***Mini Update*** Oil Filter Fell Off

So my mom took my dad's 2015 AC Sport with 17k mi up to the dealership the other day for an oil change. He drives it so little that they just get the oil changed each spring. About 10 miles from the dealership on her way home, the oil pressure light and the check engine light came on and she pulled over immediately. She opened the hood and there was oil everywhere! The new filter had spun itself off.

Th dealership sent someone down with oil and a filter, they filled it at the rest area and sent her on her way. About another 5 miles down the road, the check engine light came on again and the engine started knocking. She had it towed back to the dealer and they now have a loaner.

We're all operating under the assumption that the engine is smoked. So far, the dealership has taken accountability on everything; we are optimistic that they will continue to step up and make things right. So my question to you TW, is what should it take to make things right?

• Will replacing the motor in such a low milage vehicle diminsh its value?
• Should he push for a new truck (he purposely bought the last year of the 4.0)?
• With oil all over the engine compartment, is there anything else they should be replacing?

 

Just wait for the diagnosis. If it was rod knock them yes the engine is toast and needs replacement.
At that point the cheapest and best course of action would be a brand new motor and make sure you get complementary 100k mile bumper to bumper or at least power train warranty.

Oil can be cleaned up easily while the engine is out. What remains will be rust prevention lol. Not as bad as brake fluid everywhere which is highly corrosive

 

He won't get a new truck out of the deal. In fact, trying to recover the "diminished value" of the truck is likely a dead-end also...here's why. You'll need an attorney(assuming all rights to an attorney weren't surrendered in an arbitration agreement, which they probably were). Either pay them by the hour or sign over 30% of settlement. Either way, hard to imagine the diminished value will exceed the cost of either of these. A judge(not that your situation would make it beyond arbitration, isn't going to allow much value based on this being the last year of the 4.0L. Honestly? The idea of trying to get more than an engine bay cleaning and a new motor with warranty is the makings for a courtroom TV show.

So, not to sound nasty about it, but a new motor and engine bay clean is the best you'll probably do. Think about it, repair shops and dealerships wreck peoples cars when they come in for service, the business doesn't bend over and give the customer whatever they want.

 

And start doing your own basic maintenance if possible. The guys doing that at the dealer aren’t mechanics. Lube tech is the going euphemism for “Shit-for-brains-18-year-old-minimum-wage-slave”

 

Ask for a new "factory crate" engine, and if you get it, count your lucky stars. They may try to give you a rebuilt/remanufactured.

 

Make them put a BRAND NEW engine in the truck,NOT a rebuild,it will not diminish the value.

 

This for sure ^ and get a good warranty from them.This is why I do my own oil changes.

 

What a bunch of incompetent idiots at that dealership. “Sent mom on her way” after roadside disaster. Shmucks!! I would have been livid. Best to learn to do your own maintenance.

 

I’ll add this to the reasons I do my own oil changes...

 

In addition to what everyone else said, the oil change can be done in 8 mins on this truck.

 

There is something strange about this scenario. Not blaming the OPs mom in any way. The dealership screwed up. That's obvious. As others mentioned, they are responsible for putting in a new engine.

So, for the oil filter to vibrate itself completely off, it had to be leaking from the get go. It had to have been leaving a trail all the way out of the bay. Then at some point, with a 1/4" space between the oil filter and the engine, it had to be dumping out all the oil pumped and providing no oil pressure(oil pressure light on), and then some time after that, the oil filter fell off. Obviously I've never left an oil filter loose enough to vibrate off, but it's hard to visualize an oil filter just spinning gleefully from vibration and falling off.

 

You definitely make some good points...if only Mythbusters was still a thing...not that this constitutes a "myth" but I would definitely like to see someone try to recreate it.

 

Not sure if someone mentioned it, but the oil filter can work itself off easily if the seal from the old filter is still stuck on when you put the new filter on. It can happen to anyone, always gotta check and make sure that the old seal comes off with the filter. I could see a dealership lube tech missing that if they were trying to hurry the job or just not paying attention

 

Almost sounds like the filter was never put back on at all, but there's no way you could make it ten miles if that was the case so who knows.

Subd for outcome.

 

Did that to my Honda once and made it two miles down the road before check engine light came on, shut her down immediately and had it towed, no damage done that I could tell. Honda engines are pretty tough.

 

New engine or rebuild yours with a supercharger

 

yeah I think in this case especially since they only get an oil change done once a year, it could've been the old seal stuck to the block

 

Get it repaired and then have them warranty the truck for 60 months

 

^ This.

No question the engine’s toast.

Are 4.0 new, crate engines even available?

Outrageous they would slap a filter on it, dump some oil in it then send her on her way.

Gross negligence

 

I wonder if they put the wrong sized filter on it. I had this happen twice to my 2006 Colorado years ago, and the culprit was the wrong filter both times. The filter was too small, so the oil pressure/volume eventually blew the seal out and once that happened the filter rattled itself off. It drove fine for a day or two, but once the seal went the filter flew off almost instantly. I think there was some bad info out there about that truck because the first time the guy at the parts store pulled the wrong filter, and the second time the tech at a lube shop put the wrong one on. I don't think that was a coincidence, I think the info for the filter in the database was wrong. Both times I killed the motor as soon as the oil light came on and replaced the oil/filter and it was fine.