Overhaulin'

oil cap off on new car?

My friend bought a new car a month or so ago and hold me she had noticed it was leaking oil the past few days. I thought that was strange so I went out to check the car and there was oil dripping off under the bumper. popped the hood and there was oil everywhere, and the oil cap was off, wedged somewhere in the engine bay! there still seemed to be a decent amount of oil in the engine. She hasn't even opened the hood since she bought the car. Do dealers change or otherwise take the oil cap off the car when they prep the car for a sale? I wouldn't think so but can't make sense of it otherwise. How long would it take would it take for a noticeable amount of oil to leak out of an engine without the oil cap? I would think just minutes, but it has been a month! Could the cap have been loose and slowly come undone? Could it have been loose from the factory? The only other possibility I can think of is someone sabotaged it.

Public Comments

1. Somebody probably put oil in it and forgot to put the cap back on. I dont think it would have vibrated off.
2. I would take the car back to the Dealer and tell them when you raised the hood to find where the oil was dripping from This is what you found. They should Add oil and steam clean the engine compartment and under carriage. Don't let them tell you no. Speak to the owner if necessary.