Dealer Forgot To Fill Up The Oil...

[ILL]

My 07 NBS GMC Sierra CC, VMax was delivered to me just over 2 weeks ago (So far, besides a few rattles, I love it.) The day after it was delivered, I broke it in with a few thousand mile road trip to the Yukon and Alaska. Now that I'm back home, I wanted to bring it to the dealer for its first oil change.

 

So today, I went to the dealer and had them change the oil. Everything seemed to go fine and I was told they were all finished. I got in my truck, started the engine, and slowly drove about 10 feet out of the oil change bay. This is when I noticed the oil pressure gauge was reading 0, then the DIC had a message saying something to the effect of "low oil pressure, turn off engine."

 

I turned off the engine, and waived one of the oil change guys over and told him there was no oil pressure. I popped the hood for him, he checked the oil level from the dip stick and told me that it was okay, it was just a bit "low," and my truck must be "thirsty." He said he just needed to "top it up."

 

During this time, I was still sitting in the driver's seat, but I could see through the gap at the bottom of the windshield (the hood was open) that the oil change guy added about 5-6 liters of oil (one large jug of oil and part of a 1 liter container.)

 

The oil change guy now tells me to start it up again. After it started up, I could hear the engine tick for a few seconds as the oil pressure returned to normal. The engine tick then went away now that there was oil pressure again.

 

I confronted the oil change guy that they forgot to add the oil in the first place, and he denied it saying it was just a bit low and needed to be "topped up."

 

I am fairly positive that after the oil was drained and filter replaced, they forgot to add the oil as there was no oil pressure, the engine was ticking, and I saw them "top up the oil" with 5-6 liters of oil, which should be a full fill of oil.

 

I did not have time to stay and bring the issue up with the service department manager because I had to leave to goto the dentist, but I will be call them on Monday.

 

I'm just looking for opinions on my experience at the dealer today as I'm a little concerned that during the short time the engine was started and run without any oil, it may have caused engine damage/premature engine wear. The engine seems to be running fine, but you never know what damage could have been done to the bearings, camshaft, etc. after being run for even a short time without oil.

[-Devil-]

i would talk to the service manager for sure, and tell em the whole event including how much was added to 'top it up' ...

 

it shouldn't have caused much if any damage .. but by letting them know .. and politely bringing up to them the possibility of damage and wear to the motor ... and asking if it will be covered under warrenty ... will at least set you up to approach for repairs later if signs do show up .. (like metal bits and peices in the next oil change) ...

 

when i do take mine to someplace to get the oil changed ... i make sure they show me the oil level on the stick .. before i even get in it to drive off....

[Wingnut]

Sounds like the DIC saved you a massive headache...And your motor.

[04z71steve]

same thing happened to my grandpas 03 monte carlo... went to get the oil changed, was told he was good to go, he hopped in, turned the corner and bang bang bang goodnight 3.8 liter v6, they ended up having to replace his entire engine...

[hotwheels57]

...it's no excuse, but someone was not thinking clearly. You caught it in time and there shouldn't be any problems. There should've been enough lubrication to protect the internals for that short time. GM is still going to warranty the motor under their new extended years/miles plan.

[ksiesel]

I perform teardowns of large Cummins engines on a regular basis. I am a field failure analysis engineer for them and I am telling you that if they truely did not put ANY oil in your pan, there was almost certainly some amount of damage done. This may take months to show up as major damage, but it was there. Furthermore, I'll be that since the oil pressure warning light was on, that event is logged in the vehicle ecu. IF you have trouble with this engine at a later date, they MAY look at the ecu log and determine that YOU ran it without oil and caused the failure. I highly recommend that you get this documented with your dealer and I would even go so far as to get them to sign a paper saying that the event happened just to cover your a$$.

 

Also, make d**n sure to cut the filter open when the next oil change is performed.

 

P.S. On the large engines that I'm most familiar with, 19 to 60 liter, it only takes a few seconds of running to cause bearing wiping that can lead to a bearing failure. I have seen cases that will take up to 2000 hours of additional running prior to catastrophically failing the bearingithough.

