something as simple as an oil change. And they are "technicians!"

Boredom on the job.

 

[Colt45ws]

Some people just dont have a clue or care to get one.
For others, sometimes it just happens. If you do something enough times, something will go wrong even if you try to take precautions.

 

[Vizzy]

I really don't see an excuse because most places I have worked AFTER the tech completes the job the SM checks over the items that were to be serviced to catch exactly this type of thing. IN the end it is the SMs job to prevent this type of stuff.

If a shop is competent and professional the jobs are checked before the car is moved or run by another person!

Mistakes happen but there should be someone there to catch them before they become a problem!

 

[Colt45ws]

Where I worked, a check was randomly selected by the computer. It wasnt done to all, but you never knew when it would be done. Well, I take that back. It isnt completely random its weighted by several factors. Some cars are notorious for comebacks so they trip a check almost everytime. New people get it everytime for awhile and so does any body that failed a check.

 

[CourierDriver]

I take mine to an old friend now, was using the dodge dealership using my own oil and they have done a good job, but now will take it to my friend. I like being able to see it being changed and Mr. J. doesnt bring me all those sales pitches, charges me 10 bucks to do it. He just did 2 new front rotors, pads , repacked front wheel bearings,, replaced front seals on same,adjusted rear brakes, rotated tires, plus a lot of old fashion conversation. Its an old fashion gas station where everyone knows ur name,lol...........PS the brake job for the front was 250 bucks plus tax........

 

[mechtech2]

Just to make sure, let the car sit for a while. Then check the oil.

A free oil change is in your future from the OC place, so consider it a flush.