It happened more often than we wanted to see. I wrote service at a local shop for years. The garage is in a growing suburb of Columbus, Ohio. Since we were a full-service facility often packed to the gills with advanced-level repairs and hours-long factory-scheduled maintenance packages, our customers often got their simple oil changes at one of the nearby “Quick Lube” places. Surely, the idea was that they could get in and get out without needing to even make an appointment. Unfortunately, though, some folks were stunned when a “convenience” suddenly turned into a nightmare.

For instance, a customer would leave the express oil change bay and go on about their day. They might even drive miles and miles before noticing anything wrong. However, at some point, they notice something “off.” It’s usually one of two things: they smell burning oil, or they see oil leaking underneath. Sometimes, it’d be too late, and the engine already suffered catastrophic damage.

The extra sting here is that, more often than not, the root error could have been quickly and easily addressed. Here’s how to prevent subsequent damage from a “Quick Lube” oversight.

After every “Quick Lube” oil change, check your car for three common mistakes:

• The oil filter isn’t installed correctly
• The oil drain plug leaks
• The oil filler cap isn’t on tight

Occasionally, we’d get a call from a customer who had left a facility and noticed a pool of oil under their vehicle. It turns out the technician didn’t properly install the oil drain plug or oil filter, causing an oil leak as soon as the engine turned on.

Other times, a customer might notice a burning smell or even see smoke coming out from under the hood. The plastic oil filler cap might have been left loose in the valve cover. Or worse, the technician might have left the cap on the windshield cowl or otherwise off entirely. This causes oil to blow out the top of the engine while it’s running.

Both of these conditions can cause low oil levels, leading to catastrophic engine damage.

As a driver, these components are easy to inspect after an oil change service. Here’s how:

After you pull out of the service bay, I’d recommend you let the car run for a minute or two in a parking spot. Then, shut off the engine and get out of the car. Look underneath the front end of the vehicle and check for spots or puddles. You shouldn’t see any oil leaking onto the ground. Check the path you used from the bay to the parking spot. If you see a little trail of fluid, confirm what it is. You might have to ask the service department for assistance in determining the source. It could just be the AC system draining water, for instance.

Next, pop the hood and look for the oil filler cap. It’s going to look like a fuel filler cap. They’re typically large and made of black plastic, usually with an oil can symbol on them. Make sure it’s installed and tightly closed.

That’s it! It might take a few extra minutes, but by double-checking for these three oversights after a “Quick Lube” oil change, you might just save yourself a huge headache down the road.