Change your own fluids.

So I popped open the hood today to refill the wiper fluid, and saw this:



Two thousand miles ago, I had a Big O Tires do an oil change and rotate the tires. Not only did they rotate the tires in the wrong order I specified, but apparently they also didn't bother to put the cap back on the oil fill tube!

Let this be a lesson -- change your own fluids. Doing this correctly is too important to trust to a shop, and it's really easy. I live in a condo complex and there are strict rules about not working on your car, but I'm going to have to find some way to bend them because this is lame.

 

Good thing is they put your cap where it did not fall off! Plus, your engine bay is now preserved for life with a beautiful oil coat. Wonder how much oil you lost? What made you check under the hood?

 

Wow this could have turned out alot worse. How much oil did you lose?

 

My mother in law drove home from an oil change and the oil filter fell off...

I agree. Change your own stuff. Just like i mow my own grass and pull my own weeds. My kids need to see that it matters.

 

I guess you can say having a tire company change your oil is like having the fire department do police work. I have free oil changes through Toyota for my new truck and they'll never touch it. I've done my own oil changes on all my vehicles. They could have cost you an engine and then you'd have to fight them to accept responsibility. Especially after 2K miles.

 

This past week I had my 15k service done at the local Toyota dealership, which of course included an oil change. When I got home I discovered that they hadn't put the bolts back in my skid plate. It was just barely hanging on. I took it back the next and expressed the frustration. They took it back to the shop, stuck a couple of bolts in it and brought it back around. Then they proceeded to tell me that some clips were missing and that they would have to order them and would have to come back. I said bullshit, take the parts off of one of the Tundras on the lot and fix my truck. Which they did. Needless to say, I won't be going back for the "free" services.

I'd prefer to do oil changes myself. However, my truck came with a lifetime power train warranty and if I don't have documented services, it voids the warranty. Almost impossible to find an honest, quality mechanic shop.

 

I just did my first oil change after adding an RCI skid plate and a Fumoto valve at the oil filter.

I've always enjoyed changing my own oil, now it is a blast. I kept looking for things to do so the process would last longer.

There is a bit of a learning curve though. When draining the oil some of it drips on top of the skid plate and needs to be cleaned off, otherwise it will eventually drip onto the driveway.

And when opening the Fumoto valve you have to stick your arm up the trap door and if your not careful...I wasn't careful...some oil will drip down your arm before removing it away from the valve.

It was such a joy not to have to remove the stock skid plate.

 

If you want it done right do it yourself if you have the skills.
Most places have young kids that don’t care or flare rate mechanics that get paid 3 tenths to change your oil. Either way your not getting a quality job most of the time.
I have watch this from the inside for 25 years

 

Sorry that happened to you. That’s BS. Exactly why I do all my routine maintenance myself. I have trust issues, for this very reason.

 

Yeah I was pretty pissed. The dip stick was still in the sweet spot so I don't think much oil got slung out, but god damn that could have been a whole lot worse. Just a few days back, my brother was telling me, "man I don't trust anybody to change the fluids" and then this happens. At this point, the only repair shop I trust to touch my Toyotas is a 5 hour drive away, in my old hometown, and at this point I've accepted my fate of never finding a trustworthy shop where I live now. Looks like I'm visting Mom each time I need a major truck service.

I also have the "free" 10k oil changes offered by the dealership, but I would prefer just to pay out of pocket and do it myself, than to subject myself to the hustle at the dealership.

I sent the Big O shop a polite email indicating the problem, along with that picture, telling them I would expect them to reimburse me for the cost of a new oil filter & change (elsewhere, obviously) because unknown contaminants may have entered through the opened fill tube; and, for the cost of a professional cleaning of the otherwise-pristine engine bay, to prevent the slung oil from compromising the hosing, paint, etc. We'll see how that goes.

At the moment, I have the time and patience to take it to small claims court if need be, and I'm pissed enough that it would be something I would enjoy doing.

