I've got a 2001 Ford Focus SE with 69K miles that I’ve had from mile 5 and maintained perfectly. I took it to the shop for an oil change and that night it leaked oil, just one drop, for the first time ever. Each day it got to be a little more, so I took it back and they cleaned the engine to find out where the leak was coming from. That night it leaked so bad it was like a small stream, but it was no longer oil colored but, like vegetable oil. At first they said it was probably the power steering fluid. Now they are telling me its the oil pan gasket. Why is the fluid now nearly clear? Why would it have started leaking the day it was at the shop? Did they sabotage my car so that I'd have to pay the $370 to fix it?
2007-03-29 09:06:40 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Cars & Transportation ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
i think it was a mistake on there part and now they plan to profit at your expense ...never go there again tell your friends
2007-03-29 09:16:45 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Wow, that sounds bad on their part. I wouldn't do anything before getting a second opinion, that's for sure. Take it somewhere that will look at it for free...most places will do that for you if it's an under the car problem.
The first drop of leaked oil may not have been leaked at all, it may have been some that they spilled in the engine compartment when they were filling it. Or it could've just been the drain bolt not tightened all the way. But they definately damaged something when they "washed" the engine.
Oil is not clear. If the oil pan gasket is leaking you will be able to clearly see that for yourself by jacking the car up, locating the oil drain bolt (sometimes painted red, but it will be the biggest most obvious bolt that's not holding anything together), and looking around the edges of the oil pan. You will see oil if it's leaking from the oil pan gasket, which I doubt considering the car's young age.
2007-03-29 16:13:38 · answer #2 · answered by Ferret 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They sabotaged it. This is the oldest trick in the book.
Do your own oil changes. New motor oil looks like vegetable oil.
You are a girl, and they look at you as a sucker. Most likely they loosened oil pan bolts to create the illusion of an oil leak from your gasket.
Get under the car, snug them up again, and serve the shop a lawsuit summons.
Even if it was legit, an oil pan gasket costs about $20 and you can replace it yourself in about half an hour.
2007-03-29 16:17:06 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
if indeed it is oil leaking then it is nothing but a coincidence. Changing the oil cant cause an oil leak. Only if grossly overfilled could it leak and it would not leak out the pan it would leak up top. Stuff wears out. And when you put new oil in a car it has a better pouring weight than the old. I highly doubt they could have done anything wrong but who knows these days businesses are slow and need money.
2007-03-29 16:13:30 · answer #4 · answered by rwings8215 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Strange problem, and I'd be very surprised if someone sabotaged your car. Incompetence, wouldnt surprise me, I'd suggest taking it elsewhere and having the diagnosis confirmed. If it started the day you had an oil change I'd be more apt to suspect they messed up the drain plug threads and its leaking out of the drain plug, or they incorrectly installed the oil filter without removing the old ones gasket causing it to leak. It'd be pretty tough to cause an oil pan leak doing an oil change.
2007-03-29 16:10:55 · answer #5 · answered by y2bmj 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
sounds like they might have tried tighten the oil pan bolts and over torque them to the point the rubber gasket is squish and is now leaking oil
you need to talk to the manager and tell him that your going to a dealership to have the oil pan gasket replaced and that he should be expecting the bill from them
dont let him do the work ,they didnt do it right the first time
2007-03-29 16:14:00 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Im pretty convinced they are lying to you and the leak is coming from the oil filter they put on. Take your car to another shop and have them look at. It is a shame some people prey on others to make more money, dishonestly and lying is not a good way to do business.
2007-03-29 16:24:35 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's clear because new oil is nearly clear. They wrecked it and will keep taking your money as long as you're shelling it out. They probably tightened the pan bolts wrong and warped the gasket.
2007-03-29 18:06:06 · answer #8 · answered by Nomadd 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I believe they did.
2007-03-29 16:14:24 · answer #9 · answered by (A) 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
wouldn't surprise me.
2007-03-29 20:22:53 · answer #10 · answered by mister ss 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