What if the tech puts the car on the rack, drains or siphons the oil, and the engine starts in the middle of the oil change because he//she never 'off'd' the start button?

I'd bet this has happened plenty of times to many hybrids. I've done all my own oil changes//tire rotations since new, because honestly, these guys screw up alot. If an engine did start without oil, I don't believe the service provider would reveal that to the paying customer. Perhaps minimal or no engine damage might occur, but who would want it to happen to their vehicle anyway?

Perhaps I'm being overly fearful? Maybe paranoid? But if the clunkerheads at certain quick lube joints can regularly and effortlessly mess up regular non-hybrids, who's to say what really goes on there and at the dealerships as well? I don't think this is too far out...

 

Boy is this very true!!! Years ago in another life I worked for GM Caddi Div. Got a call from dealer that an engine had froze on a customer car. The lub boy was on a test drive when she froze up due to lack of oil. He could not remember putting oil back in after oil change. So this type of thing happens more than you would ever want to beleive and is usually swept under the large carpet lol. The day I do not change my own is the day we quit driving.

 

Sad, but all too true. I don't change my own because I don't like effort for the filter change. I use Grease Monkey because I know they have had training on my car (certificate on the wall, checked and verified), I make them use quart containers of oil (Mobil One 0W-20) and visually check them. I always have it done by the same guy, and he knows I am fussy. (Makes a tip, too!). Because I am fussy, they don't give me the usual hard sell for all the other stuff, either. They just show me the filter, etc. when they think it looks bad, and let me decide -- no arguments.

Actually, I like them -- convenient, fast, and high quality. (No, I don't work for them.)

 

I you plan on taking your car for a oil change I would make sure the traction battery is near full charge. I also do my own oil changes. The few times I have taken it to a good private oil change place or questionable Walmart. I always buy my own oil and filter and put it in the passenger side floorboard. They don't seem to mind and they only charge a labor fee.

I do my own. I hand tighten the toyota oem filter and it never leaks. I never liked a real tight oil filter like from the factory.