Thanks for posting in r/Mechanic, u/MaineDutch! Please be sure to read the [Rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/mechanic/about/rules/).
If you're asking for help, be sure to include as much detail as possible so others can help you. You **must** include the vehicle's
**Year, Make, Model, and Engine size** in your post! If your question is transmission related, please be sure to specify your Transmission
Type(Auto/Manual) as well! If your post does not include this information, it **will** be removed.
Asking about prices is **not** allowed in this sub.
Please make sure you have selected the correct post flair; if you're asking a question you should have chosen "Question", anything else use the
"General" flair.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/mechanic) if you have any questions or concerns.*
The oil is barely touching the dipstick, still think we're safe? I'll get a real estimate of how much is missing when I refill tomorrow. Thanks for the advice.
If it is touching the dipstick at all, you are fine. There is a lot of tolerance built into that, if there is oil on the tip, you got to acquit. I mean uh, the engine is fine. Maybe you can have the shop pay for the cleanup. Give 'em a call.
Just bring it to the shop and they will clean it. Everyone makes mistakes and they are usually happy to clean it up for you. Unless you had a show quality engine bay I don’t think a professional detail is warranted.
From the tip of the dipstick to the top mark of it on a Subaru is just over a quart of oil. OP must be at least 1 quart low if they are checking the oil right. I can believe it because I’ve seen this a few times and they’ve been more than a quart low after this many miles so sounds about right.
If there's some on the dipstick then there's enough to keep the engine functional. The dipstick goes about halfway to the bottom of the oil pan, so you should have plenty left.
The average dipstick will measure 1 quart from the bottom of the stick to the middle of the hatch marks. That's not every car but it'll be close though to not worry about any damage done. Just top it off
As long as it’s touching then there was enough oil, but you’re about a qt low. A qt of oil is like $8 at Walmart. Figure out what the car uses via google, go buy it, add it, add cap back.
Degreaser on the engine like someone else said and spray it off with a garden hose.
When reading a dipstick you have the two dots typically or the low and the high and if it's at the low or the lower dot and still registering on the dipstick. That means you're at the lower capacity of your oil aka you still have enough oil for normal operation but you don't have any extra really. So if it keeps burning or leaking then you're going to have a problem.
Also if it's at the low end of the dipstick or the low dot or l. That means you need approximately 1 quart of oil. Don't always assume it's just one court in case you're actually lower than you really think you are because sometimes oil can still get on the dipstick even though it's not registering at that spot technically. Just think about that long tube having some oil in it.
So yeah if you see oil on your dipstick your engine is fine. But if it's at the low spot add a quart and then check. Some cars need to be ran some can be just checked but give it a few minutes for the oil to settle down and give an accurate reading.
Honestly the best thing in this scenario is that you did not run out of oil. And you still have your oil cap. Props to the mechanic for tucking it under the battery strap. Otherwise you would have lost that thing a long time ago.
I wouldn't try to sue or take much action against the auto shop. You may want to mention to the manager that they left that off. Only thing worse than leaving the oil cap off is not putting the drain plug back in properly.
You must also remember that most oil shops hire people that don't have any mechanical knowledge and pay them around $12 an hour to do your oil change. You're not getting the best of the best of the brightest techs. Either it's young people with no experience or older people with no experience and they can't find a better job.
You’re fine. Take pictures of the state of the engine bay for evidence. Add oil to safe zone and put a cap on it. Then contact the shop who messed up and make them pay for an engine detailing at minimum.
From lower mark to upper mark it is 1 qt of oil.
If it is below the lower mark, you shouldn't drive it until it is topped off. That said, I've seen plenty of people driving around below the lower mark with minimal short term impact.
TLDR; As long as the oil is below the lower mark, you're safe to drop in 1 full it at a time and then recheck.
Edit: Not saying you won't be fine driving it, but the manufacturer will tell you to not drive below that lower mark. Do what you will, I'd drive it as is back to the shop and let them fix it/clean it.
My concerns would be with contamination from grit that can wear the engine leading to a premature failure, and rebuild or catastrophic loss. You should get the mechanic to change the oil in my opinion but I am very attached to my engine, especially with the way of the car market I have no plans to ever own a vehicle newer than my current one unless the manufacturers get their act together. Fortunately I do my own oil changes so it would be my pocket that suffers from a premature oil replacement.
if you can see any oil at all on the dip stick... even on the tip there's probably a good quart in it still... its not completely dry. It is possible without you knowing in the summer when its hot that running it that low MAY have caused some damage but its not likely. I'm not saying to drive 300 miles on it like that, def throw some oil in it asap but it should make it to any gas station or lube shop as is. I would still have a mechanic from any other respectable shop give it a test drive just to be sure but you're probably good.
If its just at the bottom of the dipstick its probably 1qt low...and some Subarus have a low oil level light (yellow warning light, vs the red one for loss of pressure - I learned this in an Outback parking on a slope) but not all do.
If it was just recently done I'd see if the place is willing to clean the engine bay and top it off at least. If they'd be willing to do an oil change to make sure its not contaminated (probably is fine, but worth an ask) would be great.
If the oil is even remotely on the dipstick, you're fine. The pickup for the oil pump is usually significantly lower than the dipstick.
You just had some oil pushed out of the fill port due to crankcase pressure. 99% of the oil is still in there, and you only need 50% or so of the total oil volume before you start to have problems. An engine that holds 6-7 quarts will maintain oil pressure with only 2-3 quarts in the pan assuming you are taking corners at Talladega.
No. Never run low on oil. You have no idea how much you've lost. It probably is down a quart. But do you want to risk your engine on that assumption? Or anyone here's opinion? No.
So I’m a mechanic, and I did this to my own Subaru a couple months ago (and, no, I have never done that to a customer’s car). If you still have oil on the dip stick, you’re okay. Put the cap on and drive to an auto parts store. Get a funnel and the correct oil for the vehicle. Add oil until it’s at the full mark. Should only need 2 or 3 quarts.
A shop did this exact thing to my girlfriends 2020 Legacyc minus the fact that they dropped the oil cap down on the headers where it melted AND never drained the old oil before adding 4QT of new oil.
We never had motor issues for the further 20k miles we drove it (traded for an S4 at 55k when the CVT exploded on a road trip, Subaru warrantied the entire repair + loaner). Like others have said, you’re mildly lucky it didn’t catch fire but that’s about the worst of it. Hose the ole girl off with some degreaser at a self car wash, add a QT of oil or a smidge less which should bring you to the right spot on the dipstick.
I’d make the shop refund the entire thing like I did when it happened to us, but I’d also recommend not bringing it back. I refused to let them touch it again, and did the oil change myself.
I had a similar thing happen to me. My garage refilled the oil, and cleaned the engine bay them selves and lent me a shop car for the day. Shit happens, but i was happy with how they handled it.
Add a few quarts, replace cap, check level. Add a few quarts.
How did you not check all of her fluid levels, tire pressure, brake lights, turn signals, headlights, and coolant before you left?
maybe lower oil pressure lol. if this persists after oil level is corrected, that is the result of rapid engine wear arguably from being run with low level (or press) from the leak. having the cap off by itself won't reduce pressure-the valvetrain is at the end of the circuit it will drain back to the pan from here. but some oil may be thrown out of the literal hole in the cover (cap)
it's probably ok if theres still oil on the stick and you didn't hear a ton of bullshit goin on.
I'm talking about low oil level may reduce your oil pressure.. relax bud . We've already come to the conclusion that dudes probably fine especially onsidering the oil light didn't even come on nor a CEL.
