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Oil Leak(taken in once, getting worse now...)

14K views 17 replies 4 participants last post by  08Sunburst 
#1 · (Edited)
Ok, so a small recap.. I took my car into the dealer a couple of weeks ago for a couple of things. One thing being that part of my drivers seat was broken, the other, i had a broken rear motor mount, and i also noticed some light seepage of oil from the oil pan.


Here is a picture of the oil pan leak before i brought it to the dealer..



After the visit to the dealer, this is what i got back, not the "no oil leak found"



Now, that was a little under a month ago..

I crawled under the car tonight and found this:






So i dont know about you, but even a moron off the street could tell that oil is leaking..

So, my plan now is to print out pictures of when i first noticed it, and the picture i took tonight, and show them that yes, oil is leaking, and yes, they do need to fix it.


Any other suggestions? I know the leak isnt coming from the filter, it appears to be seeping out of the oil pan itself

Im just sick of the inconvenience of going to the dealer all the time and being without a car. I work m-f 930-4.. the service department is open m-f 7-7, so by the time i get out of work, its kind of too late for them to do any work, and if i drop it off in the morning, it means waking up early as hell to go and drop my car off there, and then have them drive me to and from work, only to tell me there isnt a problem when i know there is...
 
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#2 ·
I wouldn't waste my time at this point. I'd get under there and torque down those bolts, clean the oil off, and see if the torquing stopped the leak. If not, then take it in. Just because you have a warranty, it doesn't mean you can't fix some things yourself. Especially if it's a simple fix and requires no cash outlay.
 
#3 ·
Well, the thing is, if i have warranty, might as well use it right?

Ill read through the service manual and see what the tq specs are on those bolts, and check it at work tomorrow on my lunch break.

I just want to take it to the dealer manly so its documented that there was in fact a problem, and i think dodge should fix it

Plus, whats the fun of working on your own car when you work on cars for a living!!! Lol

Ill check it out tomorrow and see if the bolts are torqued properly, and go from there.

I just cant believe that a car with 20k on it has an oil leak already
 
#4 ·
One has to weigh the value of your time vs wasted down time at a dealer. I'm not willing to spend 2 hours at a dealer for something I can fix in a few minutes. My time is too valuable.
 
#5 ·
That is very true. I wouldnt wait for it, it would just mean waking up early to drop it off, then they would have to drive me to work and then pick me up after work.

But youre right, ill check the bolts out, spray it clean with some brake cleaner, and watch it and see what happens.

Worse comes to worse, i have the picture from a month ago and today, and i can always show them this is what i looked like, etc etc etc
 
#8 ·
Yes, positive that the filter isnt leaking

I'd definitely check the oil pan bolts to see how many are loose. As Dave pointed out though, since the "leak" is right under the filter, I'd take a close look at that too. Do you change your own oil of does the dealer do that too? The filter could be a tad loose or even too tight. If it's been installed by someone who really likes to crank them down, it could also leak from the seal. Can you see the filter to check and see if there's a line of oil running down from it to the pan?
I change my own oil. The first few changes i took it to the dealer, but then i switched over to mobil 1, and started doing it myself.

I changed the oil about 4k miles ago, so i highly doubt its from the filter, because when i change the oil, i wipe off the oil pan from any excess oil, and from any dirt and dust that collect.

As far as what i can see, there is no oil dripping from the filter, not a drop
 
#7 ·
I'd definitely check the oil pan bolts to see how many are loose. As Dave pointed out though, since the "leak" is right under the filter, I'd take a close look at that too. Do you change your own oil of does the dealer do that too? The filter could be a tad loose or even too tight. If it's been installed by someone who really likes to crank them down, it could also leak from the seal. Can you see the filter to check and see if there's a line of oil running down from it to the pan?
 
#9 ·
Okay, you changing your own oil is a definite plus. And I agree that if it were coming from the filter, that you'd have noticed it before now. I'm thinking that it's just some loose oil pan bolts. I check mine on all three of my vehicles every time I change my oil. I found some loose one on an old Subaru I had years ago and just got into the habit. I found three loose one on my Grand Caravan right after I got it, so it does pay to get into that habit. I also check my transmission pan bolts while I'm underneath.
 
#11 ·
Well, i got under the car today at work...

The service manual says they should be torqued at 18 ftlbs, and the one bolt that looked like where the oil was coming from mainly was quite loose

Also, the rest of the bolts were nowhere near 18ftlbs either..

So, i tightened them down, cleaned the oil pan very thoroughly, and we will see if the leak shows up again.

If it does, then i still have the pictures and the dates they were taken for reference...
 
#12 ·
Kinda stupid that the dealer [obviously] didn't tighten the bolts when they looked at it.:shakehead:
 
#15 ·
Keep in mind that I usually buy used vehicles. I haven't had that many loose oil pan or transmission bolts that were loose, I just got in the habit of checking them after the first incidence. And yep, I do know you can't check transmission pan bolts on your Caliber. I was just using my own experiences as an example. I also check the bolts in my valve covers when I change my oil. What's the old saying about an ounce of prevention??
 
#17 ·
You've got to wonder what the workers were smoking or drinking the day your engine came down the assembly line, don't you? LOL And I know you're just pulling my leg. That's why I love this forum. You can actually cut up and tease with people without them getting all bent out of shape.
 
#18 ·
Yep, definitely love a forum where you can joke around a bit and no hard feelings are to be had

Makes for a much better experience.


As for the oil pan deal.. I dont know who was working on my engine, but man or machine, it must have been on something lol
 
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