Prius Sluggish after oil change

Check your oil level to make sure they didn't overfill it. Also check the air pressure in your tires. They may have lowered them to what Toyota recomends, make sure they are at 42 front/40 rear. O ther than that can't think of any reason a simple oil change would make the car more "sluggish".

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(IEPruis @ Jul 31 2007, 11:53 PM) [snapback]488522[/snapback]</div>

Last week, this oil change technician was probably the french fry chef at Burger-Wad.

Although I would not inflate my tires that high, especially in the summer heat, I would agree to check the oil level, and the air tire pressure. I hope all is well with your new prius. Some people call Jiffy Lube, "Iffy Lube" I have seen several news stories here in Kellyfornia about iffy lube trying to scam people, especially women, so I would not use them ever. These reports feature vehicles with hidden cameras and then the managers are confronted and they usually put up their hand, and say, talk to the hand. This is usually followed up by the manager appearing on camera and stating that Billy Bob has been dismissed and replaced with JOSEph the fry chef from Taco-Ball down the street.

My tire pressure is 36 Front and 34 Rear, I also use Mobil 1. I do almost all of my own oil changes. The only other place I will have it done is at the dealer where I bought the car. We average 50 MPG, almost all of it at freeway speeds between 55 and 70 MPH.

Good luck with your new prius.

 

Are you sure they used Mobil 1 5w30? Did you see them putting it in your car? The reason I ask is that there are a lot of documented stories of these places selling customers a synthetic oil change and then using bulk petroleum oil from their tanks instead. If they did use bulk oil, there is a chance that they used the incorrect viscosity.

However, my bet is that they overfilled the oil your car. Check your oil level immediately. Too much oil can cause some serious problems. If you put in too much oil in an engine, the crankshaft can actually come in contact with the oil. Since the crankshaft is turning at several thousand revolutions per minute, it can quickly whip your oil into a froth. This likely is what is causing the sluggishness that you are describing.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(paprius4030 @ Aug 1 2007, 07:02 AM) [snapback]488553[/snapback]</div>

Use 42/40 if you enjoy rattles and a bumpy ride.

 

Years ago, I took my car in for an oil change at a local "service' station and the job was done halfway. They drained the oil and somehow overlooked the fact that new oil should replace the drained old oil. Two weeks later, upon the death of the engine, I realized what had and had not happened.


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Swanny1172 @ Aug 1 2007, 06:45 AM) [snapback]488581[/snapback]</div>

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(IEPruis @ Aug 1 2007, 03:31 PM) [snapback]488771[/snapback]</div>

With the dipstick.

Get out your owner's manual. You need to spend some time reading that. It will tell you how, and give drawings.

Harry

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(IEPruis @ Aug 1 2007, 12:31 PM) [snapback]488771[/snapback]</div>

Excessive oil puddling in the air intake.

 

Get thee to a dealler, and quick. If it was "fine" before you took it in and now is different, they obviously did something. Something wrong. I have seen some expensive money saving attempts, Jiffy Lube is one of them. JL loves to overtighten, cross thread, under tighten, break off, replace with wrong drain plug, wrong oil or no oil. Good luck getting it covered by Jiffy Lube as well. Lots of web fodder on the evils of that franchise...

Brad

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(IEPruis @ Aug 1 2007, 03:31 PM) [snapback]488771[/snapback]</div>

What do you suppose that nice little book called the Owners Manual is for? My 12 year old knows how to check the oil in the car, and lawnmower. That task is a basic car ownership responsibility.

Sell your car, turn in your drivers license, and start riding a bike.

If you're gonna take your car to one of those places, at least have enough personal responsibility to check the oil level before you leave. You cannot trust those oil change people to do anything right.
Remember, you are entrusting the care of your $24K+ personal property to some punk who has never made a good decision in their life.

 

Sheesh, 9G, try switching to decaf. Nobody is born knowing how to check oil.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(9G-man @ Aug 2 2007, 05:34 AM) [snapback]489138[/snapback]</div>

You are being more than a bit rude. Thanks for rethinking your comments

I have never been to Jiffy Lube. I have always taken my Prius the the local Toyota dealer and they ALMOST ALWAYS screw up the oil change.

