Steering is malfunctioning after an oil change. Can I take legal action against the people who did it?

So I had my oil changed today at a small car service station half a mile from my house. When they were all done and they said I was good to go, I get to my car and the plastic plate that snaps over my oil tank was on the ground propped against my car. They forgot to put it back in. I had them snap it back in for me and then I left. Then washed my car at their convenient car wash.



I almost got all the way home (remember, I only live half a mile away from this place) and my power steering failed and I couldn檛 turn into my neighborhood. I pulled over to turn off my engine and turn it back on. It worked again. I drove back to the place and asked if they messed with my power steering and what could be wrong with it. Of course, they denied touching my power steering and they came up with the diagnosis that the water from the car wash could have sprayed too much water in the engine and that could cause the steering to malfunction. They said once the water dries up, it should go back to normal. They didn檛 even have a look at my car. I was a little upset that they would give me a diagnosis without even looking. I said okay?and left. The steering failed 4 more times after that.



I have only owned this car for one year and I have driven in pouring down rain with flash floods!! I know water has splashed on the underside of my engine?and I have NEVER ONCE had this problem. And, I have been through that same carwash before! A couple times!



I own an ?5 Saturn Ion with electrical power steering, no fluid involved. Has this situation happened to anyone else? Can water cause the power steering to malfunction? Or was that all a load of bull? If the problem persist, can I take legal action? Can I get the repair done somewhere else and then make them pay the bill? How do I go about doing that?



I personally think that they did something careless. I could have gone on the expressway and gotten seriously injured!! I'm scared to drive my car now.



Any input would be appreciated.Steering is malfunctioning after an oil change. Can I take legal action against the people who did it?
i suggest you have your car diagnosed by a qualified mechanic, if he tells you they caused the problem, have him put it on a %26quot;repair estimate%26quot; Then confront the people that changed the oil, if they still deny it have the car fixed, then file a complaint with your local BBB and proceed with small claims at your local court house. Good luck.Steering is malfunctioning after an oil change. Can I take legal action against the people who did it?
diagnosis without even looking chnging the cars oil wouldnt have anything to do with power steering and neither would a car wash can you take action wel you would have to prove they done something to cause it to fail which unlikely if you dont trust your shop go else where and have it check but even then wil be hard to say if they done something or not much less prove itSteering is malfunctioning after an oil change. Can I take legal action against the people who did it?
As long as you can prove they caused the problem, there is no reason why you shouldn't try to be compensated for the repair. But it's going to be pretty difficult to show proof though. No judge is just going to hear this story and take your word for it so hopefully you have comething more concrete.Steering is malfunctioning after an oil change. Can I take legal action against the people who did it?
Sounds fishy. Even if they didn't touch it, the fact is you came to them with a problem and they did nothing about it. that there should have some significance. I mean your steering is kind of an important thing so you could get them on endangerment for failing to take care of a problem.Steering is malfunctioning after an oil change. Can I take legal action against the people who did it?
If you just had your oil changed, it is very unlikely that they did anything to the power steering. No reason to. Probably a coincidence. Actually, this is why I quit being a mechanic 35 years ago. I would replace a water pump and next day, maybe the heater blower wouldn't work and the owner would swear I did something because it worked fine before.