Oil Leaks & Timing Chain Failure

Two related failures show up over and over. Plastic oil-filter housings and valve-cover gaskets become brittle with heat cycling and start to weep oil — sometimes onto the exhaust, which creates a burning smell and, in bad cases, a fire risk. Separately, timing chains and their tensioners and guides can wear or stretch, producing a cold-start rattle and eventually throwing correlation codes.

A stretched timing chain is not a minor repair. If it jumps a tooth, valves and pistons can collide and destroy the engine. And these repairs are invasive and expensive, so owners often report the vehicle sitting at the dealer for a long time — and sometimes report the leak reappearing from an adjacent seal after the first repair.

Chronic leaks and a failing timing chain substantially impair the vehicle's use, value, and safety. If the manufacturer can't repair the problem after a reasonable number of attempts, or your car is out of service for an extended time, California's Lemon Law may entitle you to a buyback, replacement, or cash settlement — with the manufacturer paying your attorney fees.

California's Lemon Law (the Song-Beverly Act) applies when a substantial defect can't be repaired after a reasonable number of attempts, or when your vehicle has been out of service for 30 or more cumulative days. For serious safety defects, fewer failed attempts are required.

If your vehicle qualifies, you may be entitled to a buyback (a refund of what you've paid, minus a mileage offset), a replacement vehicle, or a cash-and-keep settlement. The manufacturer pays your attorney fees on a successful claim — so pursuing your case costs you nothing out of pocket.