Got an oil change and they messed up, how bad is it?
Posted by Williamfrancis22@reddit | askcarguys | View on Reddit | 107 comments
My usual place I go to for an oil change , for reference it’s a maxima 2018 with 200k miles , runs great , all highway miles ….i’m not a car guy by the way, so I get the oil change and leave , maybe 10 mins later it starts making a noise , don’t really think much of it , then the oil light comes on as I’m on the highway driving home which is 20 miles from the shop.
I get home and my phone rings and it’s the police lol thought it was a scam call but they were local and said the oil change place contacted them, I need to call the shop immediately…I call and they said I was leaking oil when I left and they tried to get my attention and couldn’t , said they messed up when changing the oil filter , something about it usually creates a suction when you change it ? Or he didn’t check it when he finished and didn’t put it back on? He was frantic and said don’t drive , we will come to you and change the oil and then bring it back to the shop so they can double check it , which is what I did and it is running fine now
My question is , how bad did they mess up that they had to contact the police to get in touch with me asap and said not to drive right away but I already put 20 miles on it? Like is this something I should monitor and what if something happens down the road ?
FriendlyArachnid6000@reddit
Why the f*** don't you just go pull your goddamn dipstick and see if you have oil or not
LankyNihilist@reddit
If the oil light came on and it made a noise I'd venture to bet you got a new engine coming.
Jinxed4Sure@reddit
Used engine...
livingoutloud373@reddit
And negligence toward the car, like come on the light come on. You fucking stop driving!!! Add the knocking noise, God damn! And most likely a cloud of smoke coming out
I bet the shop will not reimburse totally for the engine, given the mileage, that the customer kept driving...
Williamfrancis22@reddit (OP)
How are you more angry about this than me lol and offering zero advice just commenting on what I did after they messed up
freetotebag@reddit
I think it’s just shocking for some to hear a person would keep driving for 20 miles AFTER the oil light comes on and the car starts making, what I assume, was a heck of a noise. I just cannot imagine doing that. Like… the light coming on is a big deal given the context.
Williamfrancis22@reddit (OP)
Shocking to car guys , I stated a few times I know NOTHING about cars …I just got an oil change , didn’t think I would now have an oil problem, it’s an older car figured the light just came on bc of the oil change , a sensor or something but again look past that lol all I wanted to know was how serious it was and instead I got ppl jumping down my throat telling me I’m at fault here lol
blur911sc@reddit
You don't have to be a 'car guy' to have basic knowledge of what you are driving.
You ignored a red light on your dash telling you that your engine was dying. That part is definitely your fault. Saying you didn't know if it was serious is not helping your case.
Alternative-Way4750@reddit
It's not reasonable to expect everyone to know what you expect them to know.
blur911sc@reddit
I think it's reasonable for a driver to know that a red light means stop, especially after your engine starts making a noise. It could easily have ended up in flames on the highway, OP just got lucky.
Alternative-Way4750@reddit
I'm not in disagreement I just think you are projecting your knowledge expectations. You have to put the whole picture into perspective. OP literally just got an oil change, the last thing he would be thinking is that it's an oil issue that is extreme and most lights that come on don't require pulling over immediately. Should this knowledge be common? Absolutely but it's not for people that don't know cars. You're the same person that probably assumes everyone knows or should know how to change their own oil, brakes, etc. Most people will never know how to do these things hence mechanics stay in business.
blur911sc@reddit
It's not about 'knowing cars', it's about as basic as it gets and a driver's responsibility.
But let's just dumb it down and not take any repsonsibility, like everything else.
Williamfrancis22@reddit (OP)
Very productive comment, thanks for chiming in and taking time out of your day to say that
livingoutloud373@reddit
For future reference there is a little book called owner manual, usually located in the glove box. I suggest you read it, to familiarize you with operating a motor vehicle, with all it features.
That could save you, some trouble.
RTFM
FutureAlfalfa200@reddit
You think his maxima with 200k miles still has the owners manual in it?
I agree you SHOULD know what the oil light is/means but most people probably don’t still
livingoutloud373@reddit
Still a little google search away but that apparently too hard for people to do
GingerMaus@reddit
Whilst driving on the freeway...
