Funny Service Mishaps
Thread Starter
New Member
Joined: 01-28-2008
Posts: 29
From: New Mexico
Funny Service Mishaps
Hi everyone!
I recently had a funny, yet painful accident happen to my car at the local Chevy dealership while I was in for an oil change. I brought it in and stood at a distance while they did the service on my HHR. After he lowered it off the lift, pumped it full of oil, and shut the hood, he started it up to pull it out of the bay. As he was backing up and pulling forward, there was a large amount of oil pouring from underneath the car. I yelled at him to shut it off as I ran over there to tell him he turned my car into a fountain of oil. It seems he neglected to tighten the cap on the top of the housing where the oil filter goes, and it blew it off when he started the car and it began to circulate the oil. I then had to sit there for another hour as they cleaned the entire inside of my engine, and re-did the whole oil change. And, after all that, I STILL HAD TO PAY FULL PRICE!!!!!!!!
anywho, I was interested to have other people tell about their funny stuff that has happened while in for service.
I recently had a funny, yet painful accident happen to my car at the local Chevy dealership while I was in for an oil change. I brought it in and stood at a distance while they did the service on my HHR. After he lowered it off the lift, pumped it full of oil, and shut the hood, he started it up to pull it out of the bay. As he was backing up and pulling forward, there was a large amount of oil pouring from underneath the car. I yelled at him to shut it off as I ran over there to tell him he turned my car into a fountain of oil. It seems he neglected to tighten the cap on the top of the housing where the oil filter goes, and it blew it off when he started the car and it began to circulate the oil. I then had to sit there for another hour as they cleaned the entire inside of my engine, and re-did the whole oil change. And, after all that, I STILL HAD TO PAY FULL PRICE!!!!!!!!
anywho, I was interested to have other people tell about their funny stuff that has happened while in for service.
Senior Member
Joined: 03-06-2010
Posts: 6,869
From: Ohio
I would have had something to say about paying for anything if that happened to me..... I'd also find another dealer and make it clear that I was going to do so.......
At least it wasn't just a hair tighter so that happened on the way home......
At least it wasn't just a hair tighter so that happened on the way home......
Senior Member
Joined: 06-17-2006
Posts: 578
From: Bardstown, Kentucky
By funny do you mean like the time my local Chevy dealer had Hharry for 3 days for warranty repairs (had me in an old Cavalier rental) and then couldn't find my keys when I arrived to pick it up? Now that was funny! And when I had to go home and get my other key/fob so they could match/reprogram to the new one (that they charged back to GM as a warranty repair BTW), that was hilarious! And when I finally got him back 2 days later with a greasy seat and palmprint on the headliner I was laughing so hard there were tears rolling down my face!!
Actually, the only part of this that was even remotely funny was getting a call from the dealer Service Dept. (after I responded to GMs dealer evaluation query) wanting me to bring Hharry back so they could "clean him up & make me happy".... 
06gray2ltHHR, I admire your inner peace in the face of adversity!!!
Actually, the only part of this that was even remotely funny was getting a call from the dealer Service Dept. (after I responded to GMs dealer evaluation query) wanting me to bring Hharry back so they could "clean him up & make me happy".... 06gray2ltHHR, I admire your inner peace in the face of adversity!!!
Senior Member
Joined: 02-26-2010
Posts: 109
From: San Mateo, CA
The dealer just replaced my deteriorating rear bow tie. They installed the new "tie" so crooked the tech must have been drunk. I called the service advisor out and said, "I know this isn't a $50k Vette but, come on." He shook his head, appologized and ordered a new one. I'll see how that installation goes next week.
New Member
Joined: 06-25-2010
Posts: 20
From: Norfolk, VA
My last GM car was a Saturn SC2 fully stacked with all the extras.
I brought in once to have the engine mounts replaced, and upon
leaving the dealership heard horrible vibrations every time I tried to
turn left.
Went straight back to the dealership and found out they had forgotten
to tighten the mounts on one side of the engine. Oh, yeah, Hilarious!
I brought in once to have the engine mounts replaced, and upon
leaving the dealership heard horrible vibrations every time I tried to
turn left.
Went straight back to the dealership and found out they had forgotten
to tighten the mounts on one side of the engine. Oh, yeah, Hilarious!
Platinum Member
Joined: 04-09-2006
Posts: 7,043
From: Vancouver, BC, Canada
Years ago I had a Toyota Tercel 4wd wagon that had a bad 2nd gear syncro from day one. So I dropped it off for a warranty repair and picked it up a couple of days later. Then the problems started - I quickly found out that it would not stay in 5th gear (the lever would drop back to neutral as soon as you got back on what little power the car had) - back to the dealership the next day - booked another appointment where they tore the tranny down to replace the circlip they forgot to install.
I get the car back - and a couple of days later find transmission oil on the driveway - both tranny drainplugs were loose, and one was just hanging on by a couple of threads. Tightened them up myself and headed back to the dealer - please drain and measure and refill please. Of course they just added more oil. Maybe I should have spoken slower for them. 
All good? no way - a couple of days later I pull up to a light, and as I slow down there is a hellous clanking under the car - so just drove it clanging and banging back to the dealer. They put it up on the lift - the transmission crossmenber is now hanging by a single bolt!!! They installed new bolts - mumbled an appology and the view of the dealership in my rearview was the last I laid eyes on them.
4 trips to the dealer was not funny at the time, but I can laugh about it now - well sort of.
I get the car back - and a couple of days later find transmission oil on the driveway - both tranny drainplugs were loose, and one was just hanging on by a couple of threads. Tightened them up myself and headed back to the dealer - please drain and measure and refill please. Of course they just added more oil
. Maybe I should have spoken slower for them. All good? no way - a couple of days later I pull up to a light, and as I slow down there is a hellous clanking under the car - so just drove it clanging and banging back to the dealer. They put it up on the lift - the transmission crossmenber is now hanging by a single bolt!!! They installed new bolts - mumbled an appology and the view of the dealership in my rearview was the last I laid eyes on them.
4 trips to the dealer was not funny at the time, but I can laugh about it now - well sort of.