Following the 2017 Central Weights and Measures Association (CWMA) Interim Conference presentation by the Petroleum Quality Institute of America’s President, Thomas Glenn, weights and measures inspectors in the City of Madison looked for motor oil and antifreeze sited by PQIA at all convenience stores in its jurisdiction. They found some and examined the products for net quantity and labeling requirements.
The Findings and Action
Most of the motor oils examined by Madison (as shown in the table below) were short filled. All of the tested products that were short filled exceeded Maximum Allowable Variations (MAVs). These product labels also failed to meet requirements due to lack of adequate information on the responsible party. Because of this, City of Madison was unable to contact any of the companies responsible for manufacturing the products.
Recently, City of Madison inspectors made another sweep of convenience stores and found a distributor from Milwaukee, Wisconsin who was still selling these products. Again, none of the product manufacturers were able to be contacted and they still did not have complete declarations of responsibility on the product labels. One company had a Facebook page but, according to city inspectors, the phone number listed was not accepting calls. The inspectors removed all of these products from sale based on the declaration of responsibility violations. It should be noted that the PQIA has tested the brands sited by the City of Madison in the past and issued consumer alerts advising consumers that these products can cause harm to engines.
The City of Madison says it will continue to monitor motor oils for compliance and will remove all products that fail labeling or net quantity inspections.
The PQIA applauds City of Madison for its action and encourages weights and measures in all states to take a look at the motor oils sold in their backyards to, at a minimum, determine if consumers are being short changed on the volume of oil in the bottles they buy and that the party responsible for the product is shown on the label. Such action is a low cost – high impact way weights and measures can further help protect consumers when buying motor oil to service what is likely, second to a home, the most expensive asset they own; their car.
Below is a list of products from 2017 and 2019 inspections that City of Madison tested for quantity or checked for declaration of responsibility and removed from sale. The City of Madison contacted the Milwaukee distributor to have them remove these products from city businesses and cease from selling them until the labels are corrected.
| 2017 Initial Inspections | Date Sampled | Issues-a |
| Super XXX 10W30 motor oil | 11/1/2017 | Short filled by 3.187 oz., Chi-Town Lubricants, Dolton, IL 60419, No street address, unable to contact |
| Super XXX 10W40 motor oil | 11/2/2017 | Short filled by 4.687 oz., Chi-Town Lubricants, Dolton, IL 60419, No street address, unable to contact |
| Super XXX 10W40 motor oil | 11/9/2017 | Short filled by 2.06 oz., Chi-Town Lubricants, Dolton, IL 60419, No street address, unable to contact |
| Mileage 365 5-30 motor oil | 11/1/2017 | Label fail, no address, No address/declaration of responsibility |
| Mag 5 Star 10-30 motor oil | 10/30/2017 | Short filled by 3.875 oz., Bottled Brands, Chicago, IL, No street or zip code, unable to contact |
| Mag 5 Star 10-40 motor oil | 11/9/2017 | Short filled by 5.62 oz., Bottled Brands, Chicago, IL, No street or zip code, unable to contact |
| Cruz-in motor oil | 10/24/2017 | Short filled by 5.312 oz/3.50 oz., CMI Oil, 555 Allendale, Wheeling, IL, No zip code, unable to contact |
| Cruz-in motor oil | 11/6/2017 | Short filled by 4.87 oz., CMI Oil, 555 Allendale, Wheeling, IL, No zip code, unable to contact |
| Xpress Lube Pro motor oil | 10/24/2017 | Short filled by 3.875 oz./1.75 oz., XPRESS LUBE PRO, POB 928 Glenview, IL 60025, Unable to contact |
| 2019 follow-up inspections | Date Sampled | Issues |
| Rev 360 motor oil | 4/23/2019 | Label fail, Orion Lubricants, Worth, IL 60482, No street address, unable to contact |
| Rev 360 motor oil | 4/29/2019 | Label fail, Orion Lubricants, Worth, IL 60482, No street address, unable to contact |
| Mag 5 Star motor oil | 4/29/2019 | Label fail, Bottled Brands, Chicago, IL, No street or zip code, unable to contact |
| Mileage 365 motor oil | 4/29/2019 | Label fail, No declaration of responsibility, Unable to contact |
| Xpress Lube Pro motor oil | 4/29/2019 | Label fail, XPRESS LUBE PRO, POB 928, Glenview, IL 60025 Unable to contact |
Super XXX motor oil and antifreeze | 4/29/2019 | Label fail, New World Sales, Dolton and LaGrange, IL 60419 No street address, unable to contact. |
The City of Wisconsin also found Rev 360 motor oil and Super XXX antifreeze on 4/30/19 and 5/1/19 which were removed from sale due to labeling.
a- The maximum allowable variation (MAV) for weights and measures for 32 fluid ounces is one ounce. When one sample examined is found to exceed one MAV at retail, the entire lot is rejected because it indicates the manufacturer has lost control of its packaging practices and are not able to deliver a product that is in compliance.
