Are all dealers overfilling engine oil?

[19RCSB]

I've always changed my own oil. I think I might of had someone else do it once in the last 45 years. I kind of enjoy doing it. It's one of the few maintenance things I can still do on these modern vehicles.

Last year I received two free oil changes for my Ram Classic because of a dealer screw-up when I went in for a recall. But that's another story. A couple months later I figured I'll take it in and get the first free oil change. They can't screw up an oil change, right?

Wrong. The next day after the oil change I checked the dipstick and it was way high. I crawled under the truck with my wrench and a pan. Couldn't budge the oil drain plug. So I tried my portable battery powered impact driver. It still wouldn't budge. I finally got it off with my big impact driver. I ended up draining almost two quarts to get it where it should be.

Fast forward to last week. I bought a new Lexus last year and it came with two free oil changes. I'm thinking I'll take it in and they surely know how to do an oil change at the Lexus dealership. They're the best, right?

Wrong again. This time it was about 1.5 quarts over filled.

So what's up with dealers and oil? I don't get it. Do they do this on purpose or are they just lazy? Maybe they figure nobody ever checks their oil and if it burns a quart or two before the next oil change it's still good. I've got two more dealer oil changes coming, one Ram and one Lexus. Not sure if I even want to go back to either place.

Tom

 

[Treburkulosis]

My wife’s Pacifica has free oil changes, so the 3.6 goes implosion is on them. They screw something up they are responsible for something they did.

 

[GIJoe2010]

My wife’s Pacifica has free oil changes, so the 3.6 goes implosion is on them. They screw something up they are responsible for something they did.

That may be true, but I’m sure they’ll find a loophole somewhere (too much wiper fluid, coolant not perfectly full, not using OEM tires, etc) and screw you over, or the case will be in litigation so long you’ll probably give up.

 

[Simpleman]

I was given free oil changes from the stealership F THAT. I do my oil changes and everything else I dont trust any of these hacks today

 

[stevenram]

Yeah same story with my dealership. Overfilled last oil change, took it back to the dealer they drained the oil and refilled to proper level. Service manager said he would make a call to have their oil pump recalibrated, I’ll give them one more chance because at 71 yrs old and a bad back I really don’t want to be crawling under my truck

 

[EdGs]

A coworker of mine had a 2000 ish Nissan frontier pickup with the 4 cylinder and asked me to check her oil since dealer changed it and she thought it was not right.

Dealer overfilled it by almost 1-1/2 qts. I drained it off to the right level, and gave her the container with the excess in it. She went back to dealer and chewed out the service manager. I think they refunded her money and gave her a free next couple of changes, too.

IMO people do make mistakes, but there is NO excuse for something like that.

I tell everyone I know to recheck their levels when getting oil changes, etc. before leaving the premises. Will do my own changes as long as I am able to.

 

[crash68]

better over-filled than not enough. Read about a dealership shorting an EcoDiesel Ram by about 2.5 quarts. When the service manager was questioned about why the oil level was left short, he stated that's the capacity listed in the book. Sadly that's the capacity for the Grand Cherokee EcoD. This was a Canadian dealership. You have to wonder if they even checked the level and if so why the oil level barely showed on the dipstick.

 

[EdGs]

.......Service manager said he would make a call to have their oil pump recalibrated, I’ll give them one more chance because at 71 yrs old and a bad back I really don’t want to be crawling under my truck

Guess it's too much trouble for the person doing the change to pull the dipstick and actually 'check' the oil level? Wow. Hard to understand how it happens on one of the easiest, most basic of services.

 

[GTyankee]

I think the Techs trust the automatic shut off too much, if they ever even check the setting between vehicle oil changes

 

[Hookedup87]

I was given a free three year service plan by FCA as compensation for an issue I had with my 2018 Ram 1500. It included oil changes and tire rotations. 2 of each per year. So 6 and 6. I have yet to take advantage of the oil changes, and don’t plan too. Don’t trust them. Heard too many horror stories. Too much oil, not enough oil, NO oil, drain plugs not put back, drain plugs put back on so tight you need a breaker bar to get them off again. No thanks. I do let them rotate the tires though. I have a very short drive back to my house and then I check the lug nuts myself. So sad.

 

[tidefan1967]

7 quarts is higher than the mark on the dipstick for the Hemi to start with so don't sweat it unless its significantly above the mark. A little extra oil won't hurt it a bit. There are many well respected members on here than run 1/2 to a full quart extra without any issues.