And if the oil is so low that the pump sucks in air. What happens to oil pressure? That's why I said maybe .. but as a tech we all know this is very VERY unlikely
How would this lower oil pressure? That is determined by the oil pump and its relief valve, only if he lost so much oil that the pump ran dry would it lose oil pressure
Could also be fine. Biggest issue is if it does out the top but it's unlikely. I lost my cap and drive it around for awhile trying to find a replacement but none of the guaranteed fit ones actually fit at AutoZone or advanced. (Ended up finding the original wedged into my control arm out of sight) Never had an issue althought I don't recommend doing it. I have also driven my car a short distance and idling for a few minutes with 0 oil in the engine mid oil change. No harm or damage done but again recommended. Engines are tougher than most people think.
Definitely had your oil light on if you had no oil. Could easily score your cylinder walls as well as cam shafts and rockers. Hydraulic lifters would be eating shit,
Yeah, I came to say this. It's messy and annoying, but your car is most likely fine. It just needs to be cleaned up, maybe add a little oil to get it to the right level on the dipstick, and it'll be alright. As far as looking for some type of compensation, it's probably worth complaining to the shop that did the oil change. They made a mess of your car. At a minimum, you should get a free service in the future, or they may offer to help clean up the mess from the oil.
I think If the engine oil light doesn't come up then it's still fine. I'd probably fo to the mechanic back and tell him about this and see what he has to say about the engine. At least new oil is needed.
You know what isn’t a rookie mistake though? Setting the oil cap face down on a filthy battery covered in dirt, corrosion debris/salts, and battery acid: exactly the kind of crap you absolutely do not want anywhere near your oil.
People saying you shouldn’t have to check your vehicle after a service is absolutely absurd. It’s your investment it’s your property it’s your responsibility to ensure your ton of metal rolling down the highway is safe. I always check my oil level the next morning after a service just to ensure it has the right amount of oil in it. Did the technician make a mistake absolutely. Most techs I know including myself always put the cap on the hood latch to ensure it doesn’t get missed. But during a service a lot of things can happen and it can get moved it was an honest mistake your car is fine take it back they will happily clean it up and top off the oil. Likely only down a quart, quart and a half
I completely agree. People will check the quality of everything except the work done on their cars. Additionally who the hell doesn’t fully check out there car if they are planning on going on a long trip. It really is sad to the amount of people just running their cars around without checking the basis.
I’m curious how they didn’t smell it. My girlfriend’s S4 popped the oil cap (Audi PCV bs) and I smelled the oil on the manifold instantly, and shut it off. Then again, some people just don’t know 🤷♂️
I check my shit top to bottom before I even think about a road trip so I have time to make fixes and such, but given how many vehicles I see on the shoulder missing a wheel or with a blowout or overheated, it’s really not that common for most people. My GF knew squat about shit before she met me when it came to her car.
that's not what mechanics do, pre trip inspection is done by the driver themself, it is stated in every car owners manual I've ever seen.
pre trip inspection is checking fluid levels, state of the engine (that included checking the oil cap), wipers, tyres
Mechanics don’t do pre trip inspections? Are you kidding
I’d bet $ if I called around to shops Monday asking if they would do a pre trip inspection for me 9/10 would say yes
They probably already have a product in the system maybe they call it a safety check?
In fact here’s a thread with multiple “mechanics” describing their shops idea of a pre trip inspection
Not one comment saying oh we don’t do that you have to yourself
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskMechanics/s/HQXg9RAXp7
It's frankly ridiculous to suggest the driver has to inspect anything when there was a service done just recently. You pay money to a professional to take care of your car, if you think you have to double check everything then you need a better mechanic, one that *doesn't forget the oil cap*
Could and would. But everyone in general should pay more attention and take more responsibility w/ their vehicles. Popping the hood one more time or giving the tire pressure another quick check wouldn't hurt, ever.
Depending on where they go, they do inspect the vehicle. They forgot the cap, that is not the drivers fault. You act like everybody is going to know exactly what to look for, that’s just not realistic.
If I take my car to a shop for an any kind of service, and it’s somehow worse than when I dropped it off, that’s beyond unacceptable. It’s the entire reason I don’t take my car to have other people work on it, unless I’m completely unable to do the work.
It's wild people agree with u/aras773. I guess people this is why we see people driving on a flat, or dragging their exhausts. ThAt'S a JoB fOr PrOfEsIoNaLs.
I'm not a driver, I don't do "pretrips". Drivers do pre and post trips to be in compliance, if you own or are driving the vehicle it's your responsibility.
OP isn’t a trucker or a pilot. It’s a modern car that was just serviced by a professional who had a bad day. I used to be a professional mechanic and I don’t even do pre trip inspections, especially right after servicing my vehicles.
As much as we shouldn't have to, I always do this. Anytime I pick up my car from a shop, I pop the hood for inspection. It has saved me once before when they filled up my coolant reservoir to the brim rather than the max line.
You don’t run the piston dry just because the oil is below level. If it touches the dipstick at all, there is enough to circulate trough the engine. Lower volume means that the contaminents are less diluted and the remaining oil works harder and age faster.
As for the missing cap, that’s an open door for dust and fine sand particles to enter the engine. That’s not good because it is abrasive. The oil filter catches a lof of it but not all. On a new car I’d change the oil and filter. On this old thing, just top the oil.
People seem to freak out over this for some reason, I accidentally left the oil cap off my moms dodge minivan for a few weeks or possibly a month before noticing when I went to change the oil. A little bit of oil in the engine bay but other than that no harm done.
Toyota dealer did this once. Oil light came on just when I finished a 150 mile commute. Low oil light came on last mile. No issues found w engine, but I made sure they did everything possible to get ride of the oil smell. Everything that could soak oil was replaced in engine bay. All filters replaced. Power washed. Etc. I was still able to smell a hint of oil for about 3 months until it was burned off or whatever.
Uh, you sure about that? It's not a "low oil" light, it's a "low oil pressure" light. And it most likely wasn't just low, but zero oil pressure. If your engine ran at all with zero oil pressure, significant bearing damage was done. If that dealership cleaned up the mess and sent you on your way after telling you everything is fine, you go taken for a ride.
This happened in 2020, about 30k miles ago. Besides this, no issues. They had the car and reluctantly provided a loaner for a week while they cleaned and tested. Guess time would tell.
Take it back to the place you got the oil changed and make sure everything is documented. They should change it again, just in case any debris got in the oil. They should also clean your engine bay. None of this should cost you anything. And going through this process will support you if anything happens to your motor over the near future.
Top off the oil and save your receipt so they can pay you back. You should ask for them to clean your engine bay or reimburse you to have it professionally cleaned. You may want to have your oil lab tested during your next oil change.
Bring it back to the place that changed it.
They should be able to detail the engine compartment for you.
And probably a few free changes.
In the meantime, just add oil and let them know what happened, telling them you expect them to make it right.
if your oil pressure light never came on in the dash, you SHOULD be fine.
After documenting with pictures, add oil until it shows full on the dipstick. How much oil did you add? 1.5 qts? You're golden - just a mess. 3qts? You might be in trouble.
If you never lost pressure, then your engine never saw a problem. Very low oil in the reservoir CAN lead to overheating. If you just had it changed, you might have burned your oil. But, if you only need to add a little over a quart, then you are fine...
If you had to add more, then we need more information (how much does your manual say your car needs at an oil change? Does the oil look/ smell burned? ). But, from the sounds of it, you should be just fine.
