Crush washer - 2006 Nissan Altima

I’ve been doing my own oil changer over 50 years. Never had an oil leak because of the washer on the drain plug. Now on '06 Nissan that I have, uses a ‘crush washer’ that leaks. Never heard of crush washer before this. Why not use a regular flat washer?

Did you use a new one ? They are one time use items.

get to your local dealer and buy a pack of them

https://parts.nissanusa.com/nissanparts/index.cfm?action=replacement&siteid=14&jointvehid=11913&groupid=A&sectionid=110&partcode=11128A

my dealer sells them for $0.20 a piece, I buy 10-pack at a time

it is no point in reusing crush washers

I’ve been doing my own oil changes for years and never come across a crush washer (on a drain plug) until I changed the trans fluid recently in my wife’s 2013 Toyota. The drain plug had an aluminum crush washer. I didn’t replace it and of course it leaked. I put a fiber washer on it, couldn’t find the right size aluminum crush washer locally. It’s fine now.

As for why some manufacturers use a crush washer rather than a drain plug with a rubber or nylon gasket on it, I have no idea.

My 09 Kia Sedona uses a crush washer on the oil drain plug. It is very soft aluminum and comes packaged in with my oil filter. I always open the box at the parts store to be sure it’s in there. Haven’t had a leak yet.