P5 Oil Proglem

I just had my first oil change last week. I took it to the dealership. I have a nasty oil leak problem now and the engine ran dry without the oil light ever coming on. What should I make sure the dealership fixes/replace? I'd like them to tear down the engine to see if it was damaged but I don't think I can expect that.

Details:
A couple days ago I first noticed a burning rubber smell at a stop light. I thought it was the car in front of me. When I got gas, though, I found out it was my car smoking! I checked the oil and the dipstick was bone dry. I put more oil in to drive the car to the service area but the oil ran out pretty quickly and now I'm waiting for a tow.

Well, look under the car, and see if it is leaking oil, and not eating oil.. It could be comething simple like the oil drain plug fell out, or the filter is not tight and leaking. Just pray that the engine is not eating it. In that case, all the seals and stuff will need to be replaced. Plus you'll have all sorts of residue in your engine form burning the oil.

- Miker

Thanks for the info. It was definitely leaking. I had checked that the oil filter and plug were tight.

It was a bad filter. The dealer claims they had a bunch recently that failed around 400 miles. You could see that the filter (gasket?) had come off the O-ring in my case but they said they did not see any visible defects in the others.

They tell me that even with the dipstick completely dry there could still be 2 quarts in the engine and that it should be fine. They are going to change the oil, run the engine for a while, drain and check the oil, and fill it again.

I have a 626 as a loaner. Nice car but not a sporty one. I can't drive it nearly as hard as my mp5.

Gyre,

Yah, my last car burned a lil oil, and when the oil light turned on, The engine would still only take 1.5 quarts, and it held 4.

Your lucky that it was the oil filter, and not anything worse. Your engine should be fine, but MAKE SURE that you make them clean off ALL the oil that might has dripped on your car parts. If they don't it'll pick up dirt and debrise and get all sorts of nasty under your car, but also smell as it burns off.

- Miker