Advice needed - car sold to us without oil drain plug

[Anonymous]

Hi All,
2 months ago, we bought a preowned car for my daughter that came with a 3-month bumper to bumper warranty from a well-known franchised dealership in the DC area. The car breaks down and is towed to a Mazda dealership (car is a Mazda and was bought from a Dodge dealership). Upon inspection, the Mazda repair shop sees that the drain plug for the oil was not replaced since the last oil change. (The car was purchased with recently changed oil - we have not driven the car long enough to change the oil). The oil drained out of the car and burnt up the engine. The warranty will not cover it because the drain plug is considered "external to the engine".

To pay out of pocket to rebuild the engine (8K) does not make sense. (I think we paid 11k for it). What recourse do I have? What next steps should I take?

[Anonymous]

Did you do an under carriage inspection of the car. Since you bought it at a dealership, they should have lifted it up upon request for the under carriage inspection. These are the kind of things to look for. Sounds like they did a thorough going over of the car, then tech forgot to put the plug back in. Hard to prove, though.

[Anonymous]

I don't know the legality but you might win.

I had a coworker who had a Honda engine breakdown because Jiffy Lube forgot to put the plug in. Her breakdown happened pretty quickly after.

In the end, they bought her a new engine.

If you want a new engine...you want warranty enforcement.

If you want to return the car, that's more lemon law.

I would call the dealer owner and try to.jump levels. This is a boneheaded mistake.

[Anonymous]

What did the dealer say when you brought it to their attention?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi All,
2 months ago, we bought a preowned car for my daughter that came with a 3-month bumper to bumper warranty from a well-known franchised dealership in the DC area. The car breaks down and is towed to a Mazda dealership (car is a Mazda and was bought from a Dodge dealership). Upon inspection, the Mazda repair shop sees that the drain plug for the oil was not replaced since the last oil change. (The car was purchased with recently changed oil - we have not driven the car long enough to change the oil). The oil drained out of the car and burnt up the engine. The warranty will not cover it because the drain plug is considered "external to the engine".

To pay out of pocket to rebuild the engine (8K) does not make sense. (I think we paid 11k for it). What recourse do I have? What next steps should I take?

I would not stipulate this. The oil drain plug is, by any reasonable understanding of engines, part of the engine. After all, its absence from the engine destroyed the engine.

[Anonymous]

For others reading:

First mistake: Not inspecting better.
Second mistake: Towing the car to the Dodge dealership where the car was purchased so recently. More leverage to make them deal with what was clearly their mistake.

As to OP, I would call Dodge dealership and tell them what happened, then be prepared to make noise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For others reading:

First mistake: Not inspecting better.
Second mistake: Towing the car to the Dodge dealership where the car was purchased so recently. More leverage to make them deal with what was clearly their mistake.

As to OP, I would call Dodge dealership and tell them what happened, then be prepared to make noise.

^^^ Should have towed the car to the Dodge dealership, not to Mazda.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi All,
2 months ago, we bought a preowned car for my daughter that came with a 3-month bumper to bumper warranty from a well-known franchised dealership in the DC area. The car breaks down and is towed to a Mazda dealership (car is a Mazda and was bought from a Dodge dealership). Upon inspection, the Mazda repair shop sees that the drain plug for the oil was not replaced since the last oil change. (The car was purchased with recently changed oil - we have not driven the car long enough to change the oil). The oil drained out of the car and burnt up the engine. The warranty will not cover it because the drain plug is considered "external to the engine".

To pay out of pocket to rebuild the engine (8K) does not make sense. (I think we paid 11k for it). What recourse do I have? What next steps should I take?

Sounds fishy. If they forgot to put the plug in when changing the oil, the fresh oil would have been leaving a trail out the garage and very noticeable.

Perhaps the plug was stripped and worked loose and fell out?

A car with no oil won't go more than a mile or so.

[Anonymous]

What did Dodge dealer say?

Also who changed the oil? I am asking as o recently bought a GMC from Cadillac dealer and I never got proof of the oil change. Yes it was recently changed but could have been prior owner.

I also once went to Mr. Tire As soon as opened and lot full. I was suprised I was first customer. He said he does oil changes for rent a car companies, taxis and backed up dealerships. So who knows who changed oil.

Must have been a loose not missing when sold. Oil leaks right out. Plus would had check engine light on for low oil. Someone did not tighten it. I have done maybe 100 oil changes. I tighten first by hand then use wrech. I bet they got busy and just hand tightened it and fell out on road

Maybe dodge dealer will take it back.

[Anonymous]

It cannot be that the drain plug is missing. If it were the oil would drain in minutes not months. Probably it wasnt reinstalled correctly? For that much oil to leak in two months you would see puddles of oil where you parked the car. Did you not notice anything? Not sure I believe the explanation you were given by the Mazda mechanic

[Anonymous]

Hi all, op here.

Thank you for the clarification on the drain plug. Agreed it wouldn’t have waited 2+ months to drain out.

We took it to the Mazda dealership because the certified pre owned warranty stipulated that it go to a Mazda dealership.

Didn’t do the third party inspection because we thought we were covered by warranty and certified pre owned etc

[Anonymous]

Following up tomorrow with the dealership and the warranty company

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For others reading:

First mistake: Not inspecting better.
Second mistake: Towing the car to the Dodge dealership where the car was purchased so recently. More leverage to make them deal with what was clearly their mistake.

As to OP, I would call Dodge dealership and tell them what happened, then be prepared to make noise.

The bolded part is easy to say with the benefit of hindsight, but who really feels the need to get under a vehicle to check for an oil drain plug when purchasing a vehicle from a "franchised dealership", especially when the vehicle comes with a 90 day warranty?

[Anonymous]

Good luck today.

[Anonymous]

OP, it sounds like the Dodge dealership is responsible from your description. Take it to smalls claim court or hire a lawyer if they refuse to pay