 

Take it back to them and get the GM involved so it doesn't happen to any one else

 

It always amazes me that with the pile of dealer/shop-oil-change-bullshit at a mile high...............there is still a way to get yet another story to the top of the pile of shit.

Unphvckingbelievable.

The oil system is a pressurized system. Did your oil pressure gauge act unusual? I guess you would have mentioned it if it had. And I would have expected to see more oil mess if you had told me the story first and then shown me the picture second.

I bought a new Toyota Corolla and my new Tundra within a year of each other. Each time they touted the "free" oil change services that came with the purchase. Each time I told them that "if there isn't a box for you check that the customer won't be using the 'free' oil changes then I suggest you write it in. Cuz your shop WILL NOT BE TOUCHING MY VEHICLE." The sales/contract guy just looked stunned. Then I would purposefully not reset the "maintenance required" light cuz it somehow sends a message to the dealership and they (their contracted call company) start calling like crazy. Between the two vehicles and their respective 36,000 mile "free" oil change program I must have received 150 phone calls. They never heard my voice.

Point of order regarding the factory steel skid plate. Yes. It's a pain in the ass to take off and put on. IFFFFF the truck is on the ground. Very low clearance to work with. I put the Tundra up on Rhino ramps and it makes it a hell of a lot easier to get the stock skid plate off and on. Yes. It could be easier. But I accept that as part of my "until I die or can no longer crawl underneath" attitude regarding doing all of my own oil changes. It also gives me a chance to look around while I'm laying there on my back taking a brief moment out of my life to not think of hot chicks with big, round boobs.

And now my lawyer makes me include this part: YMMV.

 

You can get the TRD or RCI skid plates. They have an pil filter access cover. No need to remove entire skid. Just 4 allen bolts.

 

Wrong.

Save your receipts and records for the oil and oil filters. That's all you need.

 

1st sentence above picture. Adding windshield fluid.

 

I see it now. The pic and red arrow grabbed my attention and then read the lower body.

 

Just so everyone knows who is not aware.....their is a skid plate MOD that makes removal/install much easier. It was talked about in another thread. Bending the hook piece over so it's flat will free up the skid plate to fall easily in place. Don't have any pictures but, will add one this weekend when I do my own oil change

 

I'm going to give the shop owner a chance to own up to this before I make a big deal out of it and involve the corporate office and small claims court -- I, perhaps foolishly, like to think that there might still be people who have a sense of accountability. We'll see.

Nope. I'm astonished that no sensors, lights, or annoying beeping sounds occurred as a result of the cap being left off. It seems I can't even look at the truck without some god damned sensor or beeping thing going off.

 

I had similar experiences with the same Toyota dealership... Twice.

I figured going in, "surely they won't screw this up twice."

They did... I bought an RCI skid plate the next day.

 

Nope. But the let the MF'g little rubber gas cap O ring somehow get twisted and release an ant's fart worth of gasoline vapor...........the rig will damn near go into limp mode.

 

Yep - I was told by my dealership you can also record all self performed maintenance in the Toyota Owners app. Under "Service" you are able to add a record along with the mileage.

 

find a small shop with a trusted Toyota mechanic.

 

Wow. That's good to know. Guess I'll be doing my oil changes from now on.

 

Not the best picture but, you can see how the hook piece is bent over flat. This make a huge difference with removing or installing the skid plate.

 

That seems to be the trick. The shop I love in my hometown has been there forever, is run by the family: Dad and son do the work, mom answers the phone and does the books, and the dog just sits there and sleeps.

I've tried a couple of small shops around me where I live now, and they are all awful and untrustworthy, so I think the hard part is finding the good one.

 

I find the hook helps me. Hook on the front, and get a bolt started in the rear.

 

I have the RCI installed and have a fumoto on the shelf for next oil change. Can't wait to try it.

Have you tried the oil filter drain tool by MotivX?

I have that on the shelf as well, seems like it should help with keeping it as clean as can be.

 

I could never get it hooked or the hook would get caught on something else which would then have me beating my head on the garage floor cursing like a sailor.

 

2000 miles before you caught it?