Wal-Mart bad oil change cover-up! They won't pay for new engine after admitting fault. Rip-off! Elk River Minnesota

On November 25th 2003 I had a routine oil change at the Wal-Mart TLE in Elk River Minnesota, on my way home (less than two miles) my oil light came on. I went back to Wal-Mart the next morning to have them fix this. When I went in a technician immediately went out to my van and checked the oil, I was standing next to the technician when she pulled the dip stick out and there was only a small amout of oil on the very tip of the stick, I did not see what she found after she wiped the stick off and checked the level after that.

I was paged shortly after and I was told that the oil filter was loose but that my oil level was still full, they put in a new filter and retorqued the plug. My oil light was off when I left. On December 24th I noticed that my van was making a ticking noise so I pulled into a gas station and checked the oil, it was full. As I was driving the ticking noise got louder and soon it was more of a clunking with the van actually shaking from vibration. Three mechanics have told me that I blew the engine due to no oil, and all three agree that it could take a month for the engine to break down due to no oil for just a short time (and less than 4 miles).

I went back to Wal-Mart on the suggestion from my first mechanic and I had to prove that I had been in on the day following my oil change because they did not record my visit on their computer. The manager, Jaime Hirsch, said that she would pull the video from the 26th of November to see exactly what was done to my van, she said that she was sure they still had the tape because they keep them for at least three months. The next morning Jaime called and said that she had filed a claim with their insurance company and that they would be getting back to me in the next day or two. I asked Jaime what the video showed and she said that they didn't have that day any longer. I then asked how I would be paid and she said that I will have to ask the insurance company.

Due to this conversation I believed that Wal-Mart had admitted fault and was going to pay for the damage. I talked to Jason Underwood of CMA and he called my mechanic and when he called me back he said that my mechanic had only told him that he only knew what I had told him (the fact is that my mechanic is the one that suggested that I go to Wal-Mart, I do not know anything about engines). In talking to Jason he stated that it's obvious that Wal-Mart added oil to my van because of what they stated they had done during my second visit.

Now Wal-Mart is stating I need to have my engine torn done and inspected to determine what happened, this is an additional expense of upto $1,000.00. I have been told that doing the tear down would be a waste of money because with what is wrong with my van it's obvious that I ran out of oil and I need a new engine anyway. I am in the process of taking Wal-Mart to district court. This infuriates me because to Wal-Mart my $6,000.00 claim is nothing to them but to me it's everything!

Stacey
Elk River, Minnesota
U.S.A.