Would you consider the oil pan drain plug threads to be a "wear" item?....
07-14-2007, 08:00 AM
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Would you consider the oil pan drain plug threads to be a "wear" item?....
...I had my oil changed at the dealer last week and the drain plug threads in the oil pan stripped or fell-out according to the service rep. They did a temporary fix by "heliarching" a new threaded insert into the pan, which is leaking slowly now. They also ordered and received a new pan this week. Now they're waiting to see if Audi will pay for the new pan and installation out of "good faith."
The car now has 46k miles and this was the 9th oil change. This dealer is the only place that has ever changed the oil, since I bought the car new from them in 2002. It's out of warranty now, of course.
Would it be unreasonable for me to expect them to pay for the new pan and installation, whether Audi reimburses them or not? Are they incompetent because they ruined the threads, or is it just another poorly-engineered Audi part to begin with? Opinions?
The car now has 46k miles and this was the 9th oil change. This dealer is the only place that has ever changed the oil, since I bought the car new from them in 2002. It's out of warranty now, of course.
Would it be unreasonable for me to expect them to pay for the new pan and installation, whether Audi reimburses them or not? Are they incompetent because they ruined the threads, or is it just another poorly-engineered Audi part to begin with? Opinions?
07-14-2007, 08:09 AM
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competent mechanics don't strip drain plugs... they should cover all costs
no way a "wear" item...
I drove a BMW 360,000 miles with an oilchange every 5k... 70+ oil changes, same pan!!
I drove a BMW 360,000 miles with an oilchange every 5k... 70+ oil changes, same pan!!
07-14-2007, 08:19 AM
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not using a torque wrench = stripped oil pan
there is a specific torque for the oil pan. All it takes is one oil change to ruin it. But several bad ones can cause a slow leak to get bigger.
07-14-2007, 08:21 AM
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I agree....
...The fact that they are the only ones to ever remove and replace the oil drain plug helps my case. Plus, I think they should go ahead and fix it for me immediatley at no charge whether they get reimbursed from Audi or not. It proves they are putting their own interests ahead of their customers, which sucks.
07-14-2007, 08:34 AM
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That is most likely what happened....
...either they miss-threaded the drain plug or overtightened it during one of the 9 times they changed the oil. In a busy shop, I doubt the most experienced techs do the changes.
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07-14-2007, 03:50 PM
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And I doubt...>>
Any of them, experienced or not, ever used a torque wrench on it. Experienced guys have the "feel", inexperienced guys have not yet had their wrists calibrated..... Deducting the cost of a new pan from their pay will often hasten that along..
07-14-2007, 06:36 PM
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Yeah, I certainly....
...think it should come out of their pay, instead of my wallet, or even AOA's. Everyone learns from their mistakes, however painful it may be. :-)
I'd be cool with them if they just own-up to their mistake. It's their denial that makes me think twice about ever taking it back to them again. We'll see. They've been pretty good to me up until this incident.
I'd be cool with them if they just own-up to their mistake. It's their denial that makes me think twice about ever taking it back to them again. We'll see. They've been pretty good to me up until this incident.
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