Hoovie_Doovie@reddit
This is a failure of american driver's ed too then. EVERYBODY should know what the warning light on their dash mean. The important ones are standardized between all cars too, so you know what they mean in every vehicle.
For future reference OP, you see that oil light, pull over as soon as it is safe to do so, and shut the engine off, don't let it idle. If you see a check engine light that is flashing, you do the same thing.
If you hear noises that sound like metal on metal, you should also probably stop. If your brakes squeak, crunch, or cause your car to shake when you brake, get them serviced. If your car makes a loud hum that gets louder with speed, you need either differential service or wheel bearings.
freetotebag@reddit
To be clear I’m not jumping down your throat. I’m just trying to give that perspective.
Williamfrancis22@reddit (OP)
And I get that perspective but it’s not a very productive comment and adds nothing of substance to the discussion, right ? That part already happened can’t fix it , I’m moving on…And I already said I know nothing about cars, I’m clearly a moron when it comes to knowing anything about cars , this I already know…and believe it or not I’ve been pretty successful in life with that zero knowledge about cars lol
So the focus shouldn’t be on what I did or didn’t do when an oil light came on, which now I know is very important; I won’t make that mistake again …I was just trying to figure out how bad the shop messed up and how I should handle it next
GingerMaus@reddit
I'm backing up OP here, shocking to us cos we are car people and we know what that means. Most people assume a warning light means they can get home or to where it is safe to pull over. Hell, most people think the oil light means you need to top up your oil, it doesn't.
freetotebag@reddit
I don’t think I’m attacking them or anything, just expressing my own surprise.
GingerMaus@reddit
I get it but it is worth keeping in mind that we are car people and OP isn't, that's why they came here. They need to borrow our knowledge and experience.
livingoutloud373@reddit
I mean you ignore basic warning and kept driving. You have some fault to this.
macman7500@reddit
I agree, customer negligence
GingerMaus@reddit
No it isn't. Most warning lights do not require that you stop immediately. In fact most people think that the oil light means low oil, it doesn't, it means loss of oil pressure. That's not on the customer, most people don't ever see their oil light.
macman7500@reddit
Any red light on the dash you need to stop or pay attention immediately. Yellow lights are for things you describe like low oil
GingerMaus@reddit
I mean, I know this, but I'm a car girl. Oil light is orange,my point is we can't be blaming OP for this.
macman7500@reddit
Every oil light i ever seen is red
GingerMaus@reddit
You know what, you might be right, the one on my old car looks orange but next to a clearly orange light it's a bit darker (my old car was also quite old lol).
macman7500@reddit
At least the imported cars like Japanese are that way. I'm not sure about the old domestic cars
Williamfrancis22@reddit (OP)
Thank you my dear lol
Williamfrancis22@reddit (OP)
Haha yeah it’s my fault
CanadianTrump420Swag@reddit
Ignore these busters, CJ - the shop fucked up a job a child could do. Keep your documentation. Drive the car over the next 2 weeks, if it makes any engine noise/knocking, they owe you an engine.
medguy_48@reddit
A place that he frequents but has no billing info for him. Yeah ok. This is more AI bullshit for Karma.
6786_007@reddit
Ignore that moron. The shop screwed up, get you car fixed and have them pay for it.
FutureAlfalfa200@reddit
To be fair I don’t think 99% of drivers have ever seen their oil light come on.
overcatastrophe@reddit
That guy is a chode
overcatastrophe@reddit
The shop fucked up, full stop.
FutureAlfalfa200@reddit
Document. Everything. I’d be asking the police for a written record of correspondence between them and the shop, and then between them and you.
If the oil light came on 99% it’s caused some serious damage
RemarkablePrint7689@reddit
Yes, FOIA request the 911 call and any other information associated with the incident number/CAD.
biggunzcdb1@reddit
Even has a police report...
Longjumping-Log1591@reddit
Your oil place that you usually go to and have been there frequently didnt have your contact info ? Name address and phone number ? After all the times you've been in?
croppedcross3@reddit
Apparently the only information they had the license plate, which would be entirely unnecessary for an oil change.
wespellettieri@reddit
Most shops use plate number for identification. I have 5 white Volkswagens.
croppedcross3@reddit
Ah. Most places I've been to check the vin inside the door.
wespellettieri@reddit
It's 2026, my Genesis scheduled its own oil change.
bluereptile@reddit
1st thing I get when I check any car in is a license plate.
