Dealer Service Center Oil Change Nightmare

[FlamingRectumSyndrome]

I had a different experience with my wife's new Hyundai a couple of years ago, but it may be helpful in solving your issue. We bought a new Elantra GT, then found out that the DMV records showed that the car had previously been registered. This had a number of repercussions, not the least of which was that the 10 year warranty was essentially cut in half. After a huge hassle trying to get the problem ironed out (Hyundai Corporate blamed it on the dealership, the dealership blamed it on the previous owners), I found that California has a division in the attorney general's office that deals specifically with new car sales. Your state may well have a similar consumer protection agency that can exert some pressure on the dealership to stop jerking you around and do the right thing.

[FRSupra]

You should post the name and number of the dealership and we should all call and ask to speak to the service manager and ask them if it's true their technicians put transmission fluid in engines.

Imagine if he got bombarded with calls like that from all over.

Accountability.

[extrashaky]

Here's an idea: Get a lawyer. (You should be sensing a pattern by now.) And make the dealership pay your legal fees as part of whatever settlement you and your lawyer negotiate with them.

What they did was so negligent that they really have no leg to stand on. You have the right to be made whole, which means they have to return you to your position before their mistake. So what they actually owe you is an 8400 mile car with no known issues, or its equivalent cash value, plus any costs you incurred as a result of their fuckup (like a rental or loaner). You may actually be able to get more than that, but don't accept less.

Don't accept any deal they offer that they're saying is only for a limited time. They know that they're liable. The fact that they're saying their offer will expire is a good indicator that they're trying to pressure you into taking a lot less than they know they owe you.

[N1rve]

Get a lawyer. Don't settle for less.

[Mini Cooper S]

Is this real life? Transmission oil usually comes in smaller size bottles right how did the technician mess up this bad?

[FlamingRectumSyndrome]

Originally Posted by Mini Cooper S

Is this real life? Transmission oil usually comes in smaller size bottles right how did the technician mess up this bad?

Service garages get their lubricants in big drums. Easy enough for the careless technician to grab the transmission fluid hose. The fluids are typically dispensed via pneumatic power, so 90W gear oil squirts in just as easily as 5W30.

[N1rve]

Originally Posted by Mini Cooper S

Is this real life? Transmission oil usually comes in smaller size bottles right how did the technician mess up this bad?

At the dealership, we usually carry 5W-20 or 30 in large quantities. This comes from a pump mounted on the ceiling. For 0W-20, we have to get little cartable pump barrels because not a lot of cars use 0W-20 and mostly use 5W-20/30.

Transmission fluid also comes in the little cartable pump barrels which is identical to 0W-20.

We do not use individual sealed bottles at the dealership for trans fluid.

[Mini Cooper S]

^thanks! I'm going to change the oil myself!

[Harvey]

Hum... just a different point of view, but basically the car's done around 25miles with the wrong oil in it.... is it that bad? I'm not saying it doesn't matter, they made a real mess, and it's an idea to try to get the most you can out of their error, but it's not like they'd put coolant in instead of oil.

On such a small run I'd be surprised the wrong viscosity will have do that much damage (75W90 instead of 0W20/5W30).

If you can get a brand new car out of this then go for it... but before doing an engine swap or a car swap for a similar car (that you won't know anything about) I'd negociate to test your car for a month or so (and have a signed paper with all this written down) and then decide after if you want to swap or not. If you're car feels fine, performs fine, consumption is fine, oil/water is clean, temps are fine, ... then I'd just "forget about it" rather than messing around with an engine swap.

Please don't flame me for this! It's just my first reaction when I read your post...

[VacantSky]

HOLY SH1T SNACKS!! That is awful OP I'm sorry to hear your bad news. As said many times in here try to talk to a lawyer and tell the dealership you are talking to one. That should snap them into shape pretty quick. They know that they screwed up and like a stealership will always do, they will try to get out of having to spend or lose money anyway they can, it's what they're trained to do.
Also they can't put a time limit on this, who are they to tell you that you have to take back a vehicle that they screwed up if you dont follow their rules? Sounds like they are afraid and are hoping you'll take a loss under pressure.

They owe you a new engine. No other way about it. AND something in compensation for causing a huge headache for you that is wasting your time and keeping you from your property.
Trans oil has specific additives to work with certain materials and it could easily eat away at your block half sealant, headgaskets and who knows what else. Take nothing less than a new engine!

Fingers crossed for you buddy, and all the best of luck

[dnieves]

Originally Posted by W2

That is pretty awful considering it is their fuck up. I wouldn't expect a brand new car out of this, but I would expect more reasonable offers.

I would be very leery of an extended warranty. I would bet it would be through the dealer only and it would cause problems with Scion/Toyota covering any warranty issues in the future. This would be a major hassle for you if anything ever comes up.

I think you need to seek legal advice and figure out what your options are.

Don't trust the extended warranty, it'll be with just that dealership -if it ever changes ownership they will not honor the deal (got screwed out of free oil changes at Sunrise Toyota with that). They will find ways to exclude costly repairs from the deal. If they make stupid mistakes like that to other customers then their days of being in business are numbered. Lastly, what more evidence do you want that these guys should not service any vehicles -that was beyond a rookie mistake.

[rs999]

What did your insurance say? Are they willing to fight the dealer's liability insurance to get you whole again?

[FRS-Texas]

Update:: I have an appointment with the GM this afternoon.... Will keep ya'll posted

[FRS-Texas]

Just a little tidbit of proof I have.....