dsc07

Just dropped my LS off for the 120,000mi service at the dealer. About an hour later, they call me saying there is a problem with the oil pan. The tech said the plug was screwed in "Gorilla tight" and when he finally got it out, all the threads in the pan were pulled out as well. So now they want me to charge me an additional 750 to replace the oil pan. The thing is, every single service on this car was done by one of two lexus dealers (depending on where I'm working at the time). The last oil change was done by dealer A, and the stripping was done by dealer B. Both of them are saying I have to pay.

What course of action do you guys think I should take? (No way I'm paying for this. Either the guy who over-tightened on the last oil change picks it up, or the guy who stripped it does. )

Fhobbs

Good luck with that. Either way, I believe you are gonna have to press your point pretty hard. Here it's a "stand off".

Devh

The guys that change the oil at dealerships are not necessarily the techs. They will hire just about any kid off the street to do this work and they are known to be complacent, and will over tighten oil drain bolts or not use a new crush washer because it's easier to leave the old one on and you will not know the difference. Since this dealership was removing the bolt it's quiet possible that they did not strip it and it was probably cross threaded from the last person who tightened it. You basically have no recourse for a situation like this and it's best to have the oil pan replaced.

The Lexus dealership that last serviced my car also over tightened the oil pan drain bolt and oil filter, I was not pleased.. This is why I change my own oil.

Next time find a good independent mechanic shop for oil changes and let them know that you are bringing your car in for service because you don't want your bolts to be over tightened.

Tee

They can rethread oil pan drain plug hole as a less costly fix vs replacing the entire oil pan and they can do it for free since they were the last to strip it. It's not uncommon for this to happen especially if the car has plenty of oil changes in its lifetime, the fix is also very common as well.

Lavrishevo

iTrader: (1)

Call Lexus cooperate. Raise polite hell.

alchemist

iTrader: (1)

Exactly why i change my own oil. It has nothing to do with cost but this exact issue. I agree with last post call corporate

Nospinzone

I suppose it won't hurt to call corporate. I wouldn't expect you will get satisfaction, but who knows.

I agree with Tee, just have them rethread the oil pan. It is ridiculous to replace the whole thing.

robert1408

It's almost impossible to rethread one of these. That oil pan has less thread depth than the diameter of the plug. Since the threads are pulled out of the pan, it needs to be tapped out to a larger size. The problem lies in trying to tap the hole perfectly straight with the very limited thread depth available. If it's not straight, the gasket will NOT ever seal causing a nice little leak.

There are "shade tree" fixes available such as toggle-bolts or self tapping plugs. Don't do it on any car you care about with a $20,000 engine replacement cost.

The shop I retired from last year replaced plenty of oil pans rather than trying to repair them. Sometimes we replaced a pan when we did the last oil change and another shop found the plug crossed or overtightened and ruined. It was just a cost of doing business.

All that being said, Toyota steel oil pans and drain plugs were the least likely to strip of any brand car or truck.

Devh

Toyota oil pans are built well and that black Toyota sealant they specify is really good stuff.
I'm also of the opinion that a new pan is the best direction or at the very least if it is to be retreaded I would do it with the oil pan off the car. This is one area I would not skimp on.

Nospinzone

Hmmmm, from the photo it looks like there is plenty of depth. However I will defer to your hands on experience.

robert1408

Yes, there is enough depth to re-thread but getting the centerline of the new hole to be perfectly perpendicular to the gasket seating surface is almost impossible. You need the depth to be at least 1 1/2 times the diameter of the plug to get that.

There is a bung welded to the inside of the oil pan. This bung added to the thickness of the pan gives you no more than 10 mm thread depth for the plug. It's just not enough. Even if it was, there is the concern of metal shavings left in the pan from the tapping. You could get most, but not all of them with a magnet.

Even if the hole were successfully re-threaded, you now have an oddball size drain plug that will certainly be a softer material, therefore much easier to ruin from over tightening in the future, unless you are doing your own oil changes.

Silverpaws

My 2 cents: I see that the vehicle was having a 120,000 mile service and all oil changes were performed by Lexus dealers. Oil pan replacements are not a regular maintenance item as the oil pan should last the life of the engine with periodic oil plug replacements. Replacement of the pan therefore, would be required if there was evidence of an improper maintenance technique or road debris damaged the pan. In this case, there is evidence that a Lexus dealer caused the damage. I would hold Lexus corporation responsible. What am I missing here?

Lavrishevo

iTrader: (1)

Dealers are independently own. If the dealer won't accept responsibility, go through cooperate and see if they will fix it out of good will. Lexus as a cooperation is not responsible but it is in there interest to keep their customers happy. They can lean on a dealer and get things done. Also, when dealing with a dealer with these types of issues it is in your interest to work with the managers. Including the GM. Go right to the top. Much more efficient.

patgilm

Agreed 100%. There is no way the OP should be responsible for paying $750 for an issue he didn't cause and is not a wear/tear item.

Nospinzone

Thanks Robert. I hate arguing with someone who knows what they're talking about, its not fair to me!