With a coupon from a co-worker for a free oil change at Valvoline, a Massachusetts man happily drove to the shop for that and new air filter. His car was operating fine when he brought it in, but when he pulled out of the garage bay, he noticed the red oil indicator light was on. The technician told him to turn the car off, then turn the key to on, step on the brake and gas pedal at the same time, and hold it for thirty seconds to reset the oil light. That seemed to do the trick. About a week later, however, he heard a clicking noise while driving. Returning to Valvoline, he asked if the air filter had been installed correctly. He was told it was, and that the clicking noise was a bad belt. On the way home, the car started to smoke, so he pulled over and had it towed to a dealer, who informed him that there was catastrophic damage to the engine, which would cost $9,518 to fix. The Consumer Assistance Council contacted the company’s headquarters on his behalf. Since the cost of the repairs was more than the car was worth, Valvoline offered him $8,091 (the private-sale value of the car plus a refund for the amount he paid for the service), and he could keep the car, in exchange for a release. He gladly accepted.
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