Serious Problem: Pepboys screwed my motor up
10-23-05, 03:25 PM
#1
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
Serious Problem: Pepboys screwed my motor up
Well I attempted to change my oil pan the other day in my garage. I ended up not using enough FIPG so it was leaking. Rather than attempt to change it again, I parked the car for the night, with a pan underneath the oil pan. In the morning, I called Pepboys about changing the pan. They said they'd have a look so I topped off my oil, started the car and drove over.
At this point, the car made no strange noises, and drove fine. It took them a few hours, and they managed to change the pan. I paid, and drove across the street to a gas station, where I filled up with 3 gallons of premium gasoline. I checked the oil level out of habit, and to my dismay, nothing was showing on the dipstick. No oil light was on, so I figured the car was only a quart or so low, and drove to the stoplight to go back to pepboys. While waiting at the red, the yellow oil light lit up, and the car started making a faint clacking noise. I cut the motor, and only turned it back on when the light turned green. A few employees proceeded to check the level, and added at least 1.5 quarts of Pennzoil 5W-30.
I drove to Home Depot, got a few things, then stopped at McDonald's on the way home. While in the drive-thru lane, I heard the clacking noise, very loudly, because it was bouncing off the building's walls. I drove home to empty my trunk and the rpms were fluctuating when it was coasting. You could barely tell on the tachometer, but you could here the engine cutting in and out in the exhaust. Angry, I called Pepboys and drove back, for them to check it out. It was here that they proceeded to blow me off, all the while feeding me tons and tons of BS.
The assistant manager first called it "exhaust rattle", then said he had no way of knowing if the noise was already there before I brought the car in, and dismissed it. I made a few phone calls, and came back in to argue a bit more. They were saying that 1.5qts, "even 2 qts" couldn't cause any damage and that they had nothing to do with the noise. Furthermore, since my oil pan was being replaced, they told me that the oil pan (which had a small ding in it) must have damaged the oil pickup, and starved the motor of oil. Of course, this is all BS, since the noise started at exactly the same time that the oil light came on.
What can/should I do at this point? Half of the problem is that no one from Pepboys heard the car before they changed the pan and oil. The store doesn't want any more of it. I need help!
Scott
At this point, the car made no strange noises, and drove fine. It took them a few hours, and they managed to change the pan. I paid, and drove across the street to a gas station, where I filled up with 3 gallons of premium gasoline. I checked the oil level out of habit, and to my dismay, nothing was showing on the dipstick. No oil light was on, so I figured the car was only a quart or so low, and drove to the stoplight to go back to pepboys. While waiting at the red, the yellow oil light lit up, and the car started making a faint clacking noise. I cut the motor, and only turned it back on when the light turned green. A few employees proceeded to check the level, and added at least 1.5 quarts of Pennzoil 5W-30.
I drove to Home Depot, got a few things, then stopped at McDonald's on the way home. While in the drive-thru lane, I heard the clacking noise, very loudly, because it was bouncing off the building's walls. I drove home to empty my trunk and the rpms were fluctuating when it was coasting. You could barely tell on the tachometer, but you could here the engine cutting in and out in the exhaust. Angry, I called Pepboys and drove back, for them to check it out. It was here that they proceeded to blow me off, all the while feeding me tons and tons of BS.
The assistant manager first called it "exhaust rattle", then said he had no way of knowing if the noise was already there before I brought the car in, and dismissed it. I made a few phone calls, and came back in to argue a bit more. They were saying that 1.5qts, "even 2 qts" couldn't cause any damage and that they had nothing to do with the noise. Furthermore, since my oil pan was being replaced, they told me that the oil pan (which had a small ding in it) must have damaged the oil pickup, and starved the motor of oil. Of course, this is all BS, since the noise started at exactly the same time that the oil light came on.
What can/should I do at this point? Half of the problem is that no one from Pepboys heard the car before they changed the pan and oil. The store doesn't want any more of it. I need help!
Scott
10-23-05, 04:01 PM
#2
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One point is that IF your oil pan was dented, why didn't they (Pep Boys) note that and REFUSE to work on your vehicle? Either that, or they should have pointed it out to you and have you sign off on any possible damages that may occur. But they didn't...
