[AMILL]

Had an oil change in February and two weeks ago I was driving and the low oil pressure light flashed on...Immediately turned off the car, called AAA and had it towed to the dealer.

Here's the thing...They told me the mechanic who did the last oil change (btw this is someone who I trust completely and who works on all high end cars) didn't change the washer on the oil pan.

That is a bunch of bs because he gets the oil filter and the washer from his distributor (which is is an OEM part ) and he's never screwed up with an oil change in his life.

Then the dealer told me he never changed the oil filter...again a bunch of bs...

Here's the coincidence...I had a flat tire this week and I had to have him order two new tires to put on and we had another discussion about the oil leak

He had a customer last week who had a 2013 Q5 which has the same engine as the '15 Q3 and he happened to see a bit of oil on his driveway.

He did some research and he thinks because the washer doesn't expand and contract it causes an oil leak, so the washer is faulty.

If you google the subject you'll see there is a problem with others too.

I'm going to keep an eye on the oil pressure warning this time. If it happens again I can now turn to the dealer and ask them this time to explain since they changed the oil why it leaked again

BTW, this episode cost me an oil change and a new felt pan from the dealer...($79 for the oil change and $219 for the felt pan( it was soaked with oil from the leak)

I now have to have my oil changed from now on at the dealer because I can't prove anything if it happens again unless they've done the work...

 

[Q3User]

Had an oil change in February and two weeks ago I was driving and the low oil pressure light flashed on...Immediately turned off the car, called AAA and had it towed to the dealer.

Here's the thing...They told me the mechanic who did the last oil change (btw this is someone who I trust completely and who works on all high end cars) didn't change the washer on the oil pan.

That is a bunch of bs because he gets the oil filter and the washer from his distributor (which is is an OEM part ) and he's never screwed up with an oil change in his life.

Then the dealer told me he never changed the oil filter...again a bunch of bs...

Here's the coincidence...I had a flat tire this week and I had to have him order two new tires to put on and we had another discussion about the oil leak

He had a customer last week who had a 2013 Q5 which has the same engine as the '15 Q3 and he happened to see a bit of oil on his driveway.

He did some research and he thinks because the washer doesn't expand and contract it causes an oil leak, so the washer is faulty.

If you google the subject you'll see there is a problem with others too.

I'm going to keep an eye on the oil pressure warning this time. If it happens again I can now turn to the dealer and ask them this time to explain since they changed the oil why it leaked again

BTW, this episode cost me an oil change and a new felt pan from the dealer...($79 for the oil change and $219 for the felt pan( it was soaked with oil from the leak)

I now have to have my oil changed from now on at the dealer because I can't prove anything if it happens again unless they've done the work...

Thanks for the heads up on this.
Will have to monitor our Q3 for changes in oil level.

Personally, I don't do anything at the dealer maintenance related for fear they will screw up simple things up.
Like not tightening the oil drain plug properly.

I'm still not sure if Audi uses a suction oil extractor to pull the old oil out or do they get underneath the car & let the oil drop out the oil fashion way.

Since the filter is up top like most German cars, I'd figure they extract from up top.

But back on topic - like you pointed out, the catch 22 is that there is no way to document their screw ups if you don't go to them.

 

[rnlabas]

MOST Audi Techs - per Audi shop instructions - DO NOT use the drain plug - they use the suction technique thru the dipstick, it is cleaner and more eco-friendly, although it does take about twice the time. The filter IS on top and upside down - so that it drains almost completely - a hand under it will catch any remaining drops when coming out. btw, the drain plug washer should NEVER be re-used, but again is SO common to do so cuz the thing costs about $2 and looks like it should cost a nickel. It's aluminum with a crush-able profile that is intended for ONE use only. Once it crushes to seal the first time it will almost never seal again...

But THIS should NEVER have happened. I suspect - and no harm no foul to your trusted tech, BUT they all get "earned" time versus real time and if the can charge the 1.5 hours for the suction technique, but get done in 20 minutes for the drain plug route, they can "book" more paid hours per day than they actually work. This is a VERY common method for techs to get overtime without even working 40 hours -

 

[AMILL]

Roger,
Normally I would agree with you but my mechanic owns his own shop. With all the high end cars he works on he makes a lot more money on them than he would on my little oil change. When I say high end cars I'm not talking just audis and BMW's but Land Rovers, Porsches, Ferraris, etc.
Also, reusing the washer would not even be an issue since the kit he gets includes the filter AND a new washer.

With only 16,000 miles I haven't had many oil changes to see if there is a faulty part. If it is faulty at least now I have some recourse to go back to them and tell them they were full of s**t about my mechanic screwing up.

 

[rnlabas]

Why didn't your trusted mechanic use the method recommended by Audi then? That's also a simple question. Does he not have that kind of equipment? It's not exotic nor expensive and besides, if he has all those other high-end cars for work on, he should surely be using that method for at least some, if not ALL of them. btw, there is NO kit that comes with a filter and a washer since, almost 100% of changes NEVER use this washer anymore (since about 2007) ... some filters come with a filter housing gasket (o-ring), but not a drain plug washer ...

 

[Q3User]

Why didn't your trusted mechanic use the method recommended by Audi then? That's also a simple question. Does he not have that kind of equipment? It's not exotic nor expensive and besides, if he has all those other high-end cars for work on, he should surely be using that method for at least some, if not ALL of them. btw, there is NO kit that comes with a filter and a washer since, almost 100% of changes NEVER use this washer anymore (since about 2007) ... some filters come with a filter housing gasket (o-ring), but not a drain plug washer ...

I can confirm that my VW OEM filter for my GTI & basically Audi uses the same filter kits does not come with a drain washer.
My Q3 will get her filter changed this weekend, so I will also confirm that Audi the filter kit for the Q3 doesn't have a drain washer - that needs to be purchase separately...or what I do, never change it & just suction out the oil from up top.

Me thinks the OP's mechanics reused the washer on his belly drain since the filter kit most likely did not come with a washer.

 

[AMILL]

Interesting...I'll talk to my mechanic, bring this up to him and get more info...Thanks..