Had 1st oil service(5000mi)on '08 Toyota Tacoma at EZ Lube-5w-20w as per book. Engine now sounds noticeably(subtle)noisier,but runs fine.I know they have recently filed for bankruptcy,and fear the worst(wrong or inferior oil). I am a senior motorcyclist/motorhead, and sensitive to all things mechanical, and trust my ears on this one!
What do you think happened? Check oil level is step 1, Does it appear clean? If in doubt what the heck spend 27 bucks and have another change done someplace you know will do it right, just call it a small insurance policy if you have your doubts.
EZ Lube says they use Mobil products, so I would not think the oil is the issue. However, my quick search turned up complaints about leaking and poor quality oil filters causing issues. Since EZ Lube description is “premium oil filter”, exactly whose oil filter they use could be questionable. There are now some extremely cheap knock off, no brand, no name filters on the market, and I am personally wary of them.
I would change the oil filter out with either an OEM or a known quality oil filter, to see if that changes the outcome and do any necessary top off with Mobil 5W20 oil.
I went back to doing my own oil changes after a fifteen year lapse, because I got tired of things not being done right, getting too much or too little new oil, attempts at being upsold for items my car didn’t really need, or someone stripping my oil drain plug because they were apparently too lazy to use the correct wrench or socket. I also didn’t want to give up my car for a whole day to have my trusted mechanic do the work; I can do it at home at my leisure and not lose my car for the day.
If your engine truly has been mechanically damaged by inferior oil (which I doubt) changing to “quality oil” will not repair the damage. I advise using your warranty and having the Dealer check it out,do you want to have to tell the Dealer"it started sounding funny but I kept on driving".You may have a engine concern totally unrelated to your recent oil change.
First step should be checking the oil level. The odds of the oil being low and causing an engine problem are far greater than the odds of having an engine problem caused by using an inferior grade of oil or the wrong weight. Using 10Wwhatever is not going to damage an engine and I’ve never seen an inferior oil other than some recycled motor oil that is sometimes sold at backwoods country stores.
The chances of EZ Lube using this stuff are zero IMHO.
If by some chance the oil level is low and you have suffered some engine damage then go after the oil change facility instead of demanding a warraty repair at the dealer. Warranty will not, and should not, cover someone else’s screwup if this is the case.
Ditto, For Me Too! However, I’ve Always Done My Own For Over 4 Decades!
"I went back to doing my own oil changes after a fifteen year lapse, because I got tired of things not being done right, getting too much or too little new oil, attempts at being upsold for items my car didn’t really need, or someone stripping my oil drain plug because they were apparently too lazy to use the correct wrench or socket. I also didn’t want to give up my car for a whole day to have my trusted mechanic do the work; I can do it at home at my leisure and not lose my car for the day. "
I do all six of our cars. I’m a 40 mile round trip to town and this just makes it all the more convenient. Here’s my routine. I use factory filters, know what size each drain plug is, which filter wrench, oil capacity, etcetera. I line my drain pan by inserting it into a 13 gallon kitchen garbage bag (I even keep a plastic tube to suck the air out and “vacuum wrap” it to the pan and twist-tie it), drive the car onto flat 2 by 12s (so it can’t fall) to get more wiggle room, put a small plastic tarp down in front so I can stay clean, collect and recycle the used oil, and turn the oil drain pan bag inside out while removing it, with filter inside. The money I save pays for the requisite beer, which is my cars’ way of thanking me. While the oil’s draining I check / fill fluids, oil hinges, fill out the glove compartment “ship’s log”, have a beer, and listen to the radio.
I stock oil by the gallon / case, and keep a supply of filters for each make. Oh, I use one paper funnel to fill the engine and then use it to get the used oil back into the bottle(s)and pitch it into the drain pan bag.
Why, oh why, oh why would someone–especially a self-proclaimed motorhead–take a brand new car to a quick lube place? They may not have caused damage to your engine/transmission/differential/brake hydraulic system this time, but sooner or later, your luck is bound to run out if you continue to patronize these places.
Since you state that this particular quick lube place recently filed for bankruptcy, you want to be able to put yourself on the list of creditors to be paid–eventually–at the typical rate of “30 cents on the dollar”.
