Does anyone replace the oil drain plug if specified?

[PandaBear]

I though they couldn't get this low in cost cutting but there it is. A $10 plastic drain plug so they can use a plastic drain pan that saves them $10 at build time.

 

[OM617YOTA]

The more threads like this I read, the more convinced I am to keep my old vehicles on the road as long as possible.

Never thought my vehicles having metal drain plugs and all my transmissions having dipsticks would be a humble brag, but here we are. What a world we live in.

 

[D60]

I though they couldn't get this low in cost cutting but there it is. A $10 plastic drain plug so they can use a plastic drain pan that saves them $10 at build time.

I think it's also CAFE: plastic is lighter. So is aluminum, but aluminum is ultimately way more expensive in materials cost.

The mold for a pan might be $$$$ but then each pan you make costs a couple pennies in plastic pellets that get melted or injected into shape <-----not an expert on plastic manufacturing!!

Here again, that plastic pan is unlikely to ever be recycled, and we all know plastics can only be recycled a finite number of times. Steel can be melted down and recycled infinitely, and that steel pan probably will be recycled (even if it's first shipped to Asia to be melted down)

So, we feel warm and fuzzy because we think we're getting better MPG with no thought given to the life cycle of the materials used to achieve that. Again, Clown World.

 

[PandaBear]

My understanding is thermal plastic (like those water bottles) can be recycled but thermal set (like ABS and PVC) cannot. I don't 100% agree that CAFE is the reason but cost is. These guys have already done plastic housing for all sorts of oil and coolant passage and we know they all eventually will crack and leak.

 

[Owen Lucas]

The ZF 9HP in my 21 Honda Pilot requires all the plugs, check level, drain, and fill plug to be replaced.

I presume due to the integrated rubber/silcone/something presumably one time use gasket.

I changed all 3 for warranty purposes so I had it on invoice, I think it was over $50 for all 3.

 

[chazthespaz]

My daughter's 2025 Jetta specifies replacing the drain plug and washer at every oil change. I've owned lots of cars and have done countless oil changes and may have replaced 1 drain plug because some previous owner somehow messed it up. Never had a leak from a drain plug. Seems unnecessary and wasteful. Does anyone actually replace the drain plug at ever OC?

I suppose someone does. But not me.

 

[JackWildfeuer]

Never replaced oil drain plug on a car unless it was rounded. I do keep drain plug crush washers on hand though and change regularly.


I have heard recently that a lot of TOyota Trucks now list the draina nd refill plugs on axles and transfer cases as one time use. That really ticked me off since I do not purchase Toyota's for BMW and Daimler like nonsense!