On a 2005 Civic, took it in to get a regular, on schedule oil change. It wasn't leaking when I got there. Was supposed to take 45 minutes. After an 1 1/2 hours, I went looking for my car. They had drained all the old oil out, and somehow in the process of putting the pan back, putting everything back together, they stripped the threads with the torque wrench, and won't own up to it. They said if you strip the threads it can't be drilled out and rethreaded because it's aluminum. So they go get a bigger bolt - it's working temporarily , but the threads in the pan are still stripped. I'm thinking the next time it's unscrewed, the threads in the new bolt/pan will be stripped if they try to put it in again. I'm saying they stripped it when they put the bolt in with their torque wrench by twisting it too tight and they did it when they were putting it back in...otherwise, if it were already stripped, it would have been leaking oil when I brought it in, and it wasn't. I'm thinking they need to foot the bill for the new oil pan/bolt because they stripped it - it wasn't like that when I brought it in so they owe me on a new pan/bolt, but they're trying to make me pay for it - how to prove my point? Anyone else have this issue? Who's higher than the GM at the dealership? Also, they're saying if all my oil changes had been done at the dealership, then they might think about footing the bill, but since they haven't, they are trying to pass the buck on their slip up. I say their oil slick. HELP!

 

this is why i would never bring my car to lube shop or a dealer because the person generally a kid doing this job is at the bottom of the mechanical totem pole. most places do not use torque wrenchs there either hand tightened or over tightened if they had actually used a torque wrench this would not have happened. this is a valuable lesson just spend the $10 dollars for a new bolt and move on because there's no way to prove its there fault im just surprised they wouldn't pay for such a cheap part regardless just to keep a customer.

 

I Paid the $10 for the new bolt, which they had to use a larger bolt and drill bigger into the pan as It's the threads in the pan that are stripped - they want $600 to put in a new pan. I'm saying it wasn't leaking when I brought it in...the pan didn't have a problem or it would have been leaking so they stripped the threads and should bear the cost. I asked to borrow their torque wrench and have the pressure tested, and they said no, no...that's an important tool and they wouldn't go along..they changed their story each step of the way...at first was the bolt wouldn't go back in, and by the time they worked the way up the ladder to the GM, it was the threads in the pan were stripped, but they wouldn't own up to the fact they had done it. How to prove it? Isn't it logical if the pan was messed up when I brought it in it would have been leaking then? Who is higher than a GM at a dealership? If it were just the bolt, I would move on.

 

just wondering if you knew who changed the oil before the dealership, perhaps they stripped the threads and used some type sealant to prevent any oil leaks, then this dealer took the pan plug off and noticed the strip thread.

 

dam i thought you meant they just striped the bolt threads not the pan. the pan is steel the bolt is aluminium how the f did they manage that ???. id say to lawyer up but you'd probably end up paying more in legal fees then the cost of the new pan. this is a complete sham and makes me lose faith in humanity that much more. are you in a situation were you can replace the pan yourself because with a manual and the proper tools its a very basic job.