Dealer advice - oil change issue

[philsey]

I as a mechanic who had more than my share of screwups over the years would much rather have the tow deducted from my pay than risk buying a motor and spending 2 days repacing it for free. Driving a car with a leaking oil filter is insane. The pressure of the oil pump can empty the motor in seconds if that seal isnt right. Do not add oil and drive it, tell them to tow it. Mistakes happen no big deal. No service manager would risk a motor. Some writers are not that smart though so be sure to insist on the tow.

This exactly. @OP: To add oil and drive this vehicle is insane. You put yourself at risk of being subject to part of the problem.

The dealer screwed up, and they should have total ownership, starting with towing it. Take dated pics of the engine and garage floor. Make sure to get dealer documentation. Be proactive. I'm not saying be a d!ck, but CYA all the way.

Frankly astounded at the advice to put oil in it and drive it back. :nono:

 

[1engineer]

No, this is what is called a "Canister" style filter (the automotive industry has been slowly switching over to this design in the last 5-7 years or so) which involves a solid metal or plastic outer canister that screws into the engine, the paper filter media goes inside of it.

Cartridge style is with removable element. Canister style is the "Can" and element built into one unit. K&N Oil Filters - Oil Filters for Cars, Trucks, Motorcycles, ATV's, Boats, and more!

 

[1engineer]

This exactly. @OP: To add oil and drive this vehicle is insane. You put yourself at risk of being subject to part of the problem.

The dealer screwed up, and they should have total ownership, starting with towing it. Take dated pics of the engine and garage floor. Make sure to get dealer documentation. Be proactive. I'm not saying be a d!ck, but CYA all the way.

Frankly astounded at the advice to put oil in it and drive it back. :nono:

I know right? No oil on the dip stick so you could have an ounce in there or only a few quarts low. I don't want to spin that wheel...

 

[Scottd9000]

Dealer had me add a quart - didn't register on the stick. Had me add another. It did register after about 3/4 of that quart. Said drive it in. It's at the dealership now for the day. They are going to scope the engine and go over it fully.

 

[bythehour]

Hope it works out with the dealer.

Wouldn't hurt to have a second opinion by an independent tech.

I'd be pissed.

 

[ben550]

I would have had them tow it in or have my insurance tow it in to the dealer and ask the dealer to foot the bill for the towing.

I had a jiffy lube place not install an oil filter correctly on my 01 years ago and had oil spraying out as I pulled into my driveway. I ended up fixing it myself and never going back. Being it is a newer vehicle, Id go back to the dealer and have them check it out/correct the mistake.

No need to get nasty about it but definitely worth having them fix it.

 

[cjacob316]

I may be wrong, but I saw a similar thread on TW a while back where the truck didn't even make it off the lot, they drove the truck around, guy got in to drive off and the truck shut off. They apparently forgot to add oil. Toyota claimed that it automatically shuts off when there is a drastic drop in oil pressure to protect from damage, I don't know how accurate this is though.

As for the filter type/location, the old 4.0 was a breeze to change, it was geared towards the diy'er, but like mentioned above, it seems like all makes are pushing to make it so people use the dealers for service. Ford voids your warranty if you don't use their oil filters.

 

[Scottd9000]

Yeah before the 4Runner I had an FJ Cruiser and that had the filter on the top of the engine. Super easy to change oil. The amount of guards on this new 4.0 make me not want to DIY.... I guess the dealer wins

 

[Whiplash Willy]

The amount of dealer screwups I hear about for such a simple procedure make me insist on DIY, even if I already had a free oil change from the dealer. Piece of mind is worth something after all.

Also, having to remove a skidplate, and the additional 5 min of work of having to change a cartridge filter vs a Spin On, really isn't much of a deterrent for DIY.

 

[itsdchz]

Make sure you have the dealer document this within the system. Insist that a full write up, with "customer states..." and what they did, and what the originating issue was. If they do not have it on a valid work order, saved and printed in the system.... It didnt happen. Keep a copy for your records, and have them write everything they tell you. Especially the specifics of what they didnt do, what they shouldve done the first time, what failed, and what they did to fix it.... then have them throw in a full Toyotacare no deductible 100K warranty....

 

[Scottd9000]

Good info. I will make sure that is done before we pick up the truck. I liked the honesty of the service manager this morning. Lets hope he follows through with the documentation. He mentioned they had this same thing on another 5th gen 4Runner.

 

[apollo]

Ford voids your warranty if you don't use their oil filters.

where did you hear this? they only require the filter meet spec afaik, not that you use a motorcraft filter

 

[Saker]

Dealer had me add a quart - didn't register on the stick. Had me add another. It did register after about 3/4 of that quart. Said drive it in. It's at the dealership now for the day.

Ouch....not the way I thought it would go!
But I guess since it was only 1.75 qts low....what could that hurt, right?

 

[nevada]

Ouch....not the way I thought it would go!
But I guess since it was only 1.75 qts low....what could that hurt, right?

technically, as long as the sump is still submerged, the engine is still getting full oil pressure.
im not sure on that particular engine, but my 22re will still produce normal oil pressure with around 2 quarts in it.

don't ask me how I know...

 

[Antman]

My vote is cut o ring on housing. Have them send a roll back to come get it and meet it there.

I would have had it towed, but then again I wouldn't have let them touch it in the first place...

My vote is that the O ring is in the wrong slot on the housing.

 

[Scottd9000]

Just heard back from the dealer. It was a cut oring that showed up to us on the 2nd day after the oil change. They scoped the cylinders (photo attached) and all looks fine. They hand washed all the skid plates and under carriage and will be dropping the truck off at our house. I had them record all of this in our record and in the national database and to Toyota. I also have copies. Plus $100 credit. I am happy they made it right (for now).

I will be much more careful with the remaining dealer servicing and switch back to doing it myself in the future.

Now to go get cat litter for the garage floor ;(

 

[cjacob316]

where did you hear this? they only require the filter meet spec afaik, not that you use a motorcraft filter

I know a guy who runs a Ford service department and he just mentioned it one day.

 

[1engineer]

Just heard back from the dealer. It was a cut oring that showed up to us on the 2nd day after the oil change. They scoped the cylinders (photo attached) and all looks fine. They hand washed all the skid plates and under carriage and will be dropping the truck off at our house. I had them record all of this in our record and in the national database and to Toyota. I also have copies. Plus $100 credit. I am happy they made it right (for now).

I will be much more careful with the remaining dealer servicing and switch back to doing it myself in the future.

Now to go get cat litter for the garage floor ;(

So I won the prize. :first:

 

[Antman]

So I won the prize. :first:

Yeah but what if the cut o ring was on the wrong slot too... :hiding:

 

[02SE]

Just heard back from the dealer. It was a cut oring that showed up to us on the 2nd day after the oil change. They scoped the cylinders (photo attached) and all looks fine.

If it was starved for oil at any time, the rod and main bearings would show excess wear, first. The last place I would look for excess wear in a (possibly) oil starved engine, would be the bore finish.

Of course to inspect rod and main bearings, is much more involved than pulling a sparkplug.

As long as there is documentation that the engine may have been run without sufficient oil pressure, you should be covered in the event of any bearing problems showing up in the future.

Of course if the oil light never illuminated while the engine was running, the engine should be okay.