A Hyundai dealer had to replace both the engine and transmission in a 2022 Santa Cruz after a failed oil change. Center Reach Hyundai shared a video on TikTok explaining what happened. The dealership called it the “rarest Hyundai service” they’ve done. A tech at the shop said they had to replace two major parts at once. The customer got an oil change at an outside shop, and the workers left a drain plug inside the oil filter.
“We got a 2022 Santa Cruz here. And doing something that you don’t normally do … replacing an engine and a transmission at the same time. But it just so happened that this customer went and got an oil change at an outside shop. And they left a drain plug inside the oil filter. And it sucked it up, and it stopped the oil flow. So no oil pressure. Which in turn becomes a seized engine, he said, according to Motor1.
The drain plug got sucked up and blocked the oil flow. This caused no oil pressure, which made the engine seize up completely. The TikTok video showed parts of the Santa Cruz sitting on the shop floor. The tech explained they had to remove the subframe, axles, driveshaft, and exhaust. Then the whole engine and transmission came down together on a table.
A seized engine led to total replacement of both major systems
When asked where people should get oil changes, the tech said customers should go to places with “a reputable name.” He stressed again how rare it is to replace both an engine and transmission at the same time. Just like people who find unexpected treasures at thrift shops, car problems can reveal surprising outcomes.
This type of problem doesn’t happen often, but other people have had issues after oil changes. One person on Toyota Nation said their transmission started slipping after they changed their own oil. Other users thought the person might have drained transmission fluid by mistake instead of engine oil.
Another person on Reddit said their Subaru started smoking after an oil change. They checked and found their oil was completely empty. The oil drain plug was barely attached and caused all the oil to leak out. Similar to discovering hidden details in classic vehicles, checking under the hood can reveal major issues.
“if it wasn’t a Hyundai I’d say it’d be a very rare thing to change an engine out or transmission three years into its lifetime,” one person commented on the video. After they tightened the drain plug and added new oil, everything worked fine. They believed whoever did the oil change forgot to secure the plug properly.