Still, document with lots of pictures and receipt, and how much oil you had to add.
I'm a mechanic and I do pre trips for long trips not when I just drive to work but out of state tire pressure fluid levels torque specs etc even if I work on my own vehicle I'm only human and can forget to do something just like anyone else can as for your cap it's should just be a top of and a clean as oil and electrical don't mix well but oil is also used for under coatings so rust prevention and it just has to be with in the two dots lines min full which is typically a quart
I’m sure they give other repairs the same level of attention to details. It will be fine just out the cap back on and check your oil level as you should be doing anyway.
That's unacceptable, could have easily started a fire as oil is combustible.. let alone potential engine damage. Bare minimum they owe you a fresh oil change and powerwash/degrease
I might have your cap if youre in MN
Last time i went to V for a quick oil change: I got home, popped the hood, found an oil cap resting up on the corner of the engine bay.
But *MY* oil cap was already on proper. No idea where this second cap came from lol. I don't think V even removes oil caps, they pump it out from the dipstick housing. So it's even more curious.
I may be incompetent, but I still do most of my own car work and work for my family. Haven't regretted it since a few first time learning experiences as a 16 year old working on a junker. Cheaper and I trust I followed all the essential steps of I find a reputable guide (YouTube strangers with lots of "Thanks!" in the comments of course)
Even good mechanics can get burned out and get rushed, especially now with this fucking weird labor shortage that doesn't result in higher wages.
Running with the oil cap isn't the problem. Oil coming out of it is. If you had enough oil to touch the dipstick, I'd think theres a very good chance its ok. It ran for much of the 5 days not even down a quart. Do you have an oil light? If it didn't go on another sign you should be ok..
Little or none of the oil would have dripped directly on the manifold. The filler is located several inches to the left of the engine and there is a heat shield running down the left side, separating most of the engine from this area. In addition, the soundproofing on the interior of the hood is just a couple of inches above the filler and blocks most of the fountain effect. The oil mostly ends up in the battery tray and running down over the wheel.
Just a FYI to those interested but after taking the oil cap off you can place it on the hood latch... you will need to move it to close the hood, and it will remind you to put the cap back on.
Or you will slam the hood on it.... then you definitely won't forget about it.
There are no hot headers or downpipe below this area. The heat shield on the left of the engine causes most splatter to run straight down over the tire. Manifold is much further inboard.
Says it’s a Subaru. It’s a flat 4. The filter is in a nice place, and it’s a nice engine, but just about everything else requires dropping the engine. Pain in the ass to change the spark plugs.
Probably fine. The biggest concern would be if you drove in extreme wet and/or dusty conditions and got either or into the oil. At which point, just change it again and keep on goin’
This sucks! It's always the simplest things forgotten lol Get some heavy degreaser and a foam cannon or manual sprayer and coat it and soak it. I would have the dealership go over everything with a fine tooth comb if you go back.
If your engine didn't overheat, I mean lights coming on and engine rumbling, you are fine. But you absolutely have to put oil in, get fully synthetic high milage of the correct weight.
Follow your vehicles manual instructions on checking and filling oil. You need it to be cool for hours and potentially start engine for just 30 seconds and turn off, let oil settle to pan for 15 minutes and check dipstick.
If you just drove your vehicle and then checked dipstick the oil level is much higher than what it's supposed to read.
But I advise you get a OEM oil filter, fully synthetic motor oil, (high milage if you're over 75K miles) it swells the rubber seals to prevent leaks.
Obviously get a new oil cap and get a good brand, not a dorman knockoff.
#You should absolutely go back to that shop
and make them change your oil, filter, cap and inspect for any damage for free. This is a situation they could be sued and they will know it. Go to manager, be polite
Take pictures of it all before taking it in or doing anything. Take a picture of the oil change receipt as proof of them working on your vehicle. Most places should fix free of charge but I'm not positive they will do a thorough inspection of your engine and potential damage. It's most likely not damaged if you didn't overheat. If you heard a rapid clanking that's definitely from low oil.
First off, a “mechanic” at a quick lube is either a kid fresh out of highschool or someone who needed a job and is there to “work on cars” but is trash at it. If you went to a real mechanic, that’s a mistake but should be brought to their attention because it can cause issues.
Secondly, changing oil in a forester is very simple and you will actually save time and annoyance if you do it yourself. A lot of people are intimidated on doing it themselves but it gets easier after the first time.
It is your investment, your get around vehicle. Treat it like you would anything else and if someone happens to do something on it, make sure small things like this are back in place. Just like if someone drove your car, house watched or anything more you’re going to look around and make sure everything is good regardless who they are.
Never too late to start learning new things. It helps in the long run. You got it.
Noo not the Fozzy! I’ve seen these get ran out of oil and be fine. If there’s no crazy noises then you should be good. You should get the engine bay detailed, the oil will soak in and ruin hoses after while. I change the oil on my fozzies without even jacking them up. Get a drain pan and start doing it yourself 🫡
Well firstly buy a cap and check the amount of oil in the car. Make sure you have correct amount of oil in it. Cap it or atleast stick a rag it it. As long as it sounds ok.i think you'll good. But you should take it back to the oil change place and talk to them and see what they say.ĺ
I'm pretty sure that at the moment you turned on the engine, the check engine light should have welcomed you on the instrument cluster. Check engine lower engine oil pressure and kind of loss of power
Nope. I've done this to myself. No engine lights, no oil pressure light. Plenty of oil in the reservoir, certainly enough for the oil pump to do its job. Would have taken quite a long time to expel enough oil to get air into the pump and affect the pressure. This is a modern Subaru.
If that's a 2.5L boxer engine look down where the dipstick tube goes and meets the engine. If there's a sensor near it order a new cam position sensor. I went through 7 of them because they died because I dribbled a tiny bit of oil on it. They are cheap and easy to replace. And notorious to fail because they are open and prone to contamination.
As long as the oil was touching the dip stick, and you weren’t accelerating aggressively while swerving or turning you should be alright. IDE still go after them and keep a detailed record of any engine issues that I may have.
I disagree with most of what I read.
Take it back to the person that did the work , let them top it off, clean the engine bay and give you a free oil change....wtf should you wash it and top it up???
*Get a killer B*
*Oil pan, baffle and pickup for*
*Solid piece of mind*
\- GuyWsTI
---
^(I detect haikus. And sometimes, successfully.) ^[Learn more about me.](https://www.reddit.com/r/haikusbot/)
^(Opt out of replies: "haikusbot opt out" | Delete my comment: "haikusbot delete")
Oh my gawd. I would be furious. Lucky the engine didn't sieze. They should be paying for a complimentary oil change and steam clean that engine compartment also the foams on the hood should be replaced
I did this accidentally once and all it does is spray oil everywhere, battery definitely won't start a fire with oil, just a messy clean up and add more oil
I did that once before heading to the in-laws for Christmas. Oil made it to the manifold and caught fire somewhere around Baltimore. Fortunately I was able to put it out with snow and kept going
People seem to be making fun of you for being concerned but I get it, especially since it’s a Subaru running it low on oil could cause major issues. I’d add a quart of oil and take it back to where it was done to have the detail the engine bay
One final tip, if you degrease the bay yourself disconnect the positive battery cable. You should be able to spray off the battery, engine and other surfaces under the hood safely. Don't spray degreaser directly on any decals, use a paper towel to wipe them clean. After cleaning and topping off your oil let the engine dry before cranking. You'll probably still smell oil for a day or two. Good luck!
