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Oil filter caused check engine light?

32K views 13 replies 7 participants last post by  missourimule 
#1 ·
I'll start out by saying I recently bought my 2010 Kia Forte Sedan with 20,000 miles already on it. The other day the check engine light came on in my car so I took it into the dealership the next day. I was told because I was under warranty I would not be charged the diagnostic fee unless I made a modification that caused the check engine light to come on. It turns out having an aftermarket oil filter is considered a modification. I was charged $125 because of this. They told me the oil filter was causing low oil pressure. Before I left they put a Kia oil filter on it. I wasn't happy about any this. To top things off tonight the check engine light comes back on.

I was under the impression the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act made this kind of thing illegal to do. On top of that could the oil filter really be the cause of the check engine light?
 
#2 · (Edited)
I know that Huyndai's and Kia's are sensible to oil filters and the low pressure thing is known... Plus, if u use cheap filters like fram or homebrands, they leave some particles of filter in the engine... not really good !!!

At the price that the dealer sell their maintenance things, it don't really worth trying tu use anything else, only to save a couple of bucks...

Considering an aftermarket oil filter as a modification is maybe a little bit abusive....
 
#4 ·
First of all your dealer is a failure.
Second -- you need to get educated. Seriously, get a code reader and find out for yourself what the code is -- if you don't know how go to an Autozone or Pepboys to have the code read and have them put it in writing. Then go back to the dealer and explain the light is on again after your last servicing. Then let them tell you what it is -- don't tell them what you know -- and see if they are honest. If they tell you something different ask for the General Manager and explain everything from the beginning and ask for your money back. It is unfortunate that you don't know what the first check engine light was for -- that will make it harder to prove your case. In todays world of computers and the ever present dishonesty you need to learn to check things for yourself! Quite frankly I think your dealership is dishonest...
 
#6 ·
I never imagined I could get screwed like this over a simple diagnostic check. When they were explaining I could get charged because of modifications to the car I was thinking they meant putting in performance engine parts. I got a copy of the read out before I left. The fault code listed is P0011

So if the oil filter was already on the car that 'they' sold you, why did they charge you? Furthermore..why did you pay?
The dealership I went to about the check engine light isn't the same dealer I purchased the vehicle from. The vehicle was purchased from a non-Kia dealer.
 
#10 ·
Personally, I think your dealer is pulling a fast one. You might be interested in this take. I believe the dealer like I believe the moon is made out of green cheese.

Engine Oil Filter Study

If the oil filter was totally clogged, I should think there should be a by-pass valve which would still have circulated the oil. I have never seen this happen before and I simply don't believe it.
 
#11 ·
Took it back to the dealership today after going to Advance Auto Parts. The reading Advance gave me matched the same fault code as before. Upon arrival at the dealership I told them the light was back and that it obviously wasn't the oil filter since they had changed it out. After hours of waiting for them to figure something out they said they are going to replace the OCVs under warranty and refund me the $125. I have a rental car to drive over the weekend while they are fixing it. So after a rough start things seem to be alright now. Thank you to everyone that contributed to this thread.
 
#13 ·
I have seen this several times in used cars with variable valve timing. I can be, but is not always caused by the incorrect viscosity engine oil. Some people are still of the mindset that 10W40 in the summer and 10W30 in the winter is still the norm. The VVT or VCT modules have a piston in them that is controlled by oil flow and pressure. Too thick of an oil CAN cause these units to malfunction. Personally I had a 2008 GMC Canyon I purchased used for a work truck and low and behold I had a P0011 within 30 miles of picking it up from the dealer. One look under the hood and I noticed an 'El Cheapo oil filter and I suspected the wrong oil. I drained what I believed to be 90 weight gear oil from the crank case and replaced with 5W20 and a quality filter. I cleared the code and drove it for about 10 minutes and I haven't had a code since.
 
#14 ·
I'm sort of surprised to see this come up regarding the viscosity of the oil. Looking at the 2011 Kia manual it states that 5w-20 and 5w-30 SM rated oil is specified from -30 degrees F to 120 degrees F. 10w-30 is OK but only from 0 to 120 degrees F.

It states specifically 1. "For better fuel economy, it is recommended to use the engine oil of a viscosity grade SAE 5w-20 (AP SM / ILSAC GF-4)"....

Unless I am greatly mistaken Ford has for years mandated ONLY 5w-20 viscosity oil. Some time ago I seem to recall that Consumer's Report tested the viscosities of various oils and found that there was virtually no difference in the "thinning" of the 5w-20 over the 5w-30 oils. 10w-40 oil hasn't (to my knowledge) been recommended in modern engines for perhaps over a decade or more.

Personally, speaking I always put 5w-20 oil in all my vehicles and Motocraft "semi-synthetic" oil is readily available at Wal-Mart for about $2.75 a quart. But in all honesty, I would imagine the cheaper Wal-Mart brand is just fine so long as it has the SM rating which I have used in other equipment including my cars. (or for that matter any store branded oil meeting factory specs.)

I've also used synthetic oils in the past and could tell no difference in fuel mileage and I discontinued it many years ago. In my view the oils of today are so superior to the oils of yesteryear that engines will almost never wear out. The bodies will fall off the car with the engines still running strong. It is exceedingly rare to see any engine actually burning visible oil today. One can only think that the owner must have several hundred thousand miles on their vehicles or just don't take care of them at all.
 
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