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[NotBudule]

It was definitely the neighbourhood shop - the one that moved away before I learned about the hole. In order, it was…

1. Me - I certainly didn’t do it
2. The neighbourhood shop
3. VW Dealer that alerted me to the hack job

So the shop that did it is gone now ? I would like to drag my hacked up skid plate through their door and confront somebody over that crap...

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[Gerder]

Just what I needed. ? I haven’t touched that drain plug so I can’t say for sure - maybe I should let the dealer make that discovery. In the meantime, the new belly pan is ordered and I’m trying to source a drain plug - VW sure makes it tough to find parts online. They are only a few blocks away, so a visit is in order.?‍?‍?‍

¿¿¿??? Huh? Afaik the plug has to be renewed @ every oilchange. But theres no need if did not ruined the drive…

 

[Gerder]

VW recommends a new plug each time and a lot of folks re-use it if it’s fine but they should at least put on a new crush washer.

Yep. The goal is to fasten it only the 10Nm…?? with a wrench and not with the impact driver

 

[veedubtuner]

Changing the oil in my Passat is a challenge. It’s low to the ground, has a skid plate to remove, and my garage is tight. I did it once and it was a pain. After that, the small shop around the corner got the job for the next several oil changes. They eventually moved so I was likely going to be doing it on my own again.

The car was in the VW dealer for a minor recall, so I had them change the oil. When I picked it up, the advisor asked me if ever changed my own oil. I said I did on my truck but it was a pain on my Passat. He then told me the previous place chopped a hole in the lower skid plate, likely to access the drain plug. I looked and it was butchered. Bastids!

I recently took it to my local Ford Dealer because they’ve been great to work with and The Works is usually on sale. A few days later, I noticed a small puddle on the garage floor when I backed out - it looked watery and didn’t smell too oily - I thought it might be a mix of water and oil from the service, followed by a car wash - maybe water from the underbody sprayer got up through the hole in the skid plate and was draining. The oil level was fine, so I cleaned things up and didn’t worry too much about it.

After it sat for a month (I drive my Ranger whenever I can), I noticed a puddle by the front tire - checked the oil - bottom of the hash marks - called Ford - advisor checked with tech - he remembered the skid plate - recalled extracting through dipstick - recalled accessing the drain plug to check for shavings - we can get you in next Tuesday - CRAP! Is it the filter, the drain plug, something else? Up on the ramps it went and I took some pics, off came the skid plate (no sign it had been removed for the service) and twisted myself like a pretzel for more pics.

The drain plug is leaking - a slow drip - looks like someone went at the drain plug with the wrong tool, wrong size Torx bit, SAE vs. Metric, Hex key, or an impact tool, so I took photos of it and left it alone. Not touching it. Was it the Ford tech? Those other Bastids? Was it the VW Dealer - surely, their oil change bay has all the proper tools, right?

View attachment 178647

I guess it could have been any of them but that drain plug is a $20 part - I have no problem with, “Hey Duke, it cost a few bucks more than we thought because your oil drain plug had to be replaced - our tech was lucky they could get it off - here, take a look at your old one.”

I will likely just order a new plug, swap It in, and top it up. Oh, I’ll also order a new skid plate ($70).

Just now seeing this and I just can't believe how lazy/dumb that person was. Seriously, the belly pan is only held on with 3 M8 bolts on the backside and like 7 0r 8 T-25's along the side. probably took him longer to cut the hole then it would have to zip off the bolts.

Glad you got it fixed though.

 

[LaBalbe]

If you're ever looking for a new shop, I know a guy with one in 'Sauga just off the QEW.

 

[Dr_Strangelove]

Sounds like some good dudes - I liked their response a lot. Mistakes happen and so long as they're not too frequent, owning up to a mistake buys a lot of loyalty from me.

Was it the Ford tech? Those other Bastids? Was it the VW Dealer - surely, their oil change bay has all the proper tools, right?

This is like a twisted game of Clue. It was the VW Bastage with the Impact Wrench in the Parlor!!!

 

[Glocker]

UPDATE: I bought a couple of drain plugs and crush washers this morning, thanks and a shout out to @veedubtuner for the part numbers and for confirming the torque spec. ?

I stopped by the Ford dealer to talk about this in person because I could easily sound like a jerk over the phone and you get more bees with honey, right? I also took into account some good advice handed down by John a while back - thanks @Glocker

I told my story of woe to a couple of service advisors, showed them some pictures, mentioned I haven’t touched it, made it clear I wasn’t blaming their tech, and that I really just wanted to know what my next steps should be.

Without throwing their tech under the bus, they were both really cool about it and said it’s something they shouldn’t have missed and to bring it in tomorrow so they can take care of it. They said it would be great if I had a new plug and crush washer - I pulled the two I just bought out of my pocket and we had a bit of a chuckle. ?

They were astounded at the hole cut into the belly pan by the other shop. One guy said not to worry about any charges and to bring my new belly pan in and they’ll install it and toss out the old one. It turns out, that one guy was the Service Manager. ??

Received this when I got home…

That's cool! I'm glad they're taking care of you!

 

[CF6-mech]

I am guessing they used torx instead of triple square on the drain plug.

 

[BS67]

Glad they're taking care of you Duke!........shouldn't have happened in the first place!

 

[CF6-mech]

Not really sure, but vw/audi like triple square. Most of the time there is a torx that will work. My wife's TT does not have a drain plug. I use a fluid extractor for oil changes.

 

[Skit hjälm]

Sad !
That's just nasty & evil.
All the more evidence technician is appropriate title for that wanker.
Fwiw,
Were I needing a new drain plug, would just buy one of the same thread size but a hex head.
For good measure perhaps magnetic type.

 

[Gerder]

As much as my back will hate me for it, I’ll be doing them - got me some of these…

One for now, one for next time.

I am curious. Is it the same sparepart number than in europe?
N911 806 01

 

[Chris M]

They handled it really well Brian.

The more I think of the hack job the neighbourhood shop did on the belly pan, the more I’m inclined to think they are responsible for that hacked up drain plug.

It shouldn’t have left Ford with a drip and without telling me about the plug but they didn’t even blink when we talked about it - I was prepared to hear how the tech was able to tighten it and it wouldn’t have left their service bay with a leak and the leak likely started after I left, that it was the other shop’s fault - all that. I was even prepared to accept that explanation, swap the plug out myself, and hope nothing was stripped. But nope, not a single hesitation, they just said they’d take care of it and wanted to know when I could bring it in.

So, I had Uber Eats do a little drop off at Downtown Ford this morning…

One good turn deserves another.

OMG - I just realized the pun in that line. ?‍

This is how things should be done.. from both sides of the issue.
I'll bet the guys at the shop will remember your kindness for a long time to come.

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