Changing your own oil is one of the oldest and simplest ways to save a few bucks on car maintenance. But one Canadian Subaru driver claims that decision came back to bite her when her Outback developed serious engine trouble and the dealership refused to cover the repairs under warranty.
Ontario resident Shannon Desjardins told CTV News she leased a new 2024 Subaru Outback and performed its oil changes herself for two years. She says the basic service work was something she was comfortable doing after spending much of her life around engines.
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Trouble arrived in January at around 44,000 miles (71,000 km) when the red oil warning light appeared during her journey home. It disappeared the following day, so Desjardins continued driving, only for it to illuminate again later. She then had the Outback towed.
According to Desjardins, the dealer subsequently discovered sludge and other significant engine problems. When staff requested evidence of servicing, she explained that she’d been changing the oil herself. She claims that’s where her warranty troubles began.
“They’re telling me the only reason they are denying it is because I did my own oil changes,” Desjardins told CTV News.
Receipts And Records Required
Subaru Canada didn’t quite characterize things that simply when contacted by the broadcaster. It said owners can perform their own maintenance, but they must follow the schedule specified by Subaru and retain records backed by documentation, including receipts for the products used. The automaker says it’s now investigating Desjardins’ case.
That bit about the schedule and receipts could prove key. The issue isn’t necessarily whether somebody wearing a Subaru shirt poured the oil into the engine, but whether there’s sufficient evidence that the correct maintenance was performed, at the right intervals, using appropriate products. It’s not clear from the report whether Desjardins followed those procedures to the letter.
Lease Payments Up In Smoke
The owner could be on the hook for thousands of dollars in repair costs if Subaru decides it won’t honor the warranty, and in fact she’s already shelling out hundreds every month making lease and insurance payments on an Outback she can’t drive while waiting for a decision.
Annoying as it might be, most leasing contracts clearly state that the car has to be serviced at a dealer to preserve both the warranty and the car’s residual value, but what do you think? Should Subaru honor the warranty claim, and should that decision hinge on the owner coming up with all kinds of receipts and records?