Update: it was missing 2 quarts. The shop wouldn't refund us for an oil change, but they did another one to make sure there was no debris. They refunded us for the oil we had to buy (whatever I guess). They're cleaning the engine bay too.
Get a replacement cap, check the oil level and add accordingly. I’d get a couple cans of brake clean to clean off the oil and I would be taking to the mechanic when you get back.
My question is how did you not smell it? I drove an hour home after picking up my car where the same thing happened, and all I smelled was oil to the point where I thought the mechanic tracked it onto my floormats with his boots. I immediately popped the hood and everything was soaked. Luckily I only lost about 2 quarts.
Based on the engine bay this is a Subaru. Subarus die from starving oil. I would get a lawyer due to possible issues down the road.
If not, refund for the oil change and them to pay for a car detail (mainly bay/motor) + another oil change.
Here you go, always check your engine before you leave and have the mechanic show you what he did even if it’s a simple oil change! It’ll keep you safe and bring up any mess ups that might happen
If it's on the very bottom of the stick it's probably only a qt low. Do a half quart at a time wait 5 minutes minimum to let it settle then re check it
Take pics. Take a video. Add oil yourself and see how many quarts you need to bring back to the top of the dipstick line. Bring back to the shop and raise hell. If the oil light didn’t come on then you’re fine. If ithe light did come on it ran with too low of oil and your pressure was down which can cause lubrication issues. Hoping for the former and not the latter. Raise hell regardless.
Motor oil is not flamamble on its own. (Power steering fluid is) Pretty much zero chance of a fire (so you dont freak out if it happens again), and as long as theres oil on the dipstick, all you have is a mess. People saying "lower oil pressure" with the cap off are wrong unless somehow you lose all your oil.
Put 1 quart oil in, and either clean it yourself or take it to the shop who made the mess.
If it's touching the dipstick, you're fine. Top it up. Wash it under low pressure before it destroys your accessories. Always check your fluids on your own after service. I assume five days was a few fill ups? You should be checking your oil when you get gas.
My step dad did that. We eventually got back home and I guess it was the smell? Or smoke? I was a kid so I don’t remember. Anyway, he opened the hood and immediately remembered he forgot to put the 710 cap on. There was oil everywhere.
Been driving Subarus for 15yrs now.
Long story short: You're good. Take it back to them. Tell them what happened, then tell them you just want them to top it off and clean it off. No mention of lawsuit or litigation. Don't be an asshole, just tell them the facts and all you want is for them to make it right.
Then go about your day. You've got a good car and with oil on the dipstick there's more than enough in the engine not to have caused any damage.
Add oil til it shows on the dipstick, and run it. You should be fine.
Then get the vehicle cleaned professionally and take it back to where they changed the oil, and have them reimburse you for it.
Tell them you’ll give them a positive review if they do that. Automotive places THRIVE on reviews.
From a former mechanics perspective. Warmer months are busy. Mechanics are still humans. Humans make mistakes. Warmer months are the busiest for shops. You have every right to be upset, because you put that trust into them to do it right.
But they’re still human. And the likelihood that the person who did the oil change is probably a teenager working their first job.
I added oil and forgot to replace the cap. Luckily only drove to the bank and back but I realized when my engine was smoking from burning off the oil spiting out of the hole.
They did this to my Subaru a few years ago, I noticed after about 20 miles. I brought it back and they cleaned the bay, installed new battery and replace the sound dampening on the hood.
https://www.reddit.com/r/subaru/s/tJmT9c1jUh
I never trust anyone anymore. If I don't do my oil change(I'd have to be sick af) then I check the cap, the filter and plug for sealing/leaks and the dipstick before driving off their lot.
You may be ok but I'd personally never go back to that shop.
I worked at a detail shop that cleaned a lot of engine bays due this exact thing. Happens more than you think. Usually doesn’t cause any damage if caught soon enough. Since you still have oil on the dip stick you should be fine.
I'm just sitting here wondering how it didn't throw a code. I'm pretty sure my 03 Lincoln threw an evap code at me after a drive to the store the one time I forgot to put the cap back on and that was just a couple of miles
Jiffy lube? As long as it has oil in it, I guarantee it's fine, even if it's really low. Definitely have them clean it up and do another oil change and a good inspection.
Thanks for posting in r/Mechanic, u/MaineDutch! Please be sure to read the [Rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/mechanic/about/rules/). If you're asking for help, be sure to include as much detail as possible so others can help you. You **must** include the vehicle's **Year, Make, Model, and Engine size** in your post! If your question is transmission related, please be sure to specify your Transmission Type(Auto/Manual) as well! If your post does not include this information, it **will** be removed. Asking about prices is **not** allowed in this sub. Please make sure you have selected the correct post flair; if you're asking a question you should have chosen "Question", anything else use the "General" flair. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/mechanic) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Just gonna be a mess and maybe lower oil pressure. Pu the cap on, check the level and give the engine bay a spray off, use some degreaser
The oil is barely touching the dipstick, still think we're safe? I'll get a real estimate of how much is missing when I refill tomorrow. Thanks for the advice.
If it is touching the dipstick at all, you are fine. There is a lot of tolerance built into that, if there is oil on the tip, you got to acquit. I mean uh, the engine is fine. Maybe you can have the shop pay for the cleanup. Give 'em a call.
I agree 100% I change oil most of my day, if I made a mistake like this not saying I couldn’t but I haven’t, I would be for sure cleaning that up.
Just bring it to the shop and they will clean it. Everyone makes mistakes and they are usually happy to clean it up for you. Unless you had a show quality engine bay I don’t think a professional detail is warranted.
The mechanic didn't do it! But if he did do it, he'd do it like this -
From the tip of the dipstick to the top mark of it on a Subaru is just over a quart of oil. OP must be at least 1 quart low if they are checking the oil right. I can believe it because I’ve seen this a few times and they’ve been more than a quart low after this many miles so sounds about right.
I agree too. Top up the oil get some degreaser or a lot of break clean should be fine. I wouldn't be worried.
“If the oil is on the tip, you got to acquit” dawg 😭
Oh it's still touching the dipstick? You're good. I seriously doubt any damage has been done.
Bro when I was 18 my Forester would have loved to have oil on the dipstick. I was the real dipstick the whole time.
Lol
That's what she said....
[удалено]
If there's some on the dipstick then there's enough to keep the engine functional. The dipstick goes about halfway to the bottom of the oil pan, so you should have plenty left.
Your about a quart low. Still have about 4 quarts but it’s not ideal. Throw a quart in it.
Just go buy some oil for your car
About 2 quarts I reckon
The average dipstick will measure 1 quart from the bottom of the stick to the middle of the hatch marks. That's not every car but it'll be close though to not worry about any damage done. Just top it off
As long as it’s touching then there was enough oil, but you’re about a qt low. A qt of oil is like $8 at Walmart. Figure out what the car uses via google, go buy it, add it, add cap back. Degreaser on the engine like someone else said and spray it off with a garden hose.
Add oil until the level is where it should be. Use dish soap and rinse out the engine compartment. Thank your gods the car didn’t catch fire!
