Dealer error | Didn’t install oil fill cap on TRD Pro

Several months ago my brother purchased a 2020 TRD Pro. When he reached 9,000 miles (he drives a lot) he dropped it off at the dealer for its scheduled oil change.

Two days after the oil change he noticed oil on his new driveway. Without checking, he drove it straight to the dealer and told them to figure out the issue. Well, the tech never installed the oil fill cap on the crankcase and via normal driving, there was a mess. The dealer re-filled the oil and steam cleaned his engine bay. He was upset about he entire issue.

My truck just rolled 14,000 miles and I changed the oil today for the 3rd time. First interval at 2K, second interval at 7K, and today at 14K. For the reason above and others, I do the work myself. Is it fun, not really, hard, not really, but I never want to worry the oil change isn’t done correctly. So I getter done. Hope to get another few hundred thousand miles on this power train with 0 motor oil issues. For fun, I’m currently using Toyota oil filters, Toyota drain bolt washers and 8.5 quarts of Shell Rotella Gas and Truck (RGT) 0W20.

Question: How would you have responded if this happened to you at a dealer?

 

The dealer did everything they could as cheap as possible first...up to you (or the owner) if it's clean enough...I'd yry to get some free car washes or a free detail for more perk if you continue at the dealership...they tried at least, but were they accountable and bring up their mishap or did you have to ask for the information?

 

Leave a negative yelp review and call Toyota directly and have the employee fired....
On a more serious note, I’d say accidents do happen, we’re all human, and they seemed to have made it right. I’d ask to have it noted in case of the possibility of premature engine failure and maybe a free car wash or two.
Either the tech was busy, rushed to get the truck out to the next one, was going on break soon, or just plain forgot. He or she is human, and just made a mistake. If it happens again THEN I’d be pretty upset.

 

I'm surprised the technician and/or your brother didn't notice the engine running differently. Typically, if you start the engine with the oil fill cap off, the engine will idle very rough because the open crankcase allows the PCV system to draw an abnormal amount of air into the throttle body. Your brother may have lost the unsecured oil fill cap after leaving the dealership.

I only know this because a friend told me about forgetting to replace his oil cap, and started his engine to check for leaks.

 

Thanks Duke Kaboom.

 

You should always inspect your vehicle before leaving the dealer or any shop that has worked on the vehicle. Walk around the vehicle to inspect the exterior to make sure there are no new dents or scratches... lift the hood just to see if anything is not as it should be. I also inspect the interior for oily finger prints and smudges, and I have the dealer correct any & all mistakes on the spot before I leave.

 

This...110%

 

This kind of thing happens. When dealerships are churning out vehicles at the volume that they are an oversight is bound to happen. Sounds like they tried to make it right by steam cleaning the engine but if you want to go scorched earth to try to get more, have at it. I am sure if you yell and scream enough, leave negative reviews, etc., it will make you feel better and get you something else in return. Personally, I would simply have them document the mistake and make sure they knew that if anything happened that could be traced back to this in the future that I would expect them to take care if it.

 

Sounds like they did their best to own up and make it right. He could demand more free oil changes past the free Toyota care ones if he trusts them. Did he drive with low oil? Was he not watching the oil pressure gauge? He didn’t at least look under the hood before driving back to the dealer?

 

And yet another one of these stories. Goodness.

Me? I wouldn't go back to the dealer. Or any dealer. Take some time and teach your brother the VIRTUES of doing the oil changes himself.

 

I would lost definitely take it back to the dealer EVERY time while it is under warranty and they are free. EVERY time make sure they know that you had this exact issue and ask them to
Make sure all safety checks are done. Then inspect before you leave. As long as you have record and documentation of this and continuously follow you will be fine. If you don’t they could claim that you neglected the maintenance or screwed something up doing your own oil changes. For me.......take it back to a dealership every time to document compliance and any issues while undeR warranty. After the warranty, I wouldn’t do the dealership.

 

You obviously didn’t see what I said about on a more serious note....the yelp review and calling Toyota was a JOKE.

 

I let my small sized dealer do my maintenance but I always check the dipstick level, fill cap and for any oil on the skid plate.

 

My bad, I read the first sentence and that is all, totally missed it. I have deleted the post, my bad.

 

Haha haha.....all good here....that’s the joy about commenting on Internet forums, sometimes things you say jokingly don’t come across that way....lol

 

That's a bummer. If you're brother is like me, I take my vehicles to the dealer because I expect a better grade of work in return for a much higher cost for service. The tech should have checked but, hell, everyone makes mistakes. How someone owns up to a mistake is big in my book too, sounds like they fixed their mistake, mess and all.

 

demand a brand new pro in lunar rock! (hope it's obvious i'm kidding; it is the internet after all)

seems the dealer did right.

me? i would ask for the incident to be documented and a complimentary case of 5-qt jugs of oil, and a case of filters.

i enjoy doing my own oil changes; i get to lie down, listen to some good music, and hang out in the garage. win, win, and win.

i believe what the dealer did was fair. i also believe what i'd ask for was fair.

 

Confession...surly there’s not many folks on this forum to confirm my stupidly but...I changed my own oil so not to have the suspected dealer issue by some half wit pulling down minimum wage that gave little to no shits about his job or assigned task. So Roughly around 18000 miles I performed an oil change and at 21000 I’d checked oil and found that I left the GD filler cap off-yap I was low about 2 QTS. I changed the oil immediately and again at 24K. I’ve since fell back to intervals of 3-5k pending driving conditions and towing mileage. I rest now at just over 90K and have no issues except for wondering how many gallons of gas can I put in my 32 gallon take and what’s the maximum size tire I can run stock lol

In summation I believe all will be well.

cheers
PJ

 

You should call corporate and fire yourself for that one...lol....at least u put the drain plug in, installed the filter properly and our oil in the right hole (I hope) I’ve heard stories of places having a hard time doing some of those things....

 

I thought the same thing when it came to changing the spark plugs. The dealer wants a lot to change plugs. I bought plugs, and changed them myself. It all worked out until I started the engine. The dash lit up, and I shut engine off right away. I went and checked the wires, and I had forgot to plug in one spark plug wire. The thing about it was I was sure I connected them all before I started engine.