Oil Filler Cap MIA!!!!!!!!!

[NewJettaGuy]

Found out tonite that the tech did not put the oil filler cap back on when I took my car in for the 20K service in late-December... /images/graemlins/mad.gif /images/graemlins/mad.gif /images/graemlins/mad.gif I haven't nad a need to be under the hood since I had the service done 2300 miles ago and only opened it up tonite to fill the washer fluid tank...

When I pulled the dipstick and checked it, I think I was only down a about a quart or so (difficult to be sure as I had only been home for a few minutes after driving home from work) .

I called and spoke with sales manager, who arranged for a loaner, so I dropped my car off to have them go over it to make sure there was no damage...oil all over the inside of the engine compartment and it was "blasted" into the noise dampening liner on the hood...so I guess I will be getting a new one...

I took some pictures before I took the car over to drop it off so that I would have some proof as to what the engine compartment looked like before I took it in.

Hopefully, I will get the car back tomorrow along with a "no damage or problems found" report.

I have not had any problems with the dealer and they have been super helpful in the past with other problems (this is 2nd TDI I have purchased from them) and I have every expectation that they will take care of the probem.

You can be sure I will check everything under the hood before I leave the dealer from now on...

 

[lumberjackbob]

I swear some peoples kids. How freaking hard is it to remember to put the cap back on? You would think that if you take something off you should put it back on? If I were you I would be performing my own oil changes from now on.

 

[GeWilli]

well at least they remembered to put the oil drain plug back in and to put oil back in /images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[NewJettaGuy]

Got my car back tonite...service manager said they checked the oil and it was fine...no visible evidence of water or coolant...the engine compartment was power washed and detailed. I looked it over very carefully and am satisfied that they did everything they could short of tearing the engine down...

I will be keeping a very close watch on the engine for the next few months to make sure nothing breaks...

 

[tadc]

You should make them change the oil too. I bet there's lots of dirt in your oil/crankcase now from driving around with no filler cap.

And hope that the pressure washing didn't get any water where it shouldn't be (electrical system).

 

[NewJettaGuy]

I will be changing the oil this weekend myself just for that reason...

I don't think any electrical components were affected by the power washing, but I will know for sure in the morning when I go to start it..

 

[FowVay]

This reminds me of something stupid that I did this past winter. For some crazy reason I took the oil cap off of my old Rabbit diesel to have a look inside. While i'm fiddling around in the driveway the misses calls me to come help with something in the house. I set the oil cap down on the alternator and went inside. Later we decided to go into town so we walked out to the car, I lowered the hood and off we went. Thirty minutes later i'm smelling burning oil and my engine is smoking. OMG,, what's happened now. I pulled into the parking lot to have a look and my engine compartment is completely covered with oil and my oil cap is sitting right where I left it.

Chalk that one up to a lesson learned.

 

[Vectorer]

Could be worse... Last Summer, a couple of friends were leaving Oshkosh (EAA AirVenture '03) for West Michigan after the Thursday airshow in their 1966 Cessna Skyhawk. They planned to go straight across Lake Michigan instead of around it like most single-engine aircraft do. One of them, after topping-off the crankcase at OSH, didn't quite put the oil cap back into battery. On the opposite side of Lake Winnebago (near sunset), they noticed some oil streaking on the windscreen and wisely decided to land short of The Big Lake. On the ground, their C172 swallowed a full, fresh quart. The odds were against them successfully making it all the way across Lake Michigan at the rate they were losing oil.

 

[Bookerdog]

[ QUOTE ]
I will be changing the oil this weekend myself just for that reason...

[/ QUOTE ]

Can I suggest that this would be an excellent time to collect a sample to send off for oil analysis. The dealer said they checked and it was fine. By what standard? You've been driving around with lowered oil pressure for a couple thousand miles. I'd want to be confident that there weren't increased wear metals and other particulates in my oil. If the turbo seals let go at 45k, can you be confident that the dealer will stand behind his screwup and replace it under warranty?

These are the types of things that show up with problems down the road. Having some sort of documented proof is the only way to CYA. Also, if the oil analysis comes back fine, you've spent $20 to have better piece of mind.

 

[bbarbulo]

[ QUOTE ]
I swear some peoples kids. How freaking hard is it to remember to put the cap back on? You would think that if you take something off you should put it back on? If I were you I would be performing my own oil changes from now on.

[/ QUOTE ]

yeah, this is clearly a parenting issue /images/graemlins/tongue.gif LOL

don't worry about water in the electrical system... the coolant migration problem will take care of that part of things /images/graemlins/laugh.gif LOL

j/k

glad everything seems okay. it's really not that big of a deal.

 

[NewJettaGuy]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I will be changing the oil this weekend myself just for that reason...

[/ QUOTE ]

Can I suggest that this would be an excellent time to collect a sample to send off for oil analysis. The dealer said they checked and it was fine. By what standard? You've been driving around with lowered oil pressure for a couple thousand miles. I'd want to be confident that there weren't increased wear metals and other particulates in my oil. If the turbo seals let go at 45k, can you be confident that the dealer will stand behind his screwup and replace it under warranty?

These are the types of things that show up with problems down the road. Having some sort of documented proof is the only way to CYA. Also, if the oil analysis comes back fine, you've spent $20 to have better piece of mind.

[/ QUOTE ]

I will make sure to have an oil analysis done after I change the oil this weekend.

Does anyone know where I can take the sample to have it analyzed in the No. Virginia area?

 

[tadc]

Usually this is done by mail order.

I once drove from Bellingham WA to Seattle with the oil cap of my 78 rabbit not installed. The entire passenger side of the engine compartment was covered in oil. Only lost about 1/2 quart though.

 

[lumberjackbob]

[ QUOTE ]
no visible evidence of water or coolant

[/ QUOTE ]

Exactly, he looked down through the crank case, didnt see any water and left it at that.

 

[gardentender]

NOTE take an oil sample BEFORE changing oil, not after.

take another sample just before the next oil change. a comparison of two will be meaningful. just one oil sample doesn't tell you much at all.

 

[BumbleBeetle]

What are the chances of oil getting on the timing belt in a situation like this? As I recall, oil on the timing belt is a no-no (cause for immediate replacement, IIRC). I don't want to cause alarm, but I would make sure the dealer checked the timing belt and found it to be oil free. Anyone else care to share their expertise on the subject of timing belts and engine oil exposure?