I took my 2008 Camry to the dealer for its 105k service. The dealer said that the person who did the 100k service over tightened the oil pan plug and stripped the oil pan causing to have to be replaced. I took it to the place that did the 100k service and they said that it was the dealer who stripped it and wanted to blame someone else for it. Who is telling the truth?
I’m getting irritated by dealers telling people they need a whole new oilpan for stripped plug threads. What it needs is to be tapped oversize and helicoiled. See the attached link.
http://www.timesert.com/html/drainplug.html
You’ll never prove who stripped it. But if it was a quickie lube, they’re known for doing so.
And the threads don’t necessarily get stripped in one shot.
Repeated over tightening can fatigue the threads over time.
There are MANY means of dealing with stripped oil-pan threads besides replacing the pan…Mountainbike offered the best one…Trying to assess BLAME for stripping the drain-plug is a waste of time…
Stripped pan plugs and lug nuts as well as under/over inflated tires, etc, are sometimes the result of passive aggressive behavior from disgruntled service workers, or even family members who have a grudge with someone whose authority limits direct confrontation. But my first effort at repairing a stripped pan plug is a self tapping over sized plug. And using the proper plastic sealing washer will prevent plugs from seeping with the standard or over sized plug.
@thesamemountainbike took the words right out of my mouth. Good work mountainbike!
Sincere thanks Missileman.
Rod’s self tapping plug is a good idea to try also. I also support the nylon washer. I actually have a bunch of these in different sizes in my oil change kit.
I had a similar problem at a Ford dealer with the Ford Aerostar that I once owned. I was told that the oil drain plug had been overtightened and couldn’t be removed and that I would be charged for the labor to remove the plug. I had the service records with me that showed that the dealer was the last garage that changed the oil. I then demanded transportation back home and told them that whatever was needed to fix the problems was on them. They did get the drain plug out the next day without damaging the threads in the pan and installed a new drain plug.
I had the transmission fluid changed and coolant flushed at a dealer when I first got my car. They screwed up and ended up giving me a free oil change… which I didn’t want, as they replaced my just-changed synthetic oil with cheaper oil. I made them repeat the oil change with synthetic. (I saw the bottles)
When the time came to change the oil again, I discovered that the tech had way overtightened the drain plug (possibly with an air tool) and rounded off the corners to boot so I couldn’t properly get a wrench or socket on it. I was not happy, but didn’t feel it worth going back there to complain. I pounded a bolt extractor on it and was able to remove it without damaging the threads.
It’s sad when the dealer makes instant oil change places look like a more competent alternative.
For the OP’s question, if he has a plastic oil pan, like some cars have these days, can those still be tapped an re-threaded? Just curious if anyone knows. I had a coworker that got his oil changed at a quickie place and they managed to crack his plastic oil pan by over tightening the drain plug.