Rusted Oil Pan Dealer Wont Replace

[Dusty]

Rusted engine oil pans are quite common around here. I had to replace one on my daughters Hyundai a few years back and my neighbor had one leaking due to rust-through on a Chevy Cruise. In fact, I took her up to the Chevy dealer this past winter to get her car out of service and I noticed a new oil pan sitting on the parts counter ready for installation.

A pan hasn't 'failed' unless it's leaking which would explain why they are not replacing it. It is probably a part that goes back for inspection and reimbursement from the component manufacturer. If it isn't leaking, it's not defective.

Dealers are allocated X-dollars for discretionary warranty coverage which the dealers warranty manager will use for good will cases. That is usually based on the quality of the relationship between the dealer and the customer, or if the service manager believes it will benefit future business from you.

Keep in mind most engine oil pans nowadays are laminated, meaning there is sound deadening material wedged between an inner and outer pan. There's a possibility that despite the amount of rust on the outside, it may never leak.

Best regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33 gallon fuel tank, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Build date: 17 July 2018. Now at: 033674 miles.

 

[tomb]

Had a Gran Prix oil pan rust out within 3 yrs.
Dakota trans pan rusted out within 3 yrs.
It isn't unheard of.

Warranty won't cover it until it leaks - it isn't a failed part, yet. To replace it now is preventative maintenance and that's not how warranties work.

Now if you can get a very very small hole to start leaking oil, well then it is a failed part.

Yup!--if hasnt failed yet it is still functional. Same with rust warranty--must go all the way through the panel (surface rust doesnt count unless its almost new truck.
make sure it starts leaking before the warranty runs out!!

 

[Daddyhas2boys]

So let's see...you develop a miniscule hole while driving to work, you go to leave work and well there's a nice sized puddle of oil you didnt see, you go to drive home from work, and well you are now out of oil and your crank shaft is locked up...now instead if a 300.00 part its a 6000.00 engine...great choice! I personally have had nothing but great things to say about my local dodge dealership, they are absolutely fantastic(Cronin dodge lebanon, ohio)but I've heard a lot of horror stories about others...

 

[mtofell]

If the truck moves and isn't on fire there is no problem as far as FCA is concerned.

 

[quickster2]

Wire brush it to see the extent of the damage. Spray bedliner, undercoating, Fluid Film, etc., on it and wash your undercarriage after winter. In parallel, put your concerns in writing to FCA with pictures and see what they say.

 

[Super G]

Wire brush it to see the extent of the damage. Spray bedliner, undercoating, Fluid Film, etc., on it and wash your undercarriage after winter. In parallel, put your concerns in writing to FCA with pictures and see what they say.

 

[Jeepwalker]

I bought my snow plow Jeep, cheap due to the cost for the PO to replace the oil pan.

What I ended up doing was draining all the oil out of the oil pan and let it sit for 2 weeks so the oil would drain down to the bottom as much as possible (was really busy at work anyway). Then I hit the small rust area (~2" diam) with a brand new 3M 36 grit sanding disk on an air grinder. A brand new 36 grit disk makes some nice deep uniform grooves in metal, perfect for epoxy to 'bite' into. I could see like 2 places specifically where the oil had been seeping through rust areas.

I sprayed the area with solvent, wiped it off and immediately applied a coat of JB weld over the area. After it set up a little ...but before it cured, I applied another application. A few days I applied grease over the bare steel around the repair area. After about a month later I applied grease over the whole repair. Periodically I re-grease so it doesn't rust into and under the repair area.

That was 13 years ago! Hasn't leaked a drop since. It was meant to be a short term patch to get me through the winter, I planned to remove and weld up the oil pan in the spring when work eased up a bit. I check it every couple years. I'm running synthetic oil.

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[gofishn]

I bought my snow plow Jeep, cheap due to the cost for the PO to replace the oil pan.

What I ended up doing was draining all the oil out of the oil pan and let it sit for 2 weeks so the oil would drain down to the bottom as much as possible (was really busy at work anyway). Then I hit the small rust area (~2" diam) with a brand new 3M 36 grit sanding disk on an air grinder. A brand new 36 grit disk makes some nice deep uniform grooves in metal, perfect for epoxy to 'bite' into. I could see like 2 places specifically where the oil had been seeping through rust areas.

I sprayed the area with solvent, wiped it off and immediately applied a coat of JB weld over the area. After it set up a little ...but before it cured, I applied another application. A few days I applied grease over the bare steel around the repair area. After about a month later I applied grease over the whole repair. Periodically I re-grease so it doesn't rust into and under the repair area.

That was 13 years ago! Hasn't leaked a drop since. It was meant to be a short term patch to get me through the winter, I planned to remove and weld up the oil pan in the spring when work eased up a bit. I check it every couple years. I'm running synthetic oil.

.

LOVE ME some JB Weld.

600 miles, from home?
Radiator leaking, on a Renault?
Nearest replacement is 400 miles away?

JB Weld.

Galvanic corrosion, due to stray electrical current, on an aluminum boat?
Marine JB Weld.

Stuff is like Duct Tape, for Folks-who-do stuff