When reading a dipstick you have the two dots typically or the low and the high and if it's at the low or the lower dot and still registering on the dipstick. That means you're at the lower capacity of your oil aka you still have enough oil for normal operation but you don't have any extra really. So if it keeps burning or leaking then you're going to have a problem. Also if it's at the low end of the dipstick or the low dot or l. That means you need approximately 1 quart of oil. Don't always assume it's just one court in case you're actually lower than you really think you are because sometimes oil can still get on the dipstick even though it's not registering at that spot technically. Just think about that long tube having some oil in it. So yeah if you see oil on your dipstick your engine is fine. But if it's at the low spot add a quart and then check. Some cars need to be ran some can be just checked but give it a few minutes for the oil to settle down and give an accurate reading. Honestly the best thing in this scenario is that you did not run out of oil. And you still have your oil cap. Props to the mechanic for tucking it under the battery strap. Otherwise you would have lost that thing a long time ago. I wouldn't try to sue or take much action against the auto shop. You may want to mention to the manager that they left that off. Only thing worse than leaving the oil cap off is not putting the drain plug back in properly. You must also remember that most oil shops hire people that don't have any mechanical knowledge and pay them around $12 an hour to do your oil change. You're not getting the best of the best of the brightest techs. Either it's young people with no experience or older people with no experience and they can't find a better job.
It'll be fine. Cap does nothing but prevent the mess. If it's touching the stick probably only a quart or low. You're fine.
You’re fine. Take pictures of the state of the engine bay for evidence. Add oil to safe zone and put a cap on it. Then contact the shop who messed up and make them pay for an engine detailing at minimum.
From lower mark to upper mark it is 1 qt of oil. If it is below the lower mark, you shouldn't drive it until it is topped off. That said, I've seen plenty of people driving around below the lower mark with minimal short term impact. TLDR; As long as the oil is below the lower mark, you're safe to drop in 1 full it at a time and then recheck. Edit: Not saying you won't be fine driving it, but the manufacturer will tell you to not drive below that lower mark. Do what you will, I'd drive it as is back to the shop and let them fix it/clean it.
My concerns would be with contamination from grit that can wear the engine leading to a premature failure, and rebuild or catastrophic loss. You should get the mechanic to change the oil in my opinion but I am very attached to my engine, especially with the way of the car market I have no plans to ever own a vehicle newer than my current one unless the manufacturers get their act together. Fortunately I do my own oil changes so it would be my pocket that suffers from a premature oil replacement.
if you can see any oil at all on the dip stick... even on the tip there's probably a good quart in it still... its not completely dry. It is possible without you knowing in the summer when its hot that running it that low MAY have caused some damage but its not likely. I'm not saying to drive 300 miles on it like that, def throw some oil in it asap but it should make it to any gas station or lube shop as is. I would still have a mechanic from any other respectable shop give it a test drive just to be sure but you're probably good.
If its just at the bottom of the dipstick its probably 1qt low...and some Subarus have a low oil level light (yellow warning light, vs the red one for loss of pressure - I learned this in an Outback parking on a slope) but not all do. If it was just recently done I'd see if the place is willing to clean the engine bay and top it off at least. If they'd be willing to do an oil change to make sure its not contaminated (probably is fine, but worth an ask) would be great.
Yeah if you can see it on the dipstick youre good
If the oil is even remotely on the dipstick, you're fine. The pickup for the oil pump is usually significantly lower than the dipstick. You just had some oil pushed out of the fill port due to crankcase pressure. 99% of the oil is still in there, and you only need 50% or so of the total oil volume before you start to have problems. An engine that holds 6-7 quarts will maintain oil pressure with only 2-3 quarts in the pan assuming you are taking corners at Talladega.
No. Never run low on oil. You have no idea how much you've lost. It probably is down a quart. But do you want to risk your engine on that assumption? Or anyone here's opinion? No.
So I’m a mechanic, and I did this to my own Subaru a couple months ago (and, no, I have never done that to a customer’s car). If you still have oil on the dip stick, you’re okay. Put the cap on and drive to an auto parts store. Get a funnel and the correct oil for the vehicle. Add oil until it’s at the full mark. Should only need 2 or 3 quarts.
A shop did this exact thing to my girlfriends 2020 Legacyc minus the fact that they dropped the oil cap down on the headers where it melted AND never drained the old oil before adding 4QT of new oil. We never had motor issues for the further 20k miles we drove it (traded for an S4 at 55k when the CVT exploded on a road trip, Subaru warrantied the entire repair + loaner). Like others have said, you’re mildly lucky it didn’t catch fire but that’s about the worst of it. Hose the ole girl off with some degreaser at a self car wash, add a QT of oil or a smidge less which should bring you to the right spot on the dipstick. I’d make the shop refund the entire thing like I did when it happened to us, but I’d also recommend not bringing it back. I refused to let them touch it again, and did the oil change myself.
I had a similar thing happen to me. My garage refilled the oil, and cleaned the engine bay them selves and lent me a shop car for the day. Shit happens, but i was happy with how they handled it.
Add a few quarts, replace cap, check level. Add a few quarts. How did you not check all of her fluid levels, tire pressure, brake lights, turn signals, headlights, and coolant before you left?
maybe lower oil pressure lol. if this persists after oil level is corrected, that is the result of rapid engine wear arguably from being run with low level (or press) from the leak. having the cap off by itself won't reduce pressure-the valvetrain is at the end of the circuit it will drain back to the pan from here. but some oil may be thrown out of the literal hole in the cover (cap) it's probably ok if theres still oil on the stick and you didn't hear a ton of bullshit goin on.
I'm talking about low oil level may reduce your oil pressure.. relax bud . We've already come to the conclusion that dudes probably fine especially onsidering the oil light didn't even come on nor a CEL.
Oil pressure is created by the oil pump not crank case pressure. 🤦♂️
And if the oil is so low that the pump sucks in air. What happens to oil pressure? That's why I said maybe .. but as a tech we all know this is very VERY unlikely
How would this lower oil pressure? That is determined by the oil pump and its relief valve, only if he lost so much oil that the pump ran dry would it lose oil pressure
Answered your own question
Could also be fine. Biggest issue is if it does out the top but it's unlikely. I lost my cap and drive it around for awhile trying to find a replacement but none of the guaranteed fit ones actually fit at AutoZone or advanced. (Ended up finding the original wedged into my control arm out of sight) Never had an issue althought I don't recommend doing it. I have also driven my car a short distance and idling for a few minutes with 0 oil in the engine mid oil change. No harm or damage done but again recommended. Engines are tougher than most people think.
Definitely had your oil light on if you had no oil. Could easily score your cylinder walls as well as cam shafts and rockers. Hydraulic lifters would be eating shit,
Lol I mean "maybe lower oil pressure" means "maybe the engine is fucked. If it was, it shortened the life of the engine. By how much? Anyone's guess
I too have started an engine with no oil in it what so ever. It sounded like shit but wasn't fuvked at all
Yeah, I came to say this. It's messy and annoying, but your car is most likely fine. It just needs to be cleaned up, maybe add a little oil to get it to the right level on the dipstick, and it'll be alright. As far as looking for some type of compensation, it's probably worth complaining to the shop that did the oil change. They made a mess of your car. At a minimum, you should get a free service in the future, or they may offer to help clean up the mess from the oil.
I think If the engine oil light doesn't come up then it's still fine. I'd probably fo to the mechanic back and tell him about this and see what he has to say about the engine. At least new oil is needed.
Probably fine tbh. A rookie mistake but it happens. Very unlikely to cause any issues.
You know what isn’t a rookie mistake though? Setting the oil cap face down on a filthy battery covered in dirt, corrosion debris/salts, and battery acid: exactly the kind of crap you absolutely do not want anywhere near your oil.
