Has anyone had any problem with the threads stripping at the oil pan drain? When my 2007 Honda Fit Sport was probably only approximately one year old, I took it to my regular Honda dealership garage for an oil change and regular maintenance. I take my car for all recommended maintenance and I use only this one Honda dealership garage. A couple days after my oil change, I stepped out of my apartment and noticed oil all over the ground. I had the car towed and no oil drain plug was found in the parking area, but a missing plug was indeed the problem. My car was parked with the front of the car approximately six inches from a retaining wall, and as you know, the Honda Fit Sport isn't exactly easy to slide under, so I do not suspect tampering. The dealership installed a new drain plug and refilled the car with oil. At the next oil change, I was told the plug "came out hard" and that they put a longer bolt back in. (Not being familiar with the design of the oil pan, I am unsure how a longer bolt solves the problem, but it sounded as if they were suggesting the threads of the drain hole were stripped.) They indicated the longer plug was working well for now but that I may have to replace the oil pan at some point. I expressed my surprise that a relatively new Honda was already exhibiting a problem with regard to this, and coincidently immediately following an oil change. They avoided any reply, and I let it go for then. At the next scheduled oil change, having had time to think more about this, I approached them about possibly replacing the oil pan at no charge to me, suggesting that it appeared to me that their tech might have accidently stripped my oil pan drain hole. I indicated I had no other complaints about their service, that I understood mistakes happen, but that I didn't think I should be responsible for what appeared to be their mistake. Their immediate reply was to ask if I'd taken the vehicle elsewhere for an oil change at some point. Does this sound to anyone else like they are trying to dodge responsibility?

 

It absolutely sounds like they are dodging responsibility.

If you've never taken it somewhere else then their tech obviously heman'd the plug and stripped the threads. It's an alumninum pan and easy to do. After I stripped my first pan I started using a torque wrench EVERY TIME. I admitted my mistake though

If they absolutely refuse to replace it and you don't want to pay for a new one you should be able have it tapped with a larger plug but I am not sure how well that holds up on an aluminum pan.

I am pretty sure that they just forced a bigger plug in as a temporary fix, so it may be damaged beyond repair, i'm not sure.

Good luck, hopefully they will admit their fault.

 

Sounds like you have a case there... Definitely a brush off... I'm sure you can take it up a notch if it doesn't get resolved at the dealership level. Good luck!

 

just bitch to the manager and im sure if you cause a big enough scene you'll get what you want.

 

New pan time. Afterwards, do the oil changes yourself. It's easy.

 

Simple.Drain the oil, weld the old-stripped plug into place and make a hole on the oil pan. You can also choose to weld a new nut and repeat the process. Just record how many miles you made on the oild pressure and it would be your basis.