 

[co-pilot]

My truck came w/a year of free oil changes.........I wasn't gonna use but I had to take it in for a recall & decided to let them do the first oil change on it.......when I got home i had oil all over the bottom of my truck!....
the oil filter was loose & leaking..... I didn't call or go back and complain just so they would offer me more ****** work for free.... I blame myself for trusting them in the first place

 

[Tach_tech]

Yes, it’s part of training at a dealer to overfill the oil.

You have to remember the people doing oil changes at a dealer are almost always the young kids with not a bunch of experience. They’re always being rushed to get things out faster and faster and quality suffers. Not saying it’s ok by any means but that’s usually why mistakes tend to happen on oil changes in the dealer world.

That being said. Are you checking the oil with the truck on a level surface?

 

[19RCSB]

That being said. Are you checking the oil with the truck on a level surface?

Yes, level surface, and I let the truck sit for a while to let the oil drain into the pan before checking it.

 

[indept]

Yes, it’s part of training at a dealer to overfill the oil.

You have to remember the people doing oil changes at a dealer are almost always the young kids with not a bunch of experience. They’re always being rushed to get things out faster and faster and quality suffers. Not saying it’s ok by any means but that’s usually why mistakes tend to happen on oil changes in the dealer world.

That being said. Are you checking the oil with the truck on a level surface?

I heard they're also the ones that work on major engine repairs on the trucks that have Lifetime Extended Warranties.

 

[RamCares]

My truck came w/a year of free oil changes.........I wasn't gonna use but I had to take it in for a recall & decided to let them do the first oil change on it.......when I got home i had oil all over the bottom of my truck!....
the oil filter was loose & leaking..... I didn't call or go back and complain just so they would offer me more ****** work for free.... I blame myself for trusting them in the first place

We're sorry to hear about this experience @co-pilot! Definitely is a frustrating situation. We understand if you wish to continue discussing this matter with the rest of the forum community, but if you decide to work with a dealer in terms of repairs please let our team know via private message. We would love to assist and offer additional support.

Hannah
Ram Cares

 

[tap4154]

My truck came w/a year of free oil changes.........I wasn't gonna use but I had to take it in for a recall & decided to let them do the first oil change on it.......when I got home i had oil all over the bottom of my truck!....
the oil filter was loose & leaking..... I didn't call or go back and complain just so they would offer me more ****** work for free.... I blame myself for trusting them in the first place

When I bought my truck, I wanted to have the dealer do the first oil change, but the dealer I bought it at gave me nothing but attitude when I kept trying to set up an appointment. So I went to another dealership, that's actually closer, and they did a good job and had much better customer relations, but ever since then I change it myself.

If I had physical issues that limited me from doing oil changes, I would take it to a local trusted mechanic, not the dealer.

 

[brilliantnick]

If I had physical issues that limited me from doing oil changes, I would take it to a local trusted mechanic, not the dealer.

Trusted needing to be the key word there, I brought my old car to a local mechanic to have oil change. Instead of an OEM oil filter they put in a Napa, and/or they put in non-synthetic in a engine that's needs synthetic.
I don't know but either case after I brought it from that oil change the engine sounded and felt funny and it took forever to warm up. I'm thinking Napa is a better oil filter versus the OEM since OEM looks basically like a fram filter rebranded however they've also added in a bypass that was either higher or lower PSI... I don't remember which, but allowed oil to bypass the filter when cold.

Anyway ever since then it has been OEM oil filters with my choice of oil and DIY

 

[thos hargrove]

I had a friend/client who took his Audi to a dealership for service. The tech drained the transmission fluid, and replaced it with engine oil, and put trans fluid in the motor. So the problem exists in dealerships of many brands. I'm not sure how they were able to back the car out of the bay, or then pull it up to the door, but the trans failed as he was leaving the dealership driveway.

 

[97RedRam]

I have a 97 1500 4x4 with the 5.9 magnum engine. The owners manual states that it requires 5 quarts with filter change. I put in 5 quarts after first change and it checked fine immediately after changing and it was up to full mark. However if I wait for about an hour or two and check the oil it is between a 1/2 to a quart overfilled. I can only figure that there is oil in the upper engine/heads etc and when I wait it all drains back into the pan. I now only put in about 4 1/2 quarts and it always reads full on level ground. I have noticed that the filter that came on the truck new was a long filter. Now the filters are the small or shorter filter. By the way I never let anyone else change the oil in my truck even if it is free. Sometime that free can cost you!