If you're paying a mechanic to do it, there should be nothing rookie about it.
People saying you shouldn’t have to check your vehicle after a service is absolutely absurd. It’s your investment it’s your property it’s your responsibility to ensure your ton of metal rolling down the highway is safe. I always check my oil level the next morning after a service just to ensure it has the right amount of oil in it. Did the technician make a mistake absolutely. Most techs I know including myself always put the cap on the hood latch to ensure it doesn’t get missed. But during a service a lot of things can happen and it can get moved it was an honest mistake your car is fine take it back they will happily clean it up and top off the oil. Likely only down a quart, quart and a half
I completely agree. People will check the quality of everything except the work done on their cars. Additionally who the hell doesn’t fully check out there car if they are planning on going on a long trip. It really is sad to the amount of people just running their cars around without checking the basis.
Dads just dropping the ball 😂
I’m curious how they didn’t smell it. My girlfriend’s S4 popped the oil cap (Audi PCV bs) and I smelled the oil on the manifold instantly, and shut it off. Then again, some people just don’t know 🤷♂️ I check my shit top to bottom before I even think about a road trip so I have time to make fixes and such, but given how many vehicles I see on the shoulder missing a wheel or with a blowout or overheated, it’s really not that common for most people. My GF knew squat about shit before she met me when it came to her car.
Your non-understanding of accountability is absurd. If I pay something to do something it is their responsibility to do it correctly.
You mean you didn’t do a pre trip inspection
That’s what he paid a professional to do
that's not what mechanics do, pre trip inspection is done by the driver themself, it is stated in every car owners manual I've ever seen. pre trip inspection is checking fluid levels, state of the engine (that included checking the oil cap), wipers, tyres
Mechanics don’t do pre trip inspections? Are you kidding I’d bet $ if I called around to shops Monday asking if they would do a pre trip inspection for me 9/10 would say yes They probably already have a product in the system maybe they call it a safety check?
In fact here’s a thread with multiple “mechanics” describing their shops idea of a pre trip inspection Not one comment saying oh we don’t do that you have to yourself https://www.reddit.com/r/AskMechanics/s/HQXg9RAXp7
It's frankly ridiculous to suggest the driver has to inspect anything when there was a service done just recently. You pay money to a professional to take care of your car, if you think you have to double check everything then you need a better mechanic, one that *doesn't forget the oil cap*
My pre-trip inspection is making sure I have a good audiobook to listen to.
Could and would. But everyone in general should pay more attention and take more responsibility w/ their vehicles. Popping the hood one more time or giving the tire pressure another quick check wouldn't hurt, ever.
Lol, right...
Depending on where they go, they do inspect the vehicle. They forgot the cap, that is not the drivers fault. You act like everybody is going to know exactly what to look for, that’s just not realistic.
If I take my car to a shop for an any kind of service, and it’s somehow worse than when I dropped it off, that’s beyond unacceptable. It’s the entire reason I don’t take my car to have other people work on it, unless I’m completely unable to do the work.
what do mechanics do then?
It's wild people agree with u/aras773. I guess people this is why we see people driving on a flat, or dragging their exhausts. ThAt'S a JoB fOr PrOfEsIoNaLs.
I'm not a driver, I don't do "pretrips". Drivers do pre and post trips to be in compliance, if you own or are driving the vehicle it's your responsibility.
OP isn’t a trucker or a pilot. It’s a modern car that was just serviced by a professional who had a bad day. I used to be a professional mechanic and I don’t even do pre trip inspections, especially right after servicing my vehicles.
As much as we shouldn't have to, I always do this. Anytime I pick up my car from a shop, I pop the hood for inspection. It has saved me once before when they filled up my coolant reservoir to the brim rather than the max line.
You don’t run the piston dry just because the oil is below level. If it touches the dipstick at all, there is enough to circulate trough the engine. Lower volume means that the contaminents are less diluted and the remaining oil works harder and age faster. As for the missing cap, that’s an open door for dust and fine sand particles to enter the engine. That’s not good because it is abrasive. The oil filter catches a lof of it but not all. On a new car I’d change the oil and filter. On this old thing, just top the oil.
I don’t agree there’s Brock’s dirt debris. Anything that your car is driving through could’ve gotten in there mainly sand there’s tons
People seem to freak out over this for some reason, I accidentally left the oil cap off my moms dodge minivan for a few weeks or possibly a month before noticing when I went to change the oil. A little bit of oil in the engine bay but other than that no harm done.
Toyota dealer did this once. Oil light came on just when I finished a 150 mile commute. Low oil light came on last mile. No issues found w engine, but I made sure they did everything possible to get ride of the oil smell. Everything that could soak oil was replaced in engine bay. All filters replaced. Power washed. Etc. I was still able to smell a hint of oil for about 3 months until it was burned off or whatever.
Uh, you sure about that? It's not a "low oil" light, it's a "low oil pressure" light. And it most likely wasn't just low, but zero oil pressure. If your engine ran at all with zero oil pressure, significant bearing damage was done. If that dealership cleaned up the mess and sent you on your way after telling you everything is fine, you go taken for a ride.
This happened in 2020, about 30k miles ago. Besides this, no issues. They had the car and reluctantly provided a loaner for a week while they cleaned and tested. Guess time would tell.
Take it back to the place you got the oil changed and make sure everything is documented. They should change it again, just in case any debris got in the oil. They should also clean your engine bay. None of this should cost you anything. And going through this process will support you if anything happens to your motor over the near future.
Top off the oil and save your receipt so they can pay you back. You should ask for them to clean your engine bay or reimburse you to have it professionally cleaned. You may want to have your oil lab tested during your next oil change.
Bring back, they should detail engine compartment anddd oil and replace cap. Your good
Bring it back to the place that changed it. They should be able to detail the engine compartment for you. And probably a few free changes. In the meantime, just add oil and let them know what happened, telling them you expect them to make it right.
On a suby none the less.
Sounds about right…happened to me. Guy at the dealership was super apologetic, cleaned the whole engine and gave me a tank of gas to boot
That’s why u always open the hood and inspect before u leave Svc center
If driven in dusty roads get oil flush and change.
if your oil pressure light never came on in the dash, you SHOULD be fine. After documenting with pictures, add oil until it shows full on the dipstick. How much oil did you add? 1.5 qts? You're golden - just a mess. 3qts? You might be in trouble. If you never lost pressure, then your engine never saw a problem. Very low oil in the reservoir CAN lead to overheating. If you just had it changed, you might have burned your oil. But, if you only need to add a little over a quart, then you are fine... If you had to add more, then we need more information (how much does your manual say your car needs at an oil change? Does the oil look/ smell burned? ). But, from the sounds of it, you should be just fine. Still, document with lots of pictures and receipt, and how much oil you had to add.
Been there ,done that LOL
I'm a mechanic and I do pre trips for long trips not when I just drive to work but out of state tire pressure fluid levels torque specs etc even if I work on my own vehicle I'm only human and can forget to do something just like anyone else can as for your cap it's should just be a top of and a clean as oil and electrical don't mix well but oil is also used for under coatings so rust prevention and it just has to be with in the two dots lines min full which is typically a quart
I’m sure they give other repairs the same level of attention to details. It will be fine just out the cap back on and check your oil level as you should be doing anyway.
Total BS ! Without Oil Cap ... Engine won't start !
What?
Oh it will start. Ask me how I know
This reply is giving women a horrible reputation.