[bryanhunt]

As mentioned by others definately bring up the entire event to the service manager or owner if you have to. Make sure the whole thing is recorded (I would push for a refund on the oil change, and a note as to why it refunded) that way if there is anything wrong later on down the road you have something.

 

That being said if the engine was running synthetic that may have provided enough protection for the few mintutes the engine was running (luckily you were paying attention to the gauges).

 

 

--

(I had a friend that took his car to get the oil changed at the dealer (it was a nissan) and they didn't tighten down the oil filter so it fell off going down the road at about 75. The engine shut down shortly after lighting the low oil light. The engine was saved by the ECU that stopped sending fuel after it severe drop. Since then I haven't even thought about taking my vehicles in for low margin work like oil changes)

[Gregg1LE]

Sorry it happened. I would have been jumping up and down screaming wildly the second the tech starting putting that much oil in. I don't care if the dentist or God was waiting for me, that service shop would have been shut down and cardoned off once I started verbally dissecting the tech and service manager.

 

Case in point why I do all my own maintenance.

 

I hope it works out well for you.

[C & A s Dad]

If it had been just a little low and needed topping off, the oil pres would have been normal and the warning light would have never come on. My bet is you could have as little as 2 to 3 qts in the motor and all would be normal as far as OP and the warning light. You may need to tell the svc mgr this when you go back to him. There is no doubt in my mind that they simply failed to fill it back up.

 

I would have to agree with one of the above post concerning the damage. It may not be severe but you can bet it certainly did some damage and it could show up later. I would have every bit of this documented so you can have it covered at any point in the future if problems come up. When I say any point, I mean for as long as you have your truck. I would be polite but firm and if they do not agree with this reasonable request, then a new engine to replace the one they failed to fill with oil would be option 2. Remember, you took your new $35K truck to them in good faith expecting professional service and they did not deliver it.

 

I am not anti-dealership in any way and love the guys at mine. However, they made a mistake and should be held accountable.

[Tucson_02Silverado]

As it has been through time in memorial of the oil light on the dash, if it's that light comes on it's too late.

 

Definitely have the incident written up, and a copy in your hands as well.

 

In 40000 miles, if there is something wrong with the engine and a tear down shows lubrication caused failure, you'd be on the $5-6000 hook otherwise. Unless that's your plan on how to eventually get that 6.2L in your truck.

 

This would also mean that you will have to get that oil changed no greater than the recommend intervals in the owners manual. At every 3000 would be the least hassles for a claim. but still shouldn't have much troubles with right in the middle of 3000 (extreme service interval) to the recommend max. Keep all future receipts.

 

The should've could've would've part....if the dentist appointment was just a checkup, I would have stayed. I also would have "grabbed" the service writer first not the oil change guy. It would have been easier to document, and if pushed, there would be free synthetic oil changes as long as that truck was first owned.

[crepitus]

you should have just drove it away and blown the thing. then they have to replace it right?

[gbroad23]

Wow that is crazy. I'm very curious to here what they say when you talk to them again. Please post again.

[Zembonez]

There HAS to be some main and rod bearing scoring... With today's tight machining tolerances, You can't run an engine for 10 seconds without oil and not damage it. The question is now... HOW MUCH damage was done and when will it show up?

 

I'd be right back talking to the dealership management. PRONTO!

[Schmids5.3l]

Sorry it happened. I would have been jumping up and down screaming wildly the second the tech starting putting that much oil in. I don't care if the dentist or God was waiting for me, that service shop would have been shut down and cardoned off once I started verbally dissecting the tech and service manager.

 

Case in point why I do all my own maintenance.

 

I would have raised hell. Dealerships are good for selling cars, thats about it. But you should have solved it while you were still there. I.E. - "WTF are you doing pouring a gallon of oil in my engine?"

[asepgrad98]

everyone makes mistakes but they crossed the line when they lied to you about the problem. i would have called the liar many bad words.... i doubt it hurt the motor significantly.