# My engine seized **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [November 28, 2019, 2:40am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-engine-seized/153665 "2019-11-28T02:40:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Maggie\_Love](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@Maggie\_Love](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Maggie_Love)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2019, 2:40am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-engine-seized/153665/1 "2019-11-28T02:40:28Z")
I have a Toyota Camry 2004 with 21100 miles so I went to jiffy lub to get a oil change on Sunday on Tuesday morning my oil flitter was off and no oil my car stop running my engine is seized what should I do is this there fault because there telling me there gonna have there insurance check it out what should I expect was this my fault or theirs ---
**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2019, 2:42am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-engine-seized/153665/2 "2019-11-28T02:42:41Z")
So the oil filter fell off and caused engine failure? ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_Love](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@Maggie\_Love](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Maggie_Love)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2019, 2:43am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-engine-seized/153665/3 "2019-11-28T02:43:49Z")
Got the oil change on Sunday around 11 am it fall off Tuesday 8am ---
**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2019, 2:44am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-engine-seized/153665/4 "2019-11-28T02:44:44Z")
I would hope at least a rebuilt engine. ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_Love](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@Maggie\_Love](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Maggie_Love)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2019, 2:45am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-engine-seized/153665/5 "2019-11-28T02:45:26Z")
How much does the average rebuilding of the engine cost ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2019, 3:03am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-engine-seized/153665/6 "2019-11-28T03:03:28Z")
Probably gonna cost $5-$7K to rebuild the engine. A better alternative might be to install a used engine from a wrecked Camry. Not much chance of finding a used 2004 Camry engine w/21K miles on it though. I expect the lube shop’s insurance company will hem and haw but will eventually will handle this for you. FWIW, the recommendation here when having your car’s engine oil and filter replaced, before leaving the shop check the engine oil dipstick and look for sign of oil leaks under the car. Do the same thing when you get home, and once again the next morning. In this case it might not have caught the problem though, if the oil filter fell off 2-3 days later. It would have caught it if they lube shop forgot to install the oil filter though. I’m a driveway diy’er and have always changed my own oil and filter. I’ve made miscues during the process sometimes, like forgetting to install the oil drain plug. When that happens I pour the new oil in, and it all goes out onto the ground under the car … lol … I’ve never run the engine with low oil despite my mistakes b/c I always do the “after an oil change” procedure described above. ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_Love](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@Maggie\_Love](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Maggie_Love)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2019, 3:08am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-engine-seized/153665/7 "2019-11-28T03:08:54Z")
So you you think they will end up just giving me the book value of my car ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2019, 3:20am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-engine-seized/153665/8 "2019-11-28T03:20:25Z")
No idea what their response will be. But that’s certainly one possible response. i.e. treat it like the car was in an accident and totaled. ---
**Author:** ![old\_mopar\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/6bbea6/32.png) [@old\_mopar\_guy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/old_mopar_guy)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2019, 3:22am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-engine-seized/153665/9 "2019-11-28T03:22:24Z")
Their insurance company will likely not do it voluntarily, you’d be better off with a lawyer to write a demand letter to them. The lawyers fee would be 1/3 of what he or she gets for you, but would you rather have 2/3 of something or 100% of nothing? ---
**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2019, 4:23am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-engine-seized/153665/10 "2019-11-28T04:23:28Z")
It was their fault the oil filter came off. Didn’t you see the oil pressure light come on. If you shut off the engine immediately you might have saved it, or maybe not. You don’t deserve a rebuilt engine. At 211000 miles yours was well used. If they offer a used engine, I would jump at it. Jiffy Lube put a used transmission in my daughter’s car when the filled her automatic transmission with manual gear oil. They tried flushing her transmission twice to no avail first. ---
**Author:** ![TwinTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8baadc/32.png) [@TwinTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TwinTurbo)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2019, 4:31am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-engine-seized/153665/11 "2019-11-28T04:31:19Z")
> [@old\_mopar\_guy](#): > > you’d be better off with a lawyer to write a demand letter to them. The lawyers fee would be 1/3 of what he or she gets for you, but would you rather have 2/3 of something or 100% of nothing? That sounds more like the fee for a personal injury lawsuit. Crafting a demand letter is paid by the hour. I’ve paid around $200 for this service in the past. ---
**Author:** ![old\_mopar\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/6bbea6/32.png) [@old\_mopar\_guy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/old_mopar_guy)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2019, 4:48am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-engine-seized/153665/12 "2019-11-28T04:48:32Z")
You may have, but my wife takes property damage cases on a contingency basis for those who can’t pay legal fees upfront. ---
**Author:** ![galant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/77aa72/32.png) [@galant](https://community.cartalk.com/u/galant)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2019, 5:00am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-engine-seized/153665/13 "2019-11-28T05:00:52Z")
Is the mileage really 21 K miles or 210 K miles? On a 2004, they might just write the car off and pay you the book value. I will try and argue that you need to be able to replace the car with an equal car if it only has 21000 miles. If it is 211000 miles, then I think it might be more difficult. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2019, 5:50am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-engine-seized/153665/14 "2019-11-28T05:50:50Z")
> [@George\_San\_Jose1](#): > > I’ve made miscues during the process sometimes, like forgetting to install the oil drain plug. When that happens I pour the new oil in, and it all goes out onto the ground under the car … lo How long did it take for the spot on your concrete driveway to fade . . . years? ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_Love](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@Maggie\_Love](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Maggie_Love)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2019, 12:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-engine-seized/153665/15 "2019-11-28T12:23:28Z")
Well I was getting on the high way and slipped on the oil and black ice well not sure if it was oil but that’s my guess I drove for like 4 mins light came on my car made a loud noise and shut off in the middle of the highway so I didn’t see no oil and the light came on for about two seconds before the car shut off ---
**Author:** ![TwinTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8baadc/32.png) [@TwinTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TwinTurbo)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2019, 1:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-engine-seized/153665/16 "2019-11-28T13:55:55Z")
Well, you’d have to be pretty desperate to take that deal. Who would choose even paying $500 for a generic demand letter over 1/3 cost of a new engine? Not to mention, if your wife siphons off a third, someone has to come up with the difference to pay for the engine job. Even more uphill to initially demand they also pay thousands in lawyer fees to settle. I bet most settle immediately and instead of a low fee for the initial threat letter it’s a windfall in fees. Makes no sense to me but apparently it works for your wife. ---
**Author:** ![bcohen2010](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@bcohen2010](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bcohen2010)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2019, 4:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-engine-seized/153665/17 "2019-11-28T16:01:25Z")
> [@galant](#): > > Is the mileage really 21 K miles or 210 K miles? > On a 2004, they might just write the car off and pay you the book value. I will try and argue that you need to be able to replace the car with an equal car if it only has 21000 miles. If it is 211000 miles, then I think it might be more difficult. Even if the mileage was 300K, if the lube technician’s negligence caused the engine’s demise, they still owe you a reasonable repair (i.e. a junkyard engine that runs). If the mileage is really only 21K, they owe you a quality remanufactured engine. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2019, 4:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-engine-seized/153665/18 "2019-11-28T16:35:13Z")
I’m kind of assuming the car has 211K . . . ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2019, 1:03am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-engine-seized/153665/19 "2019-12-01T01:03:19Z")
> [@db4690](#): > > How long did it take for the spot on your concrete driveway to fade . . . years? I mopped as much of the oil as possible, covered the resulting oil spot with sand, a few days later later swept the sand away and poured more sand on, and after a couple more sand treatments the oil spot had pretty much blended into the rest of the driveway’s visual faults, “driveway patina” 😉