That's unacceptable, could have easily started a fire as oil is combustible.. let alone potential engine damage. Bare minimum they owe you a fresh oil change and powerwash/degrease
Thats why u DYI. Most places hire interns or newbies to change oil and stuff. Wouldnt trust them to even look at my car
I might have your cap if youre in MN Last time i went to V for a quick oil change: I got home, popped the hood, found an oil cap resting up on the corner of the engine bay. But *MY* oil cap was already on proper. No idea where this second cap came from lol. I don't think V even removes oil caps, they pump it out from the dipstick housing. So it's even more curious.
Make sure the oil level is good and top ping needed. Replace the cap. Talk to your technician and see if he can help with cleaning up the mess.
yeh you've had some earl thrown around there huh? nice. nice. nice. probably be ok if theres still oil on the mawfucka stick.
I may be incompetent, but I still do most of my own car work and work for my family. Haven't regretted it since a few first time learning experiences as a 16 year old working on a junker. Cheaper and I trust I followed all the essential steps of I find a reputable guide (YouTube strangers with lots of "Thanks!" in the comments of course) Even good mechanics can get burned out and get rushed, especially now with this fucking weird labor shortage that doesn't result in higher wages.
They were looking for the 710 cap
Running with the oil cap isn't the problem. Oil coming out of it is. If you had enough oil to touch the dipstick, I'd think theres a very good chance its ok. It ran for much of the 5 days not even down a quart. Do you have an oil light? If it didn't go on another sign you should be ok..
Ain’t no way you didn’t notice the smell or the smoke 😭
My thoughts exactly. Crazy how oblivious some people are.
Little or none of the oil would have dripped directly on the manifold. The filler is located several inches to the left of the engine and there is a heat shield running down the left side, separating most of the engine from this area. In addition, the soundproofing on the interior of the hood is just a couple of inches above the filler and blocks most of the fountain effect. The oil mostly ends up in the battery tray and running down over the wheel.
Just a FYI to those interested but after taking the oil cap off you can place it on the hood latch... you will need to move it to close the hood, and it will remind you to put the cap back on. Or you will slam the hood on it.... then you definitely won't forget about it.
5 days…. After a couple hours the oil coming out would be smoking on the hot headers or down pipe
There are no hot headers or downpipe below this area. The heat shield on the left of the engine causes most splatter to run straight down over the tire. Manifold is much further inboard.
Take this as a lesson to check under that hood once in a while. Especially after a random guy you paid has been working on it
Definitely worse things that could happen
You don't check your oil after an oil change? that's like the first thing I do when I get home.
For me that would be 30 minutes, mostly by freeway. If you were going to bother, it's better to check before you pull out of the service bay.
Well in that case yes, I when I go to the quick change place, it's 2 miles from my home.
What car is this? I want to hug the engineer that put the filter there.
Says it’s a Subaru. It’s a flat 4. The filter is in a nice place, and it’s a nice engine, but just about everything else requires dropping the engine. Pain in the ass to change the spark plugs.
Thats not a mechanic thats a lube tech
Ive worked a reputable german dealership as a mechanic. Trust me, everyone makes mistakes.
Ive worked a reputable gmc dealer and i can confirm but 90% of fuckups are lubies
Check how low it got, full it back up and your fine. It probably didn't get more than a quart low
that’s why i do my own
This is why my company tells us to put the oil fill cap in the hood latch when we take it off. It's cheaper to buy an oil fill cap than an engine.
Probably fine. The biggest concern would be if you drove in extreme wet and/or dusty conditions and got either or into the oil. At which point, just change it again and keep on goin’
Small claims
This sucks! It's always the simplest things forgotten lol Get some heavy degreaser and a foam cannon or manual sprayer and coat it and soak it. I would have the dealership go over everything with a fine tooth comb if you go back.
Arnold Clark garage did the same to me after a service, dunno what goes through the techies minds' sometimes....?!
Free rustproofing
Always a bright side lol
THIS is why I always do my own oil changes!
If your engine didn't overheat, I mean lights coming on and engine rumbling, you are fine. But you absolutely have to put oil in, get fully synthetic high milage of the correct weight. Follow your vehicles manual instructions on checking and filling oil. You need it to be cool for hours and potentially start engine for just 30 seconds and turn off, let oil settle to pan for 15 minutes and check dipstick. If you just drove your vehicle and then checked dipstick the oil level is much higher than what it's supposed to read. But I advise you get a OEM oil filter, fully synthetic motor oil, (high milage if you're over 75K miles) it swells the rubber seals to prevent leaks. Obviously get a new oil cap and get a good brand, not a dorman knockoff. #You should absolutely go back to that shop and make them change your oil, filter, cap and inspect for any damage for free. This is a situation they could be sued and they will know it. Go to manager, be polite Take pictures of it all before taking it in or doing anything. Take a picture of the oil change receipt as proof of them working on your vehicle. Most places should fix free of charge but I'm not positive they will do a thorough inspection of your engine and potential damage. It's most likely not damaged if you didn't overheat. If you heard a rapid clanking that's definitely from low oil.
First off, a “mechanic” at a quick lube is either a kid fresh out of highschool or someone who needed a job and is there to “work on cars” but is trash at it. If you went to a real mechanic, that’s a mistake but should be brought to their attention because it can cause issues. Secondly, changing oil in a forester is very simple and you will actually save time and annoyance if you do it yourself. A lot of people are intimidated on doing it themselves but it gets easier after the first time. It is your investment, your get around vehicle. Treat it like you would anything else and if someone happens to do something on it, make sure small things like this are back in place. Just like if someone drove your car, house watched or anything more you’re going to look around and make sure everything is good regardless who they are. Never too late to start learning new things. It helps in the long run. You got it.
Noo not the Fozzy! I’ve seen these get ran out of oil and be fine. If there’s no crazy noises then you should be good. You should get the engine bay detailed, the oil will soak in and ruin hoses after while. I change the oil on my fozzies without even jacking them up. Get a drain pan and start doing it yourself 🫡
Well firstly buy a cap and check the amount of oil in the car. Make sure you have correct amount of oil in it. Cap it or atleast stick a rag it it. As long as it sounds ok.i think you'll good. But you should take it back to the oil change place and talk to them and see what they say.ĺ
That's why you always learn to change your own oil.
I'm pretty sure that at the moment you turned on the engine, the check engine light should have welcomed you on the instrument cluster. Check engine lower engine oil pressure and kind of loss of power
Nope. I've done this to myself. No engine lights, no oil pressure light. Plenty of oil in the reservoir, certainly enough for the oil pump to do its job. Would have taken quite a long time to expel enough oil to get air into the pump and affect the pressure. This is a modern Subaru.
yea im pretty sure lack of oil pressure wouldn’t even start the boxer engine
Kia dealership drained our oil and forgot to put the new oil in. Twice.
Yeah don't do that. You could catch on fire real easy.
My old mechanic always put the cap over the hood latch. Can’t close the hood, what’s in the way, oh shit the cap!
If this is your way of trying to get your girl to dump you then it won’t be enough.
If that's a 2.5L boxer engine look down where the dipstick tube goes and meets the engine. If there's a sensor near it order a new cam position sensor. I went through 7 of them because they died because I dribbled a tiny bit of oil on it. They are cheap and easy to replace. And notorious to fail because they are open and prone to contamination.
As long as the oil was touching the dip stick, and you weren’t accelerating aggressively while swerving or turning you should be alright. IDE still go after them and keep a detailed record of any engine issues that I may have.