Type it into our software and it pulls up year/model/VIN
That part checks out.
But it also pulls up my customers name, phone number, and address lol.
I have never worked in a shop that would service a car without getting contact info. When I owned my own shop it was an insurance requirement that I have contact info for any vehicles in the building
LAM678@reddit
it would make sense if they wrote it down for carfax reporting or something like thar
Tony-cums@reddit
Right. Instead they called the police. I have zero faith this is real.
PinkGreen666@reddit
Use critical thinking, what would someone have to gain lying about this online?
Tony-cums@reddit
Weirdos want karma like it’s some real life currency.
PinkGreen666@reddit
Nah look at his post history and his comments on this post. Definitely not AI.
Tony-cums@reddit
Nobody claimed AI.
PinkGreen666@reddit
You’re joking right?
Tony-cums@reddit
Fake as in he made up a story to get karma. I know it’s hard to fathom not using AI for everything but it is a thing.
PinkGreen666@reddit
Countless comments in this thread are accusing OP of AI, even beneath the comment that you replied to.
Tony-cums@reddit
Go Reply to them then.
wdrub@reddit
It’s real lol
medguy_48@reddit
Exactly. Fake story
Sideburn_Cookie_Man@reddit
Yeah... That didn't happen, did it?
Why would your mechanic call the cops for a non police related issue?
This is one of the most poorly made up stories I've read in a while.
medguy_48@reddit
This is fake AI bullshit.
wdrub@reddit
It’s not lol
Kb24ed@reddit
Stupid AI story smh
wdrub@reddit
It’s not lmao. It’s real
Gunk_Olgidar@reddit
"I never believed this would happen to me..."
NCSUGrad2012@reddit
Or the police calling rather than just the shop that literally has his number, lol
Williamfrancis22@reddit (OP)
Clearly they didn’t have my number
Used-Author-3811@reddit
The place you go to all the time doesn't have your number?
🤣
Bro c'mon with this shit.
Gunk_Olgidar@reddit
Be nice.
Story Time:
Back in "the boomer days" when we paid with cash, the 10 minute quicky-lube often didn't take any contact information from the client other than perhaps a first name (to call you from the waiting room if you didn't sit in the car while waiting, which we often did). They might take the license plate for their own hand-written record on the yellow copy of the handwritten print through paper ticket, in case you tried to drive off without paying.
While these days ain't those, it doesn't mean it can't still happen that way. ;-)
Williamfrancis22@reddit (OP)
Cmon with what lol
RandydaRodent@reddit
You know nothing about cars but your car making an uncommon noise then the oil light coming on AFTER getting an oil change doesn't raise any suspicion with you ? You don't need to be a car person, common sense would told you something wasn't right and pull over immediately. You was begging for your engine to seize up over an $80 oil change.
Williamfrancis22@reddit (OP)
Great point , thanks for stopping by
Williamfrancis22@reddit (OP)
Since I have all these car experts here , have another question
It’s a 2018 maxima with over 200k miles on it…I close on my house I’m selling next month and planned to use some of those funds for a new car anyway…I commute all high way miles, 90 miles round trip every day for work ….with the high gas prices should I go with a hybrid or Tesla for the next car ?
brewercycle@reddit
Hybrid won't help you much if your commute is all highway miles. EV would be great if you can charge it at home, although you will definitely notice it on your electricity bill. Another great advantage of EVs is they don't need oil so the problem you described in your original post will never happen again!
Williamfrancis22@reddit (OP)
I think I’m sold lol Tesla it is
PinkGreen666@reddit
You need a level 2 charger installed in your house if you get an EV. No just plugged into an outlet. Outlet will only give you like 30-50 miles overnight. Level 2 is a must. They’re roughly between $3k-$8k to have installed.
dragonbits@reddit
This happened to me once.
Old dodge: I pulled over to a gas station, bot a quart, poured it in, still empty, got another quart, still empty, not possible. So I looked under the car, there were my 2 quarts, there was a missing oil pan plug.
Got a new oil pan plug, filled up the oil, seemed fine after, drove it 3 miles home, was quite surprised it ran at all.
