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Post by DEKE on Jan 11, 2021 19:22:25 GMT
I took my Chrysler van in for a routine oil change and a few other items. On the way home I noticed that the sticker on the windshield was for the prior oil change and they had forgotten to update it with a new sticker. I didn't think twice about it.
The next day, DW said when she went to drive the van, the warning message on the dash computer said that we were past due for an oil change. Huh? Maybe they just forgot to reset that, but now that means there were two things they forgot. So I popped the hood and noticed the radiator fluid was slightly low and the windshield washer fluid was bone dry. That's the third and fourth things they forgot to do.
Did they even change the oil? Since the prior oil change was not done by the dealer, if the oil filter was not Mopar, I would have proof they had not changed the oil. But I couldn't find an oil filter anywhere. So I went to Google. This may be old news to you mechanically inclined folks, but its new news to me. On some vehicles now, they are using an internal oil filter on top of the engine. It sits in a housing much like an air filter. So there is no way to look at it to see if the filter is new or old. Once the engine is started, the filter will be soaked in oil and even if you remove it from its housing, you won't be able to tell if it minutes or months old.
I called the dealer to question if my oil was really changed and their service writer's response was that I should have faith in them. He said they wouldn't charge me if they didn't do the job. I asked if should I have faith that they would top off the fluids since they say that is part of their service and he said yes. The irony was completely lost upon him. He told me the oil change crew forgets to add fluids "every day" but that isn't proof they didn't change the oil. Then he told me a second time I should have faith.
I took the van back and had them redo the job. While I was there, two people came in to complain that the warning message had not been reset on their vehicles when their oil was changed. I told the service writer they needed a quality control program. He assured me they did have such a program but every time they stop it, problems happen again. I said nothing further because that poor guy had no idea just how dumb he sounded just then.
What's the moral of the story? Faith is for religion, not oil changes. Double check everything. I won't go back to that dealer. I'll find a place where I can watch to make sure they do the job properly.
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Post by sawmilljim on Jan 11, 2021 20:20:33 GMT
Being poor has advantages. I take my oil and a O E M filter to a independent shop. Most time he only charges $15.00. If you prefer you can drag you up a seat and watch it you help he might change $20.00.
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Post by paisley on Jan 11, 2021 20:24:38 GMT
It has happened to me too.I was just about out of windshield fluid but I was getting an oil change so....I felt that it would not be needed at the store right across from the shop. ...I did not want to carry and extra 8 pounds if I did not have too and would get it next time I would not have to carry it thru the parking lot across a highway thru the auto shop parking lot cause it was to be filled with my oil change.
15 mile driving home with muddy water slush as cars drove by and the winds directed it to my side of the road...no wiper fluid.... No turn off for 3 mile limited visual ..I carry a case of water to drink I used that to clean and put a bottle in the tank for the windshield as temp were bouncing above and below freezing and I did not want problems by a frozen tank.
Yet, when I called about it.... "Guess you went thru what we added on your way home". BS. By bye midis.
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Post by wildhorseluvr on Jan 11, 2021 20:25:50 GMT
I can get my oil changes and fluids taken care of at my DD & DSil’s business, but with labor at $65/hr or so it’s actually cheaper to go to a shop that does nothing but oil changes/fluids. DSil has Christian friends with such a shop and I’ve had such great service from them. They actually prefer to have you stay in the car while they work. They show you the levels of the fluids, ask which ones you want topped off, check your tires, lights, clean your windows, vac the inside of your car, offer you any oil that might be left over from the oil change, put the new sticker inside and reset the warning message if needed. Prices are pretty decent. One time I stopped by to have them check fluids, they topped off fluids, plus did the usual extras like checking lights and cleaning the windows and interior. Wouldn’t let me pay for any of it.
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Post by paisley on Jan 11, 2021 20:30:38 GMT
Oil changes $55.00
Jim last time he did it ...he failed to put a cap on and left a rag under the truck... Made it 20 miles... May the truck rest in peace... I don't trust him any more and my slave grew up. I can add fluids but that's it.
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Post by paisley on Jan 11, 2021 20:40:05 GMT
I had a fund raiser Idea for the church youth group..
First the teens would learn to change oils.
Then one Saturday.. Charge a fee and do it at the church under the guidance of the men.
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Post by Ozarks Tom on Jan 11, 2021 21:59:20 GMT
DEKE, It's hard to picture a dealership so sloppily run that their oil change crew can't get even the most basic things right. yeah, I'd sure find someplace else. The garage we take our vehicles to doesn't mind if you wander into the shop area and watch from a distance while they change oil & top things off. Costs $34, and they're not trying to find a leak somewhere, whether it's there or not, to rip you off for a costly repair. In Dallas my wife took her Honda to a dealership to get the oil changed and tires rotated. I can only assume they got the oil change right, but when they put the lug nuts back on they didn't bother to start them by hand. Just stuck the nut in the air impact wrench and turned them on. Cross-threaded about half of them. Didn't find out until I took a flat off about a month later and I nearly bent the lug wrench trying to get them off. Went back, and they denied any responsibility whatsoever.
