Bad Oil Change/Spill

[Deborah Zeller]

Deborah Zeller
2007 Mini Cooper
80k miles
—————-

Greetings!

Can you please assist me with your auto mechanical professional trouble-shooting expertise.

FYI.

In December, 2013 I took my MINI to Firestone to have a “simple oil change” done, which ended up being two oil changes/oil spill/fluid leaks/power steering leak & broken PS rack at the end the service (Dec, 2013 – Jan, 2014). See below, before/after two oil changes.

Before Two Oil Changes:
1. My MINI was in excellent condition. 2. Maintenance done on schedule by myself & precious owner (I purchased my MINI May, 2012). Had a power steering & brake flush 2013. 3. No fluid leaks/spills (under hood/driveway/engine/power steering container). The silver metal plate located right next to the PS fluid is not bent. Note: I check fluids under the hood every two months.
4. Did not need a new power steering rack. No power steering leak.
5. Engine idle okay. Slight vibration in steering wheel felt; in drive stopped at stop signs/red lights. MINI dealer said this is normal for MINI. Not sure if true.
6. Drive good on highway. But shifting gears not always smooth.

After Two Oil Changes:
1. MINI in good condition, no longer excellent.
2. Maintenance still done on reg schedule.
3. Has fluid leaks/spills (under hood/driveway/engine/power steering container). The silver metal plate located right next to the PS fluid is slighly bent. Fluid leaking/colors: Bight green. Brownish. Fluids all over driveway. Drips on engine. Power steering container fully covered by thick brownish color fluid.
4. Need new power steering rack. Power steering fluid is leaking.
5. Engine idle not right. Its struggling. Rough. On and off. Vibration felt in steering wheel is still there; in drive stopped at stop signs/red lights. MINI dealer said this is normal for MINI. Not sure if true.
6. Drive running smoother on highway (shifting gears).

I expound …

First Oil Change:
I noticed Firestone was taking longer (abt 45 min) to do my oil change than the usual, 15 minutes. I asked why. They said there was a oil spill on my car. A alarm went off inside me. They cashed me out and told me I had a power steering leak.

After First Oil Change:
MINI was still running normal like before I got oil change (engine idle, drive, shifting gears). I drove my car for about 1 hr that evening. Next morning 2 hrs. That evening. I go out to my car and what looks like oil fluid is leaking underneath my car and is spilled all over my driveway. Leak spread and flowed under passenger side of car to exhaust system area and then out to back of car. Leak Location Under Hood: center/back. Car starts. Oil is full. A fluid is all over/on the outside of the power steering container and the silver metal plate located next to it is bent slightly. Car got towed back to Firestone.

Second Oil Change:
Firestone does a 2nd oil change on my MINI. Replaces bad filter that caused the leak, per Firestone. Tells me power steering rack is broken. I need a new one. Their shop cannot do it.

After Second Oil Change:
Engine idle is a little rougher. MINI is running smoother when driving on highway (shifting gears). It snowed. In snow was a bright greenish color fluid leaking under my car. Location Under Hood: center/front.

My Questions:
1. Could Firestone put the oil in power steering container instead of oil by mistake and damaged the PS seals therefore I now need a new power steering rack? Oil/PS containers are located right next to each other in my MINI.
2. Could oil over spill damaged the engine and power steering seals and/or any other parts in my MINI – transmission, coolant etc?
3. Why would I need a new power steering rack suddenly? Miles on MINI are only 80k. Last power steering flush was last year (2013). Up to a couple months ago power steering was not leaking (nor was any fluids leaking under my hood). Maintenance/fluids are routinely checked/done on my MINI. I have invoices to confirm this.

Please advise.

Your time, expertise, brainstorming and possible trouble shooting diagnosis – is appreciated.

Thank you,
Deborah
deborahgzeller@gmail.com

Topic

[Jeff Ketchem]

Deb, can I call you Deb? The bright green fluid is more than likely antifreeze. Although I don’t believe that was the correct antifreeze for your application, I’d have to check. To answer your first two questions in my professional opinion I would have to say, no. The last question honestly is a slippery slope. Sometimes crap happens, I unfortunately witness it everyday. How often were the power steering flushes performed?

[EricTheCarGuy]

I’m very sorry to hear about your experiences. This is a difficult situation, and one that may require a second opinion. What I mean by that is that you might want to have the car checked out by another shop, if you can, one that specializes in Mini’s.

What MIGHT have happened is that the wrong fluids were used during the service. Mixing fluids can cause all kinds of issues. Perhaps the wrong fluids were used by mistake. If that is the case, then Firestone should compensate you for the damage done to your vehicle. I will say however, these things are very difficult to prove. You can contact the Better Business Bureau if you find that Firestone acted inappropriately, but once again, this is difficult to prove without some evidence.

You should not have to pay for the mistakes of the shop that serviced your vehicle. If they caused the problems, they should fix them. The problem is proving that they were the cause of the issues you’re having. That’s why taking it to a Mini expert might be of benefit to you.

Good luck and keep us posted.

[Author]

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