The next day the engine ran like shit.
It was annoying, but I had bot a new car a few weeks ago, it was at the dealer. The dodge was in pitiful shape even before that.
Memorable part:
A few months later I tried to drive the dodge to the junkyard, it was scary. The radiator boiled over, crap was all over the windshield, a trail of smoke, the gas pedal was flat to the floor and I was going maybe 10mph. Foolishly I turned the car off to let it cool down, that was the last time for that engine, it never started again.
My mom was escorting me in her car to the junkyard. Called junkyard for a tow.
She then got into a big argument with the junkyard, as her deal was they would give her the tires, which were pretty new. The junkyard got annoyed, said they would tow it back to the street and leave it.
IMO the tires were about the only valuable thing left.
Frosty-Actuary4535@reddit
They've probably been sued a number of times already. It happens a lot. I have a friend who owns an engine rebuilding company & he LOVES Jiffy Lube.
JCC114@reddit
They will turn it over to their insurance company, and they may not pay out based on you continuing to drive once oil light came on as damage to vehicle would not have occurred if you turned off engine when oil light came on. If they do pay out the cost of engine is likely more then book value of the high mileage vehicle so it will likely be them purchasing the vehicle from you at book value. Good luck, and I am sure it has been said 100x already, but oil light is always an immediate stop the vehicle as soon as safe and turn off the engine type of light.
Williamfrancis22@reddit (OP)
Thank you for the info and the insurance company wouldn’t necessarily have that additional info but I also appreciate you telling me about the importance of the oil light and not being a jerk about it lol other ppl don’t seem to get that, you said it and was very kind about it, that’s how we should be treating each other
JCC114@reddit
Lot of people like to talk like everyone has had the same life experiences they have had. Chances of that being true are usually 0. Now you have had this life experience and you all know in the future, and hopefully will spread this knowledge as well. Being an ass about it does not get us anywhere.
At least a forum like this people are trying to learn something. Get sucked into a politics conversation and no one wants to learn any thing.
tigers692@reddit
Idk, so you drove it home and didn’t notice anything, but it was important enough they called the police and not you? I guess they maybe left the drain plug off? A vehicle can drive a while without oil, but it’s not great for it. I’d get a full diagnosis from a second shop, not fully trusting the first. (Why wouldn’t they just call your cell as you were driving away?)
Williamfrancis22@reddit (OP)
Bc they didn’t have it , the police is how I got contacted which obv made me believe this was very serious issue lol
So I assumed they noticed me pull off and was leaking oil, they tried to get my attention but I didn’t see them…so I guess this is where they decided they have my license number and get my info that way through the police and even that took them some time bc I stopped at a bakery and then drove 20 mins home before I got the call
tigers692@reddit
Anymore it’s like a credit check if we actually go to the mechanic instead of just doing it myself, kind of the reason I don’t like going. But generally I’d get a second shop to look things over.
jrileyy229@reddit
Sounds like maybe they didn't have an oil filter on hand, so they did the oil change waiting on the filter... But then forgot to put the filter on.
You drove your engine with no oil in it... Not good. There's not really a good solution here. At the very least you'd want them to put in a tested and good used engine. The caveat there is that the car isn't worth very much... Probably makes more sense they just wrote you a check for the retail value of the car and you go buy your newer car and they can do whatever with it.
The sad part is that they'll probably just resell it as is and make no mention of what happened. That's why buying cheap used cars is tough.... You never know which cars are being sold because they are ticking time bombs and which cars are being sold just because the prior owner finally upgraded.
Tony-cums@reddit
Why would they call the police about this? Talk about a waste of resources.
They double gasketed the filter. Bearings are probably toast.
Gunk_Olgidar@reddit
Perhaps because they only had the license plate on the car. Rather unlikely these days, but possible.
Tony-cums@reddit
911 what’s your emergency?
Omg I messed up an oil change!!
Chemical_Support4748@reddit
Police own every business these days
MrWaldengarver@reddit
Maybe an AI story, but something like this happened to me at a chain oil change shop. When they started the car up, the plug fell out and oil started to stream out, but I saw it and stopped them. Never use a franchise store oil change. Incompetent minimum wage workers will kill your car.
