Great day at the dealership NOT!

i believe Saturday I had my 10k service check done. I noticed this morning when I came that my tires where still a bit low of air pressure. I brought them up to 34 psi and thought maybe I'd better check my oil as guys on here have said they've been over serviced, an sure enough I'm half a quart over serviced. I call up my service advisor an he apologies and says if I can come right in he'll fix it right away. So I head in and advise him I'd like it documented please. He says ok he'll have it documented. 30 min later I'm all set and he again apologizes up and down for my inconviences. I leave the dealership and as I hit the gas at the first light I hear something rolling around and or clunking around in my engine compartment. I pull over and start looking for a screw driver or some tool. And I find I have no oil fill cap on my fill tube! I put a glove over it and head right back to the dealership and pull right in next to my service advisor who is looking like oh my god why is he back! He comes to my door and I advise him I need a manager and him now. As I'm explaining everything to the manager I lift my hood and hand him my glove and advise him get me a cap now please! I wasn't and asshole but I told him absolutely unexceptable! He brought out the head service tech and found my cap on the driver side next to the firewall! He took about 10 min to check everything that was touched and double check my oil. The manager was very apologetic and gave me a free oil change at 30K. I'm a mechanic myself and understand how things happen. They just shouldn't happen as your back for a fix of something they messed up! I quests lesson learned double check everything before you leave the dealership! What a day!

 

Toyota service techs getting sloppy

 

Exactly why I typically like to do my own maintenance!

What dealer were you at?

 

Man, such a simple task, and yet some idiots F it up all the time!

Back in 1997-1998, I had a 95 Tacoma I4, which worked out great for my field service job. I'd take it to WalMart to get the oil changed (yeah yeah, I didn't want to deal with it myself) and after about 3 or 4 changes, I noticed they kept leaving it about 1qt low. That engine took exactly 5qt, so it's stupid easy to get right, but they'd still leave it low. So the subsequent time(s) I went to get the oil changed, I'd go up to the service counter with a 1qt bottle of oil when requesting an oil change. They'd ask why I was buying another quart, so I'd say "y'all always leave it a quart low!"

It was usually enough to get them to note to the techs to put enough fugging oil in it. Leaving the cap off is just an absolutely boneheaded move, tho. That's never happened to me. Most of my vehicles, I'd change the oil myself, because I know I'd do it right. (that Boxster I had was fun.. 9+ qt of oil draining out into my pan was fun to watch... as it almost overflowed!)

For now, the current Taco has services covered for the term of my loan, so I won't have to deal with it. The dealer I bought from has a good rep, so hopefully they won't fudge anything up!

 

I have said it before and i will say it again 95%+ of consumers here do not change their own oil. If you can't trust the dealer to do something so mundane and simple then what do you do when you have a warranty issue? If the dealer service is this incompetent, across the board (which I don't believe it is), then I would simply avoid the brand.

Poor dealership service is ultimately a Toyota problem because the buck stops with corporate.

 

I've been turning wrenches for about 39 years. Professionally for 32 years! I've only had one shop I trusted to touch anything on my vehicles! I'd even take tires off and have them mount and I put back on. Only from end alignments is all I ever go for! The dealer was town & country of Charlotte NC. They where extremely apologetic and gave me a free oil change. So I'm not bad mouthing them totally. I'm mostly venting. But I'll be double checking my next oil change before signing anything!

 

Very true you can only screw things up so long and you loose trust! I truly understand human nature. But it just happen at the wrong time. As I'm there having something corrected and this happens!

 

Having been a tech myself, and your mention of being one too, I'm sure you're aware the LOF guys aren't usually the sharpest of the bunch. If it wasn't the LOF guy, man I'm sure the Service Manager had a few choice words with him.

Glad you handled it well and got taken care of.

 

I’ve been conditioned to put the oil filler cap resting on the hood latch whenever I remove it for service. That way you never forget because when you go to shut the hood, it’s in your way.

 

Did they charge you for the extra 1/2 quart of oil.

That's a roughy one, welcome to TW.

 

I'm actually an aircraft mechanic by trade! Which I'll say I have a little higher standard to hold up to. But yes even we have those few that do the simple jobs! Sad but true.

 

Even better! Much higher standard.

 

The last time the dealer changed my oil I found the tech's Gatorade catch can left in the engine compartment and the dipstick placed back loosely.

Did I mention that would be the LAST time?

 

It's always good to double check an oil change (or any major work). A quick peak is all it takes most of the time.

For the record, most shops don't have their senior techs doing the oil changes. Anything you can get as a jiffy lube is likely being done by the slightly hungover, disgruntled high school drop out.

 

These are the things that most people just can't get their head around.
They don't have master certified techs doing LOFs and 5ks. There isn't enough $ in it for them and it ties them up from doing other things.

Most places have an on-time line, or lube rack or whatever you want to call it, that is dedicated to this kinda studf stuff.
These are guys who proved themselves as car washers, lot porters, maybe the shuttle driver.
They aren't any better than getting your oil changed at Walmart or jiffy lube or sears.

 

Yup, you know and it is fact!

 

I'm a technician, what the dealer might call a senior mechanic... but I don't work at a dealership. The guy who changed your oil is probably making about $13 flat rate and doesn't care about good service. Just the way it is. I get my oil changed at the dealership for as long as my powertrain warranty lasts. Those service records will make or break a warranty claim.

I've done some stupid shit before though. It happens. I did the oil pan on a truck, and pulled it backwards off the lift when I was done. Just as the truck cleared the ramp, low oil pressure light came on and I immediately shut it off. I forgot to put oil back in it.

 

My skid plate was almost falling off after my last oil change at my old dealer and the tech said it was bent or something and wouldn't fit on tightly anymore. When I got home I found a filter wrench jammed between the oil pan and the skid plate.

 

I'll have them do the 20k and now my free 30k but after that I'll do my own service and keep my own records for it. Nad I'll be triple checking everything next time!

 

And you never ever ever go in on a Saturday. Those fools are hungover from going out Friday.