Before my extended warranty ran out I figured I'd get an oil analysis done to uncover any hidden problems. I bought a kit at a local auto parts store and, to my surprise, the analysis is actually done at a local company! Check out oil-lab.com for more details.
I received the analysis back only a few days after mailing it in and, low and behold, there was antifreeze in the oil. I wasn't entirely surprised as these engines are known to have lower intake manifold gasket leaks.
The part that surprised me was the willingness of the warranty company to fix the problem. I've heard horror stories about extended warranty places not wanting to fix anything unless there is a catastrophic failure of some kind. This was not the case! They were more than willing to fix the problem and actually complimented me on my proactive oil analysis!
To make a long story short, I took it to the local dealership and let them do the work. Should there be any problems I know they will take care of it long after the short-term extended warranty has expired.
I already have another analysis kit ready to do a follow-up check in a couple thousand miles. I'm hoping that truly solved the problem as I can't imagine what else could be leaking!!
