Car Died After Oil Change

Do a search on this site using the terms "oil" and "overfill"

 

um, is there oil in the engine? i'm more concerned about a catastrophic oil loss.

 

That was my first thought too. Around here there have been numerous cases of seized engines after people used a Jiffy Lube and just one little step in the oil change process got overlooked. Either no oil put back in or no filter put on or the wrong filter.

 

I wouldn't let a fast oil change place anywhere near my car. They have been known to misread the computer and overfill. No car does well with overfilling.

 

How come you never even checked the oil after you saw all the warning lights and pulled over since you suspect its a Jiffy Lube? Plus and here's the biggy..how come your battery was depleted? Your post says you just tried to put it in gear a few times and turned the car on & off. It would take a lot of that to kill the traction battery.

 

oops..sorry my point was I doubt you can drive away with no oil in our car without it creating quite a grand gesture on the dashboard much less drive back to the office ( it would be smoking when you got out of the car) and then on your way home it blows up. Something else is up I bet.

 

First thing I'd check after an oil change is the dipstick. There is a regular problem with lube shops overfilling a Prius. But I don't think an oil level problem would disable Drive while allowing Reverse.

I'll guess that you've got a bad 12V battery. Underpowered computers make all sorts of wierd decisions.

 

I assume you would have noticed if you ran out of gas, but the symptoms sound rather similar to a car that ran out of gas and then was driven until the battery was depleted. Let us know what the dealer finds.

 

Whatever the problem turns out to be here, always, always, always check the oil level yourself before leaving the site of an oil change. Many grievous errors can be found this way.

 

Wondering if this has anything to do with it? Was the gas engine running when all this happened? Were you able to restart the engine at least? If the ICE was not running for a while that might explain the battery being down and all the rest...

Here's the TSB I found recently and thought it might be related although not due to Jiffy's fault (unless they severely overfilled). Did you get a chance to check the oil level and for overflow in the air intake as well?

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NHTSA Campaign ID Number: 06V266000 - Hide Details
Recall Date: 07/19/2006
Component: 2002 TOYOTA PRIUS ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Potential Units Affected: 34771
2002 TOYOTA PRIUS ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Recall Date: 07/19/2006

Summary:
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, DUE TO IMPROPER MOLDING OF THE RESIN BODY OF THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENOR INSTALLED ON THE ENGINE BLOCK, ENGINE OIL MAY PENETRATE THE SEAL AND ENTER THE SENSOR WIRING CONNECTOR. THE WIRE HARNESS CONNECTOR MAY NOT BE SUFFICIENTLY ATTACHED TO THE LOCKING TAB OF THE SENSOR WIRING CONNECTOR.

Consequence:
ENGINE OIL INSIDE THE SENSOR WIRING CONNECTOR COULD CAUSE EXPANSION DUE TO THE HEAT OF THE ENGINE AND COULD DEFORM THE SENSOR WIRING CONNECTOR. THE CONNECTOR MAY BECOME DISCONNECTED, WHICH COULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STALL WHILE DRIVING AND NOT BE ABLE TO BE RESTARTED INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy:
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 26, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.

Potential Units Affected: 34771

Notes: TOYOTA PRIUS 60G

 

I dream of a day when people are going to realize that the employees of Jiffy Lube are some of the most irresponsible, under acheiving, poorly motivated,
un-educated slackers around. If they weren't , they wouldn't be at Jiffy Lube. Furthermore, you cannot depend on anyone, to do anything right, even something as simple as an oil change. Those punks don't give a crap about your car. Personal responsibility dictates that you must check behind them, before you drive away.

 

Anyone who can physically change their own oil should change their own oil. This thread amply illustrates why.

If you have kind of driveway or place to change the oil, it is quite easy on a Prius.

Harry

 

Ever since I observed how they change oil or fluids it in Brooklyn, NY I've vowed to not let anyone else touch our cars if at all possible

I've had all kinds of trouble due to negligence of the mechanics. On two of my cars I had to replace the entire set of wheel studs because some genius overtorqued them. The second time they did it infront of me with a torque wrench set at 120 ft/lb instead of 76 and before I could stop them they were done - next thig, I had to cut two of the nuts out since they stripped the threads (and before that things were OK since I've been rotating my tires myself and knew the condition).

On another car (bought used) a shock failed - guess what: whomever installed the previous time had it damaged with something. It had a big dent in a place where it can't get it by just driving. Next, I had to replace some belts and I find that whomever did it the previous time did not put back the splash-guard at the wheel well, effectively shortening the life of the belts for me...

My friend went to Toyota last month to have his brake fluid flushed (it was green and muddy, so he needed it). Having just done this myself on my Camry I looked at his Camry and guess what - they had not touched it at all. Instead, they had made a big mess and spilled antifreeze and engine oil all over (the changed the oil and the antifrize but not the brake fluid for which they charged him dearly). Suffice it to say that I got scared when I looked at the service tag on his key - they had misspelled "Camry" badly!

Enough rant - put a valve for easy oil change (look-up some posts from a while back, there are a couple of alternatives - I've been putting the Fram version on all my cars at the first oil change).

Glad that the dealership fixed it for you for what seems not too much money. I'm sure you will not have a problem getting your $300 back, plus whatever you paid for the Jiffy oil change. Any small claims court will side with you on this I think, so the Jiffy manager will probably not resist too hard. Just don't take as a compensation a free lifetime oil change service package with them

 

IMO it's time to file suit small claims court for all of your damages. I would name Jiffy Lube, the owner of the particular store and the employee.

 

Yikes! How the hell do you over fill 2 quarts? I go to a Jiffy Lube and they show me the oil stick when done. They don't let you get out ( I get out anyway) I give them 4 qrts of Mob 1 and tell them 3.5. They give me back 1/2 qrt. I watch them put it in. I give them the Toyota filter..watch them screw it on.
$ 19.95 and I roll home 1 mile. I then check the oil again. 3.5 puts it right on the mark. Sometimes you just don't have the time to lay under the car. Then transfer the old oil to another container. Then drop off the oil at Jiffy Lube anyway.Its a PITA.
I don't like the dealer route 'cause my dealer you can't watch/see the car. They take it away and don't let you watch.
I agree with Hobbit. Bring the dealer doc's to the manager.Give them a chance to make you whole.Then if there stupid about that too small claim 'em.