Car repairs are never cheap, but what happens when a manufacturer refuses to cover a major failure over a possible oversight on your part?
That’s what Cat (@cflanagan1991) is dealing with after her 2021 Hyundai Palisade suffered what she called “catastrophic engine failure.”
Her TikTok video documenting the issue has already racked up over 141,600 views, and a wave of criticism.
What went wrong?
“Just some catastrophic engine failure to start the day,” she says in the video, clearly upset.
She says Hyundai refused to cover the repairs, claiming it was due to her own negligence.
“Hyundai says they won’t cover it because I was 2,000 miles late on my oil change,” she explains.
But she pushes back on the idea that a slightly overdue oil change should be enough to destroy an entire engine.
“2,000 miles should not cause catastrophic engine failure,” she says.
Follow-up video provides more details
In a follow-up video, Cat shared more details about what happened and why she believes Hyundai’s decision doesn’t add up.
She explained that she drove her car to the dealership with no warning lights on—just expecting to get a routine oil change, even if it was overdue.
“Zero warning lights. And nothing to indicate that anything is wrong with my engine,” she said.
But about an hour after dropping it off, she got a call telling her the car needed an entirely new engine—and that Hyundai wouldn’t cover it because she was 2,000 miles over the recommended oil change.
According to her dealership, she was supposed to change her oil every 5,000 miles—but her car manual actually recommends every 7,500 miles.
That wasn’t the only issue. In order to even get an official diagnosis, she had to pay for the dealership to tear down the engine and send the results to Hyundai.
“I don’t really understand why I had to pay for Hyundai to break down my engine,” she said, especially since they ended up rejecting the claim anyway because her car had just passed 60,000 miles.
The car allegedly got worse after she picked it up
When she finally went to pick up her car, she says something was off.
“I turn my car on and my car is violently shaking,” she said.
She described a loud rattling noise—something she swears wasn’t happening before.
“I drove my car everywhere. I would have freaked out if my car sounded like that,” she said. “It was undrivable.”
Now, after three to four weeks of back and forth, her drivable car that only needed an oil change is completely undrivable—and still in need of a new engine.
“So now the car that I was able to drive into the dealership that just needed an oil change now needs a new engine and is undrivable,” she said.
She ended the video frustrated and out of options.
“I don’t know what to do. Somebody help me.”
According to legal experts, her options are to gather maintenance records, appeal Hyundai’s decision, request a written explanation, or consult a consumer protection attorney if needed.
How often should you change your car oil?
According to Car and Driver, it depends on your car, your driving habits, and what your manual says.
Older cars and conventional oil usually mean changes every 3,000 to 5,000 miles, while newer models using synthetic oil can go 7,500 to 10,000 miles between changes.
It all depends on what kind of oil Cat’s 2021 Hyundai Palisade uses.
Some dealerships recommend more frequent oil changes, but experts say your owner’s manual is the best guide.
If you miss an oil change by a lot—say, 2,000 miles—your engine might start running less efficiently, oil can break down, and in extreme cases, it could lead to overheating or long-term engine damage.
@cflanagan1991 don’t worry, I cried my eyes out to the sweet lady at #hyundai for consumer affairs. @Hyundai USA ♬ original sound – Cat 🆘🇺🇸
Commenters are ruthless
In the comments section, viewers didn’t hold back, with many blaming Cat for the engine failure.
One person claimed it was completely expected. “As a previous Hyundai service advisor. 2K miles over an oil change will absolutely cause catastrophic engine failure,” they wrote.
Others thought the video must be satire. “Not sure if that’s a joke… 2K? Don’t think you realize how important oil is,” one viewer said.
But mechanics in the comments pushed back. “As a mechanic, that’s ridiculous,” they wrote. “To anyone saying ‘2K over is a lot’—No, no it’s not. I’ve personally seen 20 y/o turbo Subarus go 19K+ over and still run for years after.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to Cat via TikTok direct message and Hyundai via email for comment.
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