Can sump plugs fall out?

My son's 2007 Mazda 6 was driven 150 miles on the A1 with no apparent problem. No unexpected warning light came on. The car was parked at its destination. An hour later, a large pool of oil was seen under the car.

The AA man found that the sump plug was missing. Could there be any explanation for this other than the plug not being sufficiently tightened when the car had its full service two months ago?

Asked on 4 June 2014 by Donald Rose

Answered by Honest John

It would be unusual for a sump plug to take two months to work loose. One possible reason could be re-use of the old sump plug washer, which has always been a no-no. But with the plug missing completely, you can't prove this.

Tags: technical issues

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