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Bad oil change

VW11

New member
Location
WA
(2017 R) Less than ideal oil change at the dealer this weekend. Long story short, after driving the car home, noticed a trail of oil - about 12 miles. After the car sat in the garage for a few minutes, a dinner plate + sized puddle formed. The car holds 6 qts, and after adding the only 2 extra qts I had, it brought it to the bottom of the measuring area of the dipstick, I estimate it arrived home approx 3 qts low. Car sounded normal, no low pressure warning lights, oil temp normal. Had it towed back to the dealer and apparently a bad O ring around the filer is to blame. I would imagine these engines can tolerate a low oil situation, but was wondering if anyone could share their similar stories with me and the outcome. Car still resides at the dealer awaiting a thorough cleaning and check it ensure all is well. Any suggestions on what I might consider requesting the dealer to check would also be helpful.
 

BravoMike

Go Kart Champion
Location
Indianapolis
Bad o-ring around the filler? Did you open the hood? With that much oil missing it would make a huge mess wherever it was leaking.

Stories like this are why I change my own oil. I had a friend who took their car in and they only hand tightened the drain plug. Forgot to put a wrench to it. As my friend was driving home, the drain plug vibrated out and lost all oil. I think many shops see this routine maintenance so many times that they become complacent.
 

VW11

New member
Location
WA
Bad O ring is what I was told. I agree and should probably do these myself in the future. Pics attached.
 

BravoMike

Go Kart Champion
Location
Indianapolis
Bad O ring is what I was told. I agree and should probably do these myself in the future. Pics attached.

There is an o-ring on the filler cap and the oil filter housing. I have no idea how these could be bad. Sounds like someone may have goofed.

FWIW, this is the easiest car that I’ve done oil changes on.

Also, pics aren’t showing for me.
 

M3bs1

Go Kart Champion
Location
North Augusta SC
More likely the o-ring on the drain plug, which doesn't require torquing. I'd be suspicious they didn't get the plug latched in properly. Your dealer must be really talented. It's hard to do it wrong!
 

Finglonga

Drag Racing Champion
The Filter O ring would not leave a trail of oil along the road it would coat everything in the engine bay with oil before that happens. As others have said sounds like the drain plug O ring was missing.
 

VW11

New member
Location
WA
It was definitely from the cartridge canister. Although I am mechanically inclined, I have not previously changed the oil on this car previously. I watched a few you tube vids and it obviously VERY easy. Spoke with a local VW performance shop and their opinion is its probably fine. Unbeknownst to me, the oil pressure warning light provides its warning based upon the presence of air in the pick up tube from the oil pump and is very sensitive. Therefore, if the system was pumping even the slightest amount of air, you'd get a warning. The fact I never received a warning means oil was still circulating. Their further opinion on the leak itself was the tech probably rolled the O ring or didn't lubricate it. Still waiting on hearing from the dealer. I'll try to get the pics posted again.
 

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Abilor

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
Albany, NY
Sigh. Stealerships.
 

southpawboston

Drag Racing Champion
Location
Somerville, MA
That's why I don't trust those "TECHS" at the dealers.

They assign the simple jobs like oil changes to the least experienced techs. If you had an "in" with the service department, you might be to arrange for only more experienced techs to ever touch your car, but it's unlikely that the experienced techs would even want to do routine work like that.
 

Firstboost

Go Kart Champion
Location
East Bay Area
Damn man that sucks. I hope that dealership will be paying to clean your engine bay and under carriage for this error.
 
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