Dealership Botched Oil Change

[zenwhipper]

I want to relay my recent experience with an oil change. It was the Mach's first oil change. Took it to the dealer and they said 1 to 1.5 hours. I waited. Car ready. On the way home I smell burning oil in the car. Ok, that's kind of an issue. I think it just may be some spilled oil during the service. Get home and park the car in the garage. Few days later, I take it for a drive and the smell is there again. I pull over and open the hood stick my nose in there and no real oil smell. Can't see any oil either. I smell the front wheel wells, no smell. I smell under the car, no oil smell. I run it home. Pulling in to the garage I notice oil small patches on the concrete. I get under the car from the side and can see a few oil drips coming from the back end of the belly pan by the oil plug. But the plug and pan are clean. I grab a flash light and move to the front of the engine and shine down to the filter area - oil has pooled in the belly pan. Ok, maybe the filter is loose.

At this point I got to get it back to the dealer to see what the hell is going on. I'm not happy to drive the car not knowing what the issue is, but I take it back.

Well, I tell them its leaking oil and tell them its pooling on the belly pan. And I said what ever is the issue you need to take the belly pan off and clean it all up.

So, in the end, the plug and filter were tight. They just spilled a ton of oil when they changed the oil - likely at the filter.

They admitted the horrible job and all is well now.

I (now) know the oil filter is in a rough spot on the front of the engine and accessible only through a small access hatch. Removing the filter can get dodgy and oil will run down on the engine. But, come on Ford dealership. Btw, I'm not going to mention them, we settled up and they made it ok.

I'll probably start changing the oil myself. But owners beware if you take it to a dealer or quick change oil place or mechanic, make sure you feel with them doing the work.

Yep, that's all for today...

Sponsored

 

[Paddles]

I just cut up a piece of cardboard and create a V channel which I wedge under the filter so the oil runs down the cardboard and into my drain pan. It is pretty messy. Oil changes are pretty easy on this car though, I recommend doing your own if you can.

 

[WItoTX]

If you are changing your filter from that access hole, you are doing it wrong. Pull the wheel off, go from there, way less mess. Still need to pull the cover on the hole, but it's definitely less bad.

 

[Paddles]

If you are changing your filter from that access hole, you are doing it wrong. Pull the wheel off, go from there, way less mess. Still need to pull the cover on the hole, but it's definitely less bad.

Nice! Thank you for this, will try next time.

 

[Schwerin]

I want to relay my recent experience with an oil change. It was the Mach's first oil change. Took it to the dealer and they said 1 to 1.5 hours. I waited. Car ready. On the way home I smell burning oil in the car. Ok, that's kind of an issue. I think it just may be some spilled oil during the service. Get home and park the car in the garage. Few days later, I take it for a drive and the smell is there again. I pull over and open the hood stick my nose in there and no real oil smell. Can't see any oil either. I smell the front wheel wells, no smell. I smell under the car, no oil smell. I run it home. Pulling in to the garage I notice oil small patches on the concrete. I get under the car from the side and can see a few oil drips coming from the back end of the belly pan by the oil plug. But the plug and pan are clean. I grab a flash light and move to the front of the engine and shine down to the filter area - oil has pooled in the belly pan. Ok, maybe the filter is loose.

At this point I got to get it back to the dealer to see what the hell is going on. I'm not happy to drive the car not knowing what the issue is, but I take it back.

Well, I tell them its leaking oil and tell them its pooling on the belly pan. And I said what ever is the issue you need to take the belly pan off and clean it all up.

So, in the end, the plug and filter were tight. They just spilled a ton of oil when they changed the oil - likely at the filter.

They admitted the horrible job and all is well now.

I (now) know the oil filter is in a rough spot on the front of the engine and accessible only through a small access hatch. Removing the filter can get dodgy and oil will run down on the engine. But, come on Ford dealership. Btw, I'm not going to mention them, we settled up and they made it ok.

I'll probably start changing the oil myself. But owners beware if you take it to a dealer or quick change oil place or mechanic, make sure you feel with them doing the work.

Yep, that's all for today...

Ford fixed this with the S650... there is no longer a train hole.. you just have to REMOVE THE WHOLE PAN WITH ALL THOSE CLIPS to change the oil

 

[SCP440]

RHD is more difficult, the access hole is blocked by the steering rack. I go in through the wheel arch to replace the filter.
I would not trust a dealer to do any job I can do. I have seen so many mistakes as servicing is often left to the apprentices.
A friend had her Mini back after a main dealer service and they had cross threaded the oil filter and the oil had all leaked out by the time she had got home. When she went to start the engine the following day it had destroyed the main bearings. They tried to say it wasnt them but as she had only done 5 miles between them and her home they had to admit it was them and they fitted a new engine.