• The first time it was 1/8" high, I ignored it.
• The next time it was 1/4" high, I went to the ship chandlery, bought an oil change pump that pulls the oil out of the dipstick tube. Took out 8 oz and the oil level was then right at the top mark
• I then started bringing them 4 quarts of 5w30 Mobil1 and telling them I wanted half a quart back. The got it right, sometimes
• 3 changes ago, the service rep came out to the waiting room to tell me the oil change guy says the spec is 3.9 quarts. "True, I tell him, however, every time you do that, it is over. When you put in 3.5 quarts, I can add 2 oz the next day to hit the top mark". We discussed the possibility of not draining all the way, or their oil filling system being poorly calibrated. He didn't think either was the case. He went away, satisfied that he had at least warned me. I got my "1/2 quart" back but noticed at home that the oil change guy had marked "half way" on the bottle at what was 18 oz, not 16 so he had put in 2 oz less than what I requested. Maybe HE was the french fry cook the day before.
• The last time I went in with the same "Here are 4 quarts, I want 1/2 back" instruction. Being in a bit of a rush when I left, I forgot to see if they had put the half full bottle in the car. I realized it wasn't there the next morning while setting the tire pressure (they had rotated, but done nothing with pressure as usual) prior to my weekly trip to MA. I checked the dipstick. I found the other 1/2 quart, the oil measured about 3/8" above the top mark. I also noticed on the invoice that I had been charged for 5, yes FIVE, quarts of their oil, even though they should only need 4 IF I had not brought my own. I called, the service rep said the 5 quart charge was her fault and she couldn't find anything regarding my 1/2 quart of oil they SHOULD have had in a silver bottle somewhere on the shop floor. I told her where it was but managed not to tell her where to go. I 'stole' my wife's Prius for the 400 mile round trip, even though the service rep told me their Prius tech said it was OK to drive the car to MA with the extra pint of oil.

So, while I can't vouch for the ability of Jiffy Lube to do it right, I wouldn't say that going to the Toyota dealer will necessarily yield better results.

 

There is a great lesson in here somewhere...

If you want it done right, then do it yourself.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(9G-man @ Aug 2 2007, 05:34 AM) [snapback]489138[/snapback]</div>

Sheesh, 9gman, so much for "southern hospitality, and manners."
You obviously haven't learned much of the spirit here at Prius Chat............

 

http://techno-fandom.org/~hobbit/cars/trai...800/muptilt.jpg
.
although there's *always* a little oil-or-whatever sump in the bottom
of the intake plenum, it's just that consistent overfills seem to
make it worse / more.
.
_H*

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bruceha_2000 @ Aug 2 2007, 09:27 AM) [snapback]489318[/snapback]</div>

My dealer also overfilled when I took it in for the 5k oil change and tire rotation. They also undertightened 3 wheel nuts.

I won't be taking it back, I will do it myself from now on.

I would never trust Jiffy Lube (or WalMart, etc.).

 

I change my own oil. It takes about 15 minutes of my time every 7,000 miles. Yeah, I know it's over the recommended interval, but I run synthetic and I have the oil analysis from each chnge to back me up in case something happens.

 

I got my prius back from the dealership for a 10K oil change and service a couple days ago. First thing: I got no more than about a mile from the dealership when I was overwelmed by the smell of crank case fumes. I pulled over and lifted the hood and noticed that the tech did not put the oil cap back on. I put it on and went right back to the dealership to have them clean up the mess under the hood. Afterwards, on the way home, I noticed that the mileage seemed worse, the battery not charging as much and the engine racing whenever I gave it any gas. I drove it for a couple more days on my normal route to work and back (50 miles) where I normally average from 35 to 38 MPG. Also when I get to work, because of a bit of a downhill stretch just before my work, I have a peaked battery charge. Now, I average about 25 to 27 MPG, my battery is well below peaked and my engine is always racing whenever I need to accelerate, even slowly. On level freeway driving, my battery charge is sitting at 1 or 2 bars when normally it was just under 'green'. I checked the tire pressure and they did drop it down to about 32 lbs. I raised it back up to around 40lbs and my mileage did go up a bit but the battery charge is still low, Mileage around 28 MPG and engine still racing. I called the dealership and I'm going to drop it off hopefully tomorrow. They said they'll test drive it with a computer hooked up.

Thing is, the car was perfect before the 10K oil change and service. I was very happy. Now no sooner I get it out from the dealership for the routine service and it sucks.

Anybody else experience something like this?

If I didn't know better, and maybe I don't, I'd swear they pulled out my battery and put an old one in.
I can get the charge into the green but it takes a lot of nursing it won't stay for long.

I'll follow up when I get the car back. Right now, I'm very bummed. <_< :angry:

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(pmoreau @ Aug 6 2007, 04:17 PM) [snapback]491561[/snapback]</div>

I would name the dealer on this website. Looks like I live near you in the OC, tell me so I can never go there. Not that I ever would anyway, I trust Longo Toyota in El Monte. Most of my oil changes are done right here at home in my garage.

Good luck and let us know who the dealer was and how they treated you after all is said and done. Thanks.