An oil change for a GMC Sierra took a turn when the owner’s local dealership gave them a quote of $1,600 because of a damaged drain plug, leaving oil spots on the driveway.
On Oct. 22, the owner shared their experience on the r/askcarguys subreddit and explained that they bought the 2014 GMC Sierra new from the dealership and continued to use the same location for all maintenance work on the truck.
The truck has around 114,000 miles on it and was brought into the dealership for a routine oil change, but things took an expensive turn after the oil change was finished.
According to the owner, a service representative at the dealership told them afterward that the oil pan’s drain plug had been stripped during the oil change and that it happened because of the vehicle’s age.
An Unexpected Quote
Dealership stripped the threads on my oil pan drain plug. Now they’re saying it will cost $1600 to replace. Should they fix it for free?
by
u/Aloha904 in
askcarguys
The owner received an invoice for the repair, which described the problem as worn-out threads on the oil pan. The dealership installed a larger plug as a temporary fix and noted that the vehicle needed attention as soon as possible, according to the owner.
But the next morning, the owner noticed oil spots on their driveway beneath the truck and contacted the dealership. They then gave the owner a quote of $1,600 for the replacement, including parts and labor. It would also take a few days for the new oil pan to be delivered before the work could be done.
Surprised by the estimate, the owner asked to speak with a service manager but was told the manager was unavailable.
Who Should Pay for the Repair?
The owner then questioned whether or not the dealership should cover the replacement, arguing that the drain plug was probably damaged during the oil change and that the dealership was responsible for it.
They went on to say that the truck had been serviced at that dealership throughout its whole life and had gotten its previous oil change around seven months prior. The owner wondered if any existing problems with the drain plug would have been identified during the previous visit.
But the owner wanted feedback before contacting the dealership because they thought their reasoning might be flawed and wanted more input before making an official decision.
Users Debate Responsibility
Comments on the Reddit post were divided on who should be responsible for the repair, with some arguing that the dealership should cover it if a technician caused the damage.
One commenter argued that the dealership should cover the repair for free since it had been servicing the truck its entire life, stating that it is not normal for an oil pan to strip after only 10 years.
Another commenter’s suggestion was for the owner to stop taking their “beater” to a dealership and find a local shop. They went on to say that replacing an oil pan only takes about three hours and $100 in parts.
In an edit to the post, the owner expressed gratitude for the helpful comments, explaining that they wanted to gauge whether their expectations were reasonable before approaching the dealership. No other update has been made to the post as of this writing.