Oil Sump plug thread worn
 

Hi

My Volvo V50 2008 2.0 Diesel went into a Volvo dealership where I purchased the car from in 2010 for a Service, My car has always been done at the same dealership since purchasing the vehicle, it went in for it's 13th service which is 175.000, but the car has only done 72.000 miles. after not receiving it back on the time expected I phoned them up to make sure I was getting it back to be told they're unable to complete the service because the sump plug would not tighten up and would need a new sump fitted and sump plug of an extra cost of £400.00. I questioned that I was surprised it was worn and told due to the sump plug being removed 13 times it has worn away the thread. To my knowledge the thread should not wear away no matter how many times it's removed and refitted. My question is as the car always been serviced at the same dealer for years, I'm I correct in saying the dealership are at fault for this as it's more than likely it's been overtightened or not fitted correctly when being serviced either this time or on a previous occasion. The oil has only been changed on service and never been done at at any other time. Do the threads wear overtime? If so I feel it's very poor product if after 13 times of being removed it causes the thread to wear. I'm wondering if I have a case of complaint or the dealer has responsibility for the issue.

Be grateful for advice on the matter and if anyone else has had the same experience with a dealership

Thank you

I think you have a case. The sump plug should not "wear out" if properly removed and installed. I recommend you escalate this to management, and if no satisfaction, to Volvo Corporate.

Worn threads occur when some one over tightens the damn things ! . £400 to replace is not acceptable & the quickest & easiest is a helicoil repair . Another usual cause of duff threads is the trainee monkey buzzing them in with ( in my day ) windy gun or nowadays the must have cordless impact wrench & a gung ho attitude

Repair kit about £30 , Have done many especially into alloy sumps with no problems , just ensure the mating face is FLAT after installation , a quick dressing with a file after install of insert , JOB DONE .

£400 , my elbow

Why risk a helicoil if a new sump is available? Helicoil is what you turn to when all reasonable options are exhausted, not a first port of call.

Unless its been to the same garage for evdry single service from new its impossible to establish where the damage may have originally occurred.

You are right: all threads wear, but they should not be worn out after 13 uses. In this case the OP's problem is that the bolt won't tighten, it is at a Volvo dealer and that garage probably will not carry out a helicoil repair. mack625 can't drive it away without a sump plug, so the garage have him over a barrel.

I agree with you that a helicoil repair to an aluminium sump would be perfectly apposite, I have done this several times to motorcycle engines (which don't generally have separate sumps, so replacing the whole engine/gearbox case would be impractical).

So, what can mack625 do? It would be incredibly difficult to prove negligence by the garage in a county court (although I think it most likely the plug has been overtightened, so causing the threads in the aluminium sump to fail). That being the case I suppose he has little choice but to pay the £400 - but ask for a goodwill contribution from the dealer (or Volvo).

Alan

Good luck with trying to prove negligence on the part of the garage; even though there is a very strong probability they are the cause. To claim 13 times undoing and refitting the sump plug is the cause of the issue is a pathetic excuse. My previous V40 did 370,000mls and oil changed every 5 - 7000mls - all on the same sump and plug. In my estimation that is roughly 50+ times that plug was removed without issues. Ask for a contribution to the cost and then find another garage for the future.

Ask them to pack the thread with ptfe tape then refill with oil.

When you have your car back then you can get the helicoil done.
And don't use that garage ever again

This is a thread and bolt that has been covered by drained oil every single time it has been undone; 10,000+ cycles without damage is not unreasonable to expect from an oiled thread? It's more likely some useless mechanic has cross threaded it using an inappropriate air driven driver.

The OP advised in post #1 that the vehicle has only been serviced at the same Volvo dealership since he bought it from them.

They've over tightened it!

Only time I ever seen this was on a 1994 Mitsibushi Carisma TDi with 350k which had the oil changed EVERY 4500 miles.

Are they seriously trying to tell you the threads can't survive more than 13 oil changes - TOTAL BS