Livid: oil drain plug fell outta my Tundra

[Stubee]

Beside my self. 2010 Tundra, bought new & as only 33K miles have dealer do routine stuff. They changed oil 1000 miles ago. Towed my tractor about 60 miles after that plus general stuff, didn't check oil level nor notice leaking oil--found those spots after the 'event'--& driving w. Grandson & dog far from anything heard/ sensed a noise while rounding a corner, saw oil pressure dropping like a rock so pulled over, stopped engine & oil pouring out of crankcase. The plug had fallen out. Made for a very long day + now concerned about longevity of a truck I love plus pissed I didn't catch it when dripping...but geez...

Towed to parts store & got plug in but even w. 8 quarts added (fine on stick) had top end clatter. Added quart 9 and silence but now facing calls to dealer etc.

It had quite a bit of oil in it when plug disappeared & pressure fine/no clatter until then but I keep trucks forever. I love this truck. Oh man..,just venting.

 

[Stubee]

Pics of it.

 

[TheGoose]

Good luck. Hopefully the dealer will step up and make it right.

 

[ToaDisco]

Personally I would have had it towed to the dealer you've been using and have them reimburse me for the towing bill. Drain plugs don't just fall out, and if you've had the dealer perform all the oil changes you should have a pretty good case with them. Even if they didn't do anything more than cover the tow bill and refill it with oil, it would have started a paper trail if any future problems arise.

Hopefully they are decent people and will make it right. How long does the power train warranty last on it? How were the threads on the oil pan? If they are damaged it could possibly happen again.

I'd be on the phone with the dealer asap.

 

[Fixemall]

Reason #4,768 that no one other than me ever turns a wrench on my stuff.

Years ago I was in the Commercial end of the truck business when dealers first started their "quick lane" services to compete with the chain lube places, they literally converted the "lot boys" to "c" techs overnight and had them changing oil, wipers etc...heard all the stories, stripped plugs, missing plugs, no plugs, too much oil, not enough oil, smashed vehicles, death runs, back lot burnouts, missing change, dirty seats....I hate to even say it but I would be contacting my attorney for advice. Engine clatter is never good and yours probably has some minor cam bearing wear at the minimum.

 

[irwin]

Do not have more oil in the engine than specified when you bring it back to dealer. A quart too little is not as bad as a quart too much, it might be used against any claims you might have concerning a loose drain plug. Good luck..

 

[mainegoatman]

Reason #4,768 that no one other than me ever turns a wrench on my stuff.

Yep, I have a 2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser, I ALWAYS do all my own service / repairs unless it's something like a front end alignment.

When I bought the FJ it came with one year free oil changes/ 5000 mile service.
It took 7 qts synthetic oil so I figured I would save about $40.00 in oil & filter to let them do it. They never lubed the driveshafts even though the owners manual said it was part of the service. I did it myself after I brought it home from the dealer.

The last time they didn't install the O ring on the filter correctly and it was dripping all over my driveway. I fixed it myself and called the dealer to tell him about it and they said they would give me an additional free service, I told him I didn't want it, the $40.00 I saved wasn't worth the aggravation.

I know other people who have stories of spin on filters falling off etc.

 

[Dmace]

The drain plug has a torque setting for tightening so first thing I would do is torque the plug properly and make sure it stays as they may have stripped some threads.
I also agree the truck should have been brought straight to the dealer without fixing it yourself. It sounds like you caught it soon enough to not cause any issues down the road but that's tough to tell. Please tell me they use full synthetic oil. At least then I wouldn't worry as much as some dino oil...

 

[90cummins]

I have a small shop and have found oil filters that were installed by these quick lube shops barely in contact with the filter base and turned off with the tips of my fingers and surprisingly did not leak.
Also drain plugs that were so tight that the threads were slightly damaged.
Same with lug nuts. Most shops hammer them on well beyond the required torque crimping the taper of the nut onto the stud.
When I have the tires changed on my BMW Z3 I watch & tell them install by hand no impact then I hand them my torque wrench & socket preset at 80lbft.
Yep I agree they took a lot boy & givem a wrench!!

 

[Verticaltrx]

Hope you got it shut down quick enough to avoid major damage. Generally an engine can run for several seconds without oil pressure and not sustain any damage. I too would also worry about the 9qts of oil you put in it. Not sure how much they hold but that seems like a lot. While I don't know the specifics of the motor in your tundra, I would bet the top end clatter you heard was due to the hyd. lifters running without any pressure. Once the motor runs for a bit and they pump back up it should be ok. Regardless, I'd still be pretty pissed too. I never, under any circumstance, take anything I own to a 'dealer'. Seems to me they have the worst mechanics of anyone and also do the shoddiest work.

With that said, I do take my vehicles to a local tire and lube shop. I know the guys that run it and I always watch as they work on it to make sure everything is done right. I also always make sure the oil plug is tight. A lot of people wonder why someone like myself who is very mechanically inclined and has a full shop takes my vehicles in to get the oil changed. Well, they only charge $12.50 (I supply the oil & filter) and also check all the fluids, check the tire pressure, grease the chassis, vacuum out the cab, etc. Working by myself all that would take me probably 30min or a little more, and my time is worth a lot more than that.