After an oil change, a Florida woman heard a mysterious ticking coming from her engine. She believes it’s because a mechanic put the wrong oil in.
TikTok user Zoe (@lindsplusthree) told the story about what happened to her 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee in a video posted earlier this week. “So I need all my mechanics to respond to my post,” she says.
Zoe explains that about 8,000 miles ago she got an oil change through a mechanic friend. “Don’t ask me why,” she says. “I needed it. It was after hours. I should’ve gone to a shop.”
Shortly after the oil change, the Cherokee’s engine started making a slight ticking noise. She took it back to her mechanic friend and told him that she looked it up online and saw the issue could be linked to the wrong oil being put in.
The mechanic purportedly denied that he put the wrong oil in her Jeep, but agreed to replace it anyway. Zoe purchased what she believed to be the correct oil, 5W-20, and the mechanic replaced the old oil with it.
Did the Mechanic Put In the Wrong Oil?
“I think that I need 5W-20,” Zoe says. “Shops are arguing with me saying I need other things. But I honestly think my engine is tapping slightly because the wrong oil was put in it.”
Earlier that day, Zoe went to get yet another oil change, but says she was turned away due to the sound her engine is making.
“So today I try to get another oil change, and they say, ‘We’re not gonna touch the car, because it’s making a slight tapping noise. You’re gonna have to take it back to whoever did the oil change in the first place,’” Zoe says.
This is obviously stressing Zoe out. She wants mechanics to reassure her that her engine isn’t on the road to failure.
“Please, somebody answer me,” she writes in the caption. “Is my engine about to blow? Seriously.”
Viewers React to the Wrong Oil Story
In the comments, viewers offered Zoe potential causes of her problem. Several agreed with her initial mechanic that the problem is likely unrelated to the kind of oil he put in.
“It has nothing to do with the oil,” wrote one self-identified mechanic. “The 3.2 V6 is notorious for rocker arms failure. I’ve done plenty of these to know.”
“The oil filler cap will tell you what type of engine oil you need,” wrote a second person. “Jeeps have major valve train issues. You probably need to replace the cam and lifters. Cheaper just to get another vehicle. The oil is not the problem.”
Another helpful viewer wrote, “You need $6k worth of work on it…”
What’s Likely Causing the Ticking Sound?
The oil you buy at the auto parts store is labeled based on its viscosity at various temperatures. Using an oil that is too thick or thin for your engine can result in leaks, overheating, and ultimately failure. You may see blue or white smoke, notice the smell of burning oil, lose fuel efficiency, or get a warning light. Knocking or ticking sounds from the engine, as well as engine failure, are other signs that the wrong oil was used.
The ticking sound in Zoe’s Cherokee may have nothing to do with the oil, however. Jeep’s 3.6L engine is known for ticking sounds and other major problems. Other Jeep owners said their ticking sound turned into a full camshaft replacement.
“The ‘rocker arm tick’ in Pentastar engines often leads to camshaft replacement, especially when addressed by dealerships,” one person explained in a Jeep Wrangler forum. “Some owners have successfully saved the camshaft by catching the issue early and replacing only the rocker arms and lifters, while others have required camshaft replacement due to damage.”
Motor1 reached out to Zoe via TikTok comment and direct message for comment. We’ll be sure to update this article if she responds.
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