Car Damage and Oil Leak after a Service

Smedders11

Hi,

I got my car serviced yesterday and thought all was well with it as no issues found and all wrapped up quickly. I've just got back from work (100-mile round trip) and thought that I could smell burning throughout the journeys . Once I got home I went to look in the engine bay and noticed that the the vents on the grill had been snapped, and the front bumper was disconnected at one side (and the connectors seem sheared too). When I looked in the engine oil was everywhere! To my inexperienced eye it simply looks like the oil dipstick wasn't in properly, but for all I know it could be something to do with pressure or some other issue unbeknown to me. I imagine that oil could easily leak if the disptick wasn't put in fully?

I'm not quite sure how the damage to the bumper would have come about--until I saw the engine bay I thought it was probably me somehow. However, the negligence with regards to the oil strengthens suspicions against the dealer. The car seems to have a cover underneath the vehicle that protects and shelters the exhaust/streamlines the car or something, but from what I could see bumper possibly connects to this, so it may have had to have been removed? It's a 2011 Peugeot 308. I know I've not hit anything, and I have a dash cam if I need to prove it (unless they say it was there when they received the car, though I would have thought that'd come up).

My main concern right now is about the safety of the car and integrity of the engine. I'm providing out-of-hours emergency cover over the next five days and could be called out at any minute to drive the same 100-mile trip, so want advice about the possible consequences of the oil:

1) I don't know how much oil has leaked. The car detects the oil level and hasn't detected an issue, and whilst I'm not sure how much oil an engine holds, it doesn't seem like it's been leaking profusely. EDIT: Post-post I realised to check the dipstick as the engine has cooled now. The level is past the upper limit, but I don't know if that means it overfilled or if it's normal to be high a day after the service?

2) Assuming the dipstick wasn't inserted properly and wasn't sealing the chute, is it possible and likely that oil flowed up it during driving? Or could it be the result of high oil pressure, or a fault with another component?

3) I'd like to clean up the engine a bit should I get called out. How would I go about this? What to use, anything to avoid? Amateur questions I'm sure. Also, is it possible and likely that the oil could have damaged some other component or part of the engine? I'd hope the computer would detect any electrical faults.

Hoping to get the car inspected on Saturday just to make sure it's nothing serious. IN the meantime can anyone offer and advice?

Thanks in advance

arcon5

No, oil doesn't tend to shoot up dipsticks to the point it's all over the engine bay.

If it's all over maybe they haven't tightened oil filter fully or something.

Take it back for them to inspect?

Smedders11

I'm not sure if I may be exaggerating the amount of oil. There are small collections of oil around the dipstick, and looks like some has collected below the radiator, but the rest of it is mostly spatters that may be from boiling, wind, and motion of the car.

Though having no experience with cars, I'm not sure what constitutes a lot.

Hoping to get it inspected and addressed on Saturday.

s_b

dipstick not seated properly and a long trip will indeed cause oil to go everywhere under the bonnet
confirm its seated properly theres enough oil still in the engine and go back to service outlet annoyed,very annoyed,,

khcomp

If there's oil everywhere, AND the dipstick now measures over full, you could have a big problem - contact the garage immediately, explain, and have them check the oil, remove some if necessary, and clean the engine bay for you. Over filling can cause serious engine damage. The bumper issue may be entirely unconnected, but as you say, you'd expect the garage to make you aware if the damage was there prior to them commencing work. The bumper wouldn't need removal to remove the under tray.

Geodark

Is this a petrol or diesel 308?