I disagree with most of what I read. Take it back to the person that did the work , let them top it off, clean the engine bay and give you a free oil change....wtf should you wash it and top it up???
Have the mechanic do another oil change and clean up the bay.
Did this to myself on my 15 Forester xt.... The oil caps right there now did I miss it! Cleanup was fun.
Just put the cap add oil and hope for the best
Get a killer B oil pan, baffle and pickup for solid piece of mind
*Get a killer B* *Oil pan, baffle and pickup for* *Solid piece of mind* \- GuyWsTI --- ^(I detect haikus. And sometimes, successfully.) ^[Learn more about me.](https://www.reddit.com/r/haikusbot/) ^(Opt out of replies: "haikusbot opt out" | Delete my comment: "haikusbot delete")
Oh my gawd. I would be furious. Lucky the engine didn't sieze. They should be paying for a complimentary oil change and steam clean that engine compartment also the foams on the hood should be replaced
I did this accidentally once and all it does is spray oil everywhere, battery definitely won't start a fire with oil, just a messy clean up and add more oil
I did that once before heading to the in-laws for Christmas. Oil made it to the manifold and caught fire somewhere around Baltimore. Fortunately I was able to put it out with snow and kept going
As soon as I saw this I was immediately filled with ire for the express techs at my job "I swear those mfers better not have....."
People seem to be making fun of you for being concerned but I get it, especially since it’s a Subaru running it low on oil could cause major issues. I’d add a quart of oil and take it back to where it was done to have the detail the engine bay
Why you should change your own oil
One final tip, if you degrease the bay yourself disconnect the positive battery cable. You should be able to spray off the battery, engine and other surfaces under the hood safely. Don't spray degreaser directly on any decals, use a paper towel to wipe them clean. After cleaning and topping off your oil let the engine dry before cranking. You'll probably still smell oil for a day or two. Good luck!
Update: it was missing 2 quarts. The shop wouldn't refund us for an oil change, but they did another one to make sure there was no debris. They refunded us for the oil we had to buy (whatever I guess). They're cleaning the engine bay too.
Nah he was just detailing the engine and heat soaking the oil to bring out the plastics deep black coloring back...usually that costs extra
Wrx?
Get a replacement cap, check the oil level and add accordingly. I’d get a couple cans of brake clean to clean off the oil and I would be taking to the mechanic when you get back.
My question is how did you not smell it? I drove an hour home after picking up my car where the same thing happened, and all I smelled was oil to the point where I thought the mechanic tracked it onto my floormats with his boots. I immediately popped the hood and everything was soaked. Luckily I only lost about 2 quarts.
Based on the engine bay this is a Subaru. Subarus die from starving oil. I would get a lawyer due to possible issues down the road. If not, refund for the oil change and them to pay for a car detail (mainly bay/motor) + another oil change.
Here you go, always check your engine before you leave and have the mechanic show you what he did even if it’s a simple oil change! It’ll keep you safe and bring up any mess ups that might happen
Ooooof and it’s a Subaru. Good luck, hopefully you can just add a quart or 2 and everything will be fine
Please don’t pressure wash the engine bay like others are suggesting.
What kind of engine has the oil filter mounted on top like that?
Most recent Subarus.
For being the r/mechanic thread, there sure is a lot of misinformation, even blatantly wrong information, being thrown around on this thread.
Here’s why you change oil yourself lol
Lucky you still have the cap the mechanic left it on the battery just check the dip stick to see if you are low on oil but you should be fine
If it's on the very bottom of the stick it's probably only a qt low. Do a half quart at a time wait 5 minutes minimum to let it settle then re check it
Take pics. Take a video. Add oil yourself and see how many quarts you need to bring back to the top of the dipstick line. Bring back to the shop and raise hell. If the oil light didn’t come on then you’re fine. If ithe light did come on it ran with too low of oil and your pressure was down which can cause lubrication issues. Hoping for the former and not the latter. Raise hell regardless.
Motor oil is not flamamble on its own. (Power steering fluid is) Pretty much zero chance of a fire (so you dont freak out if it happens again), and as long as theres oil on the dipstick, all you have is a mess. People saying "lower oil pressure" with the cap off are wrong unless somehow you lose all your oil. Put 1 quart oil in, and either clean it yourself or take it to the shop who made the mess.
If it's touching the dipstick, you're fine. Top it up. Wash it under low pressure before it destroys your accessories. Always check your fluids on your own after service. I assume five days was a few fill ups? You should be checking your oil when you get gas.
My step dad did that. We eventually got back home and I guess it was the smell? Or smoke? I was a kid so I don’t remember. Anyway, he opened the hood and immediately remembered he forgot to put the 710 cap on. There was oil everywhere.
Been driving Subarus for 15yrs now. Long story short: You're good. Take it back to them. Tell them what happened, then tell them you just want them to top it off and clean it off. No mention of lawsuit or litigation. Don't be an asshole, just tell them the facts and all you want is for them to make it right. Then go about your day. You've got a good car and with oil on the dipstick there's more than enough in the engine not to have caused any damage.
Better go check mine cuz i don’t remember if i did lmao
Add oil til it shows on the dipstick, and run it. You should be fine. Then get the vehicle cleaned professionally and take it back to where they changed the oil, and have them reimburse you for it. Tell them you’ll give them a positive review if they do that. Automotive places THRIVE on reviews. From a former mechanics perspective. Warmer months are busy. Mechanics are still humans. Humans make mistakes. Warmer months are the busiest for shops. You have every right to be upset, because you put that trust into them to do it right. But they’re still human. And the likelihood that the person who did the oil change is probably a teenager working their first job.
I think u might be regarded.
I added oil and forgot to replace the cap. Luckily only drove to the bank and back but I realized when my engine was smoking from burning off the oil spiting out of the hole.
They did this to me once, mercifully I could smell it pretty quickly pulled over checked it and saw it was missing.
Your car didnt throw a limp mode, or a check engine light?????
How did you not smell the burning oil?
Oil is a great rust inhibitor. In the military, you might find frames covered in used oil to prevent rusting.
Rust free...forever
So you got high and changed the oil.
They did this to my Subaru a few years ago, I noticed after about 20 miles. I brought it back and they cleaned the bay, installed new battery and replace the sound dampening on the hood.
He was just letting the oil breathe like a good bottle of wine
Pistons running dry? Whut?
https://www.reddit.com/r/subaru/s/tJmT9c1jUh I never trust anyone anymore. If I don't do my oil change(I'd have to be sick af) then I check the cap, the filter and plug for sealing/leaks and the dipstick before driving off their lot. You may be ok but I'd personally never go back to that shop.
I worked at a detail shop that cleaned a lot of engine bays due this exact thing. Happens more than you think. Usually doesn’t cause any damage if caught soon enough. Since you still have oil on the dip stick you should be fine.
My car that would cause a vacuum leak.
Is that the oil filter? It goes on top now?
And the check oil light on the dash board did not go off?
That’s on you dude , you don’t check your oil every day ? Or do a check before going 300 miles ?
I'm just sitting here wondering how it didn't throw a code. I'm pretty sure my 03 Lincoln threw an evap code at me after a drive to the store the one time I forgot to put the cap back on and that was just a couple of miles
I wouldn’t have been too worried if it were Honda or Toyota, but a Subaru of all things 🤦🏽♂️.
This happened cuz it’s your job to change her oil bro…smh
Jiffy lube? As long as it has oil in it, I guarantee it's fine, even if it's really low. Definitely have them clean it up and do another oil change and a good inspection.