UmatterWHENiMATTER@reddit
For the real readers:
Once the low oil pressure light comes on, you already have low oil pressure and things which should glide near each other on a cushion of pressurized oil and never touch have already been grinding into each other at force and speed and building up extreme heat where it shouldn't be.
Your engine is already cooked if you see that light while driving. The only question is how cooked.
teslaP3DnLRRWDowner@reddit
Your engine grenaded itself, likely they drained it, added a filter, no oil lol
PoetExcellent3215@reddit
A 200,00 mile engine is not worth a new engine. The law is that they need to make you whole.
1ApprehensiveGrowth1@reddit
If you heard noise and felt hesitation some damage has already been done. I would immediately take it to a different mechanic or the dealer and get it inspected before driving anywhere else. Also let the shop know this is your plan.
Substantial_Team6751@reddit
If the oil pressure light comes on, you pull over and turn off the car immediately. You don't continue on home to deal with it later.
AgitatedHat5620@reddit
Your engine has left the chat.
Careful_Thought_8386@reddit
Shop I worked at in 04 actually did the same thing. Was a drive thru oil change place and a new tech didn't put on the oil filter. Manager contacted the police because back then we didn't really get any info when doing oil changes so until customer called we had no idea how to get in touch honestly. Anyways we called cops for 2 reasons one was to put out a kinda bolo for your vehicle and hopefully save it which didn't happen in our case and another was in case that thing went out on a busy highway so you aren't stranded. Depending on the state not everyone had a cellphone then. Which did happen in this case. Got them home in a loaner and car engine replaced 8 days later and back in their car with a new engine with warranty believe it was 80k miles can't remember. To your question of how bad of a fuck up was it on a 1-10 it's a 10, and chance your motor will be fine long term probably not. If no sound I still wouldn't trust that motor until 500 miles and a cut oil filter to see what the inside looks like.
Williamfrancis22@reddit (OP)
Thanks , this was the response I was looking for , the scale of 1-10, I can understand that lol and figured if they needed to get in touch with the police to contact me it was urgent
Williamfrancis22@reddit (OP)
Some of these responses are hilarious lol ai ? Doubting it’s real …and I said I know nothing about cars so an oil light coming on I didn’t know that meant stop driving immediately, I also was multi tasking making a few phone calls dealing with other issues so didn’t think an issue right away…it’s crazy too bc if I got 50 oil changes from here I also get the free car wash after but today it’s overcast in NJ so I saved it and drove away for the first time ever after an oil change
And the other comments they didn’t have your contact info why not? How would I know lol and that’s why they obviously called the police and gave my license number to get my contact info
It was a young kid working when I went there this am so he made the error ….they looked it over changed the oil again, cleaned it up, gave me a refund and said come back if I have any issues , place has been there forever and has a good reputation so I’m confident any engine trouble they will be responsible for and I can always contact the local police and get that documentation as well
blur911sc@reddit
An oil light comes on and you don't know what it means so you just keep driving? It means you shouldn't be driving...maybe forever.
No_Durian_3444@reddit
You're going to get a new engine, congrats.
They will actually try to talk you into buying a new car though.
C-czar187@reddit
Wait, the oil change place called the police to get ahold of you to tell you about a bad job they did? That sounds weird af
Miller335@reddit
I'm just a weekend DIY guy and even I know you run the vehicle for a minute and check for leaks after an oil change.
boxwhitex@reddit
If an oil light comes on you likely already have serious damage. It needs to be inspected by Nissan or another shop not an oil change place. New motor is likely.
eggsperimentalist@reddit
It sounds like they either didn't put the oil filter on, or didn't put it on properly so it leaked. Check your oil level and take a picture, it's probably empty. Maybe get a mobile mechanic to check it out. I think you're going to need a new engine (fully paid for by your oil change place).
StJe1637@reddit
What did they tell you? We have no way of knowing without knowing exactly what they say happened/actually happened.
It could blow up in a week or mean basically nothing,
They should at the very least refund you for the service. It's at 200k though so even if they fucked it up and it blows up unless you document it or have it in writing what happened you are screwed probably.
If it had literally no oil in it the engine would have exploded after driving for 1-5 minutes. But that wouldn't happen even if you drove around with no oil filter on it.