‘I don’t want to say Jiffy Lube caused this’: Woman’s car breaks down minutes after oil change, then her husband discovers the real problem

A woman’s car stopped working just minutes after she left a Jiffy Lube oil change. But the problem turned out to have nothing to do with the new oil. Jess Apple shared her experience on TikTok. She said the service at Jiffy Lube was really fast, which impressed her at first. But that speed became worrying when things went wrong right after she drove away.

According to Motor1, Apple said her check engine light turned on after driving only 5 miles from the shop. She pulled over safely, but then another warning light came on too. She had to stop on the side of the road with her hood up.

Apple called Jiffy Lube right away to tell them what happened. An employee offered to come check her car immediately, which surprised her. The worker was very helpful when he arrived and looked at the engine. He said the engine wasn’t getting enough air and thought the catalytic converter might be the problem.

The spark plug was already wearing out before the service

The employee told Apple the car was safe to drive, so she went to pick up her child from school. Her husband met her there with an OBD reader, which is a tool that finds engine problems. The reader showed the car was misfiring on cylinder two. This means the fuel and air weren’t burning properly in that part of the engine, which causes the check engine light to flash and makes the engine shake.

The fix was simple. They bought and installed new spark plugs. After the repair, Apple test-drove the car, and everything worked fine. “I don’t think Jiffy Lube actually did anything to my car,” she said. “I think the spark plug was needing a replacement, and changing the oil called that to attention in my motor. Seems fine so far.” When buying used cars, some dealers have been caught hiding major issues from buyers, making proper vehicle maintenance even more important.

Apple believes the spark plug was already worn out and about to fail. The oil change just made the problem show up. She said the Jiffy Lube staff were very helpful throughout the situation. Still, she admitted it seemed very strange that her car broke down just five minutes after getting serviced.

Worn spark plugs are a common cause of engine misfires. Spark plugs should be replaced every 30,000 to 100,000 miles, depending on the vehicle. Drivers can check their owner’s manual for specific guidelines.

Many people can change spark plugs at home, but if you’re not sure what’s causing a misfire, it’s safer to let a certified mechanic check it. Driving with a misfire can cause much bigger and more expensive engine damage later. Car owners should also watch for strange warning signs while driving that could signal serious problems.