Man Reads 'Leaked' AutoZone Memo. Then He Stocks Up: 'I Have 30 Cases On Hand'

A man is warning people to rush out and buy motor oil while they still can, citing a “leaked” AutoZone memo he said warns of the biggest lubricant shortage in American history. The video divided the commenters, with self-identified AutoZone employees calling the memo fake, and other viewers reporting they had already bought all the oil they could carry.

The roughly one-minute, 20-second clip was posted last week by PissedOffVeteran (@pissedoffveteran10), whose channel mixes prepper scenarios with political commentary. It has drawn more than 200,900 views.

What Does He Claim The ‘Leaked’ AutoZone Memo Says?

“I just got back from having the oil changed in one of our cars, and I highly suggest that you go get yours done ASAP,” PissedOffVeteran says at the top of the video. He describes a memo “from AutoZone that went out to its district DMs, district managers, and stores in the Southeast, basically preparing them for massive shortages.”

Per his retelling, the memo is apocalyptic. “We are facing the biggest shortage in motor oil, diesel fluids, and lubricants in general in American history, all as a direct result of what’s happening in the Middle East.” He advises viewers: “Go get your oil changed or go down and buy some now.”

What’s Verified And What Isn’t?

The document he riffs on has not been authenticated. AutoZone has not publicly confirmed it, and Carscoops, which published the screenshot, said the company did not respond to a request for comment. The memo claims average lubricant supply could fall by 40% and calls it the largest such shortage in modern US history.

Several commenters who said they work for the chain outright called it fake. “I work at AutoZone. They had a meeting about this fake memo. It is not real,” wrote TheHippieHobbit. “My husband is a DM for AutoZone, this is not true,” wrote another.

The video’s framing is where it gets even shakier. The US is the world’s largest crude oil producer, has been a net petroleum exporter since 2020, and imports only about 2% of its petroleum through the Strait of Hormuz, according to the US Energy Information Administration. Running out of the crude that becomes American gasoline is not the real risk.

The catch is that oil trades on a global market, and the US has imposed no export controls on its production, so domestic abundance does not insulate American buyers from a worldwide price spike. Crude and petroleum-product prices already rose sharply in the first quarter of 2026 after military action closed the Strait of Hormuz at the end of February, the US Energy Information Administration reports.

How the rest of the disruption will play out for US drivers remains unsettled.

Motor oil is a narrower supply chain, and that is where the claim has some substance. Synthetic oil is blended from Group III base oils, and both Money and Axios report that roughly 44% of the US supply of those base oils comes from the Middle East, with lighter grades such as 0W-20 the most exposed. Axios reports that actual shortages are “starting to appear for some synthetic oil products,” and Money reports that Toyota has sent service departments guidance on substituting oil grades in some hybrids, with Nissan preparing a similar notice.

A historic run-on-the-bank shortage is unlikely, but reduced selection, spot outages of specific grades, and higher oil change prices are already showing up.

Community Response

In the comments, some self-identified industry insiders pointed to real problems. “I work in the oil industry, and supply issues of the base oil and additives used to blend motor oil are real,” wrote Deb Sherman749. An oil and fuel supplier, identified as Kristen M Jones, pointed to “several group III base oil producers getting leveled” in the synthetics category. A repair shop owner, Mari, reported the price move directly: “We own an auto repair shop. $660 for a 55 gallon 0W20, now $900.”

Others weren’t buying it. “I work in the AZ distribution center and they have hired over 30 new people this month to keep up with demand,” wrote Kace Kelsey. “Y’all are wild for creating BS scenarios.” Commenter kbell092 raised the obvious tell: “I know it’s ‘leaked,’ but wouldn’t there be more than one leak if it was true?”

Then there were the preppers the creator was targeting. “I have 30 cases on hand, not worried,” wrote chumly anderson. The pile-on drew a few weary replies. “Please don’t start panicking buying oil now,” wrote N8F. “Let’s hasten the shortage by all of [us] going out and buying motor oil,” added Sawdust.

Stockpiling on that scale runs into problems that some preppers do not consider. The main issue is that motor oil does not keep indefinitely.

ExxonMobil recommends a five-year maximum shelf life for its engine oils, including Mobil 1, and that clock only holds for sealed containers kept in a sheltered spot at stable temperatures.

A hot, humid garage with big seasonal swings shortens it, and once a jug is opened, the additive package starts to degrade faster. Thirty cases bought today is a bet that the disruption outlasts the oil, which for most drivers, it will not.

The Takeaway

Keeping a few jugs of the correct oil for your own vehicles is cheap insurance if it’s kept in a cool, dry place off the concrete. But panic-buying on the strength of an unverified screenshot is how a price spike turns into a real shortage. The supply pressure on synthetic base oils is real and worth watching, but the idea of a historic shortage is not supported by the evidence available at present.

Motor1 reached out to PissedOffVeteran via TikTok direct message and to AutoZone via its media relations team for comment. We’ll be sure to update this if either responds.