 

[Farkel]

I want to relay my recent experience with an oil change. It was the Mach's first oil change. Took it to the dealer and they said 1 to 1.5 hours. I waited. Car ready. On the way home I smell burning oil in the car. Ok, that's kind of an issue. I think it just may be some spilled oil during the service. Get home and park the car in the garage. Few days later, I take it for a drive and the smell is there again. I pull over and open the hood stick my nose in there and no real oil smell. Can't see any oil either. I smell the front wheel wells, no smell. I smell under the car, no oil smell. I run it home. Pulling in to the garage I notice oil small patches on the concrete. I get under the car from the side and can see a few oil drips coming from the back end of the belly pan by the oil plug. But the plug and pan are clean. I grab a flash light and move to the front of the engine and shine down to the filter area - oil has pooled in the belly pan. Ok, maybe the filter is loose.

At this point I got to get it back to the dealer to see what the hell is going on. I'm not happy to drive the car not knowing what the issue is, but I take it back.

Well, I tell them its leaking oil and tell them its pooling on the belly pan. And I said what ever is the issue you need to take the belly pan off and clean it all up.

So, in the end, the plug and filter were tight. They just spilled a ton of oil when they changed the oil - likely at the filter.

They admitted the horrible job and all is well now.

I (now) know the oil filter is in a rough spot on the front of the engine and accessible only through a small access hatch. Removing the filter can get dodgy and oil will run down on the engine. But, come on Ford dealership. Btw, I'm not going to mention them, we settled up and they made it ok.

I'll probably start changing the oil myself. But owners beware if you take it to a dealer or quick change oil place or mechanic, make sure you feel with them doing the work.

Yep, that's all for today...

@pilotgore, is there something this Mach 1 owner can do to prevent spillage when changing the oil filter?

 

[ORRadtech]

Ford fixed this with the S650... there is no longer a train hole.. you just have to REMOVE THE WHOLE PAN WITH ALL THOSE CLIPS to change the oil

The Fusion has been that way since at least 2014...
PITA!!!

 

[pilotgore]

@pilotgore, is there something this Mach 1 owner can do to prevent spillage when changing the oil filter?

Oh man do I wish! We tried making 15 or so different iterations of a device to funnel oil neatly through the belly pan access door, but we couldn’t figure out a way to hold the device in place reliably. It’d stay in place as long as you didn’t accidentally bump it, blow on it, or stare at it the wrong way.

Some said they’d take that solution over what they’re currently dealing with. However, since the reputation of the gt350/gt500 oil filter guide is so freaking good, I didn’t want to take the chance of mixing the reputation from a half measure M1 piece and a gt350/gt500 piece.

At least we can say we tried…

 

[Gregdd]

I confess, the last 2 oil changes my car smelled like I was burning oil for a week. Have to try something different next time. One thing that bothers me is the wiring going to the Manual trans gets an oil bath the way I am doing it. Has anyone tried unplugging the wires.

 

[SheepDog]

A sheet of aluminum foil also works well for the filter removal. Just fold up a long piece, and then mold it up under the filter but make it long enough that it reaches down below the splash guard, basically a long ramp that channels the oil down past the wring and sub-frame

Unfortunately, it is generally children doing your oil changes and tire rotations if you take it to a shop. You would think that something as critical as these simple procedures would be handled by a qualified mechanic, but actually are performed by completely unqualified Tik-Toker's that just ate 3 gummies on their lunch break, and couldn't care less about your pride and joy.

Avoid service centers (especially the dealership) at all costs. I understand that some people cannot or are not interested in performing these services by yourself, but it really is the only way to control the quality.

 

[skinnyb]

If you are changing your filter from that access hole, you are doing it wrong. Pull the wheel off, go from there, way less mess. Still need to pull the cover on the hole, but it's definitely less bad.

Yessir, driver front wheel off, its on jack stands anyway. Can reach in thru the wheel well, a lot more room to reach the filter. And a cardboard "ramp" to deflect it down to the pan. Still makes a mess best you can do. And the fill plug can drip on to the belly pan as well at the very edge.

 

[SheepDog]

fill plug can drip on to the belly pan as well at the very edge.

Stuff a rag or paper towel in that space first, then drain the oil

 

[kz]

There was someone here that used to sell 3D printed contraption that would direct the oil off the filter to avoid spillage.

Beyond that, there are multiple ways that anyone experienced with oil changes at home can use - rubber funnel that can be formed into whatever, zip loc bags and so on.
Coyote hardly has difficult location of the filter (I change it ~5x times a year and never pull wheel off and also never spill anything).

Try DT RAM1500 if you want filter in a bad place - spills oil all over EPAS and who knows what else if you don't prevent it.

 

[skinnyb]

Stuff a rag or paper towel in that space first, then drain the oil

Its never bad enough to cause an issue, it only gets there when it gets to the very end and barely dripping. I always have rags and stuff under there anyway, just have to do a couple wipes. Just annoying its in the way Not near as bad as the sway bar was on my F150. Holy crap that thing was a pain

Sponsored