NO OIL IN THE ENGINE

There are plenty of stories on this site about people screwing up while doing their own wrenching - most seem to involve rushing or getting distracted while doing the work - so there's that.

I do my own oil changes and have a checklist that I use to make sure I don't forget something. I make a new checklist for each service changing what needs to be done depending on the mileage. It also shows at a glance what size wrench I need, torque values, fluid types and capacities etc. so it makes it easier as well.

I started doing this when work was slow and I started working on friends and relatives cars for extra money. I was in no position at the time to buy someone a new engine because I forgot something.

One of the items on the list is starting the engine and doing a visual leak check while the car is still jacked up and before the skid plates go back on.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/oil-change-checklist-service-record.462476/

 

You should reach out to Corporate as well detailing the situation and your concerns.

 

I think a lot of people believe their oil changes are being done by the mechanics at the dealership. No dealership is going to pay a certified mechanic to do oil changes not to mention any self respecting mechanic is way beyond doing such things. In fact they are being done by kids just out of high school and for some of them this is there very first job and have no clue. The person at your dealership doing your oil change is probably texting his GF or one of his buddies while servicing your vehicle. I've witnessed what goes on at the oil bay at several dealerships and it's all the same. For true mechanic work I WILL go to the dealership but to hand my vehicle to some tool who doesn't give to sh!ts about my truck never mind his minimum wage job I just wont do.

 

Actually your wrong. My mechanic is a 30 year Toyota master mechanic. He is the only person allowed to work in my truck. He changes my oil. But then again I’ve know him 30 thirty years, it all come down to the relationship at the dealer you have. But yes most of the time oil changes are done by the newbies. And my vote is they didn’t put oil in it.

 

They obviously put oil in the truck, OP stated that oil was sprayed out all over the underside of vehicle

 

The lack of the dealer returning your email / call is very telling of their commitment to fix this. My next step, after them not returning your email by Wednesday's deadline, would be to reach out to the general manager of the dealer and discuss options. If they refuse to help or play these same games, then find the owner of the business and contact them. In the meantime, ensure corporate Toyota knows of this issue and the lack of the dealer to rectify it.

If this does not work, then expect either you walk away with risk of a damaged engine or contact a lawyer. Coming from someone who had to resort to suing a Honda dealer for damage to my vehicle, expect that you will need to explain the situation and have them write a demand letter to the dealership. This should explain options (e.g. replace motor, rebuilt motor, provide 125k warranty, offer significant trade discount etc) and ensure that you get a fair resolution.

As a community here, it frustrates us to see someone get treated this way by a Toyota dealership. We're here to help you as if YOU need to replace the engine, you are likely looking at a $5,000+ bill for something the dealer messed up.

 

I would suggest, instead of listening to 100 Internet lawyers and experts, you contact your own lawyer and ask how to proceed. If you have a trusted mechanic you deal with, ask them also for a 2nd opinion but lets be honest, known of us on TW.com will be much help in the long run and could easily steer you wrong.

 

Over $10k to be more specific

 

I work in a diesel fleet environment. I have done probably close to 1000 oil changes over the years. Mistakes can happen. I know of 2 occasions where I got distracted and started the engine empty. One occasion where the dipstick tube got cracked while changing the filter. The vehicle when out into operation and oil mist covered the turbo and ignited causing a fire. Thankfully it is a fleet and these vehicles are not private customers vehicles so these events stay in house. These are also medium diesel engines, not the small tight clearance engines found in modern vehicles. The dealer really needs to stand by their mistake. Mistakes happen but you shouldn't have to pay for it.

 

I'm considering the 2.7 when mine is up. Just got the '20 V6, but long term I might drop down a few pegs, especially if I don't need the crew cab (TBD).

Same, though. I do my own oil. Unless you're taking the headers off, I'm DIY.

Actually, tires. Speed balance - I pay someone else to do that.

Most common I see is draining the ATF instead of the oil. When I go under there to do the ATF I'm going to replace the drain plug with a SHCS or something completely different, maybe even Torx, that way there's no potential of that.

 

Didn’t see that part.

 

I once misplaced the O-ring on the oil filter housing of my V6 Rav4. Upon restart it shot oil all over the garage floor and of course I shut it down immediately and retraced my steps and fixed the problem. Although I can understand how a new worker at a Toyota garage might make a similar error, it is really hard to imagine they would not catch it when starting the car back up. Ditto for a drain plug issue, as it would also show some sign of leaking almost immediately.

I'd get a legally binding document stating something to the effect that, if your engine EVER shows signs of undue wear (oil consumption etc), they are obligated to replace it.

 

I don't think she cares much about any of the opinions on here. She is doing exactly what dealers is telling her. Oh well, it's her truck after all.

 

I would immediately take that vehicle to an independent shop and get the engine inspected. Bore Scope, leak down, pull oil filter check for any metal, compression test and have the oil analyzed to see if you have bearing damage.
I would suspect you will get negative results from this testing if the engine ran dry but if there was still some oil left in it when it shut down there is a slim chance it could of shut down in time and has not been damages but I truly don't see that actually being the case.
With the evidence from an independcan decide on what you want done. With out it you may get nowhere.
I suspect they will say the independent shop has a grudge so do not tell the independent why you are requesting the work.
Toyota may want to verify the finding. Make sure someone is their watching the test who knows what the tests are for.
I would not drive that truck till this was done.

 

The dealership is only going to frustrate you and make you lose your faith in humanity which, apparently, is their appointed special purpose on earth. Trade it in and get rid of the potential ticking time bomb that this occurrence caused. Put it behind you. You have seen those smoking cars on the road. Don't be that guy.

 

“I’d like to know how this happened to my Tacoma...”

dealer:

 

Sounds like your town has some pretty shitty service centers. The worst I had was someone forgot to put my splash guard back on my Honda Civic years ago. Toyota got a little grease on my steering wheel but that's the worst of it.

 

All 6 times have been in 2 different States over the past 35 years or so! Sounds like you have done ok with getting them done though.

 

My trolls couldn't even remove TRD skid plate without damaging it (which they shouldn't have) which begs the question, what kind of brain dead zombies do they hire to work on our cars?

 

I dont bring my taco to the dealer but this is me when my vehicles need servicing.