Take the car to an independent mechanic who was an excellent reputation, have him give you his opinion of the situation with your car, and if his opinion is that damage has been done (by using the wrong oil filter, or the wrong oil, or whatever the case may be), have him put his diagnosis in writing on his business letterhead, keep several copies, and bring/mail the diagnosis to the quick lube place. If there is damage, and if you don’t file a claim promptly with quicky lube, you might not even get “30 cents on the dollar”.
First, keep away from the quick change places. We hear far too many horror stories about them. Some may be fine, but many pay the help little, demand fast changes and that results in a high percentage of errors. Too many live by selling you something you don’t need at inflated prices.
Find a good local mechanic and stick with them for your needs.
Don't go to the quick lube places, even for directions.
You can learn to do it yourself.
In any case, I would first check the oil level, make sure the drain plug is there, not leaking and properly tightened. If you are still worried have someone trustworthy do an oil change and ask them to check for anything that might be making the noise you are hearing. Frankly, other than oil level issues, I doubt if you have a problem.the first answer is probably the simplest. if in doubt… change it again. what if they used the WRONG oil in it??? like an oil for diesels? or put tranny fluid in it???
have the oil changed at a reputable shop. don’t take your car to diffy lube. (or any other quicky lube. they are mostly (put there in respect for the 5% who may be ok) inexperienced, short time employees who don’t have any real knowledge of repairs.
the general knowledge is needed since when under hood, an experienced eye can spot other potential problems as they crop up. a quick lube is only interested in doign ‘their’ promoted flush, change filter, wiper blades and their quick on easy cash items. YOU can do those things yourself. the talent is needed to keep an eye on future repairs/conditions. diffy/ ez/ quick lubes ain’t got that kind of talent.
The truth is “inferior” oil will not make a noise the bulk of the time. Improper grade or spec only under duress(hot engine or cold engine) may make a subtle difference.
I think there is a placebo effect going on. Change it and feel better.
The odds of the oil being low and causing an engine problem are far greater than the odds of having an engine problem caused by using an inferior grade
Or if the oil is too high, it can cause a similar problem.
Low oil we have bearing failure,how does high oil cause bearing failure? High oil I see oil leaks. I guess you could make a case for high oil level being wipped into a foam causing poor lubrication (I have seen many low oil bearing failures,never a high level bearing failure) but oil leakage from high level,yes
I use a Jiffy Lube near my home and have for years. I’ve never had problems. I even have them trained now. They know that I won’t let them do filters (except oil), so they often don’t even bother to show the air filters to me. They have a board that shows ASE certification for all their employees. This implies that the employees have been there a while, and I do recognize several of them as long-term employees. Jiffy Lube and the other quick lube places are a good place for someone to start and learn a little bit before moving to a garage or dealer service shop. To me, it’s more the manager than the employees that determine how well the shop performs. There are good and bad repair shops just as there are good and bad quick lube shops.
“To me, it’s more the manager than the employees that determine how well the shop performs.”
Or, it could be both. A couple of years ago, some very alert police in my town decided to investigate an occupied car that was parked in back of the local Jiffy Lube after it had closed for the night.
What did they find in the car? The MANAGER and one of the employees were snorting coke and in possession of a fairly substantial quantity of the nose candy. Try as they might, dirt bags just can’t help showing their true nature.
Gee, maybe I should stop going to a shop that provides the service I need and does it well because of this story. I think I’ll still go there. Your story is not the least bit compelling to me.
What is still puzzling me is not knowing if the oil level is at the FULL mark or not.
Checking the oil level should be step No. 1 even for someone who is not a motorcyclist/motorhead.
you rarely see comments to posts like this when you take a car to a dealership or a qualified local mechanic…
I don’t think the issue is that all quick lube facilities are bad and that taking your vehicle there means instant death.
It’s only that the odds of something going wrong goes way up due to the business model; which is based on speed. Add in the fact that many of the employees are young and really may not have much mechanical aptitude and it’s a miracle that problems do not surface even more often than they do.
Speed will promote mistakes no matter if the job is automotive related, building houses (I can relate some real stories about that), or stepping up the speed on an assembly line at the factory.
It is also very rare to see a post like this from someone who believes himself to be a motorhead. The post should have stated something along the lines of “I have verified that the oil level is correct, and I am concerned about noise from the engine”.
We don’t even know whether the OP checked his oil before posting–or after for that matter. Two days later, it would be nice if he would return to react to some of the advice that he has been given.
Back To The Mouth Wash