Another Dealer Service nightmare - stripped oil pan threads

Well, this happened to me yesterday for a routine oil and filter change.

I thought it was odd that my car sat lifted up for so long and then my advisor finally came out and notified me that the oil pan thread was stripped out.

For years, the dealer always did my oil changes. I think the thread stripped as they drained the oil for this interval.

Their record shows that I’ve only done my oil changes at their dealership and no one else touches it other than their mechanics.

My advisor spoke to the manager. They were in agreement that the dealership will cover the oil pan, all the parts and labor associated with the replacement.

Luckily all the parts were in stock and the car will be ready before end of day. Glad the dealership isn’t the stealership this time around. We will see when I get the final bill!

 

There is NO such thing as a stealership. YOU give them the money. They didn't hold you
at knife point.
It seems like you have a honest dealership. Now tell them NOT to tighten the drain plug so tight.

 

It's very fortunate you've had them do the oil so they can't blame shift. Not that a service center would ever do that.
I'd call that a win win because later down the road if you were to change the oil yourself with weakened oil pan threads, you might think you did it.

.

 

Yep, I'm DONE with dealerships....unfortunately, I do have two paid-for oil changes/tire rotations left on my Tundra so will let them do those and that's it. (Will check their work in the parking lot before leaving, though.)
Long story but the latest originated with their inspection on the Tundra 6-months ago. I'd noticed some oil (not sure what kind) around the oil pan but it wasn't dripping. They quoted me $2,600 to reseal the front timing chain cover, which they said was leaking. (That's when I got the 3 oil changes....was cheaper to buy 3 for $240 than one for $100. And I only did it to get them to inspect the leak.)
Anyway, my son-in-law has a REALLY good mechanic working for him at Christian Brother's automotive so I had him look at the front timing chain, and I was going to have him do the job. (They said it would be around $1,300 with my family discount.) But he said NOTHING on the engine was leaking...all seals were dry as a bone. So he cleaned it all up and put dye in the power steering fluid....he suspected if anything was leaking that was it.
So I drove it around for two weeks and he looked at it again....NOTHING leaking. So I suspect the oil we saw as left-over from a few years ago when I had a front axle leaking that needed to be fixed...maybe they didn't clean up the engine as good and it just worked it way down.
So, yeah, my local Toyota dealer now has zero credibility in my book and it seems like I'm not the only one based on the reviews on-line from them. (One lady had her car stolen while getting an oil change...some jerk was next to the bay and when they pulled it in after an oil change he hopped in and told the guy he was the owner so they opened the bay door and he just drove away. The dealer ONLY gave her a free rental car and paid for her oil change...NOTHING else...she had to use her insurance and she ended up buying a Subaru, who saw the story on the news and offered her free lifetime oil changes on a new Subaru.
We do have another Toyota dealer on the south side of Colorado Springs (different owner) so I'll be going there if I ever need anything, but that'll be vary rare, I tell you!

 

In Canada we don't have that quandry, no freebies. If I was in your shoes I might eschew those free oil changes anyways.

All good, they did the right thing. Only, those threads should not strip. Torque is 27 ft/lb. That's what I've done, for around 25 oil changes now (most at 6-month interval till a couple of years back, then switched to yearly), never a problem.

window ledge in garage:

 

Just discovered mother-in-law's PIP has 160,000 miles on it. No maintenance other than oil changes. Would hate to see what the EGR looks like much less the oil pan threads.

.

 

Yeah, she's due for the next 6-month change at the end of April so the only reason I'll do it is to save the money from buying 8-qts of 0W-20 AND I would like to check out some of those 2025 Tacomas....I will have to see what they have on the lot before going over, though. Last time I was there they had a LOT of 2024 Prius's and then they had specials on them.

 

Yikes and that transmission is WAY overdue for a service.