I drove the 30+ miles home from work this evening, pulled into the driveway and went inside to eat dinner. About 2 hours later I came out to a rather large puddle of oil under and beside my car! What appears to have happened is 1.When I got my oil changed about 3 weeks ago the dealership did not tighten the drain plug enough and over the past 3 weeks it slowly came unscrewed until it almost fell out!
2.Someone wanted to get back at me and unscrewed it.

I'm thinking more along the lines of the former but you never know . That is where the leak was coming from most definately because the plug was almost completely unscrewed. So I screwed it back in, tightened it, got a ride to the store to get some oil and put some in. It only needed about a quart and a half, so I didn't loose all my oil. Now I'm concerned but VERY thankful the plug did not come off the car while I was driving because that would have been devistating! Any suggestions onto why this might have happened and what I should do about it? I will post pictures shortly.

 

For one, I'd go back to the dealership and tell them what happened. Maybe you could get some free oil changes out of them for that, but then I wouldn't want them touching the car after that experience.

Quart and a half down sounds kind of low, but if it didn't go low enough to trigger the oil light on the dash you should be okay.

 

I think that actually happend to another member on the fourms, the plug came completly out.. the dealership fixed it and washed his car the same day

 

About 90% of that quart and a half was in the driveway so I don't think I was losing much while driving it. I am definately going back to the dealership to let them know my experiance, and I have already had problems with that dealership so chances are that I will not have them touch my car again.

 

Crazy, just one of the reasons I do my own oil changes.

 

Intersting that down a full quart and a half- that you did not get a light. I wonder on a little less the a 4qt systems- at what percent the light DOES come on- seem to me when you start to get near the 50% llevel- awrning should go off- that's why I tend to like gauges better then lights!

 

UPDATE: I took the car into the dealer and told them what happened along with showing them pictures. They took the car in right away and cleaned it up down there, made sure the drain plug was tight and the oil was full even though I already did all that. They were very apologetic though.

The light didn't come on because the car was off when it happened but I'm wondering the same thing about when the comes on though.

I would, The only reason the dealer did it was because since I bought the car from them my oil changes are FREE so thats still a better deal than buying oil and a filter and doing my own work but from now on I'm doing it myself.

 

I agree. I do my own.....

 

Well I get free oil changes from Honda too, but I just choose to do them myself. I really hope I never have to take the Fit to the dealer!

 

i got my oil changed @ jiffylube...(my own oil and filter i brought cause no PENZOIL for me) and they did a good job...if it leaks i have the reciept...it better not

 

Andy did you take the car to Casey????

 

Nope, Williams

 

Keep in mind the Oil light is for "oil pressure" not oil level.

Another reason to avoid the stealership. Don't get me started on "free car washes" from them!

 

but if there's no oil then theres no pressure.
id never let anybody wash my car other than myself

 

Even low oil will generate oil pressure. You'd have to lose so much that you didn't have oil in the pan anymore. Likely less than a quart in the sump.

That's why you have a dipstick. (No, I'm not lecturing.) On such a new car, most of us would just not think to check the dipstick, but its the only thing that'll warn you of low oil. When the light comes on, damage is being caused.

 

Interesting... Wouldn't you think if the plug was loose you would've lost oil while driving more-so vs when it was parked? Was there oil on the engine components that are towards the rear of the drain-plug too?

If the components to the rear of the plug were clean, then someone could've been messing with your fit. A loose drain plug that almost comes entirely out would let oil be splashed/blown rear-ward while you're driving.

I've seen cars where the plug was loose and there's oil that's blown rear-wards all over the place (crossmember, exhaust etc etc)... As for the oil-light: by the time that baby comes on you're pretty much screwed in my humble opinion. Losing a quart or even 2 is not enough to turn that light on.

 

The only place where there was oil was under the oil pan everything else was clean

 

For information, on my jazz (fit) i had a oil leak on transmission. The mecanical say "that's can come. Why the transmission gasket is maked with paste and that can come the paste applyed it's not good. Just dismount and remake the gasket".

 

uuugghh...that's why I got into the DIY oil change business 3 yrs ago, after the dealer forgot to tighten the plug. I dont think I would have been so angry at the quart or two on my garage floor EXCEPT I was in the process of staining/epoxing it and had just prepped the floor for work to begin the next day.

 

Please don't take your car to Jiffy Lube - they don't care about your car.

I was working there in college. We were working on a brand new Dodge Ram
(it was it's first oil change, I believe)... I was told to start the truck after its oil was drained and allegedly filled back up with oil. So I started the truck, and waited about 30 seconds for the oil pressure light to extinguish... It never did. Knowing something was wrong I turned off the truck, and checked the oil level. There wasn't any oil. I started freaking out - because we, Jiffy Lube, had ruined the guy's engine. I told the manager the truck was started and ran without oil.

His response??? "Oh well. Does it still run? Just fill it up with oil and move on to the next car."

PLEASE don't take your car to Jiffy Lube. That's their attitude, from my experience.