I Just Had My First 2025 Tundra Oil Change, They Charged Me $130, Then I Checked, and The Toyota Dealer Never Changed My Oil and Filter | Torque News

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Could a Toyota dealer in Cerritos, California, be engaging in fraudulent activities within its service department?

Gabby and her husband Jesse, recent owners of a 2025 Toyota Tundra, have a story about a Toyota dealer oil change that will leave you speechless. This is a cautionary tale for all potential Toyota customers.

Gabby (@gabbattack), in her TikTok video clip, says she is wondering if the Toyota dealer defrauded her and her husband or if it was a one-time mistake. Here is her and her husband Jesse’s unbelievable story.

She says, “So, we are sitting here in our brand new beautiful 2025 Toyota Tundra, and my husband Jesse went to get our first oil change at the Toyota dealer (she identified as Cerritos Toyota Auto Nation) yesterday for a 7:40 am appointment. He didn’t get home until noon.”

Gabby pulls out the receipt from the Toyota dealer, showing that they did charge them for the oil change. “It says right here, oil and filter change, and he paid for it.”

The receipt indicates a charge of $129.95 to the customer.

“We thought it was free with our maintenance package, but apparently they didn’t cover it, so we paid for it.”

“So, Jesse paid $130,” Gabby continues, “He was there for several hours waiting for the work to be done. He came back home, and he had purchased a skid plate for the bottom of the truck to protect the oil pan because we like to go off-road.”

“My husband crawled under the truck to install it, and the entire undercarriage of the truck is covered in mud because we just got back from going off-roading outdoors.”

It’s important to note that they had not been to the car wash before they got the oil changed.

“So, next, Jesse takes a picture on his phone of the oil filter that’s still covered in mud.”

Gabby holds up the picture of the oil filter covered in mud.

“This is the picture of the filter after the oil change has been done. Now, I don’t know about you, but that does not look like a brand-new oil filter.”

Next, Gabby holds up the phone, showing the drain plug on the oil pan. It’s also caked in mud and has not been touched. “It clearly hasn’t been touched,” she says.

“So, now, we are going back to the Toyota dealer and see what the dealer has to say about this.”

Gabby does a follow-up video the next day after taking the truck back to the Toyota dealer.

“Ok, guys, here is part two about the oil change service we got at the Toyota dealer, which they actually didn’t do. So, Jesse went back to the dealer and asked to talk to the manager of the dealership.”

“They asked him what it concerned, and they directed him to the service manager. So when he talked to the service manager, he tried to keep it cool and not get upset because that doesn’t get you anywhere.”

“So, he told the manager what had happened, showed him the pictures, and the manager then asked if he could pull the dipstick and check the oil. My husband said yes, it’s perfectly fine.”

“The manager pulled the dipstick, checked the oil, and said, ‘No, we did not change your oil; we are so sorry,’ and apologized to my husband.”

The Service Manager Knows They Are In the Wrong

“The service manager says he wants to make it right, and he will take the truck right away and do the oil change. So, that’s what they did. My husband didn’t have to wait.”

“After they were done, the service manager gave my husband a $200 service credit for future services. He also said they were going to check the security cameras in the shop and investigate what happened.”

“After he had done that, he told Jesse that they saw on the camera that the guy who was doing our oil change was a new employee.”

"So, we still don’t know if it happened because the guy was new or if this is something that happens all the time. Or did they happen to choose the wrong truck?”

“My husband said everyone there was super nice about it, and we did appreciate the fact that they actually admitted that it happened and took responsibility for the mistake that they made. So, that is always nice.”

Despite the resolution, Gabby and Jesse are left with lingering questions and a sense of uncertainty.

“So, does the oil change, the apology, and the $200 service credit make up for it, and now we should trust them? Was this a one-time incident, or does this happen all the time?”

Gabby emphasized that most customers would never know if they were in a similar situation.

“We have no idea. We can’t prove it. Most customers would never know. We only found out because we had dirt and mud underneath the truck, and it was easy to spot.”

Fraud Or A Mistake?

I see two problems with what the Toyota dealer did. First, Gabby and Jesse should not have had to pay for their Tundra’s oil change. Every 2025 Toyota Tundra comes with ToyotaCare.

The oil change should have been free, not $129.95.

ToyotaCare on the Tundra covers regular factory-scheduled maintenance, such as oil changes, tire rotations, and fluid checks, for the first two years or 25,000 miles of ownership, whichever comes first. It also includes 24-hour roadside assistance for the same duration but with unlimited mileage.

This was the first red flag at this Toyota dealer.

The second red flag is that the service manager could have checked their records to see which technician performed the service on Gabby and Jesse’s truck. The service manager would not have had to look at a security camera to find out who performed the oil change service.

Dealerships utilize internal systems to track which technicians perform specific work, allowing them to monitor pay, performance, and workload.

So, in my opinion, the service manager was not being truthful.

Conclusion:

Is this a case of dealer fraud or just pure negligence on the part of a Toyota dealer? The two red flags are easy to spot, and they tell the story of a dealer who is not taking care of its customers. It’s important to note that not all Toyota dealers are dishonest. However, it appears that this dealer is.

Gabby concludes, “We would have never known if my husband hadn’t gone under the truck today. How many people does this happen to? It’s straight fraud!”

It’s Your Turn

What do you think happened with Gabby and Jesse's Toyota Tundra truck? Have you experienced a similar situation at a new car dealership? If so, click the red Add New Comment link below and let us know.

Check out another Toyota dealer oil change story gone bad: I Just Had My First 2024 Tacoma 10K Oil Change Done at the Toyota Dealer, Now I Have a Massive Oil Spill on My Garage Floor

I am Denis Flierl, a Senior Torque News Reporter since 2012. My 30+ year tenure in the automotive industry, initially in a consulting role with every major car brand and later as a freelance journalist test-driving new vehicles, has equipped me with a wealth of knowledge. I specialize in reporting the latest automotive news and providing expert analysis on Subaru, which you'll find here, ensuring that you, as a reader, are always well-informed and up-to-date. Follow me on my X SubaruReport, All Subaru, WRXSTI, @DenisFlierl, Facebook, and Instagram.

Photo credit: Denis Flierl via Gabby

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