Another car question?

Question

So after getting my car towed and finding out the engine was blown:

We are wondering if Jiffy Lube may have been the cause. If they left the bottom oil cap open without closing it, would it have caused the engine to blow within a 2-3 week period?

We just got an oil change around this time, and now noticed that oil was leaking at the bottom of the car.

If it can.
What legal steps can I take, and is there a way to prove liability on their part?

Please help. We're virtually screwed without this car.

Rakel - I have kept all of the records of work done on the car since it's initial purpose.

As for noticing the oil problem - It would have been hard to do with the excessive amount of thunder storms Montana has had lately.

Answer 1

By the description of your situation, I'm willing to bet that Jiffy Lube "double-gasketed" your oil filter causing oil to leak out at a gradual rate. If I were you, I hope you've saved the receipt for the oil change to retain as evidence. It contains the mileage and date of the service, as well as the oil filter part number. These three items alone, will be proof that Jiffy Lube serviced your vehicle last. Instruct the shop where your vehicle was towed to, to only check the oil pan drain plug and the oil filter. If either one are loose, DON'T GO ANY FURTHER. Bring a digital camera to take photos of the filter with the two gaskets. Before taking any legal action, I would go to the owner and/or manager of the Jiffy Lube IN A NON-CONFRONTATIONAL MANNER, and explain your situation, to see if that will lead to a resolution of this issue to YOUR satisfaction. Failing that, I would then consult with a lawyer to inquire about your options.

Answer 2

Rakel is correct. By double-gasketing, I believe she means that the technician took off the old oil filter, didn't notice that the old gasket from the old filter was stuck on the engine block, and installed the new filter over the old gasket that should have come off with the old filter, thus causing the oil to leak because the filter wasn't seated properly. If this is the case, and you provide evidence of it, Jiffy Lube should take care of the situation. By the way, I would not recommend taking a car to Jiffy Lube or any other quick lube. Also, the "bottom oil cap" that you speak of is not really a cap, but a bolt called a drain plug. If that plug is ever overtightened, especially with an old reused washer, oil will leak from the oil pan also. Some techs who are in a hurry will strip the plug and threading by installing it at an angle. There are so many things that can go wrong with an oil change, even though it's a simple job. Quick lube folks are untrained people who walk off the street, get the job, and get video and on-the-job training. But they don't learn all the details and most don't know much about cars. I guess the same is true for many other places that do oil changes. It's better and safer to have a real mechanic do oil changes.

If you get some evidence, approach the Jiffy Lube manager in a professional manner. They should understand that big mistakes happen from time to time. Hopefully it can be resolved without a legal battle. But hire a lawyer if you need to.

The Montana Office of Consumer Protection might be able to help. [phone] [phone]

Answer 3

If there was no (or very little) oil in the car when the engine blew then the likeliest cause was lack of oil in the car. In most cars leaving the oil cap off will not cuase it to loose all of its oil in 2 - 3 weeks. There are some cars however that this is possible.

Regardeless, they should not have left your cap off and they will have a tough time disputing this fact. ( I assume this is what you ment by the cap being left open.) As long as you do not have any documented severe oil leaks, you should not have to deal with an attorney on this. Just call the Jiffy Lube customer service line or the store where you had the oil change done. They will send an adjuster to verify that the engine is damaged and that it was their fault.

Jiffy Lube does a lot of oil changes and deals with this issue regularly. If it was thier fault, they should repair or replace the engine and give you a rental in the mean time.

Answer 4

So its sounding like all the oil had drained out - suprised you never noticed spills on your drive or anything....??
Are you a member of an auto club, the AA here in England would be able to advise its members but any mechanic should be able to give an opinion.....it depends on lots of things like age of car mileage & if you are really certain these people didnt tighten the sump drain plug I would try to have a relaxed chat with them before seeking legal advice.

Answer 5

if they left the "bottom oil cap" off oil wouldnt stay in your car. a gasket could be blown. dont go to juffy lube or any quick places for anything.

Answer 6

You didnt state the value of the car or anything else / ei: type ,year , model etc, you need to access the cost of loosing additional time in the court system and be able to PROVE them negligent ???

Answer 7

Oh...that would be a tough one to prove.
I could see if it was the same day, or maybe the next day. But not several weeks later.

Sorry.

Answer 8

2 to 3 weeks ?? forget it. and you didnt notice the check engine lite or the temp lite/gauge.or oil pressure lite/gauge?

Answer 9

get a lawyer.sue the chain,
don't argue with the poor guy making $6.00 dollars an hour.


HELLO!!! RAKEL!!!!GOOD TO KNOW, YOU ARE HERE!!!

Answer 10

OF COURSE THEY HAVE LIABILITY. COZ THEY SHOULD BE DOING THEIR PART AS MECHANIC. THEY SHOULD GET IT DONE THE RIGHT WAY.