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Post by Thtwudbeme on Jan 11, 2021 22:43:25 GMT
DEKE , Certain vehicle's built-in computer system actually give a "change oil" warning when it somehow "senses" that the oil needs to be changed and there is no reset. Once the oil is changed it "senses" good oil and turns off. Mine is like this and I am not a fan. The oil manufacturer states it is good for 10,000 miles between changes but the vehicle wants an oil change after only 5,000 miles. Not to pun too hard, but, your mileage may vary. 
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Post by joebill on Jan 18, 2021 8:14:21 GMT
Owner's manual tells you how to shut off the warning. Most oil changes are easy enough to do yourself.....Joe
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Post by Cabin Fever on Jan 18, 2021 14:55:08 GMT
I would have just pulled out the dipstick and wipe it in a clean paper towel. If the oil left on the towel was black, it wasn't changed. If the oil on the towel made it look wet or if it had a slight amber color, it was changed.
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Post by willowgirl on Jan 18, 2021 20:59:12 GMT
Numb changes my oil most of the time but occasionally in the winter, I'll take my truck to the shop, as we don't have a garage here to work in.
I have an old-fashioned oil filter. It's visible from the passenger's side wheelwell, so before I head to town, I reach in with a spray paint can and give it a quick blast. That way, I can be sure that it was changed (and no one is going to remove the filter without first draining the oil, right?).
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Post by BrewDaddy on Jan 18, 2021 21:04:32 GMT
Numb changes my oil most of the time but occasionally in the winter, I'll take my truck to the shop, as we don't have a garage here to work in. I have an old-fashioned oil filter. It's visible from the passenger's side wheelwell, so before I head to town, I reach in with a spray paint can and give it a quick blast. That way, I can be sure that it was changed (and no one is going to remove the filter without first draining the oil, right?). I put a mark of some sort on the driver side front tire to see if they actually rotated my tires or not. bd |
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Post by Thtwudbeme on Jan 18, 2021 22:21:48 GMT
Numb changes my oil most of the time but occasionally in the winter, I'll take my truck to the shop, as we don't have a garage here to work in. I have an old-fashioned oil filter. It's visible from the passenger's side wheelwell, so before I head to town, I reach in with a spray paint can and give it a quick blast. That way, I can be sure that it was changed (and no one is going to remove the filter without first draining the oil, right?). I put a mark of some sort on the driver side front tire to see if they actually rotated my tires or not. bd
I had my tires rotated by someone else the other day for the first time in who knows how long. I usually do that myself, but I was really squeezed for time. Anyway, this was the first time that I had ever brought my car to this place so I was a little worried.
The kid changing my tires brought the rear tires straight up to the front and then brought the front tires straight back to the rear. I stopped him and asked that the front tires be crossed over to the rear. He told me that a straight front to rear and rear to front rotation was how they did it in their shop. I explained that I was the one paying for this service and wanted him to cross the fronts to the opposites sides in the rear and if he couldn't do that then he could just put them back where they were and I would be on my way.
He eventually did it my way, which is apparently the correct way after asking many people in the industry, but he wasn't happy about it.
Guess where I will never take my vehicle to again in this lifetime.
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Post by Cabin Fever on Jan 19, 2021 16:48:17 GMT
Twenty some years ago I brought my brand new 1999 Chevy 4x4 pickup to have the oil changed for the very first time. I brought it to a Firestone dealer. The guy at the counter rang a bell and a girl came out of the shop and picked up my work order and keys. I thought that it was great to actually see a female who was interested in mechanics!
When they were through, I drove the pickup home and parked it in the garage. The next morning I backed the truck out of the garage. As the garage door was closing I quickly noticed something on the garage floor. I opened the garage door and there was huge pool of oil on the concrete--I MEAN HUGE! I got underneath the pickup and noticed the oil was dripping out around the drain plug. I could turn the drain plug with my fingers! And, it would not tighten up. The mechanic had stripped the drain hole threads! I assume the plug was tightened with the same air impact wrench set for tightening tire lug nuts.
At any rate, I had the truck towed to the Firestone dealer where the "oil change" was done. They retapped the threads and put in a new magnetic drain plug. I cannot remember if they gave me any free certificates for future oil changes. It wouldn't make any difference if they did, I would never used them.
Since then, I have always changed the oil in that pickup. Still have it.
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Post by DEKE on Feb 15, 2021 22:40:17 GMT
CabinFever - I once had a VW dealer do the same thing to my car. They called me up and said the drain plug was stripped out and to replace the oil pan was going to be $300. They said the pan was made out of aluminum so the threads wore out over time. I protested and told them they had changed the oil the last several times and if anyone wore it out, it was them. They changed the pan out for free but it took a fight by going to the dealership manager.
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