longlexus3

Hello, i bought a lexus rx350 December 2011 after owning a lexus es300 for 13 years. I took it to my mechanic who i have known for 13 years for a simple oil change and tire rotation. After completing that the check engine light came on. He suggested I take it to the dealership because it is under warranty. I took it to Pohanka in Chantilly, VA. After waiting an hour they said I needed an oil control valve and they said it was covered under warranty. An hour later they said someone else used the part so they would have to order it. They gave me a loaner which I had to pay for and was told the part would come in on Monday and I would have the car Monday night. Monday morning I called and they said the part would come in Monday night at 11pm. I called Tuesday morning. They said they still don't have the part. Called Tuesday afternoon...still don't have the part. I called Wednesday morning...they got the part and put it in the car and the check engine light still would not come off. Finally Thursday they came back and said my mechanic caused the following...

UPON INSPECTION AND REMOVAL OF FRONT VALVE COVER. IT SEEMS LIKE AT THIS TIME OIL CHANGE, PUSHED THE FUNNEL THROUGH THE HOLE AND BENT THE TABS, WHICH CAUSED THE DAMAGE TO THE ACTUATOR. AT THIS TIME WE NEED TO REPLACE BANK 2 INTAKE ACTUATOR, TOP VALVE COVER. IT MAY NEED CAMSHAFT, WE WILL DETERMINE UPON REMOVAL.

Question:
1. Can this happen during an oil change? Can you damage the actuator?

Appreciate any feedback on this experience.

Thanks!

Whitigir

Well...according to what i know, pushing the funnel isnt going to bend the actuator or anything of short of any engine parts. The actuators and any other internal parts are engineered to operate under a lot of pressuse and hydraulically pressures or locks. If a single hand push could cause the engine internal to bent, then the engine would have never be able to operated at first

Atleast, anything which can easily be damaged will be advised to be brought to the dealership, which the OILCHANGE is not one of them.

This sounds like Manufacturer defect on the Engine actuators, which you should be covered.

I would call Lexus Head Quater regarding that issue. Good luck

***as how would the actuators be faulty like that, i have no idea, but i am almost 90% sure that a funnel pushing into the hole to change the oil would not cause that***

They are making it sound like that oil change hole is as delicated as the Hymen. One push can ruin it.....tsk tsk.....

Whitigir

Oh i forgot to answer your question

It can happen during an oil change to damage the actuator. The use of wrong type of oil viscosity, and excessive oil quantity.

For example the recommended oil type is 0w-20 and 6 quarts. If you were using 40w-20 and 8 quarts. Your engine will be damaged. Because that is too thick of an oil when heated with too much of it, which will cause the engine to prematurely hydraulically locked, and damaged itself.

Call your mechanic, ask him about that oil he used and how much did he put in.

vlad_a

Let's start with you having to pay for a loaner while your vehicle was in service under warranty. Something is not right here.

mmarshall

Sounds a little strange, unlikely but not impossible. Usually, the funnels that are used for oil changes are made of either relatively soft plastic or lightweight aluminum which shouldn't cause much damage to other parts if pushed in too far. It's not like jamming in a piece of heavy steel.

longlexus3

Thank you for your response.

T0ked

iTrader: (2)

Its not unheard of. You have to wonder if the mechanic was having a bad day and just jammed something in there. Good thing the dealer is accepting responsibility.

My other observation is why are you paying for a loaner? They should be complimentary and especially now since they admit they caused the damage.

My0gr81

The OP clearly says that he did the oil change at an independant mechanic who then told him to take the car to the dealer to look after the check engine light.

T0ked

iTrader: (2)

Ahh, missed that part. That kind of changes everything...

longlexus3

What would the dealership have to gain by claiming it was my mechanic who was at fault when I don't think that is the case?

mmarshall

Assuming the engine does need significant repairs (which is not a completely open-and-shut case), It would save them the trouble, after doing the repairs, of submitting a parts/labor warranty-reimbursement form to the Lexus Warranty Department (which is the way dealers usually get compensated for their work on a warranty-claim), and then having someone in the warranty department (perhaps a company lawyer or arbitrater) turn down the claim because a non-Toyota/Lexus mechanic made an error. That would leave the dealership eating the cost of what they spent on parts and labor fixing your car.

I once bought an IS300, years ago, from that particular Lexus dealership, and, at the time, It was a respectible and professionally-run place, with good people in the service-department, who were not likely to rip customers off. I haven't dealt with them for a number of years, though, and can't attest to the quality of the people there in the shop today.

longlexus3

I suspect foul play and plan on calling corporate and submitting a case. Will keep you posted.

My0gr81

You suspect foul play by the dealer or your independant mechanic? Was the check engine light on before the oil change? It is easy to take the car to another dealer and get a opinion, if the car is driveable, and it should be if you drove to the dealer.

For as much as I hate dealer's service departments (despise them in fact), in this case, except for the delay in gettting the part, it seems they have nothing to gain out of this.

They relied on the codes and ordered the part. The part came in, they replaced it and it didn't clear the code so they looked deeper and found physical damage in the area where the mechanic had to have worked on to change the oil. Remember, the light was on before you got there.

jimbosr1

this is another example of why i never ever let anyone work on my car.good luck in getting you problem fixed.

lobuxracer

iTrader: (2)

This specific problem is addressed in Lexus Service Bulletin L-SB-0021-08.So, yes, your independent mechanic caused this problem. There is nothing to claim against Lexus. If your indie subscribed to TIS, he/she would know this and would be aware not to stuff a funnel down the oil fill. Unfortunately, your indie isn't this prudent and you're suffering the outcome as Lexus indicates in this LSB.

(FWIW, I just own 3 Toyota products and subscribe to TIS for the small price of $400 a year because it only makes sense to me to have the most current technical information available about the cars I service. I bought the funnel I use at Wal-Mart for $5 and it screws into the valve cover. It never comes anywhere close to the baffles.)