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Quick Lube Owner needs Help
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nper
New User
Jan 9, 2009, 10:47 AM
Post #1 of 3
(1465 views)
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Quick Lube Owner needs Help
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I am an owner of a quick lube in the NE and had a customer come back 22 days after their oil change and after 2000 miles of driving, their engine light came on and they had a huge oil spill (all oil on garage floor) - they drove the car and killed the engine. My first thought is how can we be responsible for this after so much time and milage. If there was a problem with the drain plug would'nt it pop off right away? Not 2000 miles later! Any feedback would be helpful. I want to take care of the customer but a new engine is $3k and I don't feel like it was our fault.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Jan 9, 2009, 2:54 PM
Post #2 of 3
(1463 views)
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Re: Quick Lube Owner needs Help
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Just so it's clear - this is CarJunky not the Judge Judy show so just know anything said is strictly for it's entertainment value.
Sorry it happened no matter why it happened. Stuff happens and you should know that by now if your in the biz or any fragment of it.
There are no winners in this situation no matter what comes of it in my opinion.
Perhaps it was loose enough to work its way out or 10,000 other wild possiblilities too - threads or plug no good to begin with, vandalism, done on purpose to get a new engine - who really knows?
Again - this just my thoughts with no binding anything or responsibility about it - don't even know what kind of vehicle, miles, history or anything more about it. I would like to know why someone would see such a mess under and perhaps out from under their car, stare at a warning light and drive off anyway!
My guess is there are thousands of precident cases to go by and hope you both can work something out in good faith,
T
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DanD
Veteran
/ Moderator
Jan 9, 2009, 5:56 PM
Post #3 of 3
(1457 views)
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Re: Quick Lube Owner needs Help
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Strange things happen in this trade all the time; what I would do is have the vehicle towed to your location; if the customer allows this. You get first look see at where this major oil leak originated from.
From there you should be able to determine whether the oil or whatever leak was a result of your servicing.
Again “things happen” look for a cure to this issue not who’s at fault or at least begin with this attitude.
Believe me I know all about honest mistakes; have a look at this thread.
http://autoforums.carjunky.com/...hat_Happened_P40082/
Here’s a good example of what happened at a lube shop a couple of years ago.
A lady went into a Quick lube, after work and had the oil changed in her Astro van; this was in January and it’s cold during the day but real cold over night.
They did the servicing (in a warm shop, warm (room temp) oil) and she drove home; without any issues.
The next morning she starts the van and drives away; about six or seven blocks down the road, she notices the check gauges light on and then the engine died and would not restart.
The van was towed to my shop and we found that the engine was seized and would not turn over; either with the starter motor or with a large wrench on the engine’s pulleys.
Checked the oil level on the dip stick and it showed dry; had a look underneath and found that the oil filter missing.
I got curious and call the lady and asked her what route she took that morning while she was driving the van and where she first saw the warning light.
I went to her house and then followed her route; sure enough, four or five block away there was an oil slick and an oil filter lying on the road.
It was the wrong filter that was put on the engine during the oil change, (PH3600 Ford filter). It had imperial threads for its mounting and this year of 4.3lt engine had Metric threads, for the filter. Both filters will spin on but the imperial threaded filter is very loose.
Warm engine, warm oil; oil pressure normally is lower and this filter held for the drive home after the servicing. The next morning, add a very cold engine, cold thick oil; the pressure of the oil will be much higher and it blew the filter off.
Ok the Lube shop made the mistake and should look after the problem (which they did) but what was she doing driving the van with a RED warning light on? RED means stop, whatever you’re doing; doesn’t it?
So is there a black and white answer to your issue; I don’t think so?
If this turns out that it was your shop that is at fault, then own up to it and take your lumps.
If it was something else, like an oil cooler line that blew off; work with the customer and help them wherever you can to get their vehicle functional again.
Regardless of what or who is at fault; help them wherever you can.
If you take this mind set and are doing a proper servicing on vehicles; then you‘ll always come out in the good books with your customers and your bank account.
Sorry how long this post is but if we (all forms of auto servicing) did this; we would gain much more respect from the public.
Dan.
Canadian "EH"
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