Also, IF they had replaced the oil pan (assuming they refilled the oil level back to normal) AND your engine still made noise...WHY would they overfill your engine w/ 1.5 quarts of oil? That makes no sense. Especially since you had only driven across the street. So now you're 1.5 quarts way over your normal oil level. Your oil light came on, which does seemingly indicate that your oil level is low, but if you had only driven across the street...where would the equivalent of 2 - 3 quarts of oil disappear when driving across a street? You would have to burn so much oil...that it would practically have to be pouring out your exhaust.
They were the last ones to touch your oil pan. If the oil pan was damaged, they should have noted it and basically refused to touch it. That would have covered their liability.
Am I saying that they are at fault for directly messing up your engine? No. But due to the circumstances,...they are the ones who didn't cover their a$$ prior to doing the work. Unfortunately, this is what you have to do nowadays. Always cover your a$$.
Effectively, they are at fault, as they are the last ones to touch your engine. You have the receipt to prove that they touched your oil pan last.
Contact the corporate office and seek reinbursement.
Also, IF they had replaced the oil pan (assuming they refilled the oil level back to normal) AND your engine still made noise...WHY would they overfill your engine w/ 1.5 quarts of oil? That makes no sense. Especially since you had only driven across the street. So now you're 1.5 quarts way over your normal oil level. Your oil light came on, which does seemingly indicate that your oil level is low, but if you had only driven across the street...where would the equivalent of 2 - 3 quarts of oil disappear when driving across a street? You would have to burn so much oil...that it would practically have to be pouring out your exhaust.
They were the last ones to touch your oil pan. If the oil pan was damaged, they should have noted it and basically refused to touch it. That would have covered their liability.
Am I saying that they are at fault for directly messing up your engine? No. But due to the circumstances,...they are the ones who didn't cover their a$$ prior to doing the work. Unfortunately, this is what you have to do nowadays. Always cover your a$$.
Effectively, they are at fault, as they are the last ones to touch your engine. You have the receipt to prove that they touched your oil pan last.
Contact the corporate office and seek reinbursement.
10-23-05, 04:24 PM
#3
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
To clarify, when I brought the car in, it had the new oil pan on, just not sealed well enough. They inferred the old one was damaged since the car had a new one on. They knew it was a new pan the moment they looked at the car since I left the Toyota sticker on the bottom of the pan.
Scott
Scott
10-23-05, 04:53 PM
#4
WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD YOU GO TO PEP BOYS TO FIX ANYTHING???? WHY??? I have heard nothing but horror stories from people who used them. I know a lady who got her oil changed. They forgot to put more oil in. They refused to fix her car. She was a hood rat and they didn't know it. The girl threw a flaming gasoline bottle on the building. They got her arrested but they fixed her car. When I had my benz, it overheated and the first place I saw was a Pep Boys. I drove it in. I asked, do you know for sure what you're doing. If you're not sure, just call me a tow truck to get it somewhere else. The guy wanted to work on it because he had experience with benzes from a previous job. He got me going but was honest enough to tell me I needed to get the car to benz or a german car expert because it needed more than he could do for a permanent fix. It went down like that because I let them know from jump that I doubted their ability to handle it and things turned out okay. Don't go to Pep Boys unless you're willing to talk with the mechanic and watch what he does every step of the way.
10-23-05, 04:57 PM
#5
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
I had no idea that someone could f*** up an oil pan job so badly. Plus they're open on Sundays. Thats why I went to Pepboys. I just filled out an online form from Pepboys corporate. I'm hoping to resolve this shortly. My SC is my (only) daily driver.
Scott
Scott
10-24-05, 02:50 PM
#6
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
It doesn't seem like Pepboys is going to end up doing much about it, at least thus far. Everyone that I have spoken with seems to think that 1.5 quarts could not cause damage. The service advisor at Lexus thinks that it is coincidental. I hope not, because if it is, I don't have the money to fix it. 
The car is at Lexus now, so all I can do at this point is wait.
Scott
The car is at Lexus now, so all I can do at this point is wait.Scott
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10-24-05, 06:59 PM
#9
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
I think they actually did a good job with the pan. I can't say whether or not it still leaks, but I saw it after he had removed all of the old gunk and was prepping the pan, and he seemed to know what he was doing. Right now I am dealing with a district manager. The other night I filled out an online complaint form explaining my situation.
Scott
Scott
10-31-05, 01:02 PM
#12
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
Well I have an update from Lexus. They think the noise is a wrist pin. At this point, they are done with the car, since they would have to disassemble the motor to find out. I'm not sure what to do at this point. They think the problem occurred due to age.
Scott
Scott
