"If the oil isn't changed properly. Thats why we do not change the oil on hybrids..." Is what the techs at my local Wal-Mart told me today after they refused to service my FEH. Thats right, my local Wal-Mart seems to think an oil change on a hybrid is just too difficult and the refused my business. Naturally, being Wal-Mart, the person taking orders took the order and my keys and I did not find out till I finally could not handle the wait any longer...

I went home and changed it myself...

Thank you t those of you that posted the AutoZone part number for the oil filter wrench.

Cris

 

LOL thats the best one Ive heard yet. But do you really want someone working on ANY car that thinks this?

 

Do you really want anyone that works at Wally World working on your brand new car anyway?

I'm sure there are some great people working there but come on - techs? Did he get promoted from cashier?

There's a wrench that fits these filters? WIsh I had known that already - these housings are a b*tch to remove by hand.

 

This sounds like an urban legend. Does anyone know what the basis is for it, if any?

 

All engines have the possibility to catch on fire if the oil is not changed correctly (like if you spill a bunch onto the exhaust and it puddles). As far as I know, and I'm sure others will correct me, the FEH/MMH oiling system is EXACTLY the same as any other non hybrid.

Remove filter (canister and cartridge), clean canister, replace o-rings (supplied with filter cartridge), insert cartridge, and tighten canister. Nothing new here...

Am I wrong? I haven't reached 10,000mi yet so I haven't done my own (but I will).

 

Didn't a Honda catch on fire if the oil filter wasn't installed properly? I think it was the CRV, and the problem was the original oil filter o-ring was stuck to the engine. The new oil filter would leak and the oil would catch on fire.

I'm just not sure which vehicle it was.

 

You would have to be totally inept to do the oil wrong in one of these cars. The filter canister hangs straight down under the engine, in the front so any spilled oil goes on the floor. The pan drains under the car as well so no problem there. When you add oil I suppose you could spill some but it would have to be a lot of oil to even reach the exhaust.

Besides, I have spilled oil on a lot of exhaust pipes and have never seen anything close to a fire. Lot's of smoke but never a fire.

 

That was my point as well, though maybe not stated as clearly. You'd really have to be a non-mechanical working in a mechanical job to mess this up.

This is just another example of FUD regarding hybrids. As more and more hit the road, this will go away. Until then, I'll change my own. No need for a hybrid certified mechanic on this one.

 

When I saw the headline:
"Hybrids can catch on fire..."

I thought Yeah... and so can a firetruck....!

 

This was the first time I ever changed the oil myself. My car still hasn't engulfed into flames. Imagine my pride :-)...

The hardest part was when I saw the drain plug for the transmission and the drain plug for the oil. I stared and I stared and finally I went for the one on the right. I was close to that inept... (BTW if the the one on the right is the transmission fluid someone PM me right away!).

Cris