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Oil sludge
Oil sludge is gelled oil that clogs or fails to lubricate engine parts, potentially leading to engine failure. The passageways in many parts of the engine are much like human arteries which can clog when the fluid which passes through them thickens, becoming slow moving and eventually obstructing those passageways. When these vessels become obstructed engine parts can fail, often requiring a complete engine replacement.
Oil sludge can do significant damage to a vehicle's engine in a relatively short period of time. Some consumers have reported oil sludge problems at as low as 20,000 miles and were told that their engine had to be completely replaced. The problem of oil sludge does not seem to be unique to one manufacturer's vehicles, though statistics do indicate that certain makes and models may be at a greater risk for developing this problem.
Toyota has stated that it has received more than 3,400 complaints of oil sludge from consumers. In 2002, the company extended its warranty to eight years with unlimited miles for all 3.3 million Toyota vehicles known to be at risk for developing oil sludge as of 2002. Despite this seemingly superior customer service, consumers have reported significant problems with Toyota customer service and their willingness to accept responsibility for the auto defect and make amends.
Saab has also extended its warranty to eight years for the vehicles it believes are at risk for oil sludge problems. Chrysler has also experienced a high level of consumer complaints about oil sludge but has refused to increase warranty protection or loosen up their claims process. There are other vehicle manufactures whose products may also be at risk for developing the serious problem of oil sludge, including Volkswagen and Lexus, both of which have extended their warranties to help address the problem.
Companies like Chrysler that have refused to take responsibility and action for oil sludge defects have been extremely un-giving when it comes to consumer claims to replace an engine damaged by oil sludge. Some consumer's oil sludge claims have been denied for reasons as trivial as changing the oil 36 miles after the stated interval. Consumers have been accused of dumping debris into their engines to deliberately cause oil sludge. Many consumers whose vehicles have developed oil sludge have sold their cars, passing the problem of oil sludge on to the next unwitting consumer who is not told of this problem.
Vehicle manufacturers have found that an inexpensive devise can help avoid problems of oil sludge. An oil life monitor costs about $10 and will check the condition of engine oil and notify the driver when it's time for an oil change. Many manufacturers have added this devise on at least some of their higher-end vehicles, while others have not made such helpful amendments to their product.
Thousands of consumers have been plagued with the serious problem of oil sludge and benefited from the assistance of a legal professional who has fought to ensure that they were adequately compensated for this problem. If you would like to learn more about oil sludge, please contact us to speak with an experienced attorney who can help.
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