Dealer left oil cap off - two weeks of driving ! -
Discussion
Hi all,
A colleague came into work today and told us the ford dealer had left her oil cap off. Her brand new fiesta was serviced 2 weeks ago !!.
She only has small journeys to work (approx 10 miles a day) and hadn't really noticed apart from a "hot smell" on the exterior of the car.
She then checked under the bonnet and the oil cap was still perched on teh rocker cover with 75% of the cars oil over the underside of the bonnet and engine. The oil was checked and it was just above minimum, this was subsequently topped up.
I dont know about you but I would be incredibly annoyed . I know its a bit silly not noticing for two weeks but some people never lift there bonnets the entire time they own a car and assume they will be serviced correctly.
What would you do ??. I would be concerned about long term damage of the engine as well as all belts etc getting covered in oil. I'm just glad she didn't have a long kourney on the motorway.
Its booked in tomorrow for a free "consulation", whatever that means !.
A colleague came into work today and told us the ford dealer had left her oil cap off. Her brand new fiesta was serviced 2 weeks ago !!.
She only has small journeys to work (approx 10 miles a day) and hadn't really noticed apart from a "hot smell" on the exterior of the car.
She then checked under the bonnet and the oil cap was still perched on teh rocker cover with 75% of the cars oil over the underside of the bonnet and engine. The oil was checked and it was just above minimum, this was subsequently topped up.
I dont know about you but I would be incredibly annoyed . I know its a bit silly not noticing for two weeks but some people never lift there bonnets the entire time they own a car and assume they will be serviced correctly.
What would you do ??. I would be concerned about long term damage of the engine as well as all belts etc getting covered in oil. I'm just glad she didn't have a long kourney on the motorway.
Its booked in tomorrow for a free "consulation", whatever that means !.
Stoatman said:
What would you do ??.
Open the bonnet and check the oil before leaving the garage. On more than one occasion I found something that needed the car pushed back in to the workshop (no oil once, leaking oil filter another time, dirty oil filter not changed another).
NEVER assume a main dealer will actually service the vehicle, especially if it's a lease car.
When I had my Mini Cooper S I topped up the oil before driving from London to Italy. About 40 mins into the trip I noticed an odd smell, 5 minutes later I pulled into some services.
The smell of burning oil was strong and the underside of the bonnet took ages to clean (and used all of the forecourt paper towels too), and there was the filler cap on top of the engine, just like the tale above.
I was an idiot, but quite how this lady managed to drive for two weeks without realising is quite amazing. I can't help with what to do, just adding my own story, but after such a long time it might be hard to attribute blame.
The smell of burning oil was strong and the underside of the bonnet took ages to clean (and used all of the forecourt paper towels too), and there was the filler cap on top of the engine, just like the tale above.
I was an idiot, but quite how this lady managed to drive for two weeks without realising is quite amazing. I can't help with what to do, just adding my own story, but after such a long time it might be hard to attribute blame.
In theory she should be checking the caps weekly as indicated in her owner's manual. But she has paid for a service and shouldn't however have to recheck someone's work. Personally I sympathise, not everyone is mechanically minded. I personally don't check my cars weekly as I know I should.
In all liklihood the car will be fine though, and she may get a discount in future if she uses the same garage. Personally, depending on the dealer's reaction, I wouldn't stop using them if they're otherwise OK.
When we bought the Mini a "good scheme approved", garage had recently serviced the mrs's car. They didn't tighten the spark plug up, and it rattled loose, popped out and shredded the HT leads! Very annoying. I didn't bother myself with it to be honest. I just fitted new leads and will never use that garage.
These things happen. I wouldn't let it wind you up.
In all liklihood the car will be fine though, and she may get a discount in future if she uses the same garage. Personally, depending on the dealer's reaction, I wouldn't stop using them if they're otherwise OK.
When we bought the Mini a "good scheme approved", garage had recently serviced the mrs's car. They didn't tighten the spark plug up, and it rattled loose, popped out and shredded the HT leads! Very annoying. I didn't bother myself with it to be honest. I just fitted new leads and will never use that garage.
These things happen. I wouldn't let it wind you up.
I did this once with an ST24. Drove a few hundred miles but there were no major issues - topped up the litre or so that was lost and away I went.
The biggest issue was cleaning up the mess. I paid a guy £10 to steam clean the engine bay and then the engine wouldn't start. He then had to come back and spend over two hours spraying WD40 into all the electrical connections until the car started again.
The biggest issue was cleaning up the mess. I paid a guy £10 to steam clean the engine bay and then the engine wouldn't start. He then had to come back and spend over two hours spraying WD40 into all the electrical connections until the car started again.
456GT said:
I paid a guy £10 to steam clean the engine bay and then the engine wouldn't start. He then had to come back and spend over two hours spraying WD40 into all the electrical connections until the car started again.
This is why I think steam cleaning an engine bay is a terrible idea. It makes me cringe when people do it.
Prof Prolapse said:
This is why I think steam cleaning an engine bay is a terrible idea.
It makes me cringe when people do it.
Yeah, I don't think I'll get an engine cleaned in this way again. But hopefully I won't leave the oil filler cap off again, either!It makes me cringe when people do it.
Edited by 456GT on Monday 6th August 10:35
As long as the oil level was on or above the mi nimum level no damage should have been done. However i'd be very annoyed and at the very least the dealer should be giving the engine bay a proper clean to remove any oil.
A mate of mine took his Focus ST into a main dealer for a service. On his way back into the showroom to collect his it he heard a car being driven hard. Just then his focus screeched to a halt just in front of him as he went to walk through the showroom door. After paying the bill and having a word about why his car was being driven in such a way he drove off and noticed that the bonnet was moving up and down a bit. When he checked it wasn't closed properly.
A mate of mine took his Focus ST into a main dealer for a service. On his way back into the showroom to collect his it he heard a car being driven hard. Just then his focus screeched to a halt just in front of him as he went to walk through the showroom door. After paying the bill and having a word about why his car was being driven in such a way he drove off and noticed that the bonnet was moving up and down a bit. When he checked it wasn't closed properly.
louiebaby said:
I've picked up a hire car before and got about 120 miles through the Highlands before the lights on the dash came on. No oil cap, and the inside of the engine bay liberally covered.
I'm older and wiser now, mind.
Same thing happened to me in US. Picked the car up in Stamford CT, and drove to White Plains, where I noticed. I complained that I could have been stuck somewhere etc etc - and got a full refund when returning the car.I'm older and wiser now, mind.
Stoatman said:
75% of the cars oil over the underside of the bonnet and engine. The oil was checked and it was just above minimum
More likely about 15-20% of the car's oil was lost then- less than a litre. I'd want it valeted as goodwill and returned with a litre bottle of the correct oil.I'd recommend another oil change at the very least. It's not so much a problem of the oil coming out, as you say it wasn't below minimum, but more the dust and particles going into the engine through the big unfiltered hole. You want to flush that crap out.
Depending on how the crankcase ventilation system works (I have no idea on this car) it might have been drawing air in via vacuum, which will make the above problem a lot worse.
Depending on how the crankcase ventilation system works (I have no idea on this car) it might have been drawing air in via vacuum, which will